Howl At The Moon

Sneak a peek at the treats for Houston SPCA's annual Howl-O-Ween Ball

It's a night you won't want to miss.

Photo courtesy of Houston SPCA

It's that spooky time of year again, where Houston's animal lovers don their best costumes and put their best fundraising foot forward to help the community's dogs, cats, birds, horses, and more.

The Houston SPCA's annual Howl-O-Ween Ball is happening Friday, October 25, and will offer guests an evening filled with cocktails, dinner, dancing, and live and silent auctions.

All money raised supports the Houston SPCA’s mission of improving and protecting the lives of local animals and alleviating their suffering and abuse.

This year's raffle presents a one in 250 chance to win a remarkable necklace from the de Boulle Collection featuring a stunning, 7.90 carat pendeloque pink tourmaline.

de Boulle necklace Houston SPCA You'll want to buy your raffle ticket now.Photo courtesy of Houston SPCA

The pink tourmaline, renowned for its rich and vibrant hue, exudes a captivating glow, making it a focal point of the necklace. Set in 18K white gold, the center pendant is surrounded by glittering diamonds. The chain also features rose cut diamonds. All in all, the necklace is valued at a whopping $10,000.

For official raffle rules and details, visit Houston SPCA’s 2024 Howl-O-Ween Ball Raffle.

Also up for grabs in the live auction are two incredible experiences:

The Ultimate Gig 'Em: A highly exclusive, 50-yard-line Kyle Field Legacy Suite for 10 people for a 2025 Texas A&M football game, along with 1 parking pass. The catered suite includes a bartender, bathroom, and four flatscreen TVs. You'll feel right at home in the "Home of the 12th Man!" Mutually agreed upon game; must be selected at the beginning of the season; non-transferable. Kindly donated by Frances Moody Buzbee and Tony Buzbee.
Texas Party For 10: Enjoy a weekend getaway at a beautiful Galveston beach house. The package also includes an intimate dinner for 10 in a wine cellar at The Bryan Museum, followed by an exclusive VIP tour of one of the world's largest collections of historical artifacts, documents, and artwork relating to Texas and the American West.

The ball is chaired by Zane and Brady Carruth, with honorary chairs Annie and Bob Graham, Evelyn H. Griffin, and Tommy Harper.

This highly anticipated event — which is part of the Houston SPCA's 100-year anniversary celebration — will be held in the Equine Rescue Arena at the William & Evelyn Griffin Campus for All Animals. Tickets for the Howl-O-Ween Ball are on sale now.

galas fundraisers animals halloween raffle promoted

festive cities

Houston dazzles among top 10 most festive cities in America for 2025

River Oaks Christmas Lights in Houston TX/Facebook

The River Oaks Christmas Lights are a fun place to take families.

Houston has once again landed a coveted spot on Thumbtack's annual ranking of the most festive American cities in 2025.

Home services platform Thumbtack analyzed holiday light installation requests from customers from October 2024 to 2025 to determine the most festive U.S. cities. Rankings were based on the "relative frequency" of requests after being adjusted for the population of each state and metro area.

Houston ranked as the 6th most festive U.S. city this year, dropping two spots from its former No. 4 rank in 2024.

Locals searching for inspiration for their homes can find it at the many twinkly displays illuminating Houston for the holidays, from the iconic City Lights to the rustic Dewberry Farm light show. And the holiday season is beginning earlier with every passing year, according to Thumbtack.

"Homeowners are layering their look from October through December, swapping out pumpkins for pine boughs and adding sparkle as the season unfolds," the report said.

Other festive holiday events happening around Houston include cheery pop-up bars, holiday markets, and much more. CultureMap readers can also keep up with all of Houston's holiday happenings in our special editorial series.

Other big Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio also all landed top-10 spots in the report, proving the Lone Star State is much more festive than the rest of the country.

"From Texas to Florida, the South is setting the standard for holiday spirit, and in true Texas fashion, bigger is definitely brighter," the report said. "Mild winters and a strong sense of community keep the Lone Star State shining at the top."

Thumbtack's top 10 most festive U.S. cities in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Austin, Texas
No. 2 – Dallas, Texas
No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
No. 4 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 5 – Sacramento, California
No. 6 – Houston, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 9 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 10 – Atlanta, Georgia

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