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.

event-planner

telling stories

Black-owned Houston bookstore opens new home in historic Third Ward space

Kindred Stories bookshore Eldorado Ballroom

Photo by Craig D. Lindsey

Kindred Stories has moved to its new location.

Even though its grand reopening will be held this Saturday, May 17, Third Ward bookstore Kindred Stories has already begun a soft opening at its new location inside the Eldorado Ballroom at 2310 Elgin Street.

Since September 2021, the Black-owned bookstore was located on Stuart St., one of many businesses that came to life thanks to Project Row Houses’ Incubation Program. Last year, the nonprofit informed Kindred and the other business that they had to vacate their premises at the end of this month to allow new businesses to occupy the spaces.

Thankfully, Kindred already had its eye on the Eldorado location, next to neighborhood eatery The Rado Market (which has a collection of cookbooks curated by Kindred). It’s a space previously held by Hogan Brown Gallery, which abruptly closed in December. “I had caught wind that this space might be available,” Kindred founder/owner Terri Hamm tells CultureMap.

Hamm turned the moving process into a fun little event for her and her loyal customers. “Last Tuesday, we invited about 20 of our top community members that, you know, are always in the store and have really supported us all of the year,” she says. “We packed up all the books in the space in an hour and, then, we moved everything in an hour. So it was like the beautiful way to close out that space in the midst of the community that has really supported us throughout three-and-a-half years there. And we spent the last four days kind of unboxing and just getting all set up.”

Hamm says the new location is certainly roomier (around 1200 square feet) than their previous spot, which was only 450 square feet.

“There's more room to just spend time in the store,” she says. “I feel like that's the ideal bookstore experience, when you can go in and really take your time. I feel like in the other space, it was so small, people kind of felt like they were in a rush.”

Although Kindred is open and ready to welcome anyone looking for Black-and-proud literature, Hamm insists they’re only 90 percent done. More light fixtures need to be installed. Plants and furniture have to be brought. They even have custom-made wallpaper that needs to be installed.

“So, we have a few little things that need to happen,” says Hamm, “And, then, I feel like the space will be really, really ready – probably in another six months.”

In the meantime, it’s business as usual. This month’s calendar of events includes various appearances from authors as well as a couple of book clubs. Hamm is looking forward to new bookworms coming in and discovering what Kindred Stories has to offer.

“The bestsellers are selling,” she says, “But I feel like, in this space, people are going to get to discover a lot of under-the-radar titles, just because there's more space to see the books and explore.”

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