weekend event planner

These are the 14 best things to do in Houston this weekend

This weekend brings many things that’ll calm and satisfy Houstonians. Listen to music while playing chess, or look for vinyl records in Pasadena. Laugh with Kevin Hart make or get into the grooving sounds of Sofi Tukker or Chromeo and The Midnight. Gorge on smoked meats at a barbecue festival or celebrate a restaurant’s five-year anniversary with some delicious Tex-Mex.

And, if none of that holds any appeal, a Therapy Gecko will be here to help you out.

Thursday, September 19

Echoes presents Vinyl and Chess Night
Echoes and The List are hosting a vinyl and chess night, featuring all forms of Afro-Diaspora/African American music and Instrumentation. Patrons can play chess while listening to DJ sets.

In partnership with Live Nation, Echoes will also be giving away a pair of tickets to the upcoming André 3000 concert next week via a raffle ($5 per ticket). Proceeds will benefit Project Row Houses and the Community Music Center of Houston. 5 pm.

Avondale House presents 5th Annual Bingo Bash
Avondale House is a beacon of hope and empowerment for individuals with autism, providing them with the essential resources, education, and training they need to reach their fullest potential. They’re also doing some good stuff with its 5th Annual Bingo Bash. Chaired by Emily and George Craft, it will be a night bursting with games and prizes, all while supporting a good cause. Adding a unique dash of competition, sponsors can select their own table themes and dress accordingly. 5:30 pm.

Stages presents The Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine Vote
Professor Paola Aguilar needs money for some things. So when the political party offers her a paycheck to help them understand the Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine vote, she begrudgingly takes the job. Can Paola navigate a room full of clueless strategists and save the election, or will her journey lead to a bigger victory? This laugh-out-loud satire from Houston-raised playwright Bernardo Cubría explores identity, community, and the hilarious absurdity of the political machine. Through Sunday, October 6. 7 pm (2 pm Sunday).

Friday, September 20

Candente’s Five-Year Anniversary Weekend
To celebrate five years of serving Houston with delicious, high-quality Tex-Mex, Candente welcomes the community to enjoy a weekend of festivities with friends and family. The celebration will take place in both the dining room and on the expansive patio, with vibrant decor, tequila tastings from Herradura and Socorro, and traditional mariachi appearances. There will also be $5 margaritas all day. 11 am (10 am Saturday and Sunday).

Hopera presents Boleros & Arias
Hopera will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with this season opener. This pint-sized performance will feature music from Latin American composers such as María Grever, Consuelo Velázquez, Agustín Lara, and more, performed by mezzo-soprano Luisana Rivas and bass-baritone Fernando Grimaldo. Hopera empowers local artists and craft businesses by putting on casual performances where Houstonians love to drink. They collaborate with the local craft beverage community to create original concerts and operas. 7 pm.

Kevin Hart: Acting My Age Tour
Kevin Hart will be all over Houston this weekend. First, he comes to Sugar Land as part of his Acting My Age stand-up tour. Hart was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he launched his career as a comedian during an amateur night at a local comedy club. Over the years, Hart has become a Hollywood powerhouse, opening 11 films at No. 1 at the box office and grossing more than $4.23 billion global revenue. Hart will also perform at Bayou Music Center on Sunday. 8 pm (7 pm Sunday).

Sofi Tukker in concert
New York EDM/house duo Sofi Tukker appears to be here for people who are into dancing and having a good cup of coffee. This weekend, they’ll be in town in support of their new album, Bread. Then, next Sunday (aka National Coffee Day), they’ll be partnering with Starbucks for “At Home with Sofi Tukker.” Audiences are invited to enjoy a Sunday morning with the pair – perhaps while sipping a pumpkin spice latte during the stream. 7:30 pm.

Saturday, September 21

Vinyl Record Show of Houston
Calling all cratediggers and vinyl snobs! If you’re a serious record collector, this weekend’s convention is can’t-miss. The Vinyl Record Show will feature vinyl enthusiasts as they gather to celebrate the timeless charm of analog sound. With over 25 vendors from Texas and surrounding states, there will be a selection spread across 70 tables. 8 am.

Comic Indie Con
Fanboys who are more into Image and Dark Horse than DC or Marvel may dig this celebration of independent media culture, exploring the world of indie comics, board games, arts and crafts, and more. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of independent comics and discover unique stories that push the boundaries of traditional storytelling. Throughout the day, there will be panel discussions featuring industry professionals, artists, and writers, who will share their insights and experiences. 10 am.

Buffalo Bayou Partnership presents Japhet Creek Park Opening Celebration
Buffalo Bayou Partnership will present an opening celebration for Japhet Creek Park. The newly completed neighborhood park is on Japhet Creek, a historic Buffalo Bayou tributary in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Bring your lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and family and friends to enjoy a day in the park with performances from local musicians, including Step Rideau & The Zydeco Outlaws, food and drinks, face-painting, community organizations and vendors, and fun activities for all. 11 am.

Therapy Gecko Live: The Lizard Agenda Tour
If you need some help figuring out problems in life, don’t worry – Therapy Gecko is coming! Internet sensation Lyle Forever will bring his beloved Therapy Gecko live show to Houston. Fans will get the chance to converse with Lyle live on stage as they share their hopes, dreams, and anything else in the recesses of their mind with the internet’s favorite gecko and unlicensed therapist. It will be an interactive, unpredictable evening as the audience journeys with a gecko into the unknown. 8 pm.

Sunday, September 22

Houston BBQ Throwdown Fall ‘24!
The Houston Barbecue Festival and Saint Arnold Brewing Company announce the 8th annual Houston BBQ Throwdown. Featuring 14 of Houston’s best barbecue restaurants competing to create the next great barbecue that represents Houston-style barbecue. Each ticket includes entry and unlimited samples from each of the competition entries. Saint Arnold will provide beer at no additional charge. General admission is $75, while VIP admission costs $130. 1 pm.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Close Your Eyes (Cerrar los ojos)
More than three decades after the release of his previous film, Spanish auteur Víctor Erice (The Spirit of the Beehive) returns with a meditation on memory, absence, and the enduring resonance of the moving image. An aging Spanish filmmaker is asked to recount his memories of working on his final, still-unfinished film. During its production, the lead actor disappeared. Decades later, an investigative TV program has the filmmaker reconnecting with the film’s crew, seeking closure for the actor’s disappearance and its lasting effect on their lives. 2 pm.

Chromeo and The Midnight in concert
Chromeo and The Midnight will co-headline the Chrome Nights tour. Funky white boys Chromeo is touring in support of their new album, Adult Contemporary. Synthwave duo The Midnight, who will have a graphic novel (titled Shadows) dropping via Dark Horse Comics next month, has released five albums in their career, most recently Heroes in 2022. They will be joined by special guests Ruth Radelet and Girl Ultra. 6 pm.

Kevin Hart/Facebook

Kevin Hart

Movie Review

Reminders of Him taps into grief, grace, and the power of moving on

Photo by Michelle Faye / Universal Pictures

Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers in Reminders of HIm.

Texas author Colleen Hoover has gone from being a popular writer to a full-on celebrity in the 2020s. The new film Reminders of Him marks the third adaptation of her books in just 19 months (a fourth, Verity, is scheduled for release in October 2026). All of her books that have been adapted so far — most notably It Ends With Us — are female-led stories that feature elements of romance and trauma, catnip for studios looking to appeal to the underserved demographic of women.

Leading the way in this film is Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe), who returns to her hometown of Laramie, Wyoming after spending years in prison for killing her boyfriend, Scotty (Rudy Pankow), in a car accident. That relationship resulted in a daughter, Diem (Zoe Kosovic), whom Kenna gave birth to while imprisoned and is now being raised by her grandparents, Patrick (Bradley Whitford) and Grace (Lauren Graham).

Yearning to be a part of Diem’s life, Kenna tries to reconnect with Patrick and Grace, only to be rebuffed by Scotty’s best friend, Ledger (Tyriq Withers), a former NFL player who now owns a local bar. In running interference, Ledger starts to become closer to Kenna, discovering that her tragic mistake shouldn’t be the only thing that defines her.

Directed by Vanessa Caswill and written by Lauren Levine, the film features mostly surface level examinations of its themes and average performances, yet it winds up being effective thanks to a willingness not to rush through its storytelling beats. The filmmakers take the slow and steady approach toward the coupling of Kenna and Ledger, setting up their bond through a series of heart-to-heart conversations that makes any romance feel earned.

The majority of the focus is on Kenna reclaiming her place in the world, and on Ledger coming to terms with the fact that the person who killed his best friend is not inherently a bad person. The film definitely could have gone deeper in its explorations of grief and anger, but the sheer amount of time it takes in addressing the characters’ doubts and fears turns out to be sufficient for a film that’s not aiming to be considered a dramatic masterpiece.

It also helps that Caswill and Levine do a solid job of establishing the variety of characters that inhabit the film. Kenna and Ledger don’t always feel like fully-formed people, but they become so through their interactions with each other and the other townspeople. Lady Diana (Monika Myers), a girl with Down syndrome who lives in Kenna’s apartment complex, and Roman (Nicholas Duvernay), Ledger’s co-worker at his bar, help to broaden the appeal of the two leads.

Monroe has, to this point, been best known for starring roles in horror films like It Follows and Longlegs. While she does somewhat well in this role, her delivery is often more flat than you’d expect for a character going through what she does. Withers thankfully doesn’t remind viewers of his recent bomb Him, demonstrating a crossover appeal that should serve him well in the future. Whitford and Graham don’t get to do much, but their combined experience gives their roles exactly what is needed.

It may sound like damning with faint praise, but Reminders of Him is a competently made film that knows how to serve its core audience without insulting anyone who may not automatically be all-in for such a story. The filmmakers don’t try to force any of the key moments down the audience’s throat, and that stands out in a genre that’s not always known for its subtlety.

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Reminders of Him opens in theaters on March 13.

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