With more than 200 events to choose from between Thursday and Sunday, CultureMap's curated events guide is your source for getting out and having fun in Houston.
This weekend, organizations big and small host a melange of films, music, celeb sittings, festivals, performances and special dinners that do their part in keeping the Bayou City vibrant with an endless schedule of things to do.
To make planning easier, be sure to click on the links below each event suggestion. You'll be able to download the deets to your electronic toys as well as learn where to eat, drink and shop as you gallivant around town in your social adventures.
Henry Kaiser presents an evening of music and underwater film
Henry Kaiser's resume is a bit of a tangled mess. How would you describe a guitarist/composer with a penchant for extreme diving? Kaiser was stationed in Antarctica for months to investigate the habitat and capture video of the Ross Sea, one of the last water environments in the world uncontaminated by human activities. With 10 scientific deployments to his credit, Kaiser is said to be to most experienced researcher of this frozen world, his footage having been reeled in four films.
14 Pews hosts Kaiser in an evening of both extremes: A screening of video samples from his 10 expeditions plus performance sets in collaboration with local musicians.
The skinny: Thursday and Friday, 7 p.m.; 14 Pews; $11 general admission.
Houston Symphony presents "Luck Be A Lady" with Megan Hilty plus Young Professionals party
NBC's Smash may have been short lived, though TV audiences surely noticed the leading blonde bombshell, Megan Hilty. She was already a rising star when she was cast as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked on Broadway, a role that was followed by many guest appearances on popular television shows such as Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, then filling in for Kristin Chenoweth's voice in the cutesy animated film Secret of the Wings. As Liz in the new sitcom Sean Saves the World, Hilty is superficially darling.
With the Houston Symphony, Hilty will croon iconic tunes from the golden era of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James and Cole Porter, including songs like "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Fried and "New York, New York."
Young professionals take note: The first official party of the Young Professionals Backstage 2013-14 season is on Friday. The concert will be followed by a casino-themed fete in the Houston Club's 49th floor ballroom. More info here.
The skinny: Friday to Sunday; Jones Hall; concert tickets start at $29.
American Heart Association's 2013 Heart & Stroke Walk
Forgo sleeping in on Saturday morning to partake in this most important yearly walk that raises awareness about cardiovascular health. It's a good opportunity to pledge to choose healthier lifestyle options, particularly as gluttonous holiday festivities loom ahead.
Walk alone, bring a buddy or join a team. You can participate for free as means to show your support, although fundraising is encouraged. Proceeds benefit the American Heart Association as it rages war against the No. 1 killer in the country.
The skinny: Saturday, 8:30 a.m.; Reliant Park; free event.
Untapped Beer Festival
Untapped isn't a beer festival, per se. It isn't only a music festival. Instead, organizers strive to balance both music and beer in an outdoor gathering that lauds regional craft beers and emerging local talent alongside national bands. More than 60 breweries will tap more than 200 beers accompanied by performances on two stages, featuring The Walkmen, Big Black Delta, Heartless Bastards, The Tontons, Wild Moccasins, The Suffers and Walker Lukens.
The festival, organized by Spune Produtions, is part of Houston Beer Week.
The skinny: Saturday, 3-10 p.m.; Discovery Green; tickets start at $25.
41st Annual Jewish Book and Arts Fair performance: Omer Avital Quintet concert
Houstonians pride themselves on the cultural diversity that smothers every nook and cranny of this sprawling monster of a city. Bassist Omer Avital's provenance is just as rich as Houston itself. Growing up in Israel and of Yemenite and Moroccan ancestry, Avital's approach to music is also infused by the jazzy energy of New York, where he lives today.
Avital's quintet performs as part of the Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book and Arts Fair.
Staff writer and all around good guy Tyler Rudick's pick: Farm to Table Harvest Dinner
Tyler says: "Three noted Houston chefs will gather to craft an ultra-fresh, ultra-local dinner benefiting area food nonprofit Urban Harvest. Triniti's Ryan Hildebrand, Trevisio's Jon Buchanan and Eleven XI's Kevin Bryant will work with Travaasa Austin executive chef Ben Baker for a unique menu of pan-Texan flavors."
The skinny: Sunday, 5 p.m.; Eleven XI; tickets start at $95.
Celeb Megan Hilty headlines Houston Symphony's "Luck Be A Lady" concert.
