The Austin Area Commission for the Arts is mixing the old with the new at the Historic Paramount Theatre for its fall and winter season. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming up at Austin’s historic theater and at the Austin ArtWorks Center:

Charlie Parr returns home

Austin native and fan favorite Charlie Parr is returning to Austin near the end of a busy stretch of shows to promote his latest album, “Stumpjumper.”

“He has a great following being from Austin,” Austin Area Commission for the Arts Director Jennie Knoebel said. “Always puts on a great concert.”

Parr will play the Paramount at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 24.

Parr is looking forward to returning home to play, though he has been back recently to visit his mother.

“I’m always grateful to get to come back to Austin,” he said.

Parr last played the Paramount as part of the Caravan du Nord show in 2013, and he played at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Club last year.

Parr has been on the road a lot since releasing his 13th album, “Stumpjumper,” on April 28, but he’s had a lot of help this time around.

After several years touring largely on his own, Parr released “Stumpjumper” through St. Paul-based Red House Records.

“It’s been great,” Parr said. “It’s been pretty busy, but having this record label on my side has been pretty amazing as far as getting extra support.”

After years of hauling around records to sell them himself at shows, Parr said it’s been good to have the backing of the label, which does promotions, helps distribute the record and boosts promotions. That also often translates to more people coming to shows, Parr said.

“You feel like you’re kind of part of a family, and Red House is very much a family,” Parr said.

He said this show will likely be a solo show, and he expects to mix in some older material with some of his new stuff. Parr is already working on material for a new album, but he doesn’t have specific recording dates yet.

Caravan du Nord Returning to Austin

The Caravan du Nord is returning for another go-around in Austin.

The Caravan is a tour put on by the Minnesota Music Coalition to help support Minnesota music and bring small town residents a taste of affordable music they may not normally get outside the Twin Cities.

“Definitely one of the missions is to expose people to new music,” said Ellen Stanley, the coalition’s executive director.

The 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 show will feature Twin Cities-based Har Mar Superstar and Reina Del Cid, along with the local Peter Jacobs Trio.

Austin Area Commission for the Arts Director Jennie Knoebel described the event as a safe place for area music fans to experience something new in an affordable way without leaving the area.

“It’s an opportunity for a community to take a chance on some artists,” Knoebel said, without having to drive to the cities.

She was excited to have Har Mar Superstar bringing his unique blend of R&B and pop to the Paramount.

“He’s a great performer,” Knoebel said. “Puts on a good show.”

Stanley praised the Paramount and Knoebel as being enthusiastic partners with the Caravan du Nord and said that’s a key reason why the tour has keeps coming back to Austin.

Knoebel said the concert will be relatively laid back, and people can come for one act or head out the bar and come back to the show.

“It’s kind of a more relaxed atmosphere,” she said.

Organizers will also host workshops that Saturday at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The first will focus on promotions, and the second will focus on booking gigs. Both shows will feature a panel discussion on the issues with artists.

“We really encourage any aspiring musicians to attend,” Knoebel said.

Then around 4 p.m., the musicians are invited to a social hour at Dusty’s Lounge, 422 N. Main St. in Austin.

The social hour and workshops have ben a vital way to bring musicians together.

“That’s been a great opportunity for after the workshop for musicians to get to know each other,” Stanley said. “Minnesota Music Coalition is really about building community around music.”

Stanley said it’s a key way to help musicians expand.

“We want to help musicians, again, achieve that next level,” Stanley said.

A new-look Christmas to focus on homegrown talent

After the popular Veldman and Friends show ended last year, the Paramount is turning to three sets of local performers this holiday season.

First on Nov. 27, the Jane Taylor Academy of Dance will return to the Paramount to present scenes from “The Nutcracker.”

The Christmas in the City show moved last year as the Paramount was unavailable, but the show will return downtown.

At 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, the annual TubaChristmas show, formerly held at Oak Park Mall, will oompha its way to the Paramount. Tuba, sousaphone or euphonium players are welcome to attend and perform. In past years, registration has started at 11 a.m. Saturday and cost was $10.

The Paramount’s main holiday show, Christmas at Home, will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 and 19, along with a 2 p.m. show on the 19th.

The shows will be a musical review featuring musicians from several student groups at Austin Public Schools. Each performance will likely feature a different set of acts, like solos and ensemble groups.

“Every show will be slightly different,” Knoebel said.

Knoebel was excited to fill the Veldman slots with local talent, as Knoebel said traveling holiday groups haven’t been as popular in the past.

“It’s exciting that it will be another homegrown show,” she said.

Other Paramount Theatre events

Oct. 15: Adam Wayne, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16: Comedy Night featuring Chris Anderson, M/C (from Austin), Jeff Larson, Jeff Pfoser and Mike Lester, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 6-Nov. 8: Matchbox Children’s Theatre will perform the “The Far-Fetched Fable of the Frog Prince: How a Prince Became A Frog and Starred in the School Play.”

ArtWorks Center events

Oct. 3: Music @ the Bank with Anthony Williams

Oct. 9: Gallery opening from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring Carol Bender and Barb Cafourek. Gallery runs through Nov. 21.

Nov. 27: Gallery opening from 5 to 7 p.m. during Christmas in the City for the annual Members-Only Holiday Show.