weekend event planner

Here are the top 15 things to do in Houston this weekend

Enjoy Puppies for Breakfast this weekend.

This weekend offers a chance to go wild at the Houston Zoo's 100th birthday celebration. Speaking of animals, folks will gather for the annual tribute to furbabies: Puppies for Breakfast (read on).

One of America's wittiest and most sardonic humorists comes to town, while a local artist makes a splash at a beloved brewery. And Tuesdays may be for tacos, but this Sunday offers an ultimate taco cookoff.

Feast on the fun: here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, April 28

Holocaust Museum Houston and Kenny and Ziggy's present Chef Supreme Tasting Party
Holocaust Museum Houston and Kenny and Ziggy's will host this tasting party, which will honor Marty Ginsburg, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s husband. Their marriage defied gender expectations of the period. Marty was a passionate supporter of RBG’s legal career and shared in child-rearing and household responsibilities long before men were expected to do so. This unique event will feature recipes from the book Chef Supreme: Martin Ginsburg. 5:30 pm.

Moody Center for the Arts presents Hilma
This multi-part opera by Daniel Zlatkin is an invitation to step into the world of Hilma af Klint, the occultist Swedish painter, considered by many as the first modern abstract artist. Through Zlatkin's original music and libretto, Hilma goes on a spiritual journey, aided by her living friends and astral guardians. Through five scenes, supported by an all-student cast and orchestra, the realization of Hilma's artistic vision unfolds. The two-night performances will take place in Lois Chiles Studio Theater. 7 pm.

Performing Arts Houston presents David Sedaris
With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris (author of such books as Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk and Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls) has become one of America’s preeminent humor writers. The great skill with which he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that Sedaris is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today. 7:30 pm.

Friday, May 29

The Donkeeboy & Friends Art Show at 8th Wonder Brewery
Join Donkeeboy and some of his friends for a night of local H-town art. Patrons will enjoy art by Donkeeboy and Donkeemom, Noke, David "Skeez181" Flores, Hop Muncher, M.Clark, Andrea Celeste, L'Eau, and Sir Los. DJ Jerry Gshock will be spinning for the duration of the art show, and Los Jefes Market will be on-site presenting handmade products that tell the unique story of the individuals who have created them. Top food trucks Blk Mkt Birria and Seoulside Wings will also be parked and ready to serve. 6 pm.

HTX Whiskey Weekend
City Place in Spring will host its first weekend full of wonderful food, fitness, and fermented fun. First up is the East Meets West Dinner, a ticketed dinner featuring a curated, four-course dinner in partnership with sustainability-focused food group,The Butcher’s Ball. Saturday will have A Taste of City Place, featuring a whiskey sampling area with a variety of distillers. And the outdoor brunch known as Waffles & Wheels will close things out. 6 pm.

Houston Cinema Arts Society presents Great Freedom
Houston Cinema Arts Society partners with Goethe Pop Up, Houston MFAH Films, and The Big Queer Picture Show to present the Houston premiere of this Cannes winner. In post-war Germany, Hans has been found guilty for his homosexuality, deemed grounds for imprisonment under Paragraph 175. As Hans returns to prison again and again, he develops an unlikely bond with his cellmate Viktor, a convicted murderer. What begins as revulsion blossoms over time into something far more tender. 7 pm.

Houston Symphony presents Andrés’ Farewell: Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony
For his final concert as Houston Symphony music director, Andrés Orozco-Estrada leads Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 2, Resurrection. Contemplating the meaning of life and the mystery of death and culminating in a blaze of transcendence that shakes the rafters and soars to the heavens above, it is a concert experience unmatched in all of music. More than 200 orchestra and chorus members will fill the stage for this must-see event. The Saturday performance will be available to livestream. 8 pm (2:30 pm Sunday).

Saturday, April 30

Puppies for Breakfast at Market Square Park
Celebrating 11 years as Houston's original, one-of-a-kind dog festival, Puppies for Breakfast returns after a two-year hiatus — the biggest pup party of the year. The event features dog costume contests, 40 vendors, dog-centric brands, and the largest piñata in the world! The event is free and open to the public (and the public's furry friends, of course), but a $5 donation is encouraged to help local rescue. 10 am.

The Texas Beer Experience and Pop Fizz Click present Puro Pinche Podcasts
Come hang out at Big Owl Craft Brew House as several podcasts — Pop Fizz Click, Nerd Alert with Marty McGeek, Nothing Matters, TX Beer Experience, and Cold Beer Conversations — will record live for a special beer podcast collab. Turkey Forrest Brewing Co. will be showing off new brews, while Blank Flag FP will be serving food and Space City Snax will be coming with the micheladas. Noon.

Menil Collection Neighborhood Community Day
Enjoy an afternoon of art, music, poetry, and family activities in celebration of the museum’s vibrant neighborhood. Participating organizations include: DACAMERA, Houston Center for Photography, Inprint, The Menil Collection, Pride Chorus Houston, Rothko Chapel, Watercolor Art Society, and Writers in the Schools (WITS). Food and beverage vendors will be on site: 93’Til (non-alcoholic cocktails), Dibi Rapide (West African cuisine), Houston Sauce Co. (vegan comfort food), and Popston (popsicles). Noon-5 pm. Free.

Mont Art House & Bisong Art Gallery present "In Color"
Mont Art House and Bisong Art Gallery invite you to an open house event as they join in on the fun at the Sawyer Yards Spring Showcase. This event will feature artwork from Jason DeMeo, a contemporary artist working out of Central Florida creating art that instigates transformation & connection, and Wayne J. Bell, a local visual artist known for abstract expressionism with oil paint and unique knife-cut brushstrokes on canvas. 4 pm.

Free Radicals Record Release Backyard Bash
Free Radicals, a musical, political, and cultural force in Houston for over two decades, released their new album White Power Outage Vol. II earlier this month. This 25-track project is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed first volume, which was named Local Album of the Year by the Houston Chronicle. Continuing their quest to put an end to white supremacy, the Radicals will be celebrating the album's release with a show at the Continental Club. 7 pm.

Sunday, May 1

Houston Area Parkinson Society presents Blues, Brews and Barbecue
Blues, Brews and Barbecue will feature multiple blues bands (including Trudy Lynn, Steve Krase Band and Mean .44s), barbecue from 2 Guys 1 Pit BBQ & Catering, sweet treats from Tete Treats, games, and more. Proceeds from this event go toward funding the therapeutic exercise and support groups, social services, and educational programs that Houston Area Parkinson Society (HAPS) provides to those affected by Parkinson’s disease in eight Houston-area counties. Noon.

Bobcat Teddy's Taco Cook-off
Bobcat Teddy's will commemorate Cinco De Mayo festivities with a special Taco Cook-Off sponsored by Modelo Especial. For $20, guests can sample and vote for their favorite taco while relaxing with a cerveza or margaritas on the Bobcat Teddy’s patio. Live music will be playing throughout the day. 1 pm.

The Fish 20th Year Anniversary Celebration
The Fish Sushi Restaurant and Bar will be celebrating its 20-year anniversary with a party giving thanks to the City of Houston and Midtown, its original and current home for the past twenty years. The waitstaff will be serving complimentary samples of some of the Fish's most innovative, Japanese-inspired dishes. There will also be indoor and outdoor activities throughout the day including a celebratory lion dance, giveaways, raffles and more. 4 pm.

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