weekend event planner

Top things to do in Houston this weekend: must-see opera, a sultry soiree, wine-fueled yoga, and more

J'Nai Bridges, Janai Brugger, and the dazzling Urban Bush Women Dancers in HGO's Intelligence.

Photo by Michael Bishop

This weekend, Houston will be trick or treating and get into spirited mischief for Halloween (check out our Halloween and Día de los Muertos events roundup here).

Meanwhile, Intelligence, a game-changing opera — let's call it the opera for people who don't like opera — that tells a riveting Civil War story with dazzling dance, a stirring book, and even comedy continues its short run; tickets start at just $25.

Stretch it out later with some wine-fueled yoga, and take in some sultry entertainment with The Divine Darlings Burlesque Troupe.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, October 26

The Concert Truck at Alta Arts and POST Houston

Classical music from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music is coming to several locations around Houston, thanks to a fully functioning mobile concert hall called The Concert Truck. Eight Shepherd School students will perform chamber music on the 16-foot box truck, which is outfitted with lights, sound system and piano. The performances this month are the truck’s first held in Houston. First, it will make an afternoon stop at Alta Arts. Then, it will finish up at POST Houston’s Barbara Jordan Plaza. 1 and 7 pm.

October Dinner Series at Kriti Kitchen

Kriti Kitchen, West University's homestyle Greek cafe, is hosting its intimate monthly dinner series this weekend. Guests will enjoy an elevated and seasonal multi-course dinner prepared by Kriti owner and chef Mary Cuclis, along with an optional wine pairing from an extensive selection of Greek wines. The meal will feature five courses, including truffle potato rissoles and fried quail egg; Greek "wedge" salad with pine nut dressing; and baklava ice cream with seasonal pumpkin kolokithopita for dessert. Tickets are $130 each. 6:30 pm.

Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown presents Shrek Swamp Party

Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown will have a Shrek-themed silent disco, featuring a special screening of Shrek. Enjoy an opening DJ set that will be sure to get you in the spirit, and engage in some friendly competition with an array of games. Then, settle down to watch a special screening of the iconic 2001 cult classic. Come dressed as your favorite characters for a chance to win prizes. Following the film, head over to the lounge area, where dueling DJs will battle it out with two electrifying, Shrek-inspired sets. 7 pm.

Friday, October 27

The Waffle Bus and Blk Mkt Birria Collaboration

The Waffle Bus will welcome Blk Mkt Birria for a burger collaboration at their Montrose location. The special, one-day-only menu item will feature a quarter-pound, Black Angus smash burger topped with mozzarella cheese skirt, beef barbacoa birria, cilantro, diced purple onions, chipotle mayo, and avocado verde salsa on a toasted red brioche bun with diced purple onions, cilantro, pickled red onions, lime, and consomme on the side for $11.99 11 am.

The Savoy presents Second Anniversary Halloween Bash

Legendary Third Ward neighborhood bar The Savoy is pulling out all the stops for a frighteningly fun, second anniversary, weekend-long Halloween bash. The Savoy is inviting thrill-seekers and Halloween lovers to don their best costumes for a full weekend of ghoulishly good times. We’re talking three days of costume contests and a grand total of $5,000 in prize giveaways, including cash, gas cards, gift cards, Savoy gift cards, and more. 4 pm (11 am Saturday and Sunday).

City Place presents Dia de los Muertos

City Place will host its third annual Día de los Muertos celebration, a festive, three-day experience honoring the popular Mexican and Latin American holiday. The Art of the Spirit cocktail reception and altar unveiling ceremony kick off the special programming on Friday. The festivities continue on Saturday at the Mercado, which is free to attend. Programming concludes on Sunday with Día de los Muertos Cinema, a free, alfresco movie night featuring the film Coco. 6 pm (Noon Saturday; 6 pm Sunday).

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Good Manners (As boas maneiras)

The mysterious and wealthy Ana hires Clara, a lonely nurse from the outskirts of São Paulo, as the nanny for Ana’s unborn child. The two women develop a strong bond, but a fateful night with a full moon changes their plans. This 2017 horror flick will be introduced by Houston-based author Rob Saucedo, who has programmed a weekly horror series at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. His first book Where Wolf will be available for purchase at the screening. 7 pm.

Saturday, October 28

Dish Society Katy presents Pups at the Patio

Gather your four-legged sidekick and help support local nonprofit Rescued Pets Movement during a patio party, in collaboration with Tito’s Vodka. After the success of last weekend’s parties, Katy residents can enjoy the final event at Dish Society Katy (featuring LaCenterra’s Paws Fest!), featuring two cocktails for pet “pawrents” and one dog-friendly puptail. Additional fun includes cocktail tastings from Tito’s representatives, swag for the pooches and prizes for best dog-in-costume. 11 am.

Worth & Co. Grand Opening

Worth & Co., Houston’s newest luxury lifestyle brand, will have a grand opening party at the brand’s flagship location in River Oaks. There will be food, drinks, a flower bar with free bouquets, a photo booth, and more. Don't miss your chance to win incredible prizes, including a Sealy pillow top mattress, a stunning Bernhardt accent table, a captivating piece of art, a genuine leather wine holder from Ghurka, exquisite jewelry (including a bracelet and necklace), opulent textiles and bedding, and a cozy cashmere throw. Noon.

The Moran CITYCENTRE presents The Thriller Resurrection:A Halloween Bash

The Moran CITYCENTRE is hosting a frighteningly fun Halloween bash with live music by Level One Band. Show off your creativity and join the “Thriller”-themed costume contest for a chance to win exclusive prizes, including a one-night stay at The Moran CITYCENTRE. As the night creeps on, dance until you drop to the beats of DJ EDJ. Upon arrival, the first 50 guests will receive a Tito’s Vodka swag bag and be treated to a bewitching selection of specialty cocktails. Costumes are encouraged but not required. 7 pm.

Houston Grand Opera presents Intelligence

The Civil War is raging. Men are slaughtering each other on the battlefield, but it is two women who possess the deadliest weapon of all. Who would guess that Elizabeth Van Lew, from a prominent Confederate family, is running a secret pro-Union spy ring? That Mary Jane Bowser, born into slavery in the Van Lew household, not only has been taught to read and write, but is also possessed of a photographic memory? This HGO-commissioned opera is inspired by the little-known true story of these two unlikely spies. 7:30 pm.

Sunday, October 29

Vino Vinyasa at C. Baldwin Hotel Houston

Vino Vinyasa classes bring together vinyasa-based yoga and fun wine facts through creative yoga poses. The hour-long educational yoga class will end with a comparative wine tasting of two wines. Parking will be comped if one dines at Rosalie. Vino Vinyasa students who do not dine at Rosalie will receive a parking discount. Attendees must be 21 years old and above. This is a BYOM (bring your own mat) event. If you need a mat, please email morgan@vinovinyasayoga.com. 10:30 am.

The Divine Darlings presents The Burly Soirée

$The Divine Darlings Burlesque Troupe The Burly Soire\u0301e$ The Divine Darlings Burlesque Troupe The Burly SoiréePhoto courtesy of The Divine Darlings Burlesque Troupe

This weekend, the Divine Darlings invite attendees to celebrate “spooky season” with guest performances from Bailey Bunnie, Dahlia Devine and Mystic Lotus; alongside Divine Darling Holly GoSpankMe; headliners Poppy Tart, Taylar Fatale and DFW-based Vivienne Vermuth; and host/producer Lady AnnaBelle. AnnaBelle founded and leads the Darlings, as well as the troupe’s base studio Houston Divine Studio, where adults can learn to dance a variety of styles from burlesque to ballet in a safe and welcoming space. 2 pm.

Raphael Saadiq and Tony! Toni! Toné in concert

Artist, songwriter, film & television composer, and producer Raphael Saadiq will present Raphael Saadiq Revisits Tony! Toni! Toné!: The Just Me & You Tour. The tour marks a momentous homecoming as Saadiq, his brother D'Wayne Wiggins, and Timothy Christian Riley will perform as Tony! Toni! Toné! for the first time in nearly 25 years. Saadiq will also tap his own deep catalog, performing tracks from his solo albums, plus the hits he wrote for artists like D'Angelo, Daniel Caesar, Brent Faiyaz, Solange, and Beyoncé. 8 pm.

weekend event planner

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

Steve Aoki/Facebook

See Steve Aoki in concert at NOHO in EaDo.

This weekend, it’ll be a brand new year. Although some may be partied out after New Year's Eve, some cool stuff will be happening.

Welcome 2026 with a festive brunch. Music from Nat King Cole and Steve Aoki will be played on Friday night. Saturday begins with a matcha pop-up and ends with a salute to goth/darkwave at Wonky Power. And, on Sunday, you can get in a fun run/walk and see the Thin White Duke on the big screen.

Thursday, January 1

The Union Kitchen presents New Year’s Day Brunch
The Union Kitchen is kicking off 2026 with a celebratory New Year’s Day brunch at all Houston-area locations. Customers will enjoy festive brunch sips, including $2.50 mimosas, $4 Bloody Marys, and $4 bellinis. Additionally, in true Southern tradition, the restaurant will offer cabbage, black-eyed peas, and cornbread — the classic good-luck trio for prosperity in the year ahead. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged. 10 am.

EZ’s Liquor Lounge presents New Year’s Day Hangover Brunch
For those who know they’ll be party-hopping this New Year’s Eve, here's a place to go and deal with that gnarly hangover the day after. The annual Hangover Brunch will feature fried chicken, biscuits, champagne specials, and caviar at cost. 11 am.

MKT Bar presents New Year's Day Brunch
While some people are known to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day – for good luck and prosperity for the year ahead – head over to MKT Bar (located inside Phoenicia Specialty Foods' location downtown) and get their famous chicken and waffles for half-off. The Danielle Reich and Bruce Saunders Quintet will also be on the premises, performing some eclectic, jazz/pop numbers. Noon.

Friday, January 2

Punch Line Houston presents Sam Jay
Stand-up comic Sam Jay will be doing a two-night stint at Punch Line Houston this weekend. The Emmy-nominated former Saturday Night Live writer has been seen on HBO’s Pause with Sam Jay, a weekly late-night series on which she served as host and executive producer, as well as Bust Down, the Peacock sitcom she co-created and co-starred in. Recently, she did her solo show Sam Jay: We the People at the Edinburgh Festival and New York’s Lincoln Center Theater. 7 and 9:15 pm.

Houston Symphony presents "A Nat King Cole New Year"
The Jones Center for the Performing Arts will have an “Unforgettable” start to 2026 as Byron Stripling, Denzal Sinclaire, and the Houston Symphony Big Band perform the timeless hits of Nat King Cole, along with well-known songs by other jazz legends. The program will include songs like “Mona Lisa,” “Nature Boy,” “When I Fall in Love,” “Just One of Those Things,” and more. (We wonder if we’ll get Cole’s “The Christmas Song” one last time.) 7:30 pm (2 pm Sunday).

Theatre Southwest presents Murder on the Orient Express
Agatha Christie’s legendary, literary masterwork will be brought to the stage at Theatre Southwest. On a train traveling through Europe, a wealthy American tycoon is found dead in his compartment, the door locked from the inside. Enter world-famous detective Hercule Poirot, who must navigate a train full of suspects and solve the murder before the killer strikes again. Through Saturday, January 17. 8 pm (3 pm Sunday).

NOTO Houston presents Steve Aoki
Did you know that DJ/producer Steve Aoki invented the trend known as “caking”? That’s when he throws a huge cake out into the crowd while playing Autoerotique’s “Turn Up the Volume,” a song whose video features people getting splattered by exploding cakes. We bring this up because Aoki will be doing a late-night DJ set at NOTO Houston, and there’s a very good chance people in the crowd will get hit with a very delicious dessert. Stay in the back to avoid getting icing on your outfit. 10 pm.

Saturday, January 3

Kazzan Ramen & Bar and Tomo Matcha Pop-Up
Houston’s ramen scene is getting a green tea glow-up. Kazzan Ramen & Bar is teaming up with Tomo Matcha for a one-day pop-up this weekend. For the collaboration, guests who dine in at Kazzan Ramen will receive 20% off Tomo matcha, and customers who purchase a matcha drink will enjoy 20% off their meal. If you can’t make it, Tomo will also do a Sunday-afternoon pop-up at GLO Pilates. 11 am.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Resurrection
Bi Gan (whose Long Day’s Journey into Night screened at MFAH in 2018) directs this ambitious, 160-minute, sci-fi detective movie starring Chinese superstar Jackson Yee (Better Days) and actress Shu Qi (The Assassin). In a future where humanity has surrendered its ability to dream in exchange for immortality, an outcast finds illusion, nightmarish visions, and beauty in an intoxicating world of his own making. 2 pm.

Archway Gallery presents June Woest: "Weather Inside Out" opening reception
Archway Gallery will present an exhibit of new work by June Woest that captures the interplay between photography, sculpture, and AI. "Weather Inside Out" explores Woest’s experiences with the unpredictable nature of the weather by challenging the notion that we are helpless against it. Her works are an invitation to embrace change and find comfort in the unpredictable.Through Thursday, February 5. 5 pm.

Wonky Power presents Dia de los Darks
The first Dia de los Darks of the year kicks off this weekend, bringing a night powered by darkwave, goth, rock en español, and cumbia. Scheduled to perform are El Turko Sonidero, DJ Fredster and guitar-playing masked man Orpheus Von Doom. Expect haunting beats, immersive visual installations lighting up the night. A night market will be open late with art, fashion, and local vendors — giving attendees that dark underground vibe. 8 pm.

Sunday, January 4

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium presents Saint Arnold Social Fun Walk/Run
Saint Arnold Fun Runs are back for 2026. Close out the first weekend of 2026 by getting some exercise, taking a social run/walk, and purging yourself of everything 2025-related. Participants get a guided and marked, 3.5(ish)-mile run/walk with beer pacers, three tasty brews from Saint Arnold, a Saint Arnold pint glass, and a Texas tamale breakfast. Rain or shine. 8 am.

Cousins Maine Lobster at Car Spa
Get your car shining and your cravings satisfied all in one stop as Cousins Maine Lobster rolls its truck over to Car Spa this weekend. Whether you're cleaning up your ride or just passing through, swing by and sample such delicacies as Maine, Connecticut, and garlic butter lobster rolls, lobster tacos and quesadillas, lobster tots and lobster tails, lobster grilled cheese, creamy lobster bisque, clam chowder, whoopie pies, and more. 11 am.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema LaCenterra presents The Man Who Fell to Earth
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema’s “Art Decade: Films of David Bowie 1973-1983” series begins with this 1976 sci-fi curio. The story of an alien (Bowie, of course) on an elaborate rescue mission provides the launching pad for Nicolas Roeg’s examination of alienation in contemporary life. The film’s hallucinatory vision was obscured in the American theatrical release, which deleted nearly 20 minutes of crucial scenes and details. This screening is of Roeg’s full, uncut version. Noon.

Steve Aoki in concert

Steve Aoki/Facebook

See Steve Aoki in concert at NOHO in EaDo.

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