weekend event planner

Here are the top 14 things to do in Houston this weekend

2022 Tastemaker Awards Silver Street Studios

CultureMap hosts the biggest food event in Houston on Thursday.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Thursday night, more than a thousand food fans will pack Silver Street Studios in the Heights for the Tastemaker Awards. The biggest, hottest food event of the year sees the city's best in the restaurant and bar world vie for awards. Oh, and the bites and sips are amazing. Tickets are gone, but plan ahead for next year.

Meanwhile, a new hat store will be christened by People's Champ Paul Wall, folks will race for The Dome, and beer-based fun awaits around town.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, April 13

National Peach Cobbler Day at Any Mini Dessert Cakes

Any Mini Dessert Cakes, a family-owned, premium Houston dessert bar known for their cakes and cobblers, is celebrating National Peach Cobbler Day Thursday with a buy-one-get-one-free deal on their delicious, homemade mini peach cobblers. Peach cobbler lovers will be able to pick up a mini version of the popular Southern staple for just $5 per cup and get a second mini cobbler free. Their cobbler is made from a family recipe handed down and perfected through generations, with sweet, juicy peaches and creamy, fluffy, cakey deliciousness served in perfectly portioned “mini” individual cups. Noon.

CultureMap Tastemaker Awards

The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards is the annual celebration of Houston's top restaurant and bar talent, as selected by their peers. The mission is to shine a spotlight on the people making the local restaurant scene special and honor their innovation, energy, and creativity. The Tastemaker Awards features a signature tasting event and awards ceremony. Guests can celebrate all of the nominees while sampling bites and sipping specialty drinks along the way. 7 pm.

Moores Opera Center presents Ainadamar (Fountain of Tears)

Through the memories of actress and muse Margarita Xirgu, Ainadamar (the Spanish pronunciation of the Arabic name “Ayn al-dam,” meaning “The Fountain of Tears”) explores the life and work of playwright and poet Federico García Lorca, whose anti-fascist stance and open homosexuality led to his death in 1936 at the hands of Franco’s Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. The new production combines classical singing with flamenco dance and song. 7:30 pm (2 pm Sunday).

Friday, April 14

Lids Hat Drop Houston Grand Opening

Starting this Friday, the Lids Hat Drop store will officially open to the public and release a limited quantity of new exclusive hats each Friday. Lids will be hosting a grand opening event to welcome the newly opened, retail store. Rapper and Houston native Paul Wall will also be in attendance. Located at the Galleria, the store is 1,318 sq. ft. and will feature digital screens showcasing Lids’ own content, including new hat drops, dedicated spaces for drops, and an area for apparel and merchandise. 11 am.

Caress Dreamland Pop Up at POST Houston

Caress, the leading brand of indulgent, affordable shower products, is launching an immersive experience in Houston this weekend. Packed with vibrant, playful stations that delight smell, taste and more, Houstonites can participate in the three-day, scent-sational soiree free of cost and explore the brand’s refreshed packaging and three newest fragrances: Rejuvenating Mango & Almond Oil, Soothing Aloe Vera & White Poppy Body Wash, and Refreshing Raspberry & Pink Pepper Body Wash. Noon.

Buffalo Bayou Partnership presents "Ripple Effect:" A Collective Exhibition

This collective exhibition is organized by local artist Anna Hazel and benefiting Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Works inspired by Buffalo Bayou from over 25 artists will be on display for one night only, and a percentage of sales from every piece sold will support BBP and their mission to create and steward welcoming parks, trails, and unique spaces along the city’s most significant natural waterway. BBP Members will receive 10 percent off food and beverage, and a special block print by Hazel. 4 pm.

Eureka Heights Brew Co. presents 713 Pils-a-Palooza Weekend

Eureka Heights Brew Co. is kicking off the release of 713 Pilsner, its newest year-round brew, with one heck of a weekend. It starts on Friday night with a free concert from country punk legends Holy Hell. Suplex yourself into Saturday with the hysterical, high-flying Doomsday Wrestling. And, finally, laugh away the Sunday scaries with Pils and Punchlines, featuring Houston comics Bob Biggerstaff, Andy Huggins, Andrew Youngblood, Neal Rosen, Keisha Hunt, and more. 8 pm (8:30 pm Saturday; 2 pm Sunday).

Saturday, April 15

The Astrodome Conservancy presents 3rd Annual Race for the Dome

The Astrodome Conservancy will host the 3rd annual Race for the Dome. Participants will race around the iconic Astrodome with hundreds of Dome-lovers and fans, in support of a bright future for the Eighth Wonder of the World. Participants can come dressed in vintage gear or their best Dome wear, and stay around to party after the race to celebrate the Astrodome’s 58th birthday. Awards are given for the top three male and female overall competitors, and the top three kids finishers. Proceeds benefit the Astrodome Conservancy. 8 am.

The Candlelighters’ Young Professional Group presents 15th Annual Margarita Taste-Off

Grab some friends to come sip, sample and vote on top-notch margs from some of Houston’s best restaurants. The event will feature a tequila tasting station, a DJ and a silent auction. Light bites and drink tickets for beer and wine are included with purchase of tickets. All proceeds benefit Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance, a local organization that provides emotional, educational and practical support to children with cancer and their families receiving treatment at the Texas Medical Center. 1 pm.

Karbach Brewing presents Love Street Music Fest

Love Street Music Fest is back! Spoon, Jukebox the Ghost, and Mind Shrine will rock the biergarten and it will be a show you won't want to miss. VIP tickets include a separate VIP entrance, a VIP area with optimal view, indoor restrooms, three beers of your choice, access to special beer tasting, and buffet by Karbach Restaurant + Patio. Tickets are not needed for children under age 12 when accompanied by a parent with a ticket. Please, no pets. 5 pm.

Sawyer Yards and Spring Street Studios presents "Art Tells a Story" opening reception

Sawyer Yards and Spring Street Studios present this group exhibition of select Spring Street artists. All art tells a story. Literature is the most obvious example of art that tells a story whether through a book, a short story or a poem. Music also tells a story through its lyrics or the music itself - like the invocation of nature in Beethoven’s Pastoral. Linger with each work in the exhibition. Does it pull you in? Why? What is the story (or stories) you can imagine here? Is it something that will still intrigue you next year and the years after? Through Saturday, July 8. 6 pm.

Sunday, April 16

No Kid Hungry presents Taste of the Nation

Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry returns to Houston this weekend. Join them for a must-attend afternoon featuring exceptional food, craft cocktails, and delectable desserts from the city’s top culinary talents and renowned No Kid Hungry chef supporters from across the country. Guests will enjoy bite-sized fare, entertainment, and more. 100 percent of event proceeds benefit the No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in Texas and across the U.S. 1 pm.

Citywide Yom HaShoah Observance

Join the Yom HaShoah Steering Committee and Holocaust Museum Houston in observance of Yom HaShoah, a day of remembrance for the six million Jewish people who lost their lives during the Holocaust. During this annual commemoration, they will mourn the loss of all who perished, honor those who survived and come together as a community to remember and reflect. You can also livestream the event. 3 pm.

Wooster's Garden presents 8 year Anniversary Celebration

Wooster’s will celebrate their 8-year anniversary with live music by Brittani Washington, DJ Brandon Airlines and various vendors showcasing their unique products. Local vendors will nclude Crescent Therapeutic Massage, Brazos Soap Supply, Enclave Jewelry, Bonbon Jewelry, Raises Plants & Home Decor, Nissa Crafts, Gold Plated Jewelry, Enchant Madison Candles, The Plant Project Boutique, and Bodhi Love plant-based skincare. There will be giveaways and more surprises throughout the night. 4 pm.

RIP, Chuck

Actor Chuck Norris, star of 'Walker, Texas Ranger,' dies at 86

Courtesy photo

Chuck Norris, star of "Walker, Texas Ranger," has died at 86.

Chuck Norris, the martial arts grandmaster and action star whose roles in “Walker, Texas Ranger” and other television shows and movies made him an iconic tough guy — sparking internet parodies and adoration from presidents — has died at 86.

Norris died Thursday, in what his family described as a “sudden passing.”

“While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace,” the family said in a statement posted to social media.

Before he would become a star in movies and on TV, Norris was wildly successful in competitive martial arts. He was a six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate champion. He also founded his own Korean-based American hard style of karate, known sometimes as Chun Kuk Do, and the United Fighting Arts Federation, which has awarded more than 3,300 Chuck Norris System black belts worldwide. Black Belt magazine ultimately credited Norris in its hall of fame with holding a 10th degree black belt, the highest possible honor.

Born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Oklahoma, on March 10, 1940, he grew up poor. At age 12, he moved with his family to Torrance, California, and joined the U.S. Air Force after high school, in 1958. It was during a deployment to Korea that he started training in martial arts, including judo and Tang Soo Do.

“I went out for gymnastics and football at North Torrance high,” he told The Associated Press in 1982. “I played some football, but I also spent a lot of time on the bench. I was never really athletic until I was in the service in Korea.”

After he was honorably discharged in 1962, he worked as a file clerk for Northrop Aircraft and applied to be a police officer, but was put on a waitlist. Meanwhile, he opened a martial arts studio, which expanded to a chain, with students including such stars as Bob Barker, Priscilla Presley, Donnie and Marie Osmond, and Steve McQueen, whom he later credited with encouraging him to get into acting.

From one studio to another
Norris made his film debut as an uncredited bodyguard in the 1968 movie “The Wrecking Crew,” which included a fight with Dean Martin. He had also crossed paths with Bruce Lee in martial arts circles. Their friendship — sometimes, as sparring partners — led to an iconic faceoff in the 1972 movie “Return of the Dragon,” in which Lee fights and kills Norris' character in Rome's Colosseum.

He went on to act in more than 20 movies, such as “Missing in Action,” “The Delta Force” and “Sidekicks.”

“I wanted to project a certain image on the screen of a hero. I had seen a lot of anti-hero movies in which the lead was neither good nor bad. There was no one to root for,” Norris said in 1982.

In 1993, he took on his most famed role, as a crime-fighting lawman in TV's “Walker, Texas Ranger.” The show ran for nine seasons, and in 2010, then-Gov. Rick Perry awarded him the title of honorary Texas Ranger. The Texas Senate later named him an honorary Texan.

“It’s not violence for violence’s sake, with no moral structure,” Norris told the AP in 1996, speaking about the show. “You try to portray the proper meaning of what it’s about — fighting injustice with justice, good vs. bad. … It’s entertaining for the whole family.”

Norris also made a surprise comedic appearance as a decisive judge in the final match of the 2004 movie “Dodgeball.” He only on occasion has taken acting roles in recent years, including 2012's “The Expendables 2” and the 2024 sci-fi action movie “Agent Recon.” He's due to appear in “Zombie Plane,” an upcoming film starring Vanilla Ice.

Chuck Norris: the man, the meme, the legend
It was around the time of “Dodgeball” that his toughman image became the stuff of legend, literally: “Chuck Norris Facts” went viral online with such wildly hyperbolic statements as, “Chuck Norris had a staring contest with the sun -- and won,” and, “They wanted to put Chuck Norris on Mt. Rushmore, but the granite wasn’t tough enough for his beard.”

Norris ultimately embraced the absurdity of the meme craze, putting together “The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book,” which combined his favorites with supposedly true stories and the codes he aimed to live by. He would also write books on martial arts instruction, a memoir, political takes, Civil War-era historical fiction and more.

“To some who know little of my martial arts or film careers but perhaps grew up with 'Walker, Texas Ranger,' it seems that I have become a somewhat mythical superhero icon,” Norris wrote in the forward to the fact book. “I am flattered and humbled.”

That book raised money for a nonprofit he founded with President George H.W. Bush that promoted martial arts instruction for kids.

The intentionally outlandish statements featured in the 2008 Republican presidential primary, when Norris endorsed Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and shot an ad playing on the “Chuck Norris facts.”

President Donald Trump's supporters later promoted Trump Facts in the same vein, and political pundits tried it as well, describing the commander-in-chief's decision to seize Venezuela's sitting president, Nicolas Maduro, as a “Chuck Norris Moment,” and its initial effect on oil prices a “Chuck Norris Premium.”

Norris was outspoken about his Christian beliefs and his support for gun rights, and backed political candidates for years — he even went skydiving with Bush for the former president's 80th birthday. As for Trump, Norris endorsed him in the 2016 general election and wrote guest columns praising him without explicitly endorsing him the in the days before the 2020 and 2024 elections.

Norris has five surviving children: stunt performers Mike and Eric with his late ex-wife Dianne Holechek, twins Dakota and Danilee with his wife Gena Norris, and Dina, the result of an early 1960s “one-night stand” revealed in his autobiography.

Norris celebrated his birthday just over a week before his death, posting a sparring video on Instagram.

“I don't age. I level up,” he wrote.

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