weekend event planner

Here are the top 16 things to do in Houston this weekend

This weekend will have several events celebrating Pride Month, as well as one more event celebrating Juneteenth – cookout style! Since it’s also Black Music Month, you can catch a rising new artist over at 93 Til.

For the budding young geeks out there, there’s a kid expo and a double shot of Jurassic Park/World goodness. Boomers and Gen X’ers can get a little nostalgia by seeing performances of “Come Sail Away” and “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Shrimp, quilts, comedy, tech-driven art – these next four days will have it all.

Oh yeah, and the circus is in town! Read on for all of this weekend’s best bets.

Thursday, June 20

Autry Park presents Picnic in the Park
Savor summer nights at Autry Park with Picnic in the Park, a new live music series in Autry Park's charming central park. Bring a blanket and some friends (dogs included!) and enjoy an evening filled with good vibes, great food, and cool tunes. Picnic in the Park will feature live music from Aaron Stephens and bites and beverages by Citizens. After the picnic, head to Annabelle Brasserie, Auden, Lick Honest Ice Cream, or MF Lobster & Ceviche for dinner, drinks, or a sweet treat with your crew. 6 pm.

UniverSoul Circus
UniverSoul Circus will celebrate 30 years as its show-stopping cultural extravaganza returns to Houston. The interactive “Family Reunion Tour” will bring 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. Through Sunday, July 7. 7 pm (7 pm Friday; Noon, 3:30 & 7:30 pm Saturday; Noon, 3 & 6:30 pm Sunday).

Empire State Jazz Cafe presents SpeakEasy Comedy Lounge
This weekend, Empire State Jazz Cafe will launch an exclusive live comedy series, the SpeakEasy Comedy Lounge, hosted by All D Freeman. Every Thursday night throughout June and July, this new comedy series will bring riotous belly laughs from some of Houston's best stand-up comedians and comic talents from across the country. You can also have authentic Cajun/Creole cuisine, distinctive cocktails, and an intimate ambiance for an immersive experience. 8:30 pm.

Friday, June 21

Texas Tower presents "Generations of Strength"
In honor of Pride Month, Hines’ "Generations of Strength" exhibit will be on display at Texas Tower in downtown Houston. The installation features photographs of 22 LGBTQIA+ icons, including Barbara Jordan, Sally Ride, Audre Lorde, and more. The installation includes details on their contributions to society across generations, from 1854 through today. The exhibition originated as a grassroots effort within Hines to recognize Pride Month and celebrate achievements by key members of the diverse community. Through Friday, June 28. 7 am.

ARTECHOUSE Houston
At 26,000 square feet, ARTECHOUSE Houston provides a home for tech-driven art and artists. The destination includes multiple galleries designed to showcase groundbreaking works of art by leading and emerging creative talent across the globe. The inaugural programming features three distinctive exhibitions, showcasing over 18 unique installation pieces connecting visitors to LIGHT + SPACE, ranging from cinematic experiences and laser performances to robotic installations and interactive artworks. Through Wednesday, December 31, 2026. 10 am.

Woodlands Area Quilt Guild presents Bloomin' Crazy for Quilts
Woodlands Area Quilt Guild presents the two-day Bloomin' Crazy for Quilts, featuring 255 quilts, a boutique with handcrafted quilts and items, a silent auction, mini quilts for charity, schoolhouse, scholarship quilt, 31 vendors of quilting items and non-quilting items, and "30 Something" challenge. Special guest Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Montgomery County Chapter will share their mission of providing beds to kids without a bed to sleep in. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Sleep in Heavenly Peace. 10 am.

The Secret Group presents The Sklar Brothers
Randy and Jason Sklar, aka The Sklar Brothers, are a post-modern take on a stand-up comedy duo. They have released six comedy albums, have had two Comedy Central half-hour specials, and currently have a stand-up special on Netflix, What Are We Talking About, and another special that premiered on Starz, Hipster Ghosts. Randy and Jason are also writers, directors, and actors who have appeared on such shows as Entourage, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Better Call Saul. 8 pm (8 pm and 10 pm on Saturday).

Saturday, June 22

Houston’s New Faces of Pride Festival and Parade
The Houston’s New Faces of Pride Festival and Parade will feature artist performances, 350 festival vendors, indoor/outdoor performances, a parade, and festival booths. This year's theme, Rainbow Revolution, is all about celebrating progress, embracing change, igniting the spirit of unity and reflecting our mission as an organization to raise as many funds as possible for our community non-profits. Funds raised supporting Grace Place and Tony’s Place, nonprofits that serve LGBTQ+ youth and adolescents. Noon.

Mo’ Better Brews Juneteenth and 3rd Anniversary Celebration
Mo’ Better Brews was supposed to hold its 3rd anniversary celebration on Juneteenth. But things got a bit rainy. So, they’ll be having it this weekend. Barbecue plates will be available, and Flash Gordon Parks will be behind the turntables spinning essential cookout music throughout the afternoon. You can also pick up a limited edition commemorative T-shirt that will be available in store for purchase, and available for pickup to those who pre-ordered online. Noon.

Houston Symphony presents Jurassic Park
This weekend, you’ll have the opportunity to get Jurassic. Jurassic World: The Exhibition is still going on in Katy, but the Hobby Center will play the 1993 blockbuster that started it all. Featuring imagery and special effects, the action-packed adventure of Jurassic Park pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. The classic film will be projected in HD on a giant screen, with the full Houston Symphony performing John Williams’ iconic score live to picture. 2:30 & 7:30 pm Saturday (2:30 pm Sunday).

The Rose presents 35th Annual Shrimp Boil
The Rose’s 35th Annual Shrimp Boil will feature an evening with food, live music, auctions, games, a cash bar, raffles, a "Thriller" dance-off, and an '80s costume contest. Guests can enjoy live auctions, participate in various games, and purchase commemorative t-shirts. This year’s boil aims to raise $150,000 to support The Rose's life-saving work, providing breast health-care screenings and diagnostics to all, regardless of their ability to pay. 4 pm.

Poppy Tart Productions presents Meadow of Pleasure: An Enchanted Burlesque Show
Make a summertime escape to the Meadow of Pleasure. Hosted by Belle BeDamned and starring Gaea Lady, the evening promises to be an entertaining and enchanted burlesque performance. The cast also includes Nikki Knockout, Gia Vaughna, Bambi LaBimba, and Poppy Tart. 6:30 and 9:30 pm.

Styx and Foreigner in concert
Two of classic rocks most legendary acts come to The Woodlands as part of their Renegades & Juke Box Heroes tour. Styx has racked up 20 million album sales and eight top 10 singles, including “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade,” and “Blue Collar Man.” Foreigner is one of the best selling bands of all time with over 80 million albums sold (“I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Cold As Ice”), receiving a nod to the 2024 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. John Waite opens. 6:45 pm.

Sunday, June 23

ImagineNation Productions LLC presents ImagineNation Kid Expo
ImagineNation Expo will feature LEGO, superheroes, princesses, comics, Funko Pops, gourmet-themed foods, and more. This event is for those who want to pose with their favorite characters, show off their brick-building skills, or just have fun. There will be activities such as pickleball, laser tag, mining for gems, meet and greet with comic artists, brick building, and more. 10 am (10 am Saturday).

The Montrose Center presents Pride Brunch and Fundraiser
The 6th Annual Pride Brunch and Montrose Center Fundraiser will feature a wide selection of craft cocktails and mocktails, brunch by chef Cameron Caine, music by DJ Chad Guidry, and drag performances on the hour by Sinema LaRue and Lucy Paradisco. There’s no better way to celebrate Pride and give back to the LGBTQ+ community than with friends and Sunday brunch. Last year's event hosted over 400 attendees and raised more than $58,000 for the Montrose Center. 11 am.

L.O.U.D. Muzik and 93 Til presents Presents Beats & Bourbon: Skyrah Biiss SIngle Release Party
Get ready for an electrifying night at 93 Til as they celebrate the official, single release party for Skyrah Bliss and her new single “Make It Out Alive.” Skyrah will mesmerize you with her soulful blend of hip-hop and R&B, promising an experience like no other. Immerse yourself in her captivating music and feel the passion behind every lyric. Through intimate conversations, Skyrah will share the inspiration behind her music and the journey that led to her latest single. Enjoy a night filled with incredible music, inspiration, and the finest bourbon. 6 pm.

Photo by Tim Pethel

UniverSoul Circus performs for the second weekend of its Houston run.

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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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