Weekend Event Planner

Here are the top 14 things to do in Houston this Fourth of July weekend

It’s Fourth of July weekend (aka America’s 250th), which means fireworks displays will be happening all over the Houston area.

You’ll have many chances to get into the patriotic spirit this weekend, as concerts, fancy soirees, and even an immersive gaming experience will be Independence Day-themed. In addition, this weekend offers exciting new stage productions, a couple of film screenings, and an Outlaw Music Festival starring one of Beyonce’s pals.

Thursday, July 2

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston presents “We, The Kids” mural unveiling
In celebration of America's 250th birthday, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (BGCGH) members will join Houston artist Kimmie Gillespie to create "We, The Kids," a 300-foot-by-50-foot, painted American flag mural at BGCGH headquarters. After the mural is painted on Wednesday, the public unveiling of the completed mural will take place the next day. Public officials are invited, along with community members, to sign the mural. 10 am.

The Catastrophic Theatre presents Tamarie's Greatest Hits, Volume 3
Tamarie Cooper gives Houston another wholly original, full-scale musical this summer, featuring wildly irreverent scripts, riotously funny songs, wackadoodle dances, large casts of quadruple-threat performers, a small but mighty band, and, of course, Houston’s own Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, and Bugs Bunny rolled into one. This greatest-hits show features the best moments, with a ridiculous new script and a couple new songs. Through Saturday, August 1. 7:30 pm (8 pm Friday; 2:30 pm Sunday).

Kam Franklin in concert
The Suffers frontwoman (and H-Town gal) Kam Franklin will drop her debut solo album, titled Land of the Neon Sun, on Friday, August 28. Co-produced by Franklin with Margo Price and featuring collaborations with Kevin Morby and Jackie Venson, this 12-song joyride embraces experimentation, individuality, and vulnerability. Franklin is currently on a solo tour, giving live audiences a taste of the new album. She’ll be right here this weekend, doing a show at Shoeshine Charley’s Big Top Lounge in Midtown. 8 pm.

Friday, July 3

Activate presents Fourth of July Weekend
For those looking to celebrate America’s 250th in an active, energetic, and air-conditioned environment, the Activate locations in Katy and The Woodlands are offering special promotions on Friday and Saturday. Activate is an immersive, high-tech gaming experience where families and friends of all ages can compete and challenge their physical and mental agility across a variety of games. Game rooms will also come with patriotic-themed lighting and a Stars & Stripes playlist. Wear red, white, and blue for a 25 percent discount. 10 am.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Bend It Like Beckham
The MFAH will close its World Cup-related, soccer-centric film series with this global smash hit from 2002. The British comedy follows two young women from different cultural backgrounds (breakout stars Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley) as they pursue their dreams to become professional soccer players over their parents’ objections. Jonathan Rhys Meyers also stars in this perfect accompaniment to this soccer-obsessed moment. 6 pm.

River Oaks Theatre presents Gaslit
In Gaslit, which will begin a theatrical run at River Oaks Theatre this weekend, award-winning actor and activist Jane Fonda embarks on a road trip through Texas oil fields and Gulf Coast communities, meeting the people who are fighting back against the oil and gas extraction boom. The Friday screening will feature a post-screening Q&A with filmmaker Katie Camosy. 7 pm.

Houston Symphony presents Star-Spangled Salute
The Houston Symphony will celebrate Independence Day with its annual “Star-Spangled Salute,” featuring patriotic fan-favorites like the “1812 Overture,” “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” and “America the Beautiful.” The Star-Spangled Salute is one of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion's longest-standing traditions, a completely free night of patriotic tunes, lovely lawn vibes, and many memories. 8 pm.

Saturday, July 4

Houston Museum of African American Culture presents Juneteenth Rewind
Still miss the fun you had during Juneteenth last month? Visit the Houston Museum of African American Culture as it continues honoring the stories, artistry, and legacy of Juneteenth through a day of community, creativity, and culture. Visitors can explore its current Bayou City Stewards: America From Our Perspective exhibition, participate in the community project, and shop at the vendor market. 11 am.

Chardon French Bistro presents World Cup Watch Party
Celebrate the Fourth at Chardon with a World Cup Round of 16 watch party, with France taking on Paraguay. The game marks a rematch of the memorable 1998 Round of 16 meeting between the two nations, making it a must-watch for soccer fans and supporters of Les Bleus. To celebrate both the World Cup and America's 250th birthday, Chardon will serve all-American hot dogs, its signature sweet crêpes, and $2.50 Lone Star beers during the watch party. Happy hour will also continue through the end of the game. 3 pm.

Freedom Over Texas
Freedom Over Texas has become Houston’s annual, signature July 4th celebration, with an average of 50,000 people in attendance and is televised live in Houston. This year’s festivities include performances by Keith Urban, Collective Soul, and Los Lonely Boys, with six hours of festivities capped off with a musically choreographed, “Texas-sized” fireworks finale. A percentage of food and beverage sales will be donated to the Houston Food Bank. 3 pm.

Liberty & Lux
This special event serves as the official fundraising launch for a transformative public art initiative, benefiting Street Art for Mankind. As fireworks illuminate the city, get ready for an elevated experience featuring an open bar, chef-curated hors d'oeuvres, live music, a DJ, and breathtaking 360-degree views of Houston's Independence Day celebrations from the venue's 12th floor pool deck. 6 pm.

Sunday, July 5

The DeLUXE Theater presents Outside 4 Reel
The historic Fifth Ward venue the DeLUXE Theater will celebrate the legacy of film at the theater with a day full of, as they call it, “1995 block party vibes.” The community festival will feature family-friendly activities, food trucks, local vendors, and a double film screening of A Goofy Movie and Bad Boys. Plenty of shade, water, and fans will help keep everybody cool. Noon.

Willie Nelson/Facebook

Willie Nelson will headline the Outlaw Music Festival.

A.D. Players presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat — one of two biblical musicals Brit stage legends Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber dropped in the ‘70s (of course, Jesus Christ Superstar is the other one) — is a vibrant, high-energy musical about Joseph, a dreamer betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. From prison to Pharaoh’s palace, his faith is tested, but destiny awaits. It’s a story of hope, perseverance, and the power of dreams — told in the most exciting way possible. Through Sunday, July 19. 2 pm.

Outlaw Music Festival
The 2026 Outlaw Music Festival has been touring the country, continuing its tradition of presenting country, western, and Americana music from outlaw-country stars. The fest will feature performances by Texas icon Willie Nelson & Family, Wilco, Sheryl Crow, Lukas Nelson, Stephen Wilson Jr., Margo Price, and Lily Meola. 2 pm.

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Movie Review

Over-the-top acting and incoherent plot drag down Her Private Hell

Photo courtesy of Neon

Sophie Thatcher in Her Private Hell.

Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn is not someone who plays nice with the general film world. His 2011 film Drive introduced him to American audiences in a big way, but that pulsating thriller was followed up with artier films like Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon that eschewed coherent plots in favor of moody, atmospheric pieces.

Winding Refn, who hasn’t made a feature film in 10 years, has gone fully down the rabbit hole with Her Private Hell. Taking place in a liminal space that kind of resembles Earth but also feels like someone’s dreams/nightmares, the film focuses on Elle (Sophie Thatcher), an actor currently starring in a sci-fi film. Staying at a hotel with newcomer Hunter (Kristine Froseth), the two bond over their shared passion and the legend of Elle’s father, Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott), who’s now married to Elle’s friend Dominique (Havana Rose Liu).

After spending a good amount of (mostly incomprehensible) time with that group, Refn introduces Private K (Charles Melton), who seems to be living in post-World War II Japan. He is looking for his daughter, who might have been taken by a mysterious figure known as “Leatherman,” and he will stop at nothing to find her, fighting whoever stands in his way.

It becomes clear almost right away that Winding Refn has no desire to engage in traditional storytelling in this film. The main characters wander through neon-drenched streets and buildings, which are often surrounded by a mist that is referred to on multiple occasions but never explained. Everyone speaks as if in a constant state of wonderment, and there are many moments where it’s unclear if events are actually happening, part of a movie-within-a-movie, or something else entirely.

Unlike his previous films, Winding Refn has taken the characters in this film completely out of the real world, with every scene taking place in a sparsely decorated room or street that is obviously a movie set. While there are moments where this decision really works, especially the striking first shot of a human-like figure mixed in with a cityscape and clouds, most of the time it only adds to the stilted nature of the film as a whole.

In fact, the entire movie has the feel of an avant-garde theater exercise. Every actor seems to be trying to outdo the others with awkward performances and out-sized reactions. Two very specific characters make appearances in both sides of the story for seemingly no reason other than to inject their weirdness into both spaces. The shocking violence that crops up on occasion would have more of an impact if it was related to anything intelligible.

Thatcher (Companion) and Liu (Tuner) are among the young stars who have had breakout moments in recent years, but neither of them is served well by this hot mess of a movie. They, along with Melton, still demonstrate the talent they possess, but the oddity of the film weighs them down. Scott makes an impression for all the wrong reasons, while Froseth is called upon to play a character who might as well not be there at all.

If there’s any kind of message that Winding Refn was trying to convey with Her Private Hell, it’s lost among the flashing lights, overload of pink, and jewel-like structures. Filmmakers who try to make art for art’s sake have a place in the world, but this film too often feels like people are making things up as they go, with no real goal in mind.

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Her Private Hell opens in theaters on July 24.

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