weekend event planner

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

Spring Break has sprung, which means a fair number of Houstonians are heading out of town. Those of us who remain will undoubtedly turn our attention to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, where Luke Bryan, Major Lazer, Lainey Wilson, and attendance record holder Los Tigres Del Norte will all take the star-shaped stage.

This weekend offers plenty of other entertainment opportunities. Sushi loves have a chance to meet the man who created pioneering dishes like miso-glazed cod and hamachi and jalapeno sashimi. Dinosaurs are roaming the grounds of Katy Mills. Down in Sugar Land, the Champions of Magic will dazzle people with their performances.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, March 7

Taste of Nobu Houston hosted by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa
Nobu Houston will welcome acclaimed chef and restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa back to its location in the Galleria for an evening to remember. Guests can indulge in a culinary journey with signature canapes, live chef stations, and hand-crafted cocktails made with Nobu’s Qui Tequila, all while having a chance to meet the pioneering Japanese chef. Tickets ($250 a pop!) include food and drinks for the evening. The event is 21+ only and tickets are non-refundable. 6:30 pm.

The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts presents Beyond Broadway: Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age
In Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age, Alan Cumming – star of stage, screen and however you watch TV now – covers all the bases: sex, death, and bacchanalia, with a set list as eclectic as the man himself. Songs from Cabaret authors Kander and Ebb blend with contemporary favorites and even a self-penned paean against plastic surgery. He also discusses the effects of gravity, the time the mum from The Brady Bunch punched him, and what his dog taught him about the quality of life. 7 pm.

Performing Arts Houston presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
When Alvin Ailey and a small group of African American dancers took the stage in 1958 at New York City’s 92nd Street Y, the engagement was for one night only, but it turned out to be the start of a new era in the arts. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues its reign as an American “cultural ambassador to the world,” having performed live for an estimated 25 million people in 48 states, 71 countries, and six continents. The gifted and gorgeous Ailey dancers infuse energy and emotion to classics and new works alike. 7:30 pm (2 & 7 pm Saturday).

Friday, March 8

City Place presents Threads of Time: Sewn Through Generations
Through the lens of fashion, the unique exhibit, curated by City Place resident Denise Zimmermann, PhD, spotlights the perspective of five women representing five generations. Each participant was given the same dress to reinterpret, based on her perspective of the corresponding generation. To accompany the fascinating results, an accompanying commentary will describe the strengths, struggles, celebrations, and restrictions each felt their generations were confronted with and were able to overcome. Through Thursday, March 21. 8 am.

Jurassic World: The Exhibition
Jurassic World: The Exhibition is a family-friendly exhibit of massive proportions based on one of the biggest blockbuster franchises in cinema history. Visitors walk through the iconic Jurassic World gate, where they will explore richly themed environments inspired by the films, coming face-to-face with life-sized dinosaurs such as the towering Brachiosaurus, Velociraptors including Blue, and the most fearsome of all, the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex. Through Tuesday, October 29. 9 am.

Funbox: The World's Biggest Bounce Park
It’s time to get your bounce on, y’all. Funbox is a unique entertainment and amusement experience consisting of 25,000 square feet of inflatable fun. Designed with a kid-first, social media-second approach, it is filled with 10 play zones, including the Tumble Temple, Marshmallow Mountain, Gumball’s Gallop, and an obstacle course. It’s fun for adults too, with tons of photo ops! Admission is good for an 80-minute session. 5 pm (10:30 Saturday and Sunday).

Art Factory presents Stranger Sings!: The Parody Musical
Art Factory introduces a side-splitting rendition of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, bringing its comically upside-down perspective center stage and embracing the nostalgic glory of the 1980s. Embark on an evening filled with the escapades of Mike, Eleven, Lucas, Dustin, and the entire Hawkins crew. Experience a night of adventure, thrills, teenage turmoil, synth beats, questionable parenting, intricate love triangles, low-budget effects, dance-worthy monsters, and who knows, perhaps (finally) some justice for Barb. 8 pm (5 pm Sunday).

Saturday, March 9

Lagoonfest Texas Spring Break Party
Are you ready to dive into your Spring Break and beat the Texas heat? Well, Lagoonfest Texas is open for business for 2024 Spring Break. From all the water sports you can imagine, including a brand new Flowrider, to relaxing on the lagoonside with a drink, Texas City is the place to be. Guests will be able to enjoy all the lagoon has to offer, including food, drinks, and live entertainment, all Spring Break long. Through Sunday, March 17. 10 am.

KevOnStage & That Chick Angel: Here’s The Thing
We’re big fans of KevOnStage, the El Paso-born comedian and content creator who has his own streaming service full of funny, called KevOnStage Studios. This weekend, KevOnStage and singer/comedienne/KevOnStage Studios regular That Chick Angel will present a live version of their comedy podcast, Here's the Thing. This isn't them sitting on stools and talking; this is an extravaganza, a live comedy show with a little podcast. 7:30 pm.

Biennial 2024 Opening Night Party
Join FotoFest to celebrate the grand opening of the Biennial 2024 central exhibition, Critical Geography. Meet the artists, curator, and team behind the Biennial, and immerse yourself in a vibrant atmosphere filled with creativity, music, and refreshments. It will be held at Silver Street Studios, with remarks by FotoFest executive director and Biennial curator Steven Evans. Free parking is available for Biennial guests. A limited run of totes and t-shirts featuring the Biennial 2024 Critical Geography logo will be available for purchase. 8 pm.

Michele Brangwen Dance & Music Ensemble presents Faces of Sun and Wind
Faces of Sun and Wind is a new work from the Michele Brangwen Dance & Music Ensemble that explores the power of one person linking their energy to another, as in a microgrid set up to deliver renewable energy to a community that has united to generate it. The program will include UNENDING, a work inspired by the music of John Coltrane, with choreography by Michele Brangwen, music by Grammy-nominated composer & trumpeter Tim Hagans, and movement and music created in the moment by all performers. 8 pm (7 pm Sunday).

Sunday, March 10

Jurassic World: The Exhibition debuts at Katy Mills.

The Orange Show presents Spring 2024 Eyeopener
For more than four decades, the Orange Show's Eyeopener Tours have provided opportunities for participants to see, learn, and interact with visionary artists and art environments across the world. Guests will travel around Houston by bus with the Orange Show, visiting a series of artist homes and studios, learning about their lives, crafts, and inspirations. Lunch, snacks, and both alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. 10 am.

Calle Ocho Festival
Washington Avenue restaurant Buena Vista Cuban Café pays homage to the iconic Miami festival with this all-day affair. Enjoy a traditional Cuban pig roast, while shopping with market vendors and watching dance performances. Raffles and giveaways offer prizes that include art, meals, swag, and more. 12 pm.

14 Pews Academy Awards Viewing Party
Watch the 96th annual Oscars on the big screen, as part of 14 Pews’ Academy Awards viewing party. Witness the glitz, the glamour, the celebrities sitting in a theater for several hours in layers of makeup and undoubtedly tight clothing! There will be drinks and popcorn, and giveaways throughout the night. Come in style or come as you are, bring your friends and watch this year's festivities. 6 pm.

Champions of Magic: The Worldwide Wonders Tour
Champions of Magic comes to Houston as part of the The Worldwide Wonders Tour. The ensemble of premier illusionists includes globally acclaimed artists showcasing awe-inspiring mind-reading feats, mesmerizing up-close magic, and audacious large-scale illusions. These cats astound with interactive illusions of unparalleled brilliance—an escape defying possibility from Houdini’s infamous water torture cell, an unfathomable prediction that defies belief, levitation high above the stage, and a grand finale that transcends explanation. 7 pm.

Sustainable Seafood Tour

Chefs Andrew Zimmern, Barton Seaver bring seafood book tour to Houston

Excerpted from the book The Blue Food Cookbook, provided courtesy of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright © 2025 by Fed By Blue. Photographs by Eric Wolfinger. Reprinted by permission.

Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver at California's Hog Island Oyster Co.

Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern is brining — sorry, bringing — his sustainable seafood cookbook to Houston this November. The Blue Food Cookbook will publish this Tuesday, October 28, and Zimmern and his co-author, chef and seafood expert Barton Seaver, will be signing copies at the new Jordan Ranch H-E-B in Katy (29711 Jordan Crossing Blvd.) on November 11 from 1-2 pm.

It may be called a cookbook, and users can certainly use it that way. But according to the book's authors, it's much more.

"What we've done is we've created, I think, a seafood Bible for the next 10 years," says Zimmern. "It's 140 recipes — a beautiful stunning cookbook that could stand on its own — but there's also 100 pages of [extra] wisdom."

Readers can flip through the book however it suits them, trawling for things to cook, information on ingredients, and some environmental explainers.

"So if people want to just use the recipes, we've done our job," Zimmern says. "And if they want to read the text that comes with those recipes, we've done our job. If they want to do both, then we've really done our job."

The recipes are all about — you guessed it — seafood. The authors have included a comprehensive guide to making creative and unique dishes including chowders, crab cakes, linguine with clams, and even an upscale salad featuring fish and chips. The whole thing is packed with mouth-watering photos by Eric Wolfinger and beautiful watercolor artwork by Yulia Shevchenko.

The 100 or so pages of "wisdom" Zimmern mentions are all about educating the reader and busting some common misconceptions. For example: the misconception that eating seafood is harmful to the environment. According to Seaver, this couldn't be further from the truth.

"Seafood provides for better outcomes across the board when it comes to animal proteins," Seaver says. "If you're looking for a sustainable [animal protein] option, it would be at the seafood counter. Plus, the American diet would be very, very well served if we were to replace red meat twice a week with seafoods rich in omega-3 fatty acids."

Both authors acknowledge that there are certainly some "bad actors" in the fishing industry, but that by and large, when it is done intentionally and sustainably, it's far better for the planet and for our health.

"You're doing more for the environment than buying a chicken or a pork chop at the supermarket," adds Zimmern. "We delve into all of this in the book, because [the mixed messages] are very confusing."

This is not the first time Zimmern has used his platform to help educate people on the benefits of seafood. This cookbook is published in connection with his PBS docuseries Hope in the Water, which explores how people are creating sustainable seafood systems to feed the planet while protecting the oceans. The cookbook, like the show, focuses on how "blue foods" (edible things from aquatic environments) can provide nutritional and economic opportunities without further damaging marine ecosystems.

"This book isn't just recipes," says Seaver, "but it's offering permission for people to look anew at seafood, and fall in love with it."

"And it's funny," Zimmern adds. "I'm being serious here. We are — I'm just going to say it — we are fun, funny guys who just happen to know a lot about fish and the environment. And like, we're cool. So all of that's injected into the book as well."

Seaver laughs and rolls his eyes.

These two certainly do bounce off of each other well, and there's no doubt that they'll bring the fun to H-E-B for the signing on November 11. For those who can't wait to get their hands on this book — which Martha Stewart herself describes as “a book that is beyond my wildest expectations" — it will be available wherever books are sold on Tuesday, October 28.

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