weekend event planner

Here are the top 8 things to do in Houston this weekend

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents "Electrifying Design: A Century of Lighting"

"Electrifying Design: A Century of Lighting" opens at the MFAH this weekend.

Photo courtesy of Drift

Houston has endured a grueling week and temps not seen in decades. Thousands are without power, water — or in many cases, both. Some areas present challenges such as no electricity and iced-over roads and could be that way for days.

Yet, as the city slowly — very slowly — begins to thaw and reopen, some weekend events are still on for those looking for ways to (understandably) de-stress.

We send our very best wishes to those who are struggling and as a reminder, here are restaurants serving food for dine-in and takeway, grocery stores open, and warming stations ready to help.

And for those willing to venture out, here is some weekend fun that awaits.

Thursday, February 18

UH2U: Exclusively for Everyone - Public Art of the University of Houston System
Join Maria C. Gaztambide, PhD, director and chief curator of Public Art of the University of Houston System, as she discusses one of UH’s and the City of Houston’s most unique, cultural gems. She’ll touch upon Public Art UHS’s storied history, the evolution of its collection and recent projects, including the temporary exhibition Color Field. On view through May 31, the exhibition is the first curated exhibition of outdoor sculptures at UH and among the largest ever presented in Houston. 6:30 pm.

Walter Mosley in conversation with Oline H. Cogdill
This weekend, the beloved mystery bookstore Murder by The Book will have something for all those Easy Rawlins fans out there. Famed novelist Walter Mosley will be discussing Blood Grove, his latest book starring his beloved detective protagonist, for a virtual event. He’ll be in conversation with mystery-fiction reviewer Oline H. Cogdill. You can access the event over at Murder by The Book’s YouTube or Facebook page. 7:30 pm.

Friday, February 19

Youth America Grand Prix 22nd Season 2021 Regional Semi-Finals
As the global pandemic has put the performing arts world largely on pause, Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) – the world’s largest student ballet competition – is moving forward with safely conducting large-scale, live and virtual scholarship auditions to ensure the future of dance. From Friday to Sunday, hundreds of aspiring ballet dancers — ages 9 to 19 — from all over Texas will be at the YAGP ballet scholarship auditions, dancing to win. 9 am.

Foltz Fine Art presents Susu Meyer: "Contemporary Texas Landscapes" opening weekend
On Friday and Saturday, Foltz Fine Art will present the first solo exhibition at the gallery for this Houston-based artist. Meyer captures the beauty and serenity found across the state, from Hill Country rippling waters to West Texas expanses; from lonely country roads to the lush Japanese Gardens at Hermann Park. The exhibition will remain on view by appointment only through March 20. 11 am.

The Garden Theatre presents New Beginnings
New Beginnings, the inaugural cabaret of The Garden Theatre, will feature an eclectic mix of musical theatre and pop music. It will include Houston favorites Seth Cunningham, Daniel Edwards, Natalie Nassar, and Courtlin Parisher. Featured in the piece will be Austin Colburn (on Friday night) and Lauren Salazar (on Saturday night). The cabaret will have extremely limited seating, and will also be presented virtually. 7:30 pm.

Saturday, February 20

Dive Pirates Foundation presents Dive Pirates Ball
Now in its 17th year, the Dive Pirates Ball will be going virtual this time around. Apparently, nothing can stop these folks from getting together with injured veterans, law enforcement, emergency first responders, and others who are medically qualified and physically disabled and celebrating the freedom of adaptive scuba diving. This event will include a keynote speaker, live auction, donations games and a giveaway chance for everyone who registers for the event. 8 pm.

Sunday, February 21

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents "Electrifying Design: A Century of Lighting" opening day
Look for a celebration of lighting devices — innovative, practical, delightful, and fun. The exhibition examines lighting as a transforming force in daily life and in major design movements. Rare and limited-production examples by the world’s leading designers are presented in three sections, organized by theme rather than chronologically. Amplifying the works on view are three large-scale immersive experiences. On display through Sunday, May 16. 12:30 pm.

Girl Scout Cookies and Wine Pairing at the 19th Street Wine Garden
Here’s something you wouldn’t expect would go together nicely. Come and indulge in these timeless cookies, paired with artisan wines from We Olive in the adjacent 19th Street Wine Garden, at this outdoor event. For $25 a pop, you’ll get five different cookies with five, 2-ounce wine tastes. In case of inclement weather, this event will be moved indoors, inside We Olive, while maintaining six feet between tables and other COVID procedures. 1 pm.

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HOWDY, DOCTORS

Grey's Anatomy spins off new medical drama led by Houston-born showrunner

Photo via Meg Marinis/Instagram

Showrunner Meg Marinis poses with actor Kevin McKidd, who recently exited Grey's Anatomy after more than a decade playing Dr. Owen Hunt.

ABC is bringing the Grey's Anatomy universe to Texas with a new one-hour rural medical drama co-created by longtime showrunner Meg Marinis. Marinis was born in Houston and is an alum of both the Kinkaid School and the University of Texas at Austin.

According to an exclusive report from Deadline, which production company Shondaland shared on social media, the untitled series has received a straight-to-series order from ABC and will follow a team at a rural West Texas medical center described as “the last chance for care before miles of nowhere.”

The series marks the first Grey’s Anatomy franchise show set outside the West Coast, and it's the first that's not centered around an existing main character from the original series.

The new drama will be co-created by Shonda Rhimes and Marinis, who has spent nearly two decades working on Grey’s Anatomy. She joined the series during its third season as a production assistant before rising through the ranks to become a researcher, writer, executive producer, and now showrunner.

"This opportunity will bring new characters and stories to life that will embody the same heart, emotion, and connection audiences have loved from Grey’s for more than two decades, all set in my home state of Texas,” Marinis said in a statement announcing the series. "I am so grateful to Shonda Rhimes for creating this dynamic world and feel so fortunate that I get to be a part of it.”

Marinis’ path to running one of television’s biggest franchises started in Austin. In an interview with Shondaland last year, she recounted moving to Los Angeles during her final semester at UT through the university’s UTLA entertainment program, which allows students to complete coursework while interning in the industry. While finishing school, she interned at Universal before landing a production assistant role on Grey’s Anatomy in 2006.

Marinis has also woven Texas experiences into the flagship series itself in recent years. According to Deadline, she personally knew families affected by the Camp Mystic tragedy and rewrote part of a recent Grey’s Anatomy episode after becoming emotional while working on the script.

The West Texas setting is particularly timely, as rural healthcare access remains a growing issue across the state. According to the Texas Hospital Association, more than 20 rural Texas hospitals have closed since 2010, while roughly a quarter of the state’s remaining rural hospitals are considered at risk of closure.

By centering the new series on what ABC describes as “the last chance for care before miles of nowhere,” the franchise could bring national attention to healthcare access challenges facing communities across West Texas and other rural parts of the state.

The new series joins a long lineage of Texas-set television dramas, though not all were actually filmed in the state. Grey’s Anatomy itself is famously set in Seattle while primarily filmed in the Los Angeles area. Friday Night Lights became closely associated with Austin through extensive local filming, while series like Dallas often recreated Texas from California sound stages, with exteriors of Southfork Ranch serving as the Ewings' fictitious home. Walker, Texas Ranger, meanwhile, became one of the best-known examples of a network drama heavily filmed across Texas itself.

Even after more than 20 years on the air, Grey’s Anatomy remains one of television’s most durable franchises. According to ABC, the drama is now the longest-running primetime medical drama in television history and continues to rank among the network’s strongest scripted performers.

Ellen Pompeo, who stars as Dr. Meredith Grey in the original series, is attached as an executive producer, and the new drama is expected to premiere in 2027.

tv shows health hospitals

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HOWDY, DOCTORS

Grey's Anatomy spins off new medical drama led by Houston-born showrunner