weekend event planner

Here are the top 14 things to do in Houston this weekend

Music sensation Maverick City Music hits town with Kirk Franklin this weekend.

This weekend, the hills are alive with a Houston stage return of one of the most cherished movies of all time. One of the hottest musical acts of the summer heads to town, as does a decidedly clean comic. A local brewery gets totally cheesy, and the Moody Center presents a fun family day. And, some female bartenders take action following a controversial Supreme Court ruling.

Enjoy and stay cool; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, July 7

Sabine Street Studios presents "Growing Pleasures" closing reception
The artists at Sabine Street Studios will celebrate the closing of their latest group exhibition, a selection of works inspired by the force of nature and the energy of rebirth. The event celebrates the revival of the art season in Houston; flourishing, nature, harmony and lots of color are part of the collection of works on display. During the closing event, live music and drinks will be offered. Additionally, artist studios will be open. 4 pm.

Community Workshop at Exotic Pop
Houston, Black-owned beverage company Exotic Pop is hosting this free community workshop, with speakers and resources for youth and adults covering a host of topics from kid entrepreneurship to stock options. The workshop is part of a free, community resource program the company recently launched to give back and provide the Houston community, with free resources and knowledge to help people navigate areas like personal finance, entrepreneurship, health and well-being, legal issues, and more. 5 pm.

A.D. Players presents The Sound of Music
Vienna, 1938. The hills are alive with the sound of music — at least that's what Maria believes. The iconic American musical follows the story of free-spirited, young Maria, who finds her place, purpose, and love within the home of the Von Trapp family. Set against the backdrop of the building conflict with Nazi Germany, this story of triumph in the face of adversity has stood the test of time. Through Sunday, August 14. 7:30 pm (8 pm Saturday; 2:30 and 8 pm Sunday).

Friday, July 8

Fresh Arts presents "MythoFutuRiddim" opening reception
The Space Taking Artist Residency, powered by Fresh Arts, is a six-week opportunity for traditionally underrepresented local artists to experiment and “takeover” a public space in new and out-of-the box ways. As part of this residency, MythoFutuRddim, an arts and cultural festival, has been chosen for the summer residency. Along with contemporary art, the festival will also include music performances, poetry readings, an interactive installation, kids' events and more. Through Sunday, August 14. 6 pm.

Improv Houston presents Bruce Bruce
It's always great when our favorite host of BET's long-gone, stand-up showcase ComicView comes back to Houston. Bruce Bruce is a name synonymous with keeping audiences rolling with laughter, thanks to his captivating improv skills and larger-than-life comedic style. Although Bruce is known for his adult comedy, he prides himself on not using vulgarity to win a laugh, and is no stranger in winning over new audiences with every appearance. 7:30 and 9:45 pm (7 and 9:30 pm Saturday; 7:30 pm Sunday).

Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin in concert with Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires
If you like your gospel with a bit of boom-bap in it, it's time to make a joyful noise. Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin will co-headline this special concert. The Atlanta Christian/gospel collective and the legendary inspirational artist have joined forces for their newest project Kingdom Book One, a live album which raises awareness on the injustice of mass incarceration. They will be joined by Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires. 6:45 pm.

Opera Leggera presents Broadway Serenade
Kingwood-based fans of musical theater will be getting a special treat this weekend. Opera Leggera is bringing the magic of Broadway to the community for two performances. Featuring some of Houston’s finest, local music artists, this musical revue will showcase excerpts of some of America’s most beloved musicals, including Oklahoma, Mary Poppins, Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady, and more. 7:30 pm (7 pm Saturday).

Saturday, July 9

Moody Center for the Arts presents Summer Jam Family Day
Open to kids of all ages and families of all types, guests will get a chance to explore the Moody and see the artwork on view. Kids can enjoy face painting, art activities, and a scavenger hunt, while adults sip beverages, shop at the indoor, local food market, and snack on hot food options from Lemond Kitchen, JQ’s Tex Mex BBQ, and Desi Fresh. This event is co-presented with The Informal Grub, creators of the Rice Village and Heights Farmers Markets. Noon.

Giant at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
James M. Vaughn Jr. (1939–2022), a longtime supporter of MFAH Films, had a lifelong interest in mathematics. The Museum honors him with a series called The Mathematician Moviegoer, three weekends of his favorite movies selected by his widow, artist Salle Werner Vaughn. First up is George Stevens's Lone Star saga from 1953. James Dean, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor star in this sprawling epic about a wealthy, Texas ranching family. 2 pm.

Eureka Heights Queso Bowl
Eureka Heights Brew Co. will be getting cheesy with it this weekend. They have gathered teams from around the neighborhood to see who makes the best queso. First place gets the biggest trophy, a $200 EH gift card and $200 donated to Kids' Meals Houston in the team's name. For those who just want to eat queso, it's free to attend. All you have to do is show up and be the trusty judges who decide the Queso Bowl Champion. 5 pm.

Dellrose presents Live on the Lawn
Over in Hockley, live music returns to Dellrose during this concert series. The family-friendly evenings will also feature a street market with more than 20 vendors, food trucks, ice cream, and cold beer. This weekend's band will be Breakfast at Tiffany's, a Houston-based variety band that plays music from the '60s, '70s, and '80s, as well as Latin, pop, rock, country, and today’s top radio favorites. 6 pm.

Sunday, July 10

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents "Beauty and Ritual: Judaica from the Jewish Museum, New York" opening day
Examining Jewish ceremonial objects from antiquity to the present, this exhibit (which explores the artistic, ritualistic, and cultural significance of more than 140 works) marks the first in a series of presentations from the world-renowned collection of the Jewish Museum in New York City. The new, ongoing partnership between the MFAH and the Jewish Museum brings exceptional objects to Houston over a period of years. Through Sunday, September 18. 12:30 pm.

Paid In Full - DJ Burb/July B-Day Edition
The Paid in Full team will be having another birthday bash at Cafe 4212 this weekend. This time around, DJ Burb will be the b-day boy, spinning old-school/rare hip-hop and soul from the '80s, '90s, and early '00s, along with Paid in Full crewmates DJ Nimbus and MC Mistagoodbar. (A special unannounced guest will also be joining in on the festivities.) Of course, all the July babies are welcome to the celebration. 3 pm.

An Evening of Ovary-Action at Grand Prize Bar
The female bartenders of Grand Prize Bar, Poison Girl, Double Trouble and Lil' Danny Speedo's Go Fly a Kite Lounge will be taking over Grand Prize for this event, mixing specially-designed cocktails. Plus, there will be lots of resources and folks to talk to about reproductive health, mental health, mutual aid, legal representation, and more. The upstairs bar proceeds will go to ACLU Texas to help them in the fight for reproductive and civil rights. 6 pm.

event-planner

Movie Review

Margot Robbie ignites provocative new take on Wuthering Heights

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights.

Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights is one of those classic books assigned in high school English classes, and it has received a number of film adaptations over the years — each of which differ in numerous ways from the source material. Purists won’t receive any reprieve from Emerald Fennell’s 2026 adaptation, with a title that is stylized as "Wuthering Heights” for good reason.

Cathy (played as an adult by Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) have known each other their entire lives, with Cathy’s alcoholic and inveterate gambler father (Martin Clunes) taking in Heathcliff on a whim when he was a boy. The two bond as they grow up together, although Cathy always seems to have an eye on moving up in society from their relatively impoverished lifestyle.

Cathy finally gets her wish when the rich Linton familyled by Edgar (Shazad Latif), moves in down the road, Despite discovering she has feelings for the now grown-up Heathcliff, Cathy sees Edgar as her way out and agrees to marry him. A scorned Heathcliff flees, returning years later as mysteriously wealthy. His reappearance ignites something in Cathy’s soul, and the two engage in a perhaps unwise affair.

Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn) infuses the dusty material with an energy that’s not typically present in stories set in this particular time and place. Aside from the occasional Charli XCX song (the singer created a whole concept album for the film), the film looks and feels like a period piece, albeit one that doesn’t get bogged down in the drudgery that can sometimes come from films set in the distant past.

Much of that has to do with the lust the filmmaker puts into the story. Even if you’re not familiar with Brontë’s book, you can rest assured that Fennell has strayed far from the text, giving Cathy and Heathcliff thoughts and actions unthinkable in the 19th century. Fennell plays with expectations by opening the film with audio featuring creaking noises and a man grunting, conjuring up a situation far different than what is actually happening, and she also makes liberal use of rain, sweat, and tears to make the actors enticing.

What she can’t do, however, is make the two lead characters compelling. Cathy is a striver who never seems to know what she wants out of life, and Heathcliff goes from a bore to a brute over the course of the film, with no clear indication that he likes anybody, much less Cathy. Anyone expecting some kind of grand romance will be disappointed as Fennell is much more interested in making the film weird, like having the walls of Cathy’s room look like her skin, complete with freckles.

Robbie and Elordi do well enough with the material, and it’s clear that both of them are committed to bringing Fennell’s vision to life. Their styles tend to balance each other out, and if the story had been committed to their characters’ relationship, they might be lauded for their chemistry. In the end, though, the supporting actors feel more interesting, including ones played by Hong Chau, Alison Miller, and Clunes.

This version of Wuthering Heights should never be construed as an alternative to reading the book for any high schoolers out there. While Fennell makes the film interesting with her technical filmmaking choices, the story never finds its footing as it fails to sell the one thing that it seems to promise.

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Wuthering Heights opens in theaters on February 13.

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