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Your weekly guide to Houston: Five (plus) don't-miss Labor Day weekend happenings

Back to school already? Don't let the sucky traffic get in the way of enjoying what's happening in Houston this weekend, which includes thespian dance, a creativity workshop, a festival that celebrates frosty suds, a groovy Bollywood bash and the end of a month-long delicious campaign that fights hunger.

NobleMotion Dance presents Dark Matter: Evidence of Things Unseen

While spectacular lighting, cool projections and imaginative sets surely do add wonderful theatricality to NobleMotion Dance productions, the artistic directors, husband and wife Andy and Dionne Sparkman Noble, do so only when technology and design intensify and reinforce their aesthetic — not replace it.

Dark Matter: Evidence of Things Unseen, the company's newest concept, works to balance movement, tech and design to render a milieu that muses over issues of science and religion and how those two "polar opposite" subjects influence the human condition.

The skinny: Friday through Sept. 6; The Barn; $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Writespace Workshop: "How to Schmooze Your Muse and Keep Her by Your Side" with Sarah Cortez

Not everyone dances, sings, plays an instrument, paints, crafts or puts on a show (dramatic meltdowns don't count). But like it or not we all have to write.

If you've ever felt at a loss for words, if you've ever felt that you couldn't communicate effectively, if you've ever wanted your written words to jump off the page, try this workshop led by local author Sarah Cortez, who promises to rouse your creativity to flow freely.

The skinny: Saturday, 9 a.m.; Writespace Houston at Silver Street Studios; $35.

2014 Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival

Whatever you do, don't be the dude or gal who attempts to sample all of the 400 plus craft beers and specialty suds that will be showcased as part of this three-day brew fest. And if you are, you must post lots of Vine videos so we can all laugh at you when you find yourself ratchet, walking up with someone else's Spanx on your head. Be smart: Recruit a designated driver or book a room for this Labor Day weekend.

The schedule of this Galveston affair includes food pairings, tastings, live music parties and pub crawls.

The skinny: Friday through Sunday; Moody Gardens; admission fee varies by event.

Indian Performing Arts: Samskriti presents "Bollywood Blast: The Bollywood Bandwagon"

Without fail, when Bollywood music hits my iPod while on a jog, my stride gets longer and more confident. I don't even care that I can't understand a word of what the music is telling me. The rhythms are so delicious, you can't help but imagine yourself donning irresistible costumes and doing some exotic mudras with your hands.

Samskriti hits Miller Outdoor Theatre with another "Bollywood Blast" spectacle that evinces that new trends can draw from old traditions to offer something vibrant, current and fabulous.

The skinny: Sunday, 8 p.m.; Miller Outdoor Theatre; free event, tickets are available for the seated area.

Houston Restaurant Weeks

If you are looking at the calendar in disbelief as you realize that August is bye bye and back to school is here, you're probably also thinking, "crap, I need to get my Houston Restaurant Weeks on before I have to wait another year."

The arrival of Labor Day means the month-long campaign that supports the Houston Food Bank is almost over. So it's now or never — make your reservations and dine for a good cause. Here's an idea.

The skinny: Ends Monday; participating restaurants; menus range from $20 to $45.

Dark Matter: Evidence of Things Unseen works to balance movement, tech and design to render a milieu that muses over issues of science and religion.

Photo by Lynn Lane

Dark Matter: Evidence of Things Unseen works to balance movement, tech and design to render a milieu that muses over issues of science and religion.

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MFAH expands

Houston museum acquires historic Masonic lodge property for new greenspace

Holland Lodge No. 1, A.F. & A.M./Facebook

The building at 4911 will be torn down for the new greenspace.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has acquired a prime parcel to expand its campus in the Museum District. On Tuesday, December 23, the museum announced it has purchased a two-acre parcel of land at 4911 Montrose Blvd that will bring its total footprint to 16 acres.

Located just north of the Glassel School of Art, the property will be developed as a greenspace that will serve as a community lawn as well as be utilized for future museum events and parking. MFAH has retained landscape architects Nelson Byrd Woltz — the firm responsible for work at Memorial Park and the recently-opened Ismaili Center — to create the design for the new greenspace.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston greenspace rendering A rendering offers a bird's-eye preview of the new greenspace.Image by by Cong Nie/Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

At this time, the museum does not have plans to build anything on the property, according to a press release.

To make way for the greenspace, the property’s existing building, Holland Lodge No. 1, will be torn down. Built in 1954 as a home for the oldest Masonic lodge chapter in Texas, the building features a sandstone mural facade. It has been for sale since at least 2005, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.

Demolition on the site is expected to begin in spring 2026 with the greenspace opening in approximately two years, according to press materials. In addition to the Glassell School, the museum’s campus includes the Audrey Jones Beck Building, the Caroline Wiess Law Building, the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden, and the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building.

“We are delighted to contribute to Houston’s greenspace access with this new initiative, which will expand the museum’s 14-acre campus to a thoroughly walkable 16 acres,” Gary Tinterow, director and Margaret Alkek Williams chair of the MFAH, said in a statement. “While the primary objective for the purchase of this property is to secure land for any potential future expansion of the museum, our priority now is to create a welcoming community lawn. Thoughtfully designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz, one of the leading firms in sustainable landscape practice, the site will serve as public greenspace and provide additional parking for museum visitors.”

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