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    Houston NY Eve

    Insider's Guide to big New Year's Eve celebration in downtown Houston: Fireworks and free performances

    Clifford Pugh
    Dec 29, 2015 | 11:19 am

    After a two-year hiatus, a big New Year's Eve celebration, complete with a midnight fireworks display and lots of entertainment, is headed back to downtown Houston — in a new location, with the B-52s and Houston-based Tontons as featured attractions.

    Other events — all free — will take place inside the Alley and Wortham Center theaters throughout the evening, beginning at 7 pm. They range from a production of SantaLand Diaries to a Broadway Sing-A-Long, and performances by magician Curt Miller, percussionist and bandleader Pedrito Martinez and smooth jazz Bobby Lyle Trio. (See full schedule below.)

    Also on tap is an early New Year’s kid-friendly celebration in the Family Zone on Jones Plaza filled with dancing, games, activities and costumed characters.

    Grown-ups can toast the end of the year in the Bubbly Garden with room for dancing and a lounge area. The B-52s, affectionately known as the "world's greatest party band" with such dance hits as "Love Shack" and "Deadbeat Club," perform at 10:35 pm on a special outdoor stage constructed on Smith and Capitol streets in the Theatre District, leading to the midnight fireworks celebration from atop Jones Hall. The Tontons will perform from 9:15-10:15 pm.

    Food and beverage booths will sell traditional "good luck" food and hot cocoa, coffee and cider, as well as beer, wine and champagne. Parking is available in garages underneath the Theater District buildings.

    New tradition

    The event revives a burgeoning New Year's Eve tradition that developed when Gloworama was launched at Discovery Green to welcome in 2010 with neon-decorated art cars and a spectacular light show. The event morphed into an event called New Year's Eve Live and organizers hoped to make it an annual family-style blowout as the Bayou City version of New York's big annual celebration in Times Square.

    But in late 2013, the annual event was canceled due to a lack of sponsors. Insiders say that Mayor Annise Parker lobbied for the return of the signature downtown happening as one of her last achievements before leaving office. (Mayor-elect Sylvester Turner will be inaugurated on January 4 in Jones Hall). Houston First stepped in to sponsor the celebration.

    Other sponsors include the city of Houston, the Houston Downtown Management District, the Houston Theater District and the Houston Chronicle. The event is produced by the Mayor’s Office of Special Events.

    “Houston has lots to celebrate and what an extraordinary way to begin a new chapter for this tradition," Parker said in a statement.

    Online contest

    In conjuction with the big event, sponsors are conducting an online contest, with a chance to win a Theater District experience, which includes overnight accommodations at The Lancaster Hotel, a $100 gift card to the Hard Rock Cafe and four tickets to the Theater Under The Stars production of Mary Poppins.

    Entries, which can be made online at www.houstontxgov.nye/contest.html, must be received by Wednesday (December 30) at 5 pm. The drawing will be held on Thursday (December 31) after the 7:45 pm performance of the Curt Miller Magic Show at Wortham Center. The winner must be present at the drawing.

    Live options

    Because there is so much construction work around Discovery Green, with a giant new Marriott Marquis hotel aiming to open before the 2017 Super Bowl, as well as renovations to the George R. Brown Convention Center, organizers decided to move the celebration to the Theater District and take advantage of the facilities to present live performances in some of the buildings throughout the evening. They include:

    7 - 7:45 pm
    Cullen Theater, Wortham Center
    Curt Miller Magic Show

    7 – 9 pm
    Hard Rock Café
    Kristal Cherelle & Will Makar
    Strolling Entertainment
    New Orleans Hustlers Brass Band & Glow Go Dancers

    7 - 9 pm
    Kids Plaza, Jones Plaza
    DJ Johnny J, Arcade, Face Painters, Fortune Teller, Red Door Productions Dancers, LunchBox Dance Crew, Balloon Artist
    *Special Kids Countdown – 9 p.m.

    7:30 - 8:30 pm
    Alley, Neuhaus Theatre
    SantaLand Diaries (Mature Audiences Only)

    Brown Theater, Wortham Center
    Broadway Sing-A-Long I

    8 - 9:30 pm
    Alley, Hubbard Theatre
    Pedrito Martinez

    9 – 10:15 pm
    Cullen Theater, Wortham Center
    Bobby Lyle Trio

    9:15 - 10:15 pm
    Main Stage, corner of Smith and Texas
    The Tontons

    9:30 – 10:30 p.m.
    Brown Theater, Wortham Center
    Broadway Sing-A-Long II

    10:35 - 11:58 pm
    Main Stage, corner of Smith and Texas
    The B-52s

    The Tontons will perform on an outdoor stage at the Theater District at 9:15 pm on New Year's Eve.

    Free Press Summer Fest The Tontons
      
    Photo by Marco Torres
    The Tontons will perform on an outdoor stage at the Theater District at 9:15 pm on New Year's Eve.
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    weekend event planner

    Here are the 16 best things happening in Houston this weekend

    Craig D. Lindsey
    Apr 9, 2025 | 6:30 pm
    Here are the 16 best things happening in Houston this weekend
    Here are the 16 best things happening in Houston this weekend
    Here are the 16 best things happening in Houston this weekend

    OK, we’re psyched that Record Store Day is happening this weekend, as vinylheads all over the city will flock to Cactus Music, Sig’s Lagoon, Vinal Edge, and other record spots for some sweet, licorice-pizza deals.

    But a lot of other things are popping off this weekend: the grand opening of a new restaurant, an elephant migration, a benefit gala featuring Boyz II Men, some more Philly soul over at Miller Outdoor Theatre, a tacos and tequila festival, and, of course, ART CARS!

    As a certain Swedish pop group would say, you’ll have the time of your life.

    Thursday, April 10

    Terra Restaurant & Lounge Grand Opening Celebration
    Terra,a stylish new restaurant and lounge in Uptown Houston, invites the community to join them for a grand opening celebration this weekend. The new restaurant brings style, flavor, and ambiance together, blending French and American cuisine with modern elegance and a premium, speakeasy-style lounge. The new 7,000-square-foot venue offers a luxurious, rich atmosphere for dining and mixology with a social vibe. 5 pm.

    Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Mamma Mia!
    Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity (which spawned a movie version and its sequel) is beautifully told through the timeless hits of ABBA. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited decades ago. 7:30 pm (2 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 1:30 and 7 pm Sunday).

    Stages presents Dixie's Tupperware Party
    Dixie's Tupperware Party stars Dixie Longate, the fast-talking, gum-chewing, ginger-haired Alabama gal who is bringing your grandma’s Tupperware party into the 21st century. Dixie demonstrates the many alternative uses for the iconic plastic kitchen staple. Filled with outrageously funny tales, heartfelt accounts, audience participation, and a little bit of empowerment and homespun wisdom, Dixie’s Tupperware Party leaves your heart a little bigger and your food a little fresher. Through April 20. 2:30 and 7:30 pm (7:30 Friday and Sunday).

    Friday, April 11

    Hermann Park Conservancy presents "The Great Elephant Migration"
    Hermann Park Conservancy will welcome "The Great Elephant Migration," an installation helping the human race share space with the world’s magnificent wildlife by spreading the message of peaceful coexistence. For the first time in Houston, the herd of 100 life-sized, Indian elephant sculptures will be joined with the biggest elephant yet. Each elephant is one-of-a-kind, created by The Real Elephant Collective, a community of 200 Indigenous artisans living within India’s Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Southern India. Through Wednesday, April 30. 6 am.

    Disney On Ice presents Let's Dance!
    Disney On Ice will present Let's Dance!, a show jam-packed with audience-favorite Disney characters — including Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy — who will become DJs, remixing Disney tunes into colorful stories. The production invites guests to belt out Disney’s chart-topping tunes as their favorite stories are brought to life on and above the ice. The show will highlight figure skating, acrobatics, stunts, special effects, and more. 10:30 am and 7 pm (11 am, 3 and 7 pm Saturday; 1 and 5 pm Sunday).

    KIPP Texas Houston Benefit Gala
    The KIPP Texas Houston Benefit Gala is held annually to fundraise for KIPP’s more than 21,000 students in the Houston area — 93 percent of whom are economically disadvantaged. The gala will feature an old Hollywood theme, as well as a performance by Boyz II Men. The 2025 gala will also honor Dr. Renu Khator, president of the University of Houston, and Karen Arnold for their steadfast support and dedication to positively impacting KIPP students across Texas. 6 pm.

    Community Music Center of Houston presents Philly Soul Sound Vol. 5
    Community Music Center of Houston presents The Philly Soul Sound Vol. 5, a tribute to Frankie Beverly and more. They will pay homage to one of Philadelphia’s own, the legendary Frankie Beverly, whose smooth vocals and timeless contributions to soul music have left an indelible mark on the genre. In addition to celebrating his iconic legacy, the evening also celebrates The Sound of Philadelphia — the legendary soul/funk movement shaped by icons like Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, which means they’ll also play classic Philly Sound hits. 8 pm.

    Saturday, April 12

    Tacos and Tequila Festival
    The Tacos and Tequila Festival is a throwback hip-hop festival coming to Houston for the first time. It will feature performances from hip-hop artists such as Houston’s Paul Wall and Mike Jones, T.I., Lil Jon, Chingy, Baby Bash, Yung Joc, Petey Pablo, Twista, and DJ Ashton Martin. In addition to the music, the festival will feature tacos for purchase, margaritas, a tequila tasting lounge, Lucha Libre wrestling, an exotic car showcase, a chihuahua beauty pageant, a salsa and queso competition, art installations, photo ops, and more. 1:30 pm.

    38th Annual Art Car Parade
    For its 38th year, the Houston Art Car Parade rolls through downtown Houston, with over 250 wild and creative vehicles. Led by grand marshall Carl Lewis, the parade kicks off on Allen Parkway at the I-45 overpass, loops around City Hall, and heads back out along Allen Parkway. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy beverage and merchandise stations at the lineup party, plus food trucks, the HEB Kid Zone, entertainment, and more. The ultimate viewing party at Hermann Square offers front-row views, bites from top local chefs, cocktails, live entertainment, and reserved parking. 2 pm.

    Pablo Cardoza Gallery presents London Ham: "The Hand of God, with a Paring Knife" opening reception
    Pablo Cardoza Gallery will present a solo show featuring works by London Ham. "The Hand of God ..." is a modular image system for producing dynamic visual compositions. Its core consists of two artist-designed algorithms that employ machine learning and computer vision to extract and recombine figures from cinematic imagery. While the artist selects the source material, the act of segmentation and composition is performed by a machine. The project is as much about human choice as it is about what the machine sees. Through Sunday, June 1. 6 pm.

    The Museum of FIne Arts, Houston presents The Annihilation of Fish
    Poinsettia (Lynn Redgrave) moves into a LA boarding house where she meets Fish (James Earl Jones), a Jamaican widower just released from an institution. In the face of personal challenges and differences, they learn new things about themselves through the nuances of romance and happiness. This recently restored drama from celebrated filmmaker Charles Burnett (Killer of Sheep) is a funny, tender study of outsiders and misfits finding love and acceptance through a healthy dose of tolerance. See it in glorious 35mm! 7 pm Saturday (5 pm Sunday).

    Khruangbin in concert
    The Houston-based psych-rock trio, comprised of guitarist Mark Speer, bassist/fashionista Laura Leezy, and drummer Donald Johnson Jr., has been riding high since they teamed up with retro R&B singer Leon Bridges on the 2020 Texas Sun EP. They’re touring behind their 2024 release, A La Sala, which earned the 14-year old band a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards. 7:30 pm.

    Sunday, April 13

    City of Houston presents Tour de Houston
    Tour de Houston, the annual bike ride that celebrates the beauty, history, diversity, and vibrancy of Houston’s neighborhoods, will begin and end at Discovery Green and Avenida Plaza in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The ride travels west through downtown, Memorial Park, Tanglewood, Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, and Briar Forest to Highway 6 before returning to downtown. 8 am.

    Burning Bones Press presents “It Came From The Bayou!”
    Printmakers from across the country will descend upon Houston during Burning Bones Press 12th annual "It Came From The Bayou!," a celebration of printmakers and printmaking. The event will offer work for sale by printmakers from across the U.S. Food and cold beverages from Saint Arnold will be available for purchase. There will be music by Felipe Galvan's Pachuco Boogie Sound System. 11 am.

    Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour
    Aziz Ansari is an award-winning actor, director, writer, and comedian best known for co-creating, writing, directing, and starring in the Netflix original series, Master of None. In October of 2025, he will release the film Good Fortune, which he wrote, directed, and co-stars with Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen. He is also known for co-starring in NBC’s Parks and Recreation. His latest special, Nightclub Comedian, is now streaming on Netflix. (But we still know him from his MTV Human Giant days.) 7 pm.

    My Morning Jacket in concert
    Fronted by the charismatic Jim James, My Morning Jacket's sound combines indie rock, folk, blues, and psychedelia, drawing from the late ‘60s. The Louisville-based band comes to 713 Music Hall in support of is, their 10th studio album. 8 pm.

    Art Car Parade 1000 paper cranes
      

    Photo by Morris Malakoff

    Art Cars will roll through downtown on Saturday.

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