weekend event planner

Here are the top 12 things to do in Houston this weekend

Raise a glass to your Houston Astros at The Rustic on Thursday.

Judging by this weekend, Houstonians are getting out there en masse. Toast your Houston Astros as they toss the first pitch of the season, meet a winemaker at a happy hour, hit an outdoor market, stroll a waterfront art fest, and feast on crawfish.

Pet parents, look for two dog-friendly (and pet-friendly) events this weekend — including pilates for pets. And work of your stress with a free yoga class.

Whew, that's quite a list. Here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, April 8

Astros Opening Day Celebration at The Rustic
The Rustic (aka the go-to destination for Houston Astros pre- and post-game celebrations) will open early for Astros fans to grab drinks and food before the first pitch. Starting at 3 p.m., DJ Dayta will perform while guests hang out and enjoy drink specials, including a Karbach Brewing Co. tap takeover with free swag and $25 buckets of five beers. They will also grill hot dogs and serve double queso for guests to quickly grab on the front yard. Noon.

The Great Garment Giveaway at SuitMart
SuitMart announces the first “Houston Strong” community-wide clothing giveaway (at its South Main location) to help those economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent weather-related events. With more than 20,000 units of women’s apparel to be made available, the speciality retailer has invited local churches, shelters, charities and municipal leaders and dignitaries within the Houston area to give back to local organizations in need. 5 pm.

Friday, April 9

Savoir presents Meet the Winemaker happy hour
Armenian winemaking began over 6,000 years ago, making it the oldest winemaking region in the world. Savoir will be celebrating that by welcoming winemaker Vahe Keushguerian for a tasting of wine from Armenia. Keushguerian is the founder of a winery called Keush, which specializes in sparkling wine made from grapes indigenous to Armenia. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Keushguerian and learn about the past, present, and future of Armenian winemaking. 4:30 pm.

Walk to End HIV Virtual Celebration
This weekend, AIDS Foundation Houston (AFH) will host a virtual celebration at AIDSWalkHouston.org to celebrate the 32nd annual Walk to End HIV. The event will recognize year’s top fundraisers, present grants to benefitting agencies and honor the 2021 AIDS Walk underwriters and agency partners. The celebration, hosted by a surprise local celebrity, will feature special performances and appearances from leaders in the community. 6 pm.

Saturday, April 10

Eastside Market at Tres Chic
The 3rd Eastside Market Pop-Up will be going down this weekend, and all the vendors will be showing up and coming correct. We're talking Aspire Accessories, Anna Irions, Collectivo, Lexington, Hila, Monica Haff Designs, and, of course, Tres Chic. The Bovine & Barley cocktail truck will be there, serving adult ice-cream specialties, from 10am-4pm. Other food trucks will also be in attendance. 9 am.

Citizen Pilates presents Pilates for Pets
Bring your own mat and meet us a free, 30-minute, outdoor Pilates workout, hosted by Citizen Pilates, benefitting Animal Justice League. Snuggle up to the furry guests that will be around, and don't forget to bring dog/puppy, kitten/cat food to donate at the event. Bully sticks are a bonus. This event is open to anyone and family-friendly. For every donation received, enjoy a complimentary queso from Valencia’s Tex-Mex Garage. 10 am.

Lone Star Flight Museum B-17 tours and peeks
This weekend, The Lone Star Flight Museum will offer free tours and peeks inside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress to museum visitors for one last time this year. Thunderbird is preparing to head to the Mid America Flight Museum in Mt. Pleasant for the remainder of the year, but will return to LSFM next year. Tours and sneak peeks, normally $5 per person, will be offered for free throughout the day to all visitors with a general admission ticket. Members get in free. 10 am.

Saturday crawfish boils w/ a live DJ at B.B. Lemon
B.B. Lemon will be taking advantage of crawfish season three more times before it ends. They'll be having a regular, Saturday brunch with a live DJ this Saturday — and on May 8 and June 5. Enjoy tunes by a live DJ and mudbugs featuring Berg Hospitality's own Jeff Baron's NOLA recipe. For this weekend, the DJ will be DJ Friendster. Crawfish will be served from 11am-3pm — or until it runs out. Reservations are recommended and can be made by phone. 11 am.

Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival
This Saturday and Sunday, the scenic banks of The Woodlands Waterway and Town Green Park will be transformed into an outdoor art gallery featuring the work of over 150 international, national, and regional juried artists. A variety of original art, including painting, fiber, jewelry, photography, and mixed media will be on display. Live music and children’s art activities will provide a fun family experience, and local food, wine, and beer will add to the atmosphere. 11 am.

Dog Day at Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co.
Bring your pup to celebrate National Pet Day at Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co., which will be referring to itself at "RuffBrew" this weekend. Join them out in the tents for flavorful, homemade dog-friendly eats and treats both you and your pup will enjoy. A special appearance from Houston PetSet, puptastic raffle items, and brews on tap are waiting for you. Leash up your furry friend and come "pawty" with the pack. Noon.

The War on Pleasure at The Plant House
Back by popular demand, 5th Wave Productions presents Robin Goldstein's informative musical comedy. This one-man musical will bring health food fanatics, fast food lovers and theatre aficionados together to listen to the story of the 200-year fight against delicious food, started by 19th-century Puritan radicals who originally created the health-food industry as a cure for adolescent sexuality. Tickets are $20 and includes free beer. 6 pm.

Sunday, April 11

YogaSix Restore - free yoga class
YogaSix will be having a free yoga class this weekend, outside their new studio at West University. The class will develop your strength, flexibility, comfort level, and stamina as you challenge your body and mind. You will receive an experience that is energizing, empowering, and fun. After the class, receive 20 percent off from Fellini Cafe and a free, avocado hummus voucher from Flower Child. Please arrive up to 15 minutes before to register and get yourself "sixuated." 9 am.

event-planner

best november concerts

Jelly Roll and Usher headline Houston's 10 best November concerts

Photos by Jordan Taylor Wright

R&B super star Usher comes to H-Town for a three-night run at the Toyota Center, November 27, 29, and 30.

In stressful times, one reliable way to blow off steam is live concerts. These settings might be some of the last bastions for melting away all our differences to experience artists performing their distinct brand of melodies, hooks, and beats. Music rarely, if ever, lets us down.

So in a particularly tense cultural climate, restore your faith in humanity by attending any of the 10 biggest concerts happening in Houston this month.

Old 97’s with Fastball, November 10, The Heights Theater
Two of the more underrated Texas acts that found initial success in the ‘90s will visit the intimate confines of the Heights Theater this November. Led by the handsome Rhett Miller, the Dallas-formed Old 97’s carved out a respectable and prolific career on the foundation of hook-filled alt-rock-meets-Americana, their latest being this year’s critically acclaimed American Primitive. Meanwhile, the Austin-formed Fastball garnered attention for the still-great rock radio hit, “The Way,” with their latest album being Sonic Ranch.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Question," "The Way."

Cyndi Lauper, November 16, Toyota Center
The neon-bright feminist icon Cyndi Lauper is doing one last dance, embarking on her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell tour to celebrate 40 years as one of the most successful pop stars of all time. The Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning songwriter ruled the charts in the ‘80s, and her outspoken voice on women’s issues has endured over the years alongside her hits. The Lauper-influenced pop duo AJ & Aly will open.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “True Colors,” and “She Bop.”

Jelly Roll, November 17, Toyota Center
The first of several former RodeoHouston headliners to perform in Houston this month, Nashville’s Jelly Roll is, well, on a roll these days, taking over the country charts in true crossover fashion that’s become a popular strategy for hip-hop artists. His No. 1-hit “Save Me” has been inescapable since it was released in 2020, and he has parlayed that into a stratospheric rise to mainstream popularity after starting his career as an indie rapper. His new album, Beautifully Broken, scored him his first Billboard #1 pop and country album.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Save Me,” “Need a Favor”

GWAR, November 17, Warehouse Live Midtown
Not for the faint of heart, heavy metal legends GWAR are on a mission to melt your face off with their hyper-sexual, mythological and frankly, uncouth, guitar assault. Best known for their exuberantly over-the-top and grotesque costumes and interactive performances that involve actual audience members being consumed by onstage props or being sprayed by fake bodily fluids, GWAR have no time for pearl clutching. In other words, are you not entertained?

Can’t Miss Songs: “Immortal Corruptor,” “Lust in Space”

Mariah Carey, November 19, Toyota Center
The Queen of Christmas is coming. We’re not just talking about Mariah Carey’s biggest holiday hit song of all time, “All I Want For Christmas,” which should start blasting from speakers any day now. For those who haven’t heard enough of that tune, the superstar will also be taking the show on the road with a setlist full of festive favorites alongside non-Yuletide-themed hits.

Can’t Miss Songs: “All I Want For Christmas,” “Hero”

Manchester Orchestra, November 20, Bayou Music Center
A festival favorite, Manchester Orchestra, has steadily been building a solid fanbase in the Bayou City, seemingly playing city stages every year, even when there’s no new music to tout. Thanks to the genius of singer/guitarist Andy Hull, the Atlanta band’s sprawling, multi-genre sound is the catharsis many crave. Their last original album may have been released in 2021, but their strong live presence forged on large stages means that they’ll continue to draw a crowd.

Can’t Miss Songs: “The Gold,” “The Alien”

Kacey Musgraves, November 21, Toyota Center
The Texas-raised, seven-time Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves is one of the brightest lights in the new country scene. After winning multiple awards for 2018’s groundbreaking full-length, Golden Hour, Musgraves achieved her first No. 1 pop chart hit with Zach Bryan, “I Remember Everything,” and she appeared on Saturday Night Live following the release of her new album, Deeper Well. The strength of her live performance has only grown since she opened RodeoHouston in 2019, and Lord Huron and Nickel Creek round out a solid line-up at this Toyota Center headlining gig.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Follow Your Arrow,” “Butterflies”

Better Than Ezra, November 22, House of Blues
Three bands that had their own 15 minutes of fame on ‘90s alt-rock radio are playing within days of each other on different Houston stages. Denton’s Deep Blue Something (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) perform on November 22 at the Last Concert Café and SoCal rockers Everclear (“Santa Monica”) are at Sawyer Park Icehouse on Nov. 24. Of the three, our pick is Better Than Ezra at House of Blues, a trio that released a series of good-to-great albums featuring the power-pop gems, “Good,” “King of New Orleans,” and “Desperately Wanting” that found alt-rock radio success.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Good,” “Desperately Wanting”

Usher, November 27, 29 and 30, Toyota Center
Is R&B heartthrob Usher the biggest artist in the world right now? A sell-out Las Vegas residency, a Super Bowl halftime performance, and three-night run at Toyota Center at the end of the month points to (cue Lil Jon voice) “Yeah!” The seemingly ageless performer who first broke out during the Total Request Live era will draw from a vast catalog of hits in what might be some of the biggest shows of the year in Houston.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Burn,” “You Make Me Wanna,” “Yeah!”

Midland, November 29, 713 Music Hall
Country act Midland heads down the highway from their Central Texas home for a headlining gig at 713 Music Hall, their Eagles meets ‘80s country a perfect fit for their blue steel looks. A few years removed from their 2020 RodeoHouston opener, in many ways this trio pointed the way forward for country acts today, with outlaw attitudes up against catchy hooks as a recipe for success. They are back on the road with their new album, Barely Blue.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Drinkin’ Problem,” “Mr. Lonely”

Photos by Jordan Taylor Wright

R&B super star Usher comes to H-Town for a three-night run at the Toyota Center, November 27, 29, and 30.

concerts

weekend event planner

Here are the top 12 things to do in Houston this weekend

best november concerts

Jelly Roll and Usher headline Houston's 10 best November concerts

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