weekend event planner

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

In case you haven't heard, Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival goes down this weekend.

Photo by Julian Bajsel

If you haven't heard from your teenage kids yet, Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival will be back at NRG Park on Saturday.

Yes, the festival created and curated by the superstar Houston rapper, which was a smashing success when it debuted last year, will go down once again near the land where AstroWorld once stood.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of other offerings for what promises to be a gorgeous weekend.

Thursday, November 7

Houstonia Burger Bash at CityCentre
Now in its fifth year, a dozen of the city's top restaurants and chefs (from B & B Butchers, Buffburger, Bosscat Kitchen, etc.) go head-to-head to take home the coveted Best Burger title. There will also be beer, cocktails, cars on display, live entertainment, and a huge raffle benefitting Kids Meals, Inc. 6-9 pm.

An Evening with Gloria Steinem at Congregation Emanu El
As one of America's most iconic, contemporary, feminist crusaders, Gloria Steinem can still give the patriarchal powers that be hell — even at the age of 85. She'll be in Houston this weekend to promote her latest book, aptly titled The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off. It's a collection of Steinem’s lifetime of quotes — powerful and wise, funny and outrageous — complete with an introduction and essays by the feminist writer and activist herself. 7 pm.

Friday, November 8

Archival Screening Night: The Roadshow at MFAH
For the first time, the Association of Moving Images Archivists (AMIA) is touring a compilation that samples films restored by film archives around the world. Featuring some 20 films, in genres spanning jazz, animation, comedy, history, ethnography, dance, and more, this program shows that the efforts of the preservationists are a cause for celebration. Sandra Yates, who manages the preservation and access to the Texas Medical Center Library's special collections, will introduce the collection. 7 pm.

David Spade at Improv Houston
David Spade has made a nice living for himself by being a smart-ass. After making a snarky splash on Saturday Night Live, usually roasting celebs on his "Hollywood Minute" segment, he went on to do buddy comedies with the late, fellow SNL-er Chris Farley and steal every moment as the sarcastic receptionist on Just Shoot Me. He's back to dragging the rich and famous on his nightly Comedy Central show Lights Out with David Spade. But you can catch more of that snarkiness this weekend at the Improv. 7:30 pm (7 and 9:30 pm Saturday).

Saturday, November 9

Freddy Cruz at Barnes & Noble Baybrook
KRBE 104.1 personality Freddy Cruz has just recently added novelist to his list of titles. He recently released When America Fell Silent, his debut work of fiction. It's a dystopian, political thriller about a retired Navy SEAL who will do anything to defend his country and restore the nation’s freedom. And that also includes going after her ex, who stages a coup and takes control of the U.S. government after her presidential parents are assassinated. Cruz will be signing copies of his book over at Baybrook this weekend. 1 pm.

A Woman's Life: The Diary of Virginia Woolf at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
Da Camera continues its 2019–20 season with this performance of two exquisite song cycles depicting radically different views of a woman’s life — a century apart — featuring Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano and Da Camera artistic director Sarah Rothenberg. The program juxtaposes Robert Schumann's Fraunliebe und Leben, a romantic vision of wife and mother; and Dominick Argento's From the Diary of Virginia Woolf, musings of a literary genius struggling to find her voice and place in the world. 7:30 pm.

Sunday, November 10

Foamhenge Music Fest at Karbach Brewing Co.
Hard rock and great beer — that's really all you need in life (besides money, food and shelter, of course). You'll get both things at this third-annual music festival, where the headliners will be Ace Frehley, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and KISS guitarist, and German heavy metal legends Accept. High on Fire, Pat Travers, Narcotic Wasteland, and Dallas thrash band Power Trip will also be on the bill. Karbach will have a wide array of its craft beers available, including a new release of its barrel-aged Hellfighter series. 12:30-10 pm.

Oxtail Mash Up at Project Row Houses
This celebration of competitive international flavor and festivity is returning for its second year. This event has some of Houston’s most well-known and highly respected chefs going head-to-head in making this traditional dish rooted in rich and vast, cultural flavors. Guests will also enjoy an open bar of craft beer, cocktails, and Hot Toddies, while DJ Big Reeks and DJ Sun will provide music. This also benefits Texas Children’s Hospital’s Sickle Cell Program. 7 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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