weekend event planner
Here are the top 8 things to do in Houston this weekend
This weekend offers artful opportunities for festivals and at-home fun (though the weather should be gorgeous, so get out there!). Start things off with happy hour at a theater, then hit a film fest at Houston Ballet. Speaking of festivals, look for western film fun, and a Chicano music celebration.
Go glam with an at-home gala and get bookish with a standout British author's reading. Then wrap it all up with dinner and a drive-in movie. Here are your best bets for the weekend.
Thursday, November 5
Stages Repertory Theatre presents Thursdays at The Gordy
Stages will welcome patrons back to The Gordy with Thursdays at The Gordy, a weekly, reservation-only, socially distanced happy hour. Guests will enjoy cocktails, wine and beer at reserved tables throughout The Gordy’s public spaces, including the Edmundson Gallery, Albert and Ethel Herzstein Lobby and Radoff Family Patio. A limited number of guests (who must wear masks) will enjoy a cultural gathering place with safety precautions in a social-yet-safe setting. 5 pm.
Houston Ballet presents Frame x Frame Film Fest
The parking lot of Houston Ballet’s Center for Dance will host the third annual Frame x Frame Film Fest, which takes on a new format at Houston Ballet’s Drive-In. From Thursday, November 5 through Saturday, December 5, approximately 50 films will be available during the festival, including Singin’ in the Rain, Trash Dance, and a short film by Trey McIntyre — and featuring Houston Ballet company dancers — titled The Call. 7 pm.
Friday, November 6
Billy the Kid Film Festival
Well, this sounds quite outlaw-ish. This two-day, Hico-based fest will team with Dallas’ Women Texas Film Festival for a virtual presentation. With five short film programs featuring 18 films, this two-day, cinema experience will both put a spotlight on women filmmakers, as well as Texas-shot/produced films. The festival will also present a special work-in-progress presentation of Chris Zuhdi’s Hico-shot feature film, Mexican Moon. 9 am.
Festival Chicano presents Little Joe y La Familia
Festival Chicano will present a virtual performance by Grammy-winning artist Little Joe y La Familia. The fest is a reflection of the artistic creativity that has developed in the Chicano cultural experience after centuries of influence from native peoples — Mexico, Europeans, and the USA. Little Joe y La Familia has become a staple at Festival Chicano, with his inspired, Tejano sound infused with a multitude of genres and influences such as jazz, classical, conjunto, and more. 7:30 pm.
Saturday, November 7
G Spot Gallery presents Ryan Goolsby opening reception
An artist and fabricator based in Dallas, Ryan Goolsby employs both digital technologies and traditional art practices to explore ideas of form, structure and the search for meaning in everyday objects and signs. He has exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art and Fort Worth Contemporary Arts, among others. So, check out his latest work at G Spot Gallery and become enthralled with what he calls "the push and pull between being something and nothing." 6 pm.
Theatre Under The Stars Gala: Lights Up Houston
Theatre Under the Stars' annual "Lights Up Houston" gala will be held online this year, emceed by Houston Public Media’s Ernie Manouse and featuring an exclusive performance by Broadway star (and former Trapper John M.D. cast member) Brian Stokes Mitchell. Guests will be able to watch the streaming program and simultaneously use an app to participate in live and silent auctions, with all proceeds going to the non-profit theatre company. 8 pm.
Sunday, November 8
Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series: Nick Hornby
British author Nick Hornby has given us a lot of cool literature over the years: Fever Pitch, High Fidelity, About a Boy, etc. For this livestream event, Hornby will give a short reading from his new novel Just Like You, followed by a conversation with novelist/journalist Vendela Vida. Details on how to access the reading will be provided to season subscribers and to those who purchase general admission tickets in the Eventbrite email receipt. 4 pm.
Urban Harvest Sunday Supper at Moonstruck Drive-In
Urban Harvest is taking its biannual, Sunday Supper fundraising event over to Moonstruck Drive-In, where there will be — that's right — dinner and a movie. Guests will enjoy viewing The Biggest Little Farm from the comfort of their own cars, as well as enjoy dinner-for-four created by chefs Chris Shepherd and Nick Fine of UB Hospitality, Austin Waiter of Tony’s, Becca and Jason Kerr of Little Kitchen HTX, and Elaine Won of Dumpling Haus. 5 pm.
