NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES

The 14 best ways to party on New Year's Eve in Houston

Ring in 2021 with these hot Houston happenings.

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel

Many Houstonians are looking forward to celebrating New Year's Eve in style. We also know there are those cautious souls who would much prefer to stay at home — because, you know, we're still in the middle of a pandemic.

This year, we decided to round up a baker's dozen of NYE events — some of them will be virtual, some of them will be out in the open.

Aerosol Warfare
Catch an online event where artists and creative types can get together and, you know, get creative. They can talk, show, perform, demo, cook, announce, tell a story, suggest a soundtrack, and do whatever before the clock strikes 12. 8:30 pm.

Azura Bar & Lounge
The lounge offers up a large room with amazing music, club lighting and upscale sections for its party. They will also have celebrity DJs, refreshing cocktails, frozen drinks, delicious food, and a midnight champagne toast. 8 pm.

Bar 2200
This spot will host a get-together that will be free with an RSVP. With this one, you got two levels of fun — each level with its own DJ — and the obligatory champagne toast at midnight. You can't get more NYE than that. 8 pm.

The Energy Corridor of Houston Orchestra
ECHO for short has recorded a program of music from the '60s, '70s, and '80s as a goodwill offering to the community in this pandemic time. There will also be a countdown to midnight that will be right on time if viewers begin watching at 10:30 pm.

Four Seasons
The iconic downtown will toast the New Year, with several offerings, including an elegant, four-course prix fixe dinner. Or, reserve a table at Bayou & Bottle for $75 to party all night with choice bourbon. Or, book a room and enjoy 10 percent off your Room Rate, a bottle of champagne, and a New Year’s celebration kit.

The Grand Tuscany Hotel
Get down with a Bollywood-themed shindig. Promoted by Sunil T and the Crazy Masala Crew of local Bollywood station 98.7 FM, this party will have DJ NISH spinning grooves while guests get in on the food stations and the midnight champagne toast. 8 pm.

The Grove (This event has been canceled as of December 29)
Discovery Green's most happening hot spot will host a glitzy and ritzy bash. It will include all-inclusive bars throughout the property, passed hors d’oeuvres and premium food stations, as well as DJs, live music, party favors and anything you can think of to celebrate in style. Dress to impress at this swanky soiree. 9 pm.

Live Oak Lounge & Grill
Celebrate from sun-up to sundown with "The Midnight Wish NYE," its daytime/nighttime party. Come enjoy food and drink specials all day while listening to DJs doing their thing. No cover with RSVP until 8 pm. 4 pm.

Lumen Lounge
The Upper Kirby club will be the start-off point for "All the Glitters 6," the sixth annual, end-of-the-year block party. We're talking a buffet, full wine bar, complimentary party favors, hookahs, a tented pavilion, 6 DJs, stilt walkers, etc. 8 pm.

Market Street
The Woodlands venue feature a concert with music from The Rick Marcel Band. All entertainment will be featured outdoors in Central Park. Guests are invited to enjoy the music from one of the marked, social-distance circles. 2 pm.

Numbers
The Montrose mainstay will go virtual with its spectacular, available on that gamer-friendly, live-streaming platform Twitch. Don't worry — there will still be music, prizes, and a balloon drop as the long-running club says good riddance to this gawdawful year. 9 pm.

Simple Space HTX
Look for a very lavish soiree where the tickets vary from $35 to $1,100. Mariam Echo will provide live music, while a rotating lineup of DJs will come in with hip-hop, R & B, reggae, soca, etc. 8 pm.

The Westin at the Woodlands
This hotel is offering not only a party above the Woodlands Waterway, but a whole getaway. Say goodbye to this year with live music, champagne at midnight, a room at the Westin and a New Year’s Day brunch for two people. 9 pm.

The Woodlands Resort
Yet another Woodlands inn will host a celebration for families. The spot will have a fun, full day of crafts, karaoke, games and other festivities at the heated Forest Oasis waterpark. There will also be a sparkling cider toast and a beach-ball drop from the waterslide tower at 5:30 pm. 10 am.

holidays

50 years of TRF

First Renaissance Festival since owner's death draws strong attendance

Photo by Steven David Photography

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Those who were worried about the Texas Renaissance Festival (TRF) not performing well the first year after a court mandated its sale and the death of its founder can rest easy. The final gate totals show that the 2025 season was just as well attended as previous ones.

“The 51st annual Texas Renaissance Festival was another successful season thanks to our wonderful guests and dedicated team members,” TRF marketing director Tyler Moyer said. “Our team worked tirelessly to bring the magic of the Renaissance to life every weekend, and we’re grateful that our patrons love us more and more with every passing year. We’re so thankful to everyone who helped make this another great event, and we can’t wait to welcome folks back in 2026.”

In total, 492,910 patrons visited TRF over its eight themed weekends, with almost 100,000 coming through the gates for the final, extended Christmas weekend alone. On Friday, November 28, some, including this reporter, might have felt the event felt too crowded. Still, people made merry in medieval Santa costumes and the occasional Krampus.

While attendance was down about 8 percent from 2024 (533,356), that year featured many 50th anniversary celebrations. Over the past five years, TRF has averaged about 486,000 visitors according to the TRF media office. The numbers for 2025 are even more impressive considering that the last week of October featured torrential rain across the Houston area.

There was much concern about how well the festival would run. Earlier this year, founder George Coulam lost a court case mandating that he sell the festival after Coulam attempted to back out of a deal with Austin developer Meril Rivard. The matter was further complicated by Coulam's death in May, throwing the appeal process into chaos.

Throughout the tangled legal maneuverings, everyone running the festival vowed to keep it going just as it is. Grimes County Judge Gary W. Chaney appointed a pair of special masters to administrate TRF at the top while the matter sat in court, which they appear to have done flawlessly if the gate receipts are any indication.

Now that the season is over, all parties involved with the lawsuit will have free rein to continue the fight and another indicator of how popular and profitable TRF is. The 90 day appeal window open to Coulam's beneficiary closes in early 2026, Hopefully, the matter will be settled before the next season looms.

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