Weekend event planner

Here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this weekend

The weekend is almost here, and we’re ready to hit the town. From a happy hour social hosted by your favorite digital lifestyle platform — CultureMap (duh) — to some amazing concerts and lively family-fun happenings, we’ve put together a list of can’t-miss events so that you won’t have a single dull moment from Thursday straight through to Sunday. Read on for the top 10 best things to do in Houston this weekend.

For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

Get social
Thursday, May 18
Don't miss CultureMap’s summer social for young professionals at River Oaks luxury apartment community, Marq 31. Lifestyle blogger Natalie Harms of It's Not Hou It's Me will give tips on how to host the perfect summer picnic, while several boutiques including Baanou, Kissue, and Stag Provisions will offer up summer essentials for sale. Enjoy refreshing sips by Casamigos Tequila and Saint Arnold Brewing Company, popsicles by Kicpops, and spins by DJ Bizonee. Proceeds benefit Memorial Park Conservancy. (6-8 pm; tickets: $20 per person)
3131 Timmons Ln.

Supermodel alert
Friday, May 19
Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Ashley Graham heads to Barnes and Noble in River Oaks for a signing session of her memoir, A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty and Power Really Look Like. (6 pm; tickets; free entry)
2030 W. Gray St.; 713-522-8571

Whiskey river
Friday, May 19
Sample a large roster of whiskies and fine spirits at the second annual whiskey social. Your ticket also gets you entry to master classes led by brand ambassadors and hors d’oeuvres. (6 pm; tickets: $75 per person)
2401 W. Bellfort Blvd.; 713-899-9321

Fun for kids
Saturday, May 20-Sunday, May 21
The Houston Texans, Texas Children’s Hospital, and Kids Triathlon, Inc. team up to host the 2017 Houston Texans Kids Triathlon at NRG Stadium, featuring interactive triathlon expos and racing fun (6 am; tickets: $50-$60 per person)
8400 Kirby Dr.; 904-448-2114

Discover downtown
Saturday, May 20
Learn about downtown’s public art and architecture from the experts as Architecture Center Houston and AIA Houston host a tour including stops along Market Square Park, Buffalo Bayou, and areas West of Main St. (10 am; tickets: $5 per person for AIA Houston members and $10 per person for nonmembers)
Market Square Park at Travis St. and Congress Ave.; 713-520-0155

Like a boss
Saturday, May 20
Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Lil Keke, Kirko Bangz, Dice Soho, and more hit the stage at the Space City Liftoff concert at jewelry retailer Johnny Dang & Co. (1 pm; tickets: $30-$150 per person)
6224 Richmond Ave.

The right stuff
Saturday, May 20
New Kids on the Block, 90s teen sensations, bring their The Total Package tour to downtown’s Toyota Center. Paula Abdul and Boyz II Men are also on the bill. (7:30 pm; tickets: floor seats (only) are still available for $249.95 per person)
1510 Polk St.; 713-758-7200

Feast for a good cause
Sunday, May 21
Load up on delicious fare, from smoked Gouda grits (with herb butter, crawfish tails, and smoked chorizo; $8.50) to smoked bacon banana waffles ($7.50 for two), at a special fundraiser brunch at El Burro & the Bull restaurant. All proceeds go towards medical expenses for Norma Brooks, of the highly-acclaimed Brooks’ Place Barbecue in Cypress, who recently suffered a stroke and has been diagnosed with cancer. (11 am-3 pm; tickets: free entry)
1010 Prairie St.; 713- 503-2299

Kiddie art fest
Sunday, May 21
Kid-friendly fun, Texas Children’s Art Festival, held at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, presents art-making workshops, a collaborative group art project, interactive games, and live music on the terrace. As well, the first floor of Ima Hogg’s onsite historic house will be open for tours. (1 pm; tickets: free)
6003 Memorial Dr.; 713-800-5345

Nose-to-tail throwdown
Sunday, May 21
At pork-tacular foodie event, Cochon555, five chefs, each given one week to prepare a whole pig, go head-to-head at Hughes Manor in a competition scored by a panel of judges. Sample to eats, plus sips from a handful of winemakers (5 pm; tickets: $125-$200 per person)
2811 Washington Ave.; 201-675-9711

New Kids on the Block bring their The Total Package tour to downtown’s Toyota Center.

New Kids on the Block/Facebook

New Kids on the Block bring their The Total Package tour to downtown’s Toyota Center.

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ACL News

Sabrina Carpenter, The Strokes, and more revealed for 2025 ACL festival

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

Sabrina Carpenter is a headliner at ACL Music Festival in 2025.

Austin City Limits Music Festival is back for another year of big names including Sabrina Carpenter, Hozier, Doja Cat, Luke Combs, The Strokes, John Summit, Doechii, and more. The event will take place at Austin's Zilker Park from October 3-5 and October 10-13.

Ticket sales start with three-day wristbands at noon on May 6 at aclfestival.com.

Just in terms of buzz alone, Sabrina Carpenter and Doechii are two big pulls that perhaps could have been expected, although there are never any guarantees. The pristine pop and artistic rap performers, respectively, are each on a meteoric rise. Their sets could echo Chappell Roan's last year, which stole headlines for sheer excitement and crowd size.

Hozier, Doja Cat, Luke Combs, and The Strokes are all returning artists. That means nearly half of this year's headliners are making their ACL Fest debut right at the top. One of those newcomers is John Summit, who was speculated to show up in 2024 with Dom Dolla. Fans also expected to see Sabrina Carpenter in 2024 (in part thanks to a misleading advertisement on the "payphone" ACL Fest installed to tease its lineup), so thankfully they didn't have to wait long.

After the actual headliners, the top line of performers include Colombian reggaeton star Feid, who has collaborated with Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Karol G, and more; alternative rock band Cage the Elephant, who are back from a tumultuous patch; R&B star T-Pain, in the middle of a personal renaissance to remind people he can sing without autotune; Australian electropop duo Empire of the Sun, with alien operatic stage sensibilities; nostalgic solo artist Djo, the nearly incognito solo project of actor Joe Keery from Stranger Things; and iconic post-hardcore band Pierce the Veil, who are back in the studio again.

Attendees will have a second chance to see local favorite Passion Pit, the defining electropop group that recently dropped out of a 2025 South by Southwest showcase, leaving barely a trace. Japanese Breakfast also promises big crowds; a recent signing appearance at End of An Ear in South Austin created a line around the block for hours. Two more CultureMap favorites (if readers will indulge us) are Southern indie rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise and British indie, post-punk band Wet Leg; respectively hyper sincere and deadpan, but both fun and high-energy.

Among Austin artists, two stand out as recent festival favorites: Geto Gala and The Point. Geto Gala is a hip hop duo favoring smooth, nostalgic beats and a laid-back lyrical delivery. The Point, a rock group, spans many styles, but their live sets tend to show off high-energy, world-influenced, and mostly instrumental blues. Dylan Gossett, while not exactly a festival staple, is much higher up on the lineup and is becoming very well-respected as a country-folk songwriter.

A press release pulls out some additional notable acts from the lineup:

Fujii Kaze (W2)
ROLE MODEL
Gigi Perez
CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso (W2)
Olivia Dean
Yoke Lore
flowerovlove
Royal & The Serpent
Amble
Good Neighbours
Celeste (W1)

And some from Texas:

Maren Morris (W1)
Dylan Gossett
Tanner Usrey
Asleep at the Wheel (W1)
INOHA (W1)
Johnny Stimson (W2)
SL Houser (W1)
Geto Gala (W1)
Farmer’s Wife (W2)
Alex Amen (W2)
Shallowater (W2)
Aaron Page (W1)
Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective (W2)
Disciples of Christ (W1)

A full lineup can be viewed here:

ACL's full 2025 lineup.Graphic courtesy of Austin City Limits Music Festival

Folks who can't make the festival can once again tune in on Hulu, returning as the festival's official streaming partner for performances, interviews, and more. Hulu will stream the first weekend, only.

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ACL News

Sabrina Carpenter, The Strokes, and more revealed for 2025 ACL festival