Sunday is Father’s Day, and brand-new fathers might want to check out Treasure Truck, Amazon’s rolling retail experience for new parents, which will make its third stop in Houston on Saturday and Sunday at Silver Street Studios.
On top of that pop-up, here are the top things to do this weekend — which include a colorful anime convention, beer and music bashes, and a candy wonderland.
Thursday, April 13
Anime Matsuri at George R. Brown Convention Center
It's that time again when all the anime lovers in H-Town (and other places) convene to George R. Brown and just swim in the Japanese pop-culture paradise that is Anime Matsuri. The second-largest Japanese pop-culture convention in America is celebrating its 13th year, and they're going all out. There will be over 800 hours of panels, workshops, concerts, a cosplay contest, guests, and Japanese fashion, as well as a performance from kawaii metal group Ladybaby. 4 pm (11:30 am Friday; 9:30 am Saturday and Sunday).
Saint Arnold 25th Anniversary Grand Cru Night at The Ginger Man
The Saint Arnold Brewing Company is having its 25th anniversary this month, and it's celebrating by throwing a bunch of parties all over Texas and Louisiana. This one offers up Saint Arnold's special, 25th Anniversary Grand Cru brew on tap. It's a blend of three bourbon barrel aged beers: Belgian-Style Quadrupel, Russian Imperial Stout, and English-Style Barleywine. So, expect everyone to get messed up after one sip of this. 6 pm.
Friday, June 14
Candytopia Houston
Listen, we know you need to watch your weight and sugar is evil and everything. But there is an actual candy explosion opening this weekend. This candy-coated experiential adventure, where "colossal candyfloss constructions meld with a tantalizing taffy twistedness," features more than one dozen rooms with larger-than-life interactive art installations and full sensory experiences. This confectionery wonderland will be in Houston until September 29. 10 am (11 am Sunday).
A One-Night-Only Dinner at The Wheel Kitchen
Friends and collaborators Hilda Ysusi, owner and executive chef of Broken Barrel, and Thelma Portillo, executive chef and entrepreneur of The Wheel Kitchen, will join forces for a dining experience that melds Broken Barrel’s vibrant approach to global dishes with The Wheel’s modern take on Mediterranean cuisine. The whole thing costs $80, and that includes a Good Night Loving vodka cocktail and Ferrari-Carano wine pairings. 6:30 pm.
Saturday, June 15
147th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Emancipation Park
Emancipation Park Conservancy (EPC), a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable corporation established to restore, manage and enhance Emancipation Park, will host their 147th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at the park. This free event, which commemorates the freedom of African Americans, will have musical performances, a parade, guided tours, kid-friendly entertainment and education, art displays, complimentary barbecue, vendors, and more. 10 am to 5 pm.
Local Brews, Local Grooves at House of Blues
Beer and live music — is there anything that clearly goes more hand-in-hand? House of Blues will be filling up the venue heavily with both those things this weekend. We're talking over 20 local craft breweries, with more than 40 beers and rare releases, along with 16 local bands and DJs. And let's not forget the brew-inspired, pub food pairings. Sampling wristband ($15) and sampling tickets ($3) are available for purchase at the door and throughout the venue. 3 pm.
Sunday, June 16
John Cusack and Say Anything... at Jones Hall
It was 30 years ago that Cameron Crowe wrote and directed one of the more essential rom-coms, Say Anything..., where smart-ass slacker Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) won over valedictorian Diane Court (Ione Skye) — and future generations of audiences — with a boombox over his head, playing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes." The Society for the Performing Arts will hold a screening of the movie, along with Cusack himself showing up for a post-screening discussion and Q&A. 4 pm.
Stagecoach at Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra
The late, great John Ford made many iconic Westerns throughout his career: My Darling Clementine, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Searchers, etc. But his 1939 film Stagecoach is the one that proved that Westerns can be more than pulpy shoot-'em-ups. Starring John Ford in his breakthrough role as the Ringo Kid, this movie is really an ensemble piece, as it follows a group of strangers riding through dangerous Apache territory in the titular mode of travel. 6 pm.
