This weekend, as with every weekend, it’s all about going outside and touching grass.
It’s about heading over to Midtown and checking out Mid Main’s monthly block party. It’s about seeing a bunch of golf swingers hit the green for the Aramco Houston Championship. It’s about getting your weeb on at the Japan Festival Houston. And it’s also about getting hot in herre with Nelly, who’ll be performing at the Woodlands Pavilion.
Whether it’s outdoors or indoors, Houstonians have a lot of reasons to leave their houses this weekend.
Thursday, September 4
El Bolillo Bakery’s 27th Anniversary
Beloved Houston bakery El Bolillo Bakery will celebrate over a quarter century of bringing the city its signature pan dulce, pan salado, tres leches, and more. To mark this milestone, all El Bolillo locations will offer half-price regular and birthday cake conchas and free slices of classic tres leches cake all day long. 6 am.
Mid Main First Thursday
Houston’s longest-running block party, courtesy of Mid Main Houston and Mid Main Lofts, is back for fall 2025. Check in at 3550 Main St. to make a $10 donation to this month’s nonprofit partner, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Enjoy beer sponsored by Saint Arnold Brewing Company, plus live music, art shows, special activations, and local vendors at the Winbern Street Market. 6 pm.
Nelly in concert
We’re glad St. Louis rap great Nelly finally put a ring on R&B singer/long-lost love Ashanti, who’s also his co-star on the new Peacock reality series Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together. Even in his prime, the rapper has been more of a lover than a fighter. (He even managed to snap up Sharon Stone for a date.) Nelly comes to The Woodlands as part of his Where The Party At Tour, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his debut studio album, Country Grammar. He'll be joined by special guest Ja Rule and more. 7:30 pm.
Friday, September 5
PIF Global Series presents Aramco Houston Championship
At the three-day Aramco Houston Championship, 26 teams of four will battle it out over two days. Golf professionals will play the two best scores on each hole format, while also competing individually in a 54-hole strokeplay competition. Coming to a conclusion on the final day, after the team event is finalized and the field cut to 60 and ties, the individual competition offers a $1.5 million purse as well as points for the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit and the Rolex World Rankings. 8 am.
AMC Theatres presents The Glassworker
Over a decade in the making, Pakistani artist Usman Riaz’s The Glassworker is Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated feature, produced by Riaz’s studio, Mano Animation. Set in a lush, fictional world inspired by South Asian architecture and culture, the film tells the story of Vincent and Alliz, two young artists navigating love, identity, and politics in a nation on the brink of war. Drawing inspiration from Studio Ghibli, Riaz crafts a richly layered visual poem that feels both timeless and urgently modern. Check theaters for showtimes.
Anya Tish Gallery presents Marcella Colavecchio: "High Voltage" opening reception
Anya Tish Gallery presents the debut solo exhibition of Texas-based Italian American artist Marcella Colavecchio. The exhibition features a vibrant and emotionally charged collection of figurative oil paintings and contemporary still lifes, alongside an interactive sculpture with an auditory element. Colavecchio takes us on an electrifying journey examining the American Dream - an aspiration that has defined generations but often comes at a significant cost. Through Saturday, October 18. 6 pm.
Houston Broadway Theatre presents American Psycho: The Musical
American Psycho: The Musical is based on the controversial novel by Bret Easton Ellis and set in the epicenter of excess: 1980s Manhattan. With a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and music from Duncan Sheik, it tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome Wall Street banker with impeccable taste and unquenchable desires. But at night, Patrick takes part in a darker indulgence, and his mask of sanity is starting to slip. Through Sunday, September 14. 7:30 pm (2 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 2 and 7 pm Sunday).
Saturday, September 6
Japan-America Society of Houston presents Japan Festival Houston
The 2025 edition of the two-day Japan Festival Houston marks a special convergence of past and present as they honor not only the deep cultural connections between Japan and Houston, but also the 35th anniversary of the 1990 G7 Summit, hosted in Houston and attended by Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. There will be traditional and contemporary performances, Japanese food and refreshing beverages, martial arts, cosplay, family-friendly activities, cultural exhibits, and vendor markets. 11 am.
Pixies in concert
Pixies, those alt-rock greats, will be in Houston this weekend, in support of their 2024 album, The Night The Zombies Came. This new album has them breaking in a new bandmate, bassist/vocalist Emma Richardson (Band of Skulls). She’s the latest bassist to fill the shoes that were famously vacated by half-donut lover Kim Deal in 2013. But even after 40 years, vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Black Francis and company still continue to drop angsty anthems for their Gen-X brethren – and their kids. 5 pm.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents The Gold Rush
Celebrate the centenary of Charlie Chaplin’s comedic 1925 masterwork in a new 4K restored version. Cementing the iconic status of Chaplin and his Little Tramp character, The Gold Rush was shot partly on location in the Sierra Nevada, with such timeless gags as the dance of the dinner rolls and the meal of boiled shoe leather. Featuring epic scenes with hundreds of extras and a real bear filmed in the Californian mountains, The Gold Rush showcases Chaplin’s grand vision for spectacle. 7 pm (5 pm Sunday).
The Witcher in Concert
The Witcher in Concert is a live music experience featuring a soundtrack from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This coincides with the 10th anniversary of the critically acclaimed video game, which follows the story of Geralt of Rivia as he embarks on a quest to find his adopted daughter, Ciri. Each performance is brought to life by an ensemble of 14 musicians handpicked by the score’s co-composer, including select members of Polish folk metal band Percival Schuttenbach. 8 pm.
Sunday, September 7
Midtown Houston presents Pop Up on the Plaza
Pop Up on the Plaza is a free, monthly day party at Midtown Park Plaza — the best kept secret and perfect backdrop for an unforgettable afternoon of music, food, and local flavor. Shop local with a curated lineup of unique vendors, showcasing everything from fashion and art to handcrafted goods. As always, vibe with resident the a.m. and catch a fresh lineup of Houston’s hottest guest DJs, spinning everything from hip-hop to house and keeping the energy high to keep you moving. 4 pm.
Main Street Theater presents Purlie Victorious
In Ossie Davis’s comedic play, dynamic traveling preacher Purlie Victorious Judson returns to his small Georgia town hoping to save Big Bethel, the community’s church, and emancipate the cotton pickers who work on oppressive Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee’s plantation. With the help of Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, Purlie plans to wrench his family inheritance from Ol’ Cotchipee and use the money to save his town. Through Sunday, October 12. 3 pm.
Kidz Bop: Certified Bop Tour
The Kidz Bop: Certified Bop Tour is a high-energy concert that features family-friendly versions of today’s biggest pop hits, including “Espresso,” “HOT TO GO!” and “Dance Monkey.” The interactive concert will feature eye-popping visuals, engaging stage design, and the fan-favorite Daddy Dance Off. There will also be a special opening performance by Snoop Dogg’s Doggyland, a colorful crew of musical pups that sing, dance, and rap their way into kids’ hearts. 4 pm.
Nelly will perform at The Woodlands Pavilion.
