Austin Record Convention 2026: A Collector’s Planning Guide

Event

Public admission runs Saturday and Sunday

When

October 24–25, 2026

Where

Palmer Events Center · 900 Barton Springs Road

Lineup / admission

$5 announced general admission · good for both public days

The official convention schedule says general admission begins at 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday closes at 6 p.m.; Sunday closes at 5 p.m. The published $5 general-admission price covers both days rather than a single visit.

That price is useful for planning, but it is not proof that an online ticket can be bought today. The live page simultaneously shows a TicketLeap link and a notice that general-admission tickets are not yet on sale. Verify the current checkout state directly, and do not treat this article as a ticket confirmation.

Guide

Early shoppers get a separate three-day window

When

Friday–Sunday, October 23–25, 2026

Where

Palmer Events Center

Lineup / admission

$30 announced early-shopper admission · good for three days

The early-shopper option is a different admission product. The organizer says early shoppers may enter at 10 a.m. Friday after the dealer load-in begins, at 8 a.m. Saturday and at 9 a.m. Sunday. Friday closes at 5 p.m.; the weekend closing times match the public schedule.

The site describes the $30 early-shopper admission as good for all three days, but its own availability notice also says those tickets are not on sale yet. Join the organizer’s notification list or return to the official page instead of buying from an unverified reseller.

Guide

The scale rewards a plan, not a speed run

When

Verified September 23

Where

40,000 square feet of dealer space

Lineup / admission

Records, CDs, cassettes, posters and music memorabilia

Austin Record Convention describes more than one million recorded-music items and collectibles across 40,000 square feet, with hundreds of dealers from the United States and Europe. Its list runs from 78s and 45s to LPs, CDs, cassettes, posters and other music memorabilia.

Those are organizer claims about the market’s scale, not a guarantee that a particular title will be present. Collectors hunting one pressing should bring the identifying details that matter—artist, catalog number, label, country and format—and use the convention’s text-to-search system if it is operating during the show.

Event

Use the organizer’s clock, not Palmer’s placeholder times

When

October 23–25, 2026

Where

Palmer Events Center

Lineup / admission

The city venue calendar confirms the booking but shows unreliable display fields

Palmer Events Center’s listing confirms the event dates and venue, but it also labels the in-person convention a “Virtual Event” and displays midnight-to-midnight times. Those fields conflict with the venue name and the organizer’s detailed timetable, so they should not be used as arrival instructions.

For hours, admission windows and ticket status, use Austin Record Convention’s official page. For the physical location, both sources point to Palmer Events Center; the organizer lists 900 Barton Springs Road and says parking in the Palmer/Long Center garage is $12. Parking rates and availability can change, so confirm before driving.

Guide

The convention is an Austin institution, not a pop-up newcomer

When

Founded in 1981

Where

Austin, Texas

Lineup / admission

Held twice yearly in spring and fall

The organization says the convention began at the Zilker Clubhouse in 1981 and grew into a twice-yearly spring-and-fall gathering of dealers, collectors and music fans. It later returned to the modern Palmer Events Center after years in alternate venues.

That history explains the breadth of formats without promising nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. The event now spans physical media and memorabilia from multiple eras, and the best use of the weekend is to compare condition, pressing details and dealer knowledge before committing to a purchase.

Quick answers

Austin Record Convention 2026: quick answers