Don't Miss Events

Your weekly guide to Houston: Five (plus) don't-miss events — festivals included

On tap this week is a fabulous anniversary party that celebrates a group of your favorite news personalities, a family-friendly gathering at Houston's newest happy place, an attempt to break a Guinness World Record with gravity-defying feats and two cultural festivals that paint the city with colorful fun.

CultureMap Houston's Fifth Birthday Bash

What on earth is a mapazine? I rolled my eyes and I kept on walking the first time I heard the concept for this new whatever that was supposed to be the it thing on the web. But there were smart peeps behind CultureMap, folks that would eventually offer me an opportunity to put in my two cents about arts and culture. And here we are, five years later, reminiscing about the good times while looking forward to more adventures.

Our party on Friday celebrates all the hard work and sleepless nights. We can't wait to see everyone. Although online ticket sales are now closed due to overwhelming demand, there will be a limited number of tickets sold at the door. Just get there early to be able to join in the revelry that benefits Casa De Esperanza.

The deets: Friday, 7-10 p.m.; J.W. Marriott Houston Downtown Hotel; $25 cash at the door.

Saturday at Smither Park

The transformation from empty parcel to in-progress happy place has been remarkable, a destination to which everyone reacts the same way: Smiles all around. Smither Park, designed by visionary artist Dan Phillips and executed by a coterie of artists, is a mosaic that truly speaks to the spirit of Houston.

This family-friendly gathering includes live entertainment while artists continue to work on the Memory Wall and Lindley Fish Amphitheater. John Daugherty Realtors gets in on the artsy action by facilitating the collection of recycled and repurposed materials that add color and personality to the vibrant environment.

The deets: Saturday, 11 a.m.; Smither Park; free event.

Society for the Performing Arts presents the National Acrobats of China

Locals shouldn't need an introduction to this type of gravity-defying troupe as Houstonians have enjoyed performances by the Peking Acrobats and Golden Dragon Acrobats in recent years. But this Society for the Performing Arts show could be making history.

Before the 7:30 p.m. curtain call, The National Acrobats of China will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people spinning plates at the same time. Organizers suggest that audience members arrive at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. attempt.

The deets: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Jones Hall; tickets start at $28.

Italian Festival

If you've recovered from the foodgasm that was the Original Greek Festival, then don your eating trousers again to enjoy this year's Italian Festival — meat on a stick, anyone?

You'll sample authentic Italian grub while participating in fun activities such as grape stomping, pasta eating contests, a bocce ball tournament, marionette puppet shows, Italian movies, cooking demonstrations and more.

The deets: Runs through Sunday; University of St. Thomas; $8 for adults, children ages 12 and under attend for free.

2014 Bayou City Art Festival Downtown

Don't let the forecasted precipitation rain on this parade of creative vendors, among them painters, photographers, textile artists, photographers and more than line Hermann Square and surrounding public spaces. As a different committee curates the merchants every year, there's always something fresh and new to discover.

Talking about things that are new: Be sure check out Bayou City After Dark (Saturday, 5-9:30 p.m.), a new festival component that complements what the event is known for with cocktails and live performances by Martha Wash of The Weather Girls and Grady Gaines and the Texas Upsetters.

The deets: Saturday (10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m.-6 p.m.); Hermann Park Square; $15 adult admission.

Smither Park is a mosaic that truly speaks to the spirit of Houston.

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landing scuttled

Nonprofit Houston news outlet will shutter after only 2 years

Houston skyline

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Amid financial challenges, the nonprofit Houston Landing online news outlet plans to shut down by mid-May.

In an April 15 announcement posted on its website, Houston Landing says that although it launched in 2023 with more than $20 million in seed funding, the outlet failed to attract enough revenue to continue operating. The announcement followed a vote by the organization’s board of directors to close the nonprofit newsroom. All 43 employees will be laid off, the Columbia Journalism Reviewreports.

“We are proud of the Landing’s coverage of Greater Houston and continue to believe deeply in the need for more free, independent journalism in our region,” Ann B. Stern, board chair of Houston Landing as well as president and CEO of the Houston Endowment, says in the announcement. “This decision was difficult but necessary. Houston Landing’s reporting has made a meaningful impact in the community, but it struggled to find its long-term financial footing.”

According to the announcement, the Landing’s board is exploring a partnership with the Austin-based Texas Tribune, a pioneer in nonprofit journalism, to potentially establish a local news initiative in Houston. Later this year, the Texas Tribune plans to open a locally focused newsroom in Waco. A similar newsroom is in the works in Austin.

“We have great respect for Houston Landing’s work in delivering high-quality, nonpartisan journalism to its readers,” says Sonal Shah, CEO of the Texas Tribune. “We also understand the profound challenges facing local newsrooms today — journalism is a public service and needs a strong ecosystem to thrive. We look forward to exploring how we can learn from what the Landing started and create a sustainable model that serves the Houston community. We will take time to explore the right path forward to ensure sustainability.”

Houston Landing was launched after a two-year study led by the American Journalism Project found many Houstonians were disappointed about a lack of trustworthy, deeply reported local news. Financial backers of the Landing include the American Journalism Project, the Houston Endowment, Arnold Ventures, the Kinder Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Despite the high-profile support, the site struggled to find an audience. CJR notes that the Landing had approximately 13,000 newsletter subscribers and only generated about $80,000 in subscription revenue. In the article, executive editor Sewell Chan identifies a number of other issues, including a lack of editorial focus and changes in leadership. “But in the end, the gap between board and staff, between management and labor, and between runway and revenue was just too large to bridge,” he writes.

“While it’s with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of our newsroom, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the dedicated journalists and staff members who poured their passion into our mission every single day,” Houston Landing CEO Peter Bhatia says.

“Houston Landing demonstrates how a commitment to truth and accountability can transform communities and improve lives,” he adds. “I’m thankful to those who believed in us, supported us, and stood with us as we connected with each other through stories that inspired positive change.”

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