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Your weekly guide to Houston: Five (plus) don't-miss events — including a sexy pajama party

On tap this week are a special film festival, events that laud the arrival of springtime, gorgeous azaleas, a virgin sacrifice, a music competition and a gala that honors one of CultureMap's own.

Be sure to click on the link below each event suggestion. There, you'll find helpful information and features, like the ability to download the deets to your electronic calendar, in addition to suggestions on where to eat, drink and shop around your final destination.

Ninth Annual Jewish Film Festival

There's no religious or cultural prerequisite to be able to appreciate this 12-day spree of films that nod to Jewish heritage. The collection of past, popular and documentary films, co-presented by the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, offers a montage of comedy, history, serious and lighthearted movies

On my must-watch list are: Besa: The Promise, which traces the Albanian code of honor to protect refugees; Numbered, in which Auschwitz survivors discuss the meaning of the numbers tattooed in their arms; and Hava Nagila - The Movie, which delves deep to uncover the origins of the sassy little tune. You know the one, the song that erupts as everyone dances in a round while lifting honored guests in chairs up and down.

The deets: Through March 17; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center; ticket prices vary by screening.

Houston Ballet presents The Rite Of Spring

Not many music and dance works stake claim to inciting raucous riots on the eve of their premieres. In 1913, Igor Stravinsky's and Vaslav Nijinsky's collaboration, The Rite of Spring, was received with voices of disapproval drowning out the orchestra to the point that the worst offenders had to be evicted by the police. Rudeness.

The poor twirling virgin couldn't be sacrificed in dignity, though I supposed Pagan Russia wasn't very refined, either.

As Le Sacre celebrates its centenary anniversary this year, the Houston Ballet pays homage to an influential work that shifted the path of choreography and classical music composition. Artistic director Stanton Welch offers a new staging that features backdrops by Australian indigenous painter Rosella Namok, whose work will also be on view at Booker-Lowe Gallery.

A world premiere by Edwaard Liang and a piece by Mark Morris complement the program.

The deets: Thursday through March 17; Wortham Theater Center; tickets start at $19.

Spring Native Plant Sale at Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

Heat and humidity can be quite the enemy for many plant species, so for your gardening ventures, it's best to select living organisms that are original dwellers of the city's terrain. You can find them at the 2013 Spring Native Plant Sale at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, including trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, ground covers, grasses, meadow forbs, bog and rain garden lovers, and shade tolerant plants. Shop early for best selection.

The deets: Saturday through March 17; Houston Arboretum and Nature Center; admission is free.

29th Annual Young Texas Artists Music Competition Finalists' Concert & Awards

The charming Crighton Theatre in Conroe is home to this annual event that presents emerging young artists vying for awards and recognition that support the next steps in their performance career. Open to Texas residents or students enrolled in a Texas college, the competition welcomes vocalists, pianists, woodwinds, brass, percussion, harp and guitar players. Cash awards amount to $3,000 per division, topped by an additional $3,000 for the grand prize winner and $1,000 for the audience favorite.

Do it up in style by attending the preceding social event, "Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue." A pre-concert dinner, live auction and after party are held under a decorated tented pavilion.

The deets: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Crighton Theatre; tickets start at $15; "Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue" starts at 6 p.m., tickets are $125.

AIDS Foundation Houston's 2013 AIDS Walk Houston

Advances are made in AIDS research everyday. As recently as Sunday, doctors announced that a baby born with HIV was considered cured of the disease that claims the lives of millions. For others, this kind of miracle can't come fast enough.

Organizations like AIDS Foundation Houston do to their part locally to raise awareness, educate the public and subsidize the cost of programs that assist those living with HIV/AIDS. Be the solution by walking alongside many Houstonians, and better yet, participate in the "I'm Walking Because..." photo contest and share your personal motivation for fighting the good fight.

The deets: Sunday, 8 a.m.; Hermann Square Park; fundraising encouraged.

Photo editor, design junkie and outdoorsy gal Barbara Kuntz's pick: River Oaks Garden Club's Azalea Trail

Barbara says: "Enjoy an al fresco stroll this weekend as The River Oaks Garden Club's Azalea Trail welcomes guests to the homes and gardens of six locales. Discover Bayou Bend, Rienzi, the River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics and four private residences aglow in the radiant pink, purples, reds whites and yellows of this favorite shrub blooms. The historic Bayou Bend Gardens alone are home to 26 different varieties of azaleas.

"To help guide you through the beauty, purchase a copy of the garden club's latest edition of A Garden Book for Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast. You'll find the definitive book on gardening in this region — and an entire chapter dedicated to azaleas — through the garden club and at many local book stores."

The deets: Friday through Sunday; River Oaks Garden Club and various locations; tickets are $5 per location, $20 for an all-access pass.

Arts smarty pants and in-the-loop dance maverick Nancy Wozny's pick: Hope Stone's "Le Breakfast for Dinner Gala"

Nancy says: "Dressing up for galas can be such a chore. That's why I'm putting on my PJs and heading to Hope Stone's "Le Breakfast for Dinner Gala" at Warehouse Live. The evening promises croissants, crepes and quiche for dinner, along with performances by the fabulous Hope Stone Dance Company and Jane Weiner, and music by L.A. based DJ Anne Tyler and Greg Harbar of The Gypsies.

"And get this, I'm getting the Hope Stone Angel award. I am polishing my halo right now!"

The deets: Thursday, 7 to 11 p.m.; Warehouse Live; individual tickets start at $250.

Beth Muecke, chair of the Hope Stone Le Breakfast for Dinner Gala

Photo courtesy of Hope Stone

Beth Muecke, chair of the Hope Stone Le Breakfast for Dinner Gala

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always be prepared

Texas tax-free weekend lets shoppers stock up on emergency supplies

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Emergency supplies like first aid kits that cost less than $75 are eligible for a tax break this weekend.

The best time for Texas residents to stock up on supplies to prepare for natural disasters is coming up this weekend. The annual statewide Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday runs from April 25-27, when Texans will be able to purchase critical emergency supplies — plus household necessities like batteries and fire extinguishers — tax-fee.

Shoppers can purchase certain emergency supplies tax-free starting at 12:01 am on Saturday, April 25, and the "holiday" runs until midnight on Monday, April 27. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased during the weekend, and purchases can be made in store, online, through the mail, and via custom order.

Saving on emergency supplies
Emergency preparation supplies must be purchased under certain price brackets to qualify for the tax exemption. For example, portable generators must have a sales price less than $3,000 to qualify for a tax break. Ladders and hurricane shutters that cost less than $300 also qualify.

Delivery, shipping, handling, and transportation charges are included in the sales price, according to the Comptroller. So if a shopper buys a $299 rescue ladder and is charged a $10 delivery fee, the total sales price for the purchase is $309, and tax would need to be paid for that sales price.

Additional items that qualify for a tax break as long as they cost less than $75 include:

Axes
Batteries – single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt)
Carbon monoxide detectors
Fire extinguishers
First aid kits
Fuel containers
Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
Hatchets
Ice products – including reusable and artificial ice
Light sources – including those that are battery operated or portable self-powered sources; candles, flashlights, and lanterns
Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers
Non-electric can openers
Non-electric coolers and ice chests for food storage
Radios – including portable self-powered radios, battery operated radios, two-way radios, and weather band radios
Smoke detectors
Tarps and other plastic sheeting

The full list of qualifying items is available on The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' website.

As a reminder, over-the-counter items like antibacterial hand sanitizer, soap, and spray and wipes are always exempt from sales tax if they are labeled with a "Drug Facts" panel in compliance with Food and Drug Administration regulations.

Non-qualifying items that will still be taxed
Medical masks, face masks, and gloves of any kind do not qualify for a tax exemption. Other taxable items including toilet paper, cleaning supplies (such as disinfectants and bleach wipes), vehicle or boat batteries, chainsaws, plywood, extension ladders, and stepladders. Camping equipment and supplies, including stoves and tents, are also not eligible for a tax break.

Additionally, any repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies do not qualify for tax exemptions, and neither do any services that are performed on or related to those supplies.

What to do if a qualifying item is taxed during the holiday
If customers buy a tax-exempt item between April 25-27 and are still taxed, they may request a refund from the seller on the tax paid for the item. The seller can grant the refund to the buyer, or provide them with Form 00-985, Assignment to Right to Refund, which would allow the customer to file a claim for their refund through the Comptroller's website.

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