weekend event planner

Here are the top 12 things to do in Houston this weekend

La Diabla Retro Bar opens this weekend.

La Diabla Retro Bar Houston/Facebook

This weekend marks the last of Mardi Gras! Galveston, as the party on the island wraps up on Fat Tuesday, February 21. Those is Sugar Land don't have to head to Galveston to celebrate the season, as Pardy Gras hits the 'burb on Saturday.

A cool retro bar dedicated to '80s and '90s Mexico City pop culture (how's that for niche?) opens this weekend, and a James Beard Award winner pops up for a special collab with a local restaurant. Look for some cool art openings showcasing Islamic and Asian art, plus an age-old comedy with a special twist for Valentine's Day.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, February 16

Musiqa Mixer | New Galleries for Art of the Islamic Worlds at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

To celebrate the upcoming opening of the Hossein Afshar Galleries for Art of the Islamic Worlds, enjoy a free Musiqa Mixer concert in the Kinder Building, with music selections inspired by the art that will be on view in the Law Building. The program features music by Aftab Darvishi, Erberk Eryılmaz, Gity Razaz, and Kareem Roustom. Performers include Caio Alves Diniz, Jackson Guillen, Jacob Schafer, and Sergein Yap. 6:30 pm.

Cone Man Running Productions and Boiling Point Players present The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest is a trivial comedy for serious people, just in time for Valentine's Day. Do you want to know how important it is to be earnest when in love? First performed on February 14, 1895 in London, this is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fake alibis to escape social obligations. What happens when they fall in love and their fake alibis are discovered? This production from Cone Man Running Productions and Boiling Point Players will feature an all-female cast. 8 pm.

La Diabla Retro Bar Grand Opening

La Diabla Retro Bar by La Calle Tacos, a bold, new nightclub and bar from the authentic Mexican street food masters, will open its doors in Houston’s Market Square Park this weekend. At its heart, La Diabla is an ode to '80s and '90s Mexico City pop culture, joyfully expressed through cocktails, chelas (beers), music, and art. The grand opening will feature local music artists Jaky Alarcon, Stereo Cover, and DJ Cris, while guests sip frozen margaritas, mojitos and piña coladas, and enjoy mouthwatering flautas. 8 pm.

Friday, February 17

BBCC Artist Showcase Opening Mixer at Project Row Houses

This event will display artwork from seven Building Blocks of Creative Careers (BBCC) program participants and established local artists they were paired with, serving as mentors during this six-month process. Throughout the course of this program, the paired mentees and mentors have worked together to develop each mentees’ creative practice. Enjoy light bites by Shakti Baum, tunes by Mookie Copeland, and celebrate Cohort 2 and their growth in the Artist Mentorship Program. 6 pm.

Asia Society Texas Center presents Mekong: SOUL

In their new, multi-disciplinary performance piece, Emmy Award-winning musician Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ and composer Jonathan Berger tell three powerful and multi-sensory stories about life on the Mekong River in Southeast Asia. Joined by artists from Southeast Asia, Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ and Houston’s Apollo Chamber Players present stories about one of this planet's greatest natural phenomena, which sustains not only life, but also mind, body, and soul. 7:30 pm.

Houston Symphony presents Songs of the Earth Festival: "Debussy’s La mer"

Debussy’s La mer is one of classical music’s most unforgettable and immersive experiences. Fragments of La mer ebb and flow throughout Tōru Takemitsu’s haunting concerto for two pianos and orchestra, Quotation of Dream. The conclusion of the Songs of the Earth festival, these concerts also offer the chance to experience Toshio Hosokawa’s breathtaking meditation on nature, Autumn Wind, which features a solo role for the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute). 8 pm (2 pm Sunday).

Saturday, February 18

Chef Robert McGrath at Leaf & Green

Local restaurant company Leaf & Grain will host chef/James Beard Award winner Robert McGrath for a special steak collaboration. The company is hosting a guest chef series to celebrate the return of steak to their menu next month. McGrath won the prestigious Best Chef: Southwest JBF award for his Roaring Fork restaurant, and will be collaborating with Leaf & Grain on a Texas "steak nicoise" salad, featuring a fire-roasted tomato vinaigrette. 11 am.

Pardy Gras at Sugar Land Town Square

Sugar Land Town Square will transform into the Big Easy for Party Gras! The Square is bringing the best of New Orleans with entertainment by Soul Rebels and DJ Flash Jordan, beverages and bites from The Rouxpour, a street art market, Mardi Gras style bingo, a king cake and oyster-eating contest, and more.Party Gras festivities will be located on Texas Drive. Admission is free, but an RSVP is required. 4 pm.

16th Annual Houston Film Critics Movie Awards

Now in its 16th year, the Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) presents its annual “Oscars-style” event, where the critics vote on their year-end favorites in 17 categories. Hosted by local film critics and movie industry notables, the event also features live, abridged performances of the five Best Song nominees, the awarding of the Texas Independent Film Award, and a few surprises. 7 pm.

Sunday, February 19

Lake Houston Home and Outdoor Living Show

The 3rd Annual Lake Houston Home and Outdoor Show will feature special guest appearances and over 100 exhibitors with the latest in-home products and services on the market. Tom Tynan (HomeShow Radio), Randy Lemmon (host of AM 740 KTRH GardenLine), and Diane Cowen (Houston Chronicle) will all be present. The featured speaker will be Patric Richardson as the Laundry Evangelist, who will share tips on how to wash everything and never use a dry cleaner again. 9 am.

Alzheimer's Association presents Unforgettable Play

From the creators of the stage play Forget Me Not comes a story about one family’s journey when a loved one seems to be fading in front of their eyes. After coming to grips with the journey that they must face, life has a new meaning. They see the importance of paying closer attention to warning signs and the importance of taking part in clinical trials in an attempt to cure a disease that has forced them to live in the moment and make unforgettable moments that they can cherish forever. 5 pm.

Matt Andersen and Mariel Buckley in concert

Powerhouse vocalist Matt Andersen teams up with indie roots singer-songwriter Mariel Buckley for a show at Dosey Doe in The Woodlands this weekend. The two Canadians will be touring the western United States together to promote their most recent albums – Matt’s The Big Bottle of Joy, coming next month, and Mariel’s Everywhere I Used To Be, released last summer. 7:30 pm.

Best October concerts

Post Malone and Sabrina Carpenter headline Houston's 12 must-see shows

Photo courtesy of Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter serves the "Espresso" at the Toyota Center on 10/27.

Apologies, Houston music fans, the Oasis reunion tour is not coming here. Neither is Chappell Roan. Taylor Swift already conquered NRG Stadium, and RodeoHouston is months away.

Thankfully, October’s concert schedule shows no sign of slowing down with huge headliners holding onto audience interest like the oppressive summer heat that has overstayed its welcome.

We've rounded up 12 of the shows that will cool your live music thirst.

Johnny Marr & James, October 1, Bayou Music Center
Way back in 1985, Brit band James – known best in the U.S. for the classic alt-rock hit, “Laid” – toured with the landmark indie legends, The Smiths. Forty years later, they are back on the road with the best Smith of them all, influential guitar hero Johnny Marr, who built himself a solid solo career after stints of guesting with other fantastic bands (The Pretenders, Modest Mouse, The Cribs). This show will be a treat for any Anglophile.

Can’t Miss Songs: Johnny Marr - “How Soon Is Now?,” “There is a Light That Never Goes Out;” James - “Sit Down,” “Laid”

The Avett Brothers, October 12, Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Proof that two brothers can partake in a long and genial career together, Seth and Scott Avett lead one of the most successful Americana acts ever. They endeared themselves to a devoted fanbase with crossover hits such as True Sadness and The Third Gleam. Now,they’re back on the road with their 12th album, the self-titled The Avett Brothers.

Can’t Miss Songs: “No Hard Feelings,” “Ain’t No Man”

Boyz II Men, October 12, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Motownphilly is back again. The ‘90s hitmakers Boyz II Men continue to sell out amphitheaters decades after they ruled the charts and for good reason. Their unassailable run as the kings of sultry-smooth R&B earned them a revered standing in the pop culture lexicon that few groups will ever achieve. No doubt plenty of fans will be bringing the kids they made to their soulful slow-jam anthems to their headline show in The Woodlands.

Can’t Miss Songs: “End of the Road,” “On Bended Knee,” “Motownphilly”

Norah Jones, October 15, 713 Music Hall
A prodigious, Texas-raised talent, Norah Jones took the music industry by storm as a young 20-something when the former Grapevine resident released one of the biggest albums of the early 21st century in Come Away with Me. Her mix of jazz and melodic singer-songwriter fare tapped into the sophisticated side of the zeitgeist en route to selling 27 million copies and winning multiple Grammys. Her career has since matured into an eclectic mix of sounds like those found on this year’s Visions.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Don’t Know Why,” “Happy Pills”

Jeff Lynne’s ELO, October 16, Toyota Center
Jeff Lynne is the guy that just keeps on going, a massively successful career in the ‘70s with Electric Light Orchestra, finding new life with the Traveling Wilburys in the ‘80s, and even finding new audiences with his music’s inclusion in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. No one knows how much longer he’ll be on the road, but hearing his classic rock hits certainly will never get old.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Mr. Blue Sky,” “Don’t Bring Me Down”

Maxwell, October 18, Toyota Center
The influential neo-soul artist Maxwell found fame alongside other artists such as Erykah Badu and D’Angelo in the late-‘90s with the classic debut, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite. He set himself apart by pulling from a variety of influences such as Marvin Gaye, Prince, and other genres such as the New Wave of Kate Bush and even the alt-rock of Nine Inch Nails, who he covered on his famed MTV Unplugged appearance.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder),” “Fortunate”

Sixpence None The Richer, October 19, Warehouse Live
Formed in New Braunfels, TX as a Christian act, Sixpence None The Richer crossed over to the pop charts and seemingly soundtracked every late-‘90s and early 2000s teen rom-com flick with their massive worldwide hit, “Kiss Me.” After a long-hiatus, the band – led by Houston-born frontwoman Leigh Nash – is back with new album Rosemary Hill.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Kiss Me,” “There She Goes”

Korn, October 20, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Like many other genres from decades ago, nu-metal and rap-rock are experiencing a nostalgic resurgence, and despite the higher instances of achy knees and less aggressive mosh pits, fans are turning out in numbers to see their Total Request Live-era heroes. That can be said about Korn, who arguably kick started the popularity of radio-friendly alt-metal that pulled bands like Limp Bizkit, P.O.D., and even Hoobastank, and they've steadily cashed in as the rightful forefathers of the scene.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Got the Life (Follow the Leader),” “Falling Away From Me”

Judas Priest, October 22, Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Metalheads Judas Priest proved their cultural cache when lead singer and U.K. treasure Rob Halford sang a duet with Dolly Parton as part of the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony’s show-ending jam session in full leather and spikes regalia. Simply put, Judas Priest is one of the best metal bands ever and should be a requisite must-see for anyone that likes it loud and heavy.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Breaking the Law,” “Turbo Lover”

Post Malone, October 22 and 23, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Post Malone as a serious country artist? Based on his extremely well received C&W album, F-1 Trillion, it’s time to take Post seriously as Renaissance man — one that is as comfortable producing hip-hop albums and adeptly performing Nirvana songs — as he is writing honky tonk heartache anthems.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Circles,” “Sunflower,” “White Iverson”

Sabrina Carpenter, October 27, Toyota Center
Probably the hottest pop star not named Taylor, Chappell, or Billie, song of the summer “Espresso” star Sabrina Carpenter is now firmly established as an arena-filling phenomenon. Her playful, glamorous, and sexy image is now firmly entrenched in the trendsetting mainstream. Catch her before she upgrades to even bigger venues.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Espresso,” “Taste”

Morrissey, October 31, 713 Music Hall
The month of October ends with another member of The Smiths taking to a Houston stage, this time with exceedingly controversial frontman Morrissey (if he doesn’t cancel first). Recently, he made headlines for his label refusing to release his new album due to insensitive commentary, and a $100 million Smiths reunion tour was turned down by his former bandmate. Moz’s victimhood complex might be the scariest thing happening this Halloween, but he still has a devoted fanbase that will ride or die with the romantic mopester.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Everyday Is Like Sunday,” “Girlfriend in a Coma”

Photo courtesy of Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter serves the "Espresso" at the Toyota Center on October 27.

weekend event planner

Here are the top 12 things to do in Houston this weekend

CultureMap Emails Are AwesomeGet Houston intel delivered daily.

We will not share or sell your email address.

Best October concerts

Post Malone and Sabrina Carpenter headline Houston's 12 must-see shows

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Houston intel delivered daily.