weekend event planner

These are the 15 best things to do in Houston this weekend

Kids are going to have a lot of fun this weekend. The circus is literally coming to town. You and your little ones will also have the chance to see The Lion King on stage and on the big screen. And let’s not forget they’ll be able to get their CoComelon on.

But the adults will be able to enjoy themselves too this weekend, whether it’s having a wine dinner, stopping by a cocktail pop-up, taking in a classic French film, attending a watermelon dance and summer social, or getting their freak on with a legendary R&B/hip-hop performer from their youth.

Here are this weekend’s best bets.

Thursday, July 18

Nickel City presents Strange Thursday
Superstar bartender Yael Vengroff, a winner of both the Speed Rack bartending competition and American Bartender of the Year at the Spirited Awards, will pop-up at the East End bar to promote Strange Water, the canned coconut water she helped create. The one-time Houstonian will be slinging coconut drinks made with Producer Mezcal, Corazon Tequila, and other spirits. Expect shenanigans 6 pm

Brennan’s presents Rodney Strong Vineyard Wine Dinner
Get ready for an elegant, four-course wine dinner with special guest Justin Seidenfeld, senior vice president of winemaking and winegrowing at Rodney Strong Vineyards, who will present selections from Napa and the Russian River Valley, including exclusive pours from Davis Bynum and Rowen Wines. The evening opens with welcome bubbles, and dinner includes compressed watermelon and shrimp, escargot pantalba and bison Wellington. $195 per person, plus tax and gratuity. 7 pm.

Discovery Green presents Park After Dark
Beat the heat this summer at Discovery Green during Park After Dark. Enjoy lawn games from Rocket Dog, the Gateway Fountain, music, food trucks, vendors, and special park lighting. Free line dancing classes by Gretchen “Coachgee” Jean will go down during the first hour. The event will be located at the Andrea and Bill White Promenade, a wide granite walkway that bisects the park, and serves as the local “market place” of Discovery Green. Through August 8. 7 pm.

Aaron Lewis in concert
Vermont-based powerhouse and former Staind frontman Aaron Lewis is coming to Houston this weekend. Embracing his roots to earn a rare second round of success, Lewis completed a series of solo country projects that led to two No. 1 Billboard Country Album debuts —Town Line (2011) and Sinner (2016). Lewis’ 2022 album Frayed at Both Ends emerged as the best-selling country album in America. Lewis writes and sings to get his truth out, and his recently released album The Hill is no different. 8 pm.

Friday, July 19

CoComelon Party Time
Families with young children will experience an all-new, first-of-its-kind, kid-centric event at CoComelon Party Time, where they can have a party experience and meet their favorite CoComelon characters. Guests will also get to take a pretend ride in a hot air balloon, where they explore the larger-than-life rainbow play zone, and even climb through the clouds. There is a coloring/activity center and make-your-own party hat station, as well as a story time and sing-along. 10:30 am (11 am Sunday).

3rd Annual Watermelon Dance & Summer Social
For more than 30 years, Dawn Fudge has brought us summers full of music and watermelons. In that tradition, locals are presenting the 3rd Annual Watermelon Dance & Summer Social at Cottonwood. Entry proceeds go to local musicians and local radio, so come show your support and shake your bones to some great music and while eating delicious watermelon. This year, they will have a two-day event, in order to bring you more awesome music. It also benefits 90.1 KPFT. 5 pm.

Trinity Episcopal Church presents Rising Hot 20th Annual Trinity Jazz Festival
The Rising Hot 20th Annual Trinity Jazz Festival celebrates jazz in its many forms. The Friday performance highlights saxophonist Kim Waters at the WeServ Theater. On Saturday, the festival returns to Trinity Episcopal Church with Emmy-nominated headliner Benny Benack III. Finally, on Sunday, Trinity Episcopal Church will close out the festival with its famous jazz mass, featuring the music of Count Basie under the musical direction of master trumpeter James William III. 7 pm (6 pm Saturday; 11 am Sunday).

UniverSoul Circus
Ringling Bros. may have had to cancel its Houston stop after Hurricane Beryl damaged NRG Stadium, but UniverSoul Circus has extended its run through this weekend. A celebration of the circus' 30 year history, the interactive “Family Reunion Tour” brings together big names from five continents all backed by the infectious beat of world music, including sounds and dance styles spanning the African diaspora. The circus features a combination of circus arts, theater, and music that spans genres, including pop, classic R&B, Latin, hip hop, jazz and gospel. 7 pm (Noon, 3:30 & 7:30 pm Saturday; Noon, 3 & 6:30 pm Sunday).

Saturday, July 20

Discovery Green presents The Lion King
Yes, the Lion King musical is still going on at Hobby Center. But this weekend, Discovery Green will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Disney animated classic with a movie night under the stars. Guests are welcome to bring blankets, camping chairs, and snacks. Food, beer, and wine are available for purchase at the Lake House. Alcohol and glass containers are prohibited. Costumes are strongly encouraged, and visitors can arrive early for games and activities. 7 pm.

Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston presents Ruddigore (or The Witch’s Curse)
Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston’s production of Ruddigore (or The Witch’s Curse) is a satirical take on the Victorian melodrama genre. Ruddigore’s zany plot has it all — ghosts, witches, curses, disguises, and reluctantly wicked villains who try to make off with the fair maiden. All of the Baronets of Ruddigore are under a curse enacted by a witch long ago — each of the successive Baronets must commit some kind of a crime every single day, or else they will die in agony. Through Sunday, July 28. 7 pm (2:30 pm Sunday).

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Le Samourai
In a career-defining performance, Alain Delon plays a contract killer with samurai instincts. After carrying out a flawlessly planned hit, he finds himself caught between a persistent police investigator and a ruthless employer, and not even his armor of fedora and trench coat can protect him. An elegantly stylized masterpiece of cool by maverick director Jean‑Pierre Melville, Le samouraï is a razor-sharp cocktail of 1940s American gangster cinema and 1960s French pop culture — with a liberal dose of Japanese lone-warrior mythology. 7 pm (5 pm Sunday).

Missy Elliott in concert
Missy Elliott celebrates the 27th anniversary of her debut album Supa Dupa Fly by coming down to Houston and performing all her classic bops, as well as hits she’s written and produced for other artists. She’s currently bouncing from city to city headlining her first-ever tour, Out of this World: The Missy Elliott Experience. She will be joined by Busta Rhymes, Ciara, and longtime collaborator Timbaland. 7 pm.

Sunday, July 21

Insomnia Gallery and Deep End Records present Punk Rock Garage Sale
Insomnia Gallery and Deep End Records are back again for their monthly Punk Rock Garage Sale. If you haven't caught on yet, these happen on the third Sunday of every month at Bad Astronaut Brewing in the Hardy Yards development just north of downtown. While summer is heating up, stay relatively cool as this event is all indoors and the space itself now has air conditioning. There will be over 50 vendors inside this massive adult playground of a venue that also features pool tables, foosball, air hockey, cornhole, and more (and all free to play). 2 pm.

Legacy Community Health and Quest Diagnostics present 22nd Annual Mint Julep
The 22nd annual Mint Julep, presented by Legacy Community Health and Quest Diagnostics, will feature the theme of Le Cirque du Mint Julep: A Glitter and Glam Carnival. The event will honor Tony Bravo and Richard Werner, former Mint Julep chairpersons and long-time supporters of Legacy's cause. From its origins as the Montrose Clinic in 1978 to becoming a nationally recognized leader in HIV/AIDS testing, prevention, and treatment, Legacy Community Health has remained steadfast in its mission to fight HIV/AIDS for nearly 40 years. 6 pm.

Wooster’s Garden presents Chef David Cordua Kitchen Takeover
Wooster’s Garden has teamed up with veteran Houston chef David Cordúa, chef and owner of The Lymbar, for a Kitchen Takeover. Houstonians are invited to enjoy this one-night only, handcrafted menu until supplies last. Prepared by the renowned chef himself, Cordúa’s specialty menu will feature soft warm pretzels, mini crispy tacos, tempura fish tacos, 44 Farms muffaletta dogs, and fried chicken sandwiches. 6 pm.

Missy Elliott will launch her first-ever headlining tour in summer 2024.

Photo by Derek Blanks with crowdMGMT

Missy Elliott comes to Houston on Saturday.

event-planner

Weekend Event Planner

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

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Water for Elephants.

Now that the arctic blast has finished with us, several events that were cancelled last weekend – Gallery Sonja Roesch’s 35th anniversary show, a dual opening at Foltz Fine Art, Asia Society Texas’s Kawaii Market – have been rescheduled for this weekend.

As for the scheduled events this weekend, there’s an “autoboative” show, a screening of a sci-fi classic with live musical accompaniment, an all-star show for autograph collectors, a fashion competition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the return of Houston's noisiest music festival.

Thursday, January 29

Houston Autoboative Show
It’s the 42nd Houston Auto Show at NRG Park this weekend, which is also combined (for its third year) with the Houston Boat Show. The event showcases a diverse array of vehicles, from electric cars to trucks and sedans. It also offers a fantastic opportunity to get up close and personal with the hottest models on the market and learn from brand experts about each vehicle/vessel without the pressure of being sold to. 11 am (10 am Saturday and Sunday).

Asia Society Texas presents Offside
Asia Society Texas will kick off the World Cup with Offside, a 2006 dramedy from Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. (It’s also part of this year’s Festival of Films from Iran.) Set during a World Cup qualifying match between Iran and Bahrain, the film follows a group of young women who attempt to circumvent a ban on women attending sporting events by disguising themselves as men to enter the stadium and watch the game, leading to a series of increasingly absurd situations. 7 pm.

Performing Arts Houston presents Blade Runner Live
Ridley Scott’s stylish, 1982 noir classic Blade Runner (aka the 2007 Final Cut) will screen while Vangelis’ synthesizer-led cult score is performed live by The Avex Ensemble. In this futuristic hriller, detective Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) must continue as Replicant Hunter following the escape of four Replicants (including main baddie Rutger Hauer – RIP) from colonies who’ve returned to earth. His mission, however, is complicated when he falls for Rachel (Sean Young), a Replicant based at the Tyrell Corporation. 7:30 pm.

Friday, January 30

TRISTAR Houston Collectors Show
For three days, a lot of stars will be flocking to the NRG Arena in order to give Houstonians their signature. Along with lots of sports memorabilia for sale, the 40th Annual TRISTAR Houston Collectors Show will have tons of celebs signing autographs. Just on Saturday alone, we’ll get Karate Kid/Cobra Kai castmates Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, and Martin Kove; the cast of The Sandlot, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Dennis Rodman, former Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich, former Rockets player Elvin Hayes, and Houston’s own Randy Quaid. 2 pm (10 am Saturday and Sunday).

The Hobby Center presents Houston Is Inspired - [Jk]creativ: Our Road Home
Multidisciplinary company [Jk]creativ gives us Our Road Home, an interactive rhythmic production created and directed by native Houston artist Jakari Sherman. Through layered rhythmic storytelling - spoken, rapped, preached, and sung - the work honors the communal labor and ingenuity that built spaces of freedom across time. Inspired by the legacy of Houston’s Freedmen’s Town, the work asks: Once freedom is gained, how do we live in it, preserve it, and pass it on when the pull of bondage lingers near?

MFAH and HCC present Fashion Fusion X
Frida Kahlo meets contemporary couture in Fashion Fusion, the 10th edition of the annual fashion competition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Open to aspiring designers in the Fashion Design program at Houston City College, Fusion challenges students to create original garments in response to art on display in the museum’s galleries. This year, the aspiring designers will showcase garments addressing the exhibition, "Frida: The Making of an Icon." 7 pm.

Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Water for Elephants
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train, unsure of where the road will take him. He finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life - and love - beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age. 7:30 pm (2 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 1:30 and 7 pm Sunday).

Saturday, January 31

The List One Year Anniversary
East End creative space The List will be celebrating its first anniversary with a bevy of weekend events, with two going down on Saturday. The day starts off with the return of the Vinyl & Furniture Garden Market, curated by local DJ vet Malcolm Bravo, over at the List Cafe. Bravo and other DJs will be spinning tunes as stores and vendors will be open for business. Later that evening, DJ/TikToker Sheri Koko will be working the turntables, along with some special-guest pals, at Room808. 11 am and 9 pm.

Burger Bodega present For the Culture
Chef and restaurateur Abbas Dhanani is taking a break from burgers to pay homage to his Pakistani heritage by partnering with the PX Project for a one-day only pop-up. Working with his mother and his aunt, the four-item menu showcases some favorite childhood dishes, including Nihari, slow-braised, spiced beef stew with naan; Hina Khala's Chicken Biryani, fragrant basmati rice layered with boneless chicken; the Chicken Sixty-Five Po' Boy; and a mango lassi sundae with a cardamom snickerdoodle cookie.

$\u200bBroadway at the Hobby Center presents Water for Elephants$

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Water for Elephants.

Seven Sisters presents Ping Zheng: Soft Interference opening reception
Soft Interference presents a new series of oil-stick works on paper by Ping Zheng, following her 2024 exhibition Nature’s Canopy at Seven Sisters. In these works, Zheng continues her investigation of landscape as a site of perception and interiority. Through repeated mark-making and shifting chromatic fields, she constructs images that hover between observed nature and remembered experience. Through Saturday, February 28. 2 pm.

MGEntertainment presents The 5th Annual Harsh Noise Houston
Believe it or not, there’s a heavy experimental-music scene here in H-Town. This weekend, you have the opportunity to see a lot of the scene’s most valuable players over at Super Happy Fun Land, where the fifth annual Harsh Noise Houston fest will be going down. 13 acts, representing some of the best experimental music, performance art, and noise that Texas has to offer, will be performing, including HauntedPixel, Ether Research, Astrogenic Hallucinating, and Psychosomatic’s sister project Del Norte. 7 pm.

Rice Cinema presents American Sons
Film producer and Rice alum Elizabeth Avellán presents American Sons, a documentary using first-hand footage captured by fallen Marine Cpl. Jorge “JV” Villarreal, a native of San Antonio. The film focuses on a brotherhood of U.S. Marines a decade after their Afghanistan deployment, focusing on their struggle with combat trauma, PTSD, and reintegration, especially after losing their friend Villarreal. Avellan and director Andrew James Gonzales will be around for a post-screening Q&A. 7 pm.

Sunday, February 1

ReelAbilities Houston presents ReelArt For All
The ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival’s ReelArt For All program will feature art and interactive activities, brunchy bites, and more. Guests can see the world through the eyes of artists from Celebration Company, an entrepreneurial employment program for adults with disabilities, and explore the works of featured artist Emmett Kyoshi Wilson. A Chicago-based artist living with Down syndrome, Wilson has created over 150 works, exhibited in five galleries, and even painted the American Flag for the U.S. Embassy in Croatia. 10:30 am.

Shepherd School of Music presents Inside Look: Modern American Operas
The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University will present a deconstructed look at two full-length American comic operas: Karim Al-Zand’s 50th anniversary commission A Joint Interest and William Bolcom’s Lucrezia. Aleko Endowed Artist Paul Curran guides audiences through these mischievous and delightfully theatrical worlds. Shepherd School Chamber Players will accompany both contemporary operas from the pit, led by Miguel Harth-Bedoya. Bolcom's Lucrezia contains adult content and is not suitable for all audiences. 2 pm.

Cultural Center Our Texas presents Popovich Comedy Pet Theater
The World Famous Popovich Comedy Pet Theater is a family-oriented blend of the unique comedy and juggling skills of Gregory Popovich, and the talents of his furry costars. There are more than 30 pets (dogs, cats, horses, birds, etc.) in the show, and each one has been rescued from animal shelters and given a new leash on life. Bad pun aside, this show will be a joy for viewers of all ages. 4 pm.

things to do weekend events event-planner