weekend event planner

Here are the top 15 things to do in Houston this weekend

Bowls! Bowls! Bowls!

The annual Empty Bowls Houston event is just one of many things Houstonians can dip into (sorry) this weekend. We got a few musical events, from a hometown rap star headlining the Toyota Center to a spring concert from the Treble Choir of Houston, as well as some interesting stage productions. This weekend also offers a fashion show, two crawfish collabs, and a belly flop contest.

And always remember: If your family tree forks, you might be a redneck.

Thursday, May 14

Asia Society Texas presents Runway to Asia
Runway to Asia honors Asian and Asian American innovators on the global fashion scene. Presented in partnership with Fashion Presenter Tootsies, this second year of Runway to Asia will spotlight the talent of international fashion designer Bach Mai, a Vietnamese American artist born and raised in Houston. Guests will enjoy lunch and a fashion experience blending cutting-edge designs with a celebration of artistry, passion, and journeys. 11:15 am.

Party on the Plaza: Galactic featuring Jelly Joseph
Party on the Plaza will feature an evening of funk, soul, and Gulf Coast grooves led by New Orleans collective Galactic featuring Jelly Joseph, a band steeped in the unique sounds of their city. Known for pushing the boundaries of funk with influences spanning jazz, rock, and soul, Galactic brings its electrifying live show to downtown Houston, alongside local favorite Bayou City Funk, with their horn-driven blend of blues, jazz fusion, and high-energy rhythm. 7 pm.

Don Toliver in concert
Don Toliver is one of Houston’s own. Signed to Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Records, the psychedelic rap star has been crushing it as of late. Earlier this year, he dropped his fifth album Octane, which became his first number-one album on the Billboard 200 chart. All 18 tracks have also charted on the Billboard 100. Most recently, he brought the house down as a headliner at Rolling Loud Orlando. And, now, he’s coming home to do the same thing over at Toyota Center. 7:30 pm.

Friday, May 15

Empty Bowls Houston Preview Party
Empty Bowls Houston, one of Houston’s best-loved grassroots fundraising events, will return for the 20th year on Saturday. At the Empty Bowls Houston Preview Party, attendees can enjoy light bites, beer and wine, live music, and have the first opportunity to see and purchase the array of handmade bowls for the event. There will also be a pottery throwdown event with local potters. BTW, all of the ticket sales ($50) and bowl sales will benefit Houston Food Bank. 6 pm.

The Drunk Shakespeare Society presents Drunk Pirates
The Drunk Shakespeare Society will debut Drunk Pirates, a new theatrical comedy that blends classic literature with interactive, adult-themed humor. The production invites audiences into a high-seas adventure with a comedic twist, as one performer attempts to lead the production after drinking multiple shots onstage. The result is a lively, unscripted-style performance with audience participation and improvisation throughout. Through Saturday, September 19. 7 & 9 pm (5, 7 & 9 pm Saturday).

The Ensemble Theatre presents Who All Over There?
When Dean, a young professional, and Danya, an aspiring singer, go on a refreshingly candid first date, they keep it real about the dynamics of a potential interracial relationship. As they grow comfortable in their budding love, the real world brings a whirlwind of inflammatory race relations, opinionated family and friends, and troublesome pasts. This production shines a light on the story of what happens when cultures clash in the name of love in today’s times. Through Sunday, May 31. 7:30 pm (2 & 7:30 pm Saturday; 3 pm Sunday).

Theatre Suburbia presents An Evening of Favorite Carol Burnett Skits
The Carol Burnett Show entertained audiences for more than a decade and was celebrated for its humor and chemistry among the cast members. It has been recognized as one of the greatest television shows of all time, influencing future comedy programs. This weekend’s two shows will be the last chance to catch Theatre Suburbia’s tribute to a beloved part of television history, featuring a variety of favorite sketches. 8 pm.

Saturday, May 16

Alley Theatre presents Dear Alien
After captivating audiences nationwide with her what-if Shakespearean scenario Born with Teeth, playwright Liz Duffy Adams returns to the Alley in her thought-provoking world premiere, Dear Alien. An isolated advice columnist races the clock to make one last deadline before facing financial ruin. In this existential comedy, we ask ourselves: What will we do when it all becomes too much? Through Sunday, May 31. 2 & 8 pm Saturday (7:30 Thursday; 8 pm Friday; 2 & 7 pm Sunday).

River Oaks Theatre presents Steal This Story, Please! With Amy Goodman and Carl Deal Live
Journalist Amy Goodman has reported some of the most consequential stories of our time. Steal This Story, Please! is a gripping portrait of the trailblazer whose unwavering commitment to truth-telling spans three decades of turbulent history. From the frontlines of global conflicts to the organized chaos of her daily news show Democracy Now!, Goodman broadcasts stories and voices routinely silenced by commercial media. Goodman and director Carl Deal will be around for a post-screening Q&A. 3:45 & 7 pm.

Heidi Vaughan Fine Art presents “Vivian Wise: Growing Up Wise” opening reception
Heidi Vaughan Fine Art will present an exhibition of paintings, photographic image transfers, assemblage sculptures, poetry, and original music by artist/poet/songwriter Vivian Wise. This exhibition marks a turning point for Wise, who was once bedridden for 198 days and diagnosed with seven autoimmune diseases a decade ago. She returned to what she loved most: poetry, visual art, and songwriting. She credits all three disciplines as the reason she is still creating ten years later. Through Saturday, June 20. 5 pm.

Little Woodrow’s Tomball presents Belly Flop Contest
Little Woodrow’s in Tomball is making a big splash this summer with a high-energy belly flop competition. Participants will showcase their best flop and compete for prizes including a wrestling-style championship belt and cash — $500, $150, and $50 for the first, second and third-place winners, respectively. Flops will be judged based on splash size, wow factor, and creativity. Contestants are encouraged to register in advance for the competition but can sign up at the event. The $10 entry fee will be donated to a local fire department. 6 pm.

Sunday, May 17

Best Regards and Hot and Buttered present Crawfish Sundays
Heights cocktail lounge Best Regards is teaming up with Hot and Buttered for a two-part crawfish collab this spring. Expect Hot and Buttered's signature boiled crawfish, seasoned in-house across a spice spectrum from mild to "lip burn," paired with craft cocktails – Frozen Paloma, Crawfish Bloody Mary, Blood Orange Margarita, Berry Spritz – from the Best Regards bar program, built to match the heat. 2 pm.

Josephine's presents Backyard Boil with Evan LeRoy
Evan LeRoy, pitmaster and co-owner of Austin's Michelin-starred LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, will be in Houston to serve up some crawfish alongside Josephine's executive chef Lucas McKinney. In addition to boiled crawfish, LeRoy will serve four dishes — Smoked Crawfish Boil Sausage on a Stick, Brisket and Cheddar Croquettes, Oysters on the Half Shell, and Smoked Salsa Matcha with Beef Tallow — all priced a la carte. Tickets are free, but reservations are required via Resy. 2 & 4 pm.

Treble Choir of Houston presents Spring Concert
The Treble Choir of Houston, under the direction of founder and artistic director Marianna Parnas-Simpson, will present its annual Spring Concert. The concert celebrates the choir’s accomplishments of the past year, featuring songs from the 2025-26 repertoire, as well as vocal and instrumental solos from the choristers. The Treble Choir of Houston is an ensemble of young women in grades 6-12, dedicated to transforming lives through excellence and choral singing and music education. 3 pm.

Smart Financial Centre presents Jeff Foxworthy
Jeff Foxworthy is the redneck king – and we mean that in the kindest way. The Atlanta-born comic is one of the most successful comedians in America, the best‑selling comedy recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy nominee, and the author of more than 26 books. And let’s not forget when he got his Original Kings of Comedy on and headlined the Blue Collar Comedy Tour with Ron White, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy. He’ll close the weekend out by doing what he does best: telling redneck jokes in Sugar Land. 8 pm.

Courtesy of Don Toliver

Don Toliver will perform at the Toyota Center on Thursday, May 14.

things to do houston weekend events event-planner

Movie Review

Cookie Queens goes behind the scenes of Girl Scout Cookie season

Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Girl Scouts in Cookie Queens.

Few people are strong enough to resist the lure of Girl Scout cookie season every year, with the cookies’ limited availability and unique flavors a strong incentive to indulge. But only the girls and their families who have sold the cookies know the joys and stresses of trying to get people to buy them, a process that is detailed in the new documentary, Cookie Queens.

The film by documentarian Alysa Nahmias uses the stories of four different girls to represent the nationwide ritual for the Girl Scouts. They include 12-year-old Olive in Charlotte, North Carolina, a longtime top seller; 8-year-old Shannon Elizabeth in El Paso, Texas, who wants to earn the reward of going to camp; 5-year-old Ara in San Diego, California, whose goal is modest compared to most other girls; and 9-year-old Nikki in Chino, California, who has to compete with her older sisters in the cookie-selling bonanza.

The girls represent a cross-section of both ages and backgrounds, with some girls coming from wealthy families and some girls dealing with more limited means. And how much money your family has makes a big difference, as not only does someone richer have more freedom with their time and supplies, but all scouts are required to reimburse the organization for every box they take in, regardless of whether they’re able to sell it or not.

That caveat makes the journeys of the four featured girls feel wildly different. It’s clear from the start that Olive and Nikki’s families don’t give a second thought to the personal economics of selling cookies, with each girl taking in thousands of boxes at the beginning of the six-week selling season. With both Olive and Nikki rightfully confident that they’ll have no problem offloading their supply, their stories turn to how selling is personally affecting them, with each trying to reconcile the fun of doing it with the pressure they feel from their family members.

Shannon Elizabeth’s story is more harrowing, as her parents feel a strong desire to help her accomplish her lofty goal, but worry that the cost might literally be too high for the family as a whole. More than once, the parents are shown fretting that they won’t have the money to pay back what they owe should they fall significantly short in their sales. Their selling approach, which includes walking through an empty swap meet and standing outside a chain restaurant at night, only adds to their stress.

The most fun story to watch is that of Ara, whose innocence is matched by her confidence. Her parents teach her how much money they’ll owe with her small goal of 55 boxes, but right away she takes on more responsibility than expected. She’s shown making sales pitches and tallying the total number of boxes she’s sold with little-to-no help from either her mom or dad. With her high voice, glasses, and a monitor on her arm to manage her diabetes, she becomes the cute and sympathetic part of the film.

There are times that the film starts to feel more than a little manipulative, however. While many of the moments documented come off as organic, some of them seem like Nahmias is actively guiding the participants in order to get a better story. This is especially evident with Shannon Elizabeth and her family, whose early struggles turn into a miraculous feel-good story by the end, a turnaround that seems implausible at best. Everything with them might have been aboveboard, but Nahmias and her team edit the family’s journey in a way that pushes a bit too hard for emotion.

Cookie Queens, which was produced by a company owned by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, helps to give insight into the business of selling Girl Scout cookies for those who’ve only been on the purchasing end of the transaction. The dedication of each girl toward selling their allotted supply proves fun and interesting, even if the filmmaker tries to gild the lily on occasion.

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Cookie Queens is now playing in theaters,

movies girl scout cookie film