weekend event planner

These are the 14 best things to do in Houston this weekend

Spring is here, at least according to our friends at Space City Weather, which means sunny skies and comfortable temperatures.

Even if the evenings are chilly, we have some windbreaker-worthy events popping off this weekend. Of course, we have the rodeo in full swing. But we also have Hamilton returning to Houston; outdoor events from Mid Main Houston, Discovery Green, and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and a salute to one of the greatest MCs to ever do it.

And, if you don’t know, now you know.

Thursday, March 6

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
It’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo season once again and, judging by the recent news story of a cow getting loose and running down OST, things are getting wild over there. Reba McEntire just kicked off the live concert series that has become a Livestock Show and Rodeo staple. Also scheduled to perform: AJR, Carin León, Brad Paisley, Journey, Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn, and Luke Bryan. Bun B will have a birthday extravaganza on Friday, featuring Keith Sweat, Coco Jones, Houston gospel legend Yolanda Adams, and Ludacris. Through Sunday, March 23. 8 pm (for concerts).

Mid Main Houston presents First Thursday Block Party
The businesses of Mid Main, along with Mid Main Lofts, are back with the First Thursday Block Party series. Visitors can stop by the block partners and enjoy beer from Saint Arnold Brewing Company, live music, art shows, special activations, and local vendors at the Winbern Street Market. This month, proceeds will go to Brain Cancer Research & Pediatric Health Initiatives. DJ Tempty will be spinning tunes, while art shows will be going on at Mid Main Art Gallery and Sig’s Lagoon. 6 pm.

Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Hamilton
It’s hard to believe that Hamilton, the Tony-winning Broadway smash, is now ten years old. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre — a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. Through March 23. 7:30 pm (2 & 7:30 pm Saturday; 1:30 & 7 pm Sunday).

Friday, March 7

Rice Village presents Rodeo Roundup
Rice Village is kicking off the rodeo season with its fourth annual Rodeo Roundup. Family-friendly festivities will take place along Morningside Drive and University Boulevard, with a performance from local country musician Cooper Mohrmann, a mechanical bull ride, and face painting, along with bandana freebies. Pop-up experiences and activations from Rice Village businesses will include rodeo-centered promotions, sips and light bites, and more. 5 pm.

Anya Tish Gallery presents "Anya's Eye" opening reception
Anya Tish Gallery will herald the spring with "Anya’s Eye," a vibrant, sprawling group exhibition featuring more than two dozen of the gallery’s artists, many of whom were discovered early in their careers and have gone on to great acclaim thanks to the “eye” of Anya Tish. The show is an opportunity to “see” what Anya saw in the artists she represented, and experience how enriching and life-changing those encounters were. Through Saturday, April 19. 6 pm.

Naruto: The Symphonic Experience
Do you prefer your anime with a live soundtrack performed by a full orchestra? If so, Naruto: The Symphonic Experience is a live show featuring an original, two-hour feature film (shown with subtitles) created by Julien Vallespi and Quentin Benayoun, from the first 220 original episodes of the Naruto animated series. An orchestra will perform the iconic songs and themes from the series, live-to-picture, as scenes are projected on a full-size, HD cinema screen. 7 pm.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Moonlight Movies
Moonlight Movies returns to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Filmgoers can experience “Love & Other Adventures” with three popular and classic romantic comedies, from a seat on the sloping roof of the Glassell School of Art in the Amphitheater. We don’t know if this was intentional or not, but the series that shares the same name with the 2017 Oscar winner for Best Picture is kicking things off with La La Land, which notoriously almost received that honor. There will also be complimentary popcorn, and drinks, including special cocktails, available for purchase. 8 pm.

Saturday, March 8

Power of Vision - International Women's Month Celebration
The “Power of Vision" series stands as a dynamic and empowering collection of events, crafted to equip women with essential tools for success. These events feature captivating speakers, valuable resources, and insightful information, all thoughtfully curated to inspire and guide. This year, in a harmonious alignment with International Women's Month, the series is dedicated to amplifying the goal of empowering women, celebrating their achievements, and fostering an environment of growth and inspiration. Noon.

Young Texas Artists presents The Stars at Night Gala
Young Texas Artists, a nonprofit arts organization, will present its 40th anniversary party, “The Stars at Night.” The evening will feature dancing, barbecue, a live auction, and YTA’s Spring Art Show & Sale. Following the gala, guests can walk into the theater for the Young Texas Artists Music Competition Finalists’ Concert & Awards, followed by YTA’s After Party — the evening’s grand finale — back in the Grand Pavilion. 5 pm.

Betelguese Betelguese presents Biggie Tribute
The bar's Washington Avenue location will host a tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. with music, themed cocktails, and great vibes. Guests can expect plenty of Biggie tracks, as well as "Biggie-adjacent" tracks from artists like Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, The LOX, Mase, and more. The Betelgeuse Betelgeuse photo booth will be stacked with themed accessories for guests to capture the fun as well. The special menu features cocktails such as the A T-Bone Steak, Cheese Eggs, and Welch's Grape for $16, an Alize daiquiri for $14, and a Grand Marnier margarita for $14, and more. 8 pm.

Performance Arts Houston presents Meow Meow
International siren and comedienne extraordinaire Meow Meow brings her glorious brand of subversive and sublime performance to Houston. The post-post-modern diva has hypnotised, inspired, and terrified audiences globally with unique creations and sell-out seasons from New York’s Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House. The crowd-surfing queen of song creates an evening of music and much mayhem, featuring Piazzolla tangos, Weill, Brecht, Brel, and even Radiohead alongside original chansons. 8 pm.

Sunday, March 9

Bayou City Blues Festival Presented by BKV Energy
Held at the Houston Botanic Garden, the Bayou City Blues Festival will be an afternoon of roots music, curated by Houstonian Annika Chambers. In addition to five hours of live music, attendees can snap photos in front of the Garden’s bluebonnet field, enjoy the Family Fun Zone, shop a festive market featuring local vendors and plants from the Garden, and browse information stations staffed by select nonprofit organizations. Access to the entire Garden, including the “Habitat” exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, is also part of the experience. 11 am.

Emancipation Park presents Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
Jazzy Sundays in the Parks, Emancipation Park's popular outdoor concert series, kicked off last weekend with performances from Grammy-winning jazz pianist (and proud Houstonian) Robert Glasper and saxophonist Vince Greer. Jazzy Sundays celebrates the vibrancy and rich tradition of jazz and the incredible Houstonians who preserve the art form. But that doesn’t mean you won’t get to hear some zydeco grooves, too. This weekend, Houston Zydeco band J Paul Jr. & the Zydeco Newbreedz will take the stage, along with Baltimore DJ/producer S.Dot. 5 pm.

Matt Rife: Stay Golden
That guy who drops all those crowd-work videos on social media (a promotional tool that every comic must indulge in these days) will be getting his ad-lib on in H-Town this weekend. Matt Rife comes to Houston as part of his Stay Golden tour. Rife self-produced two comedy specials, Only Fans and Matthew Steven Rife, both available on YouTube, which led to two Netflix specials, Matt Rife: Natural Selection and Lucid. He is set to take on a leading role in Rolling Loud, an R-rated comedy co-produced by Live Nation Productions. 7 pm.

Hamilton returns to Houston beginning this weekend.

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Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer visits Houston in new Christmas movie Oh. What. Fun.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Of all the formulaic movie genres, Christmas/holiday movies are among the most predictable. No matter what the problem is that arises between family members, friends, or potential romantic partners, the stories in holiday movies are designed to give viewers a feel-good ending even if the majority of the movie makes you feel pretty bad.

That’s certainly the case in Oh. What. Fun., in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, an underappreciated mom living in Houston with her inattentive husband, Nick (Denis Leary). As the film begins, her three children are arriving back home for Christmas: The high-strung Channing (Felicity Jones) is married to the milquetoast Doug (Jason Schwartzman); the aloof Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz) brings home yet another new girlfriend; and the perpetual child Sammy (Dominic Sessa) has just broken up with his girlfriend.

Each of the family members seems to be oblivious to everything Claire does for them, especially when it comes to what she really wants: For them to nominate her to win a trip to see a talk show in L.A. hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). When she accidentally gets left behind on a planned outing to see a show, Claire reaches her breaking point and — in a kind of Home Alone in reverse — she decides to drive across the country to get to the show herself.

Written and directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You), and co-written by Chandler Baker (who wrote the short story on which the film is based), the movie never establishes any kind of enjoyable rhythm. Each of the characters, including competitive neighbor Jeanne (Joan Chen), is assigned a character trait that becomes their entire personality, with none of them allowed to evolve into something deeper.

The filmmakers lean hard into the idea that Claire is a person who always puts her family first and receives very little in return, but the evidence presented in the story is sketchy at best. Every situation shown in the film is so superficial that tension barely exists, and the (over)reactions by Claire give her family members few opportunities to make up for their failings.

The most interesting part of the movie comes when Claire actually makes it to the Zazzy Sims show. Even though what happens there is just as unbelievable as anything else presented in the story, Showalter and Baker concoct a scene that allows Claire and others to fully express the central theme of the film, and for a few minutes the movie actually lives up to its title.

Pfeiffer, given her first leading role since 2020’s French Exit, is a somewhat manic presence, and her thick Texas accent and unnecessary voiceover don’t do her any favors. It seems weird to have such a strong supporting cast with almost nothing of substance to do, but almost all of them are wasted, including Danielle Brooks in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. The lone exception is Longoria, who is a blast in the few scenes she gets.

Oh. What. Fun. is far from the first movie to try and fail at becoming a new holiday classic, but the pedigree of Showalter and the cast make this dismal viewing experience extra disappointing. Ironically, overworked and underappreciated moms deserve a much better story than the one this movie delivers.

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Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Prime Video.

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