weekend event planner

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

Greek Festival, dancing men in traditional dress

Opa! The 53rd annual Original Greek Festival is here.

Photo courtesy of Houston Greek Festival

Once again, it's time for Houstonians to get their opa (!) on.

The 53rd annual Original Greek Festival is going down all weekend long, promising nothing but good food, good wine, and a good time. This is one of the best yearly festivals in town, and we're not saying that just because the fest sent us food. The fun runs from Thursday, October 3, through Sunday, October 6, in Montrose. Tickets are available at the door.

Now, here are the other things happening this weekend.

Thursday, October 3

The Apollo World Team at Life HTX
DEFINE: River Oaks is hosting a free event open to the public — actually, this event consists of two experiences: a morning workout at DEFINE and an evening show at Life HTX by South Korea's Apollo World Team. The international performing group of Jackie Cycle, it's made up of cycle masters who demonstrate Jackie Cycle's techniques through dance gymnastics and choreography. The team's athleticism makes for jaw-dropping, high intensity performances, which continue to wow global audiences at numerous sports events. 9:45 am and 6 pm.

Wolfman's Got Nards with Andre Gower at Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra
Remember The Monster Squad, the 1987, Shane Black-scripted horror-comedy about a bunch of foul-mouthed kids going toe-to-toe with Dracula, the Wolfman, the Mummy, etc.? Well, there is a 2018 documentary (named after the iconic line said by a kid after kicking the Wolfman in the junk) about the movie and its legion of cult fans, directed by Andre Gower, who played squad leader Sean in the movie. Gower will be at the Alamo Drafthouse this weekend, to both screen the film and take questions afterwards. 7:30 pm.

Friday, October 4

"Adjacent To The Flashing Thunderbolts" art exhibit opening at Magpies & Peacocks
"Adjacent To The Flashing Thunderbolts" is an interactive sculptural installation inspired in part by quantum entanglement, the holistic nature of the universe, and the application of those to human actions by artist Sanjay Sharma. Sharma, an Artist In Nesting with Magpies & Peacocks and 2019 Houston Arts Alliance Individual Artist grantee, is a multi-disciplinary artist working from a sculpture and drawing background. This project is funded in part by the Houston Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs and the Houston Arts Alliance. 6-9 pm.

John Scofield Quartet at Wortham Theater Center
Da Camera's 2019–20 season begins its jazz series with the long-awaited debut of the John Scofield Quartet. Scofield’s stint with Miles Davis from 1982 to 1985 made him a major player in the jazz-guitar world. Since then, he has led his own groups, recorded more than 30 albums as a leader and collaborated with greats, including Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Eddie Harris, Bill Frisell, Brad Mehldau, Jack DeJohnette, and others. Joining him will be Bill Stewart on drums, Vicente Archer on bass and George Colligan on piano and organ. 8 pm.

Saturday, October 5

The Bonfire Texas Music Festival at Stevens and Pruett Ranch
Here's a chance to listen to good music, eat some good food, and give some love to rescue animals. The third annual Bonfire Texas Music Festival features all-day live music from Texas singer-songwriters; barbecue; beer from Shiner, Karbach, and others; a silent auction; bonfire; games for kids of all ages; and animal rescue and vendor tents. Jesse Raub Jr. and Holly Tucker will take the main stage, while the acoustic chapel stage will feature Scott Sean White, Ken Gaines, Alex Coba, Charles Bryant, and Rona Williams, among others. 1-9:30 pm.

Bert Kreischer at Cullen Performance Hall
We're worried about the students of University of Houston this weekend. This is mostly because Bert Kreischer is coming to town. Known in many circles as "The Machine," this stand-up comic is notorious for being a party animal. Despite having a family, the man has never been known to refuse a shot — or an entire bottle of whiskey. He's also known for being blunt and honest in his stand-up; the minute he says "secret time" on-stage, you know he's gonna hit you with some outrageous stuff. And he's most likely gonna be shirtless. 7 pm.

Sunday, October 6

“Southern and Sophisticated” Brunch at Decorative Center Houston
Kicking off Homecoming week at Texas Southern University will be this neo-soul/jazz scholarship brunch, crafted to celebrate Southern sophistication through music, fashion, décor, and the culture of the university. This event will feature three-time Grammy-nominated artist Raheem DeVaughn, as well as multi-nominated RC & The Gritz, multi-Grammy award winner Shaun Martin (Kirk Franklin & Snarky Puppy), the TSU Jazz Ensemble, and DJ Mav. The brunch will also serve complimentary beverages curated by Hennessy. 12:30 pm.

Call Your Girlfriend: Stay Hydrated Tour at Warehouse Live
So, there are these two long-distance besties, digital strategist Aminatou Sow and journalist Ann Friedman, who are the hosts of this podcast called Call Your Girlfriend — and, no, it's not a show devoted to the Robyn song of the same name. Since launching in 2014, Aminatou and Ann call each other to discuss the intricacies of pop culture and the latest in politics. They're now taking their act on the road, where they bemoan the news and shout out feminist sheroes, in front of a live audience. Expect them to do the same when they're here this weekend. 8 pm.

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Movie Review

Shaun the Sheep welcomes spooky season with PG-scary new movie

Photo courtesy of Aardman / Sky UK LTD / StudioCanal 2026

Shaun the Sheep in Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom.

Since his introduction over 30 years ago, the Aardman Animations character Shaun the Sheep has been almost as popular as the studio’s flagship characters, Wallace and Gromit. There is never a shortage of trouble Shaun can get into as he leads his flock and proves to be a thorn in the side of his farmer and Bitzer, the farmer’s loyal sheepdog.

His antics lead everyone down some slightly spooky roads in the new film, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. At first, things are only slightly awry as Shaun and the flock are growing a secret pumpkin patch to have their own jack-o-lanterns. But when the farmer accidentally destroys the pumpkin patch, Shaun tries to regrow it quickly with a Frankenstein-esque experiment.

However, disaster looms when Shaun uses an old bottle of Hair-Gro as the container for the serum he creates. Naturally, the balding farmer uses it on his head, and everyone soon discovers how truly successful it is, with pumpkins growing out of control and the farmer sprouting hair all over his body. Through a series of mishaps, the farmer becomes the titular beast, creating mayhem while Shaun and others try to stop him.

Directed by Steve Cox and Matthew Walker, and written by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow, the film goes down just as easy as every other Aardman project has. They get the Halloween vibes started from the opening credits, with things like the sheep doing the “Thriller” dance, and continue the fun throughout, referencing everything from Psycho to Friday the 13th in a nice, PG way.

With no script — every character is mute save for reaction noises — the movie relies on sight gags for its humor, and the Aardman team is endlessly inventive in that respect. Sometimes it’s small things like a sheep using toilet paper rolls as binoculars, and sometimes it’s something like forcing the Bigfoot-like farmer to be shaped into a rectangle as he escapes through a window. But there’s a never-ending stream of such moments, so even if one doesn’t tickle your funny bone, chances are the next one will.

The biggest benefit of the characters not talking is that there’s no need for deep character development. The filmmakers do a great job of giving the basic traits of each character, and then use those attributes to color everyone’s actions for the rest of the film. Shaun is the troublemaker, the farmer is a bumbling fool, Bitzer is preternaturally smart, and the town’s vet is empathetic, and the combination of those characters and others makes for a highly entertaining blend.

Like all Aardman creations, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is a fun lark that doesn’t make its audience think too hard. With just enough references to keep viewers engaged but not so many as to be overbearing, the film puts its well-worn characters to good use once again, delivering a Halloween season story that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

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Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is now playing in theaters.

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