From family vacation traditions with classic Christmas carols to campy blasphemy that will have you laughing, we present a selection of the best vacation music events in Austin. Check each site’s websites for COVID-19 security protocols.

1st December

Home Cookin ‘for the Holidays Live Fundraiser for HOME. Launched a decade ago, the nonprofit Housing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainers helps aging musicians in the Austin area cover their housing costs. Nearly three dozen local and national actors have signed up to submit a song for this virtual event which will air from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the Facebook HOME page, KUTX’s YouTube channel and luckypresents.com. Line-up includes Marcia Ball, Los Lobos, Shawn Colvin, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, Dave Alvin, Carolyn Wonderland, Ruthie Foster, James McMurtry, Gloria Gaynor, Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock, Los Texmaniacs, Shinyribs, Terry Allen and more . Donation instructions will be displayed on screen during the event. facebook.com/homeaustinorg – PB

3-4 Dec

Graham Reynolds ruins the vacation at the Long Center Rollins Studio Theater. Do you prefer a sad Christmas? Local composer and conductor Reynolds turns the merry into melancholy by bringing the keys of your favorite Christmas carols from major to minor. $ 29. 7:30 p.m. thelongcenter.org. – DSS

December 6

Christmas Conspiracy at the Long Center. The Grammy-winning choral ensemble has released several seasonal records from their holiday shows, including this year’s “Close to You,” which features songs recorded during the group’s 2019 performance in the historic Chapel of ‘Austin, the Carillon. Isaac Cates & Ordained, a Kansas City gospel band, will join artistic director Craig Hella Johnson and the cast of Conspirare for this year’s concert. $ 10 to $ 125. 7:30 p.m. thelongcenter.org. – PB

December 11

Bruce & Kelly’s Holiday Shindig with special guest Radney Foster at the Paramount Theater. A two-decade Austin vacation tradition, The Shindig stars American music husband and wife Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis, performing some of their best-known songs as well as vacation-themed family movies. There is a different special guest every year; this time it’s Texan Radney Foster, one of Nashville’s top singer-songwriters of the past 30 years. $ 30 to $ 48. 8 p.m. ausntheatre.org. – PB

December 12

BenDeLaCreme & Jinkx Monsoon at the Paramount Theater. The category is: Vacation Opulence and Dysfunctional Family Reality. Drag queen superstars build this extravagant vaudeville splendor around a simple premise: “Everyone is traumatized by Christmas,” but that’s nothing a little campy blasphemy can’t heal. Their new holiday album is a glorious adventure with bad Santa Claus, passive-aggressive parents, and a version of “Away in a Manger” (“A Gay in a Stranger”) that will have you blushing for days. Let these “Drag Race” alumni help you find a new tradition of happy and cheerful vacations. $ 25. ausntheatre.org. – DSS

A Charlie Brown Christmas in the United States at Paramount. Few musical works evoke the holiday spirit more than the music that jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi recorded in the mid-1960s for the animated television special “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. The Austin Chamber Music Center is behind this pair of live performances that will feature pianist Michelle Schumann, bassist Utah Hamrick, drummer David Sierra and other guest musicians playing “Christmastime Is Here”, “Linus and Lucy ”and other favorites from the soundtrack. 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. $ 22- $ 37. ausntheatre.org. – PB

December 15

Geraldine Motown’s Sixth Annual Christmas with Tje Austin and friends. The R&B singer, master baker and former contestant on NBC’s singing show “The Voice” spends months planning his annual vacation. Expect a lively mix of traditional and pop Christmas favorites with special guests and fun surprises along the way. Free, reservation recommended. 8 p.m. geraldinesaustin.com– DSS

December 17

Pachanga presents A Merry-Achi Christmas with Mariachi Sol de México by Jóse Hernàndez at ACL Live. During his busy career, Hernàndez, a fifth generation mariachi artist, has collaborated with everyone from sensation Tejano Selena to the Beach Boys. Trumpet in hand, he commands a close-knit ensemble of a dozen musicians who deliver the drama and romance of mariachi music to audiences around the world. $ 29 to $ 49. 6.30 p.m. acl-live.com – DSS

17-19 Dec.

Armadillo Bazaar outside at the Palmer Events Center. The holiday music and business event with 45 years of history in Austin is moving outdoors this year to create a “safe, family-friendly fine art scene.” More than 100 artists will be on site. With its duration reduced to three days, the musical part of the events will consist of two acts each day which will play two sets each. Latin Grammy-nominated pop artist Gina Chavez and blues sensation Jackie Venson perform on Friday. On Saturday, Grammy-nominated blues and American artist Ruthie Foster and soul dynamos Tomar and the CF will treat you to a shopping serenade. And on Sunday, powerful singers Carolyn Wonderland and Shelley King and country soul barons Shinyribs close the event. $ 10. 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily. armadillobazaar.com. – DSS

Following:Big Changes to Armadillo Christmas Bazaar: 2021 Event Moves Outdoors to Palmer

18-19 Dec

The Road to Christmas by Robert Earl Keen at ACL Live. The Bandera-based troubadour has been doing these holiday shows for a while, although they used to be called “Merry Christmas from the Fam-O-Lee Family” in reference to the humorous Christmas tune by Keen of the same name. Despite the name change, there’s no doubt this song will still feature prominently overall. Georgian singer-songwriter Brent Cobb opens the show on both evenings. $ 39- $ 75. 8 p.m. acl-live.com. – PB

More holiday shows

November 26: “Phunksgiving” by Dumpstaphunk with Ghost-Note and Marcus Rezak at Empire Garage

November 26: Peterson Brothers after Thanksgiving Bash at Antone’s

November 27: release of Patricia Vonne’s Christmas album at One 2 One Bar

November 27: A Holiday Evening with Bob Schneider and the Moonlight Orchestra at ACL Live

November 27: Peter White Christmas with Mindi Abair and Vincent Ingala at One World Theater

December 3: “Keep Austin Cheer’d! A Retro Austin Holiday Extravaganza »with Me Nd Adam at the Continental Club

December 5: Young Voices of Austin presents “Songs of Joy” in the United States at Paramount

December 11: Ian Moore Family Christmas in the United States at Paramount

December 13: Drag Queen Christmas at ACL Live

December 15: Ninth Annual Jelly Christmas Jam with Jelly Ellington, Otis Wilkins, Watters, Mammoths, Vallejo and more to benefit the SIMS Foundation at 3Ten

December 16: Fourth annual Tejano Christmas toy drive with JR Gomez y Los Conjunto Bandits and La Dezz at 3Ten

December 15: “A Very Quiet Company Christmas 2: Lost in Cedar Park” to benefit the SIMS Foundation with Quiet Company, Buttercup and more at Haute Spot

December 17-18: Third Annual Holiday Jam-Bo-Ree with A-Town GetDown, Flyjack and Graveltooth at 3Ten

December 17-19: River City Pops presents “Tis the Season” at the Long Center Rollins Studio Theater

December 18: Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas at the Paramount Theater

December 23: Misfit Toys of Christmas Island with Great North Special and Wandering Pines at One-2-One Bar

December 23: Oh Antonio and his imaginary friends vacation at While Brewing

December 25: “Blue Christmas” dance party by Santiago Jimenez Jr. with Conjunto Los Pinkys and Ysidro Samilpa at Antone’s

December 25: Annual Dale Watson Christmas Show and Dance at the Continental Club