Weekend events planner

Here are the top 7 things to do in Houston this weekend

Looking for something to do this weekend? CultureMap has got you covered. We've rounded up seven can’t-miss events — from Rodeo barbecue to a Tony Award-winning musical. For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

Thursday, February 22-Saturday, February 24

Cue up for ’cue
Your ticket to the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at Rodeo Houston gets you access to several public venues including the carnival, Garden Stage with live music, and Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon where you can enjoy a free sliced brisket plate. (various times; tickets: $15 per person).
1 NRG Park

Thursday, February 22-Sunday, March 4

A night in Memphis
Theatre Under The Stars presents Tony Award-winning musical Memphis, a tale of fame and forbidden love inspired by actual events centered around the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee. The winner of four 2010 Tony Awards, it’s based on a Tony-winning book by Joe DiPietro and features a Tony-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. (various times; tickets: $30-$108 per person)
800 Bagby St.; 713-558-2600

Friday, February 23

Outdoor film fun
Catch a showing of Secret Life of Pets on the grass at Levy Park. Bring your own blanket, and get some surprising insight on what's going on when you leave your cats and dogs at home. (6:30 pm; tickets: admission is free).
3801 Eastside St.

Saturday, February 24

A blast with bowls
Help fight hunger by participating in annual fundraiser, Empty Bowls. Held at The John Cooper School, the cost of admission includes a meal of soup and water and a handmade bowl to take home. Bid on art and bowls in a silent auction. Empty Bowls has raised more than $85,000 for hunger relief in the Houston community over the past 12 years. (10:30 am; tickets: $10 per person).
One John Cooper Dr., The Woodlands; 281-367-0900

Art with a heart
Internationally exhibited, multidisciplinary Houston artist Patrick Medrano has battled life-threatening complications from the flu, and nearly a month of subsequent hospitalization. With Medrano facing a lengthy recovery and financial burden, his friends are hosting the “Patrick Medrano Relief Auction,” in which more than 50 artists have donated unique pieces of art for the event. Consider this a chance to add to your collection for a good cause. (5 pm to 8 pm; live auction begins at 6:30 pm.)
Mother Dog Studios, 720 Walnut St.; 713-229-9760

Let's dance!
The “Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Light Up the Night” tour makes a stop at Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land. Stars from the hit ABC show set to dance the night away include Jenna Johnson, Sasha Farber, Witney Carson, Keo Motsepe, Sharna Burgess, Artem Chigvintsev, Emma Slater, Gleb Savchenko, Lindsay Arnold, Alan Bersten, Hayley Erbert, and Brandon Armstrong. (7:30 pm; tickets: $55-$75 per person)
18111 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land; 281-207-6278

Pasta party
Sunday, February 25
Don’t skip Riel restaurant's Red Sauce pop-up dinner, featuring the talents of guest chefs Richie Nakano (San Francisco’s IDK Concepts) and Jill Bartolome (Houston’s Aqui). The menu includes classics like spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmigiana, pasta bolognese, lasagna, "Jill's bread stixxx," and desserts (panna cotta, tiramisu, and zeppole). Reservations highly recommended. (5 to 10 pm; dishes priced per item)
1927 Fairview St.; 832-831-9109

The "Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Light Up the Night" tour makes a stop at Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land.

Photo courtesy of Dancing with the Stars Live

The "Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Light Up the Night" tour makes a stop at Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land.

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schools with high achievers

These 15 Houston K-8 schools rank among Texas' best for 2025

T.H. Rogers PTO/Facebook

Congratulations are in order for the Rams.

Several Houston elementary and middle schools are at the top of the class when it comes to educating and preparing the next generation for a successful life and career, according to U.S. News & World Report's just-released list of 2025 Elementary and Middle Schools Rankings.

One such school – T.H. Rogers School in Houston ISD – is the No. 8 best middle school in Texas for 2025.

U.S. News ranked over 79,000 public schools on the state and district level using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Schools were analyzed based on their students' proficiencies in mathematics and reading/language arts on state assessments, and tie-breakers were decided based on student-teacher ratios.

Texas' best middle schools for 2025
Three Houston middle schools achieved spots among the top 10 best Texas middle schools for 2025, according to U.S. News.

T.H. Rogers School has a total enrollment of 1,063 students, with 87 percent of the student population scoring "at or above the proficient level" in mathematics, and 90 percent proficiency in reading. The school has a student-teacher ratio of 17:1, with 62 full-time teachers.

T.H. Rogers School also topped the district-wide list as the No. 1 best middle school in HISD.

Houston Gateway Academy - Coral Campus also ranked among the statewide top 10, coming in at No. 9 with a total enrollment of 914 students. U.S. News says 82 percent of HGA students are proficient in math, and 80 percent are proficient in reading.

"Houston Gateway Academy - Coral Campus did better in math and better in reading in this metric compared with students across the state," U.S. News said in the school's profile. "In Texas, 51 percent of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 41 percent tested at or above that level for math."

Right behind HGA to round out the top 10 best Texas middle schools is Houston ISD's Briarmeadow Charter School. This middle school has 600 students, 69 percent of which are proficient in math and 74 percent are proficient reading.

Briarmeadow's student-teacher ratio is 16:1, which is better than the district-wide student-teacher ratio, and it employs 38 full-time teachers.

U.S. News also ranked Briarmeadow as the second best middle school in Houston ISD.

Six additional Houston-area schools ranked among the top 25 best middle schools in Texas, including:

No. 18 – Cornerstone Academy, Spring Branch ISD
No. 19 – Mandarin Immersion Magnet School, Houston ISD
No. 21 – Smith Middle School, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
No. 22 – Seven Lakes Junior High, Katy ISD
No. 23 – Houston Gateway Academy
No. 25 – Beckendorff Junior High, Katy ISD

The best elementary schools in Texas
Jesus A. Kawas Elementary school in Laredo was crowned the No. 1 elementary school in Texas for 2025, while two Houston-area schools made it into the top 10.

Tomball ISD's Creekside Forest Elementary in The Woodlands is the No. 7 best elementary school statewide, boasting 656 students, 42 full-time teachers, and one full-time counselor. Students at this school, which U.S. News designates is situated in a "fringe rural setting," scored 90 percent efficiency in math and 94 percent efficiency in reading.

Following one spot behind Creekside Forest in the statewide ranking is Sugar Land's Commonwealth Elementary School in Fort Bend ISD, coming in at No. 8. Commonwealth has a student population of 954 with 55 full-time teachers, and two full-time counselors. The school's student-teacher ratio is 17:1, and 90 percent of students are proficient in math, and 94 percent in reading.

U.S. News says student success at Commonwealth is significantly higher than the rest of Fort Bend ISD.

"In Fort Bend Independent School District, 59 percent of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 47 percent tested at or above that level for math," U.S. News said in Commonwealth's profile. "Commonwealth Elementary [also] did better in math and better in reading in this metric compared with students across the state."

Other Houston-area schools that were ranked among the 25 best in Texas are:

No. 13 – Bess Campbell Elementary, Sugar Land, Lamar CISD
No. 20 – West University Elementary, Houston ISD
No. 23 – T.H. Rogers School, Houston ISD
No. 25 – Griffin Elementary, Katy ISD

"The 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings offer parents a way to evaluate how schools are providing a high-quality education and preparing students for future success," said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., the managing editor for Education at U.S. News. "The data empowers families and communities to advocate for their children’s education. Research continues to indicate that how students perform academically at these early grade levels is a big factor in their success in high school and beyond."

dallas fort worth schools rankings us news & world report

Weekend events planner

Here are the top 7 things to do in Houston this weekend

The "Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Light Up the Night" tour makes a stop at Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land.

schools with high achievers

These 15 Houston K-8 schools rank among Texas' best for 2025

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