weekend event planner

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

Enjoy some Hogwarts fun this weekend.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

As Christmas quickly approaches, more events around town are moving to virtual offerings. Stream some Latin-American bass music or hang with a Season 12 American Idol finalist from Houston.

For those who want to get out and about, there's a visit with Santa, a Harry Potter-themed event, Sunday brunch, and even a candle-making workshop for crafty gift-givers.

Enjoy our best bets for your weekend fun.

Thursday, December 10

Red Bull Estados Unidos de Bass in Austin
Last week, Red Bull kicked off its second annual Red Bull Estados Unidos de Bass series, which showcases the bi-cultural sounds of Latin-inspired, American bass music. This year, the event has gone virtual, celebrating Latinx music across the U.S. From Thursday through Saturday, sets will be streaming out of Austin, featuring production stalwart Maceo Plex, Las Cruxes founder/director Veronica Ortuño and DJs from the Austin-based collective Peligrosa. 10 pm (6 pm Saturday).

Gastrochurch presents Hogwarts Christmas Village
Potter fans, you still can appreciate Hogwarts-related stuff this holiday season. From Thursday through Saturday, Gastrochurch will present this village, where visitors can drink butterbeer, play Harry Potter trivia, and raise money for a good cause. Once guests enter Diagon Alley, they’ll be given a car pass that will unlock the rest of the wizarding world for everyone in their vehicle. 6 pm.

Friday, December 11

The Women’s Fund presents Virtual Holiday Luncheon and Concert
The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency is hosting this virtual luncheon/concert, featuring — via Zoom — native Houstonian and Season 12 American Idol finalist Vincent Powell. Guests are invited to pick up their three-course lunch and demi bottle of bubbles from Tony’s, as well as be the first to hear Christmas with Vincent Powell & Houston Ensemble, a compilation that features original tunes and holiday classics. Noon.

Da Camera presents Tyshawn Sorey: Perle Noire
With this virtual event, soprano Julia Bullock, composer/pianist/percussionist Tyshawn Sorey and the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) will be hitting audiences with this tribute to the great Josephine Baker. This unique and poignant evening will honor the brilliance, daring, public courage, and private tragedies of the icon who created a singing, dancing declaration of independence and blazed a trail of irresistible challenge and charm in France in the 1920s. 7 pm.

Saturday, December 12

Kings Harbor presents Holiday at the Harbor
All ages will certainly get their festive-activities on at this free holiday extravaganza, going down at the Kingwood waterfront village. Activities will include complimentary photos with Santa, a holiday market by Arts by Aaron, hot chocolate, and cookies provided by Chimichurri's South American Grill and Sharky's Waterfront Grill, holiday-themed slushes available for purchase at The Berry Bar and a gift-card drive benefiting L3 Foundation. 1 pm.

Emancipation Park Conservancy presents Holiday in the Tre
Emancipation Park Conservancy's second-annual Holiday in the Tre will be going virtual this year, over at the Conservancy's Facebook page. This event will feature multi-Grammy winner David De La Garza, The Voicefinalist Shawn Sounds and Houston favorites Nesha Cortez and Patrice Dominique. There will also be bike and toy giveaways, a virtual tree lighting sponsored by Reliant Energy and a few special-guest appearances. 2 pm.

Sunday, December 13

Sunday Brunch with Lawndale featuring 2020 Lawndale Lending Library Silent Auction
It's gonna be art, libations, and a picnic brunch provided by Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen as Lawndale Art Center hits us with this iteration of Sunday Brunch with Lawndale. Guests can support Lawndale’s exhibitions and programs at this brunch, which will be at Lawndale’s newly renovated, Mary E. Bawden Sculpture Garden. This will also feature the silent auction of their 2020 Lawndale Lending Library Collection. Seating is limited to 50 guests. 11 am.

Candle-Making Workshop at Urban South - HTX
Hey, who feels like making candles this weekend? Well, The Streets at New Orleans, Good. Coffee HTX and Urban South — HTX are joining forces for this certain-to-be-alcohol-heavy, candle-making workshop. Tickets include guided instruction on the candle-making process, the choice between a custom message label or a pre-made label, all supplies needed to make an 8-ounce, coconut blend wax candle, coffee, and a free beer tasting. 4 pm.

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Concert News

Jack Johnson rides into Houston on surf-themed 2026 tour

Photo by Tahnei Roy

Jack Johnson will play at Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas on August 30, 2026.

Singer-songwriter Jack Johnson, known his for laidback surf-rock music, will embark on the SURFILMUSIC Tour in 2026, which will include a stop at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, August 28.

The expansive 43-date North American tour, which starts on June 19 in Gilford, New Hampshire, will have three separate legs.

The three Texas dates — The Woodlands on August 28, Austin on August 29, and Dallas on August 30 — will be part of the second leg, where Johnson will be joined by Lake Street Dive.

The tour is Johnson’s first since 2022 and will celebrate a new era of music, film, and environmental connection rooted in his 20+ year career.

Johnson is touring in support of a forthcoming soundtrack, scored by Johnson and Hermanos Gutiérrez for a new documentary, SURFILMUSIC, that chronicles Johnson’s evolution from surfer to filmmaker to musician.

The film, which will be released in 2026, weaves through the making of his iconic surf films Thicker Than Water (1999) and The September Sessions (2000), which paved the way for his music career.

It celebrates the lifelong friendships and ocean-driven community that shaped Johnson’s path, and features many of the surfers who appeared in the original films, including Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, and the Malloy Brothers.

Johnson released his first album, Brushfire Fairytales, in 2001, and he has gone on to put out eight other albums, most recently Meet the Moonlight in 2022.

Fans can register for the Jack Johnson presale at jackjohnsonmusic.com, now through Sunday, November 9. The presale begins Monday, November 10, 2025 at 10 am local time and runs through general on-sale date of Friday, November 14.

Jack Johnson SURFILMUSIC 2026 Tour Dates

June 19 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
June 20 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
June 21 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
June 24 – Saratoga, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
June 26 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 27 – Philadelphia, PA – Highmark Mann Center
June 28 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
June 30 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
July 1 – Canandaigua, NY – CMAC
July 3 – Burgettstown, PA – Pavilion at Star Lake
July 4 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
July 5 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
July 7 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
July 8 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
July 10 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
July 11 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
July 12 – Shakopee, MN – Minnesota Quarry Amphitheater
August 18 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
August 19 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 21 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
August 22 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park
August 23 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
August 25 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
August 26 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater
August 28 – The Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 29 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
August 30 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
September 1 – Riverside, MO – MORTON Amphitheater
September 2 – Greenwood Village, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
September 3 – Greenwood Village, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
September 4 – West Valley City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
September 6 – Stateline, NV – Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre at Caesars Republic
September 26 – George, WA – The Gorge Amphitheatre
September 27 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
September 28 – Troutdale, OR – McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater
September 30–October 1 – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre
October 3 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
October 4 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
October 6 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
October 9 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
October 10– Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
October 11– Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl

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