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    Top 10 Entertainment Stories

    Houston's top 10 entertainment stories of 2024 spotlight Ren Faire and Rodeo

    Brianna McClane
    Dec 24, 2024 | 4:30 pm
    Amid scandals covered by multiple documentaries, the nation's largest Renaissance festival opens for its golden season.

    Ren Faire, the HBO docuseries about the Texas Renaissance Festival, led this year's most read entertainment articles.

    Photo courtesy of the Texas Renaissance Festival

    Editor's note: Houston had a lyrical year in 2024, with RodeoHouston concert reviews dominating CultureMap Houston’s most-clicked entertainment articles. Readers soaked up the details of performances by Bun B, Nickelback, 50 Cent, and other famous artists, including record-breaking crowds. The Texas Renaissance Festival landed in the national spotlight through HBO’s docuseries, with Houstonians closely following how their local ren faire was portrayed.

    Here are the 10 most popular entertainment stories of the year:

    1. Texas Renaissance Festival distances itself from viral HBO docuseries. Ren Faire, HBO’s three-part docuseries, brought the story of festival founder “King” George Coulam to the small screen where viewers watched as he ruminated on retirement and attempted to woo younger women. The local organization issued a somewhat confusing statement distancing itself from its staff’s eccentric portrayal.

    2. Bun B, Drake, and hip hop all-stars cowboy up at historic RodeoHouston performance. Houston cultural ambassador and entrepreneur Bun B reclaimed his title as the most-attended male rap performer in RodeoHouston history with 75,005 paying attendees. Drake, Nelly, Rick Ross, Eve, and DMC of Run-DMC were among the international stars that took the stage with Bun B for a 33-song, 90-minute set that had Houstonians dancing in the stands.

    3. Legendary WWII warplane unearthed from 268 feet of ice lands at Houston museum. Houstonians glimpsed history when the Glacier Girl, a World War II plane uncovered from 268 feet of ice in Greenland, made a stopover at the Lone Star Flight Museum. The plane was the only one from its squadron recovered in 1992, nearly 50 years after its crash.

    4. Nickelback burns Houston to the ground with sold out RodeoHouston debut. The much-maligned Canadian rock band Nickelback made its debut at RodeoHouston to a sold-out crowd of 75,036, second only to Los Tigres Del Norte. Though often mocked, their energetic performance proved why Nickelback has sold more than 50 million albums.

    5. 50 Cent and special guests take Houston to Da Club in packed Rodeo debut. Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson took the stage for his inaugural Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo performance on March 1, providing fans with an uncensored, lively production. The audience sang along with the Houston resident who has become an HSLR regular, selling his own wine at record prices.

    6. Affluent Houston suburbs top list of biggest holiday spenders in U.S.U.S. Everyone wanted to befriend residents of The Woodlands after WalletHub’s survey ranked the Houston-area city at No. 13 in its annual report on U.S. cities with the biggest holiday budgets in 2024. Shoppers in The Woodlands are expected to spend $3,395 on Christmas gifts. Sugar Land earned the No. 14 spot, while Houston proper landed at No. 241.

    7. Dramatic new docuseries on the Texas Renaissance Festival could be the next Tiger King. Ren Faire, the HBO docuseries, premiered to a packed house at South by Southwest (SXSW). Journalist Brianna Caleri likened it to Netflix’s Tiger King, as both explore charismatic leaders in niche, dedicated organizations.

    8. Massive new entertainment complex lights up Houston suburb. The announcement of Lumos, a 45,000-square-foot entertainment hub opening in 2025, made waves with readers in September. The family-friendly venue in New Caney will feature cutting-edge technology, such as virtual reality experiences and 40-foot LED screens, along with familiar favorites of bowling, karaoke, and laser tag.

    9. College Football Championship weekend kicks off in Houston with free concerts, events, and more. Houston hosted the College Football Playoff National Championship game at NRG Stadium on January 8. Thanks to family-friendly free events, including performances by Megan Moroney and 2 Chainz, locals could enjoy the festivities even without a ticket to the big game.

    10. Yellowstone star Lainey Wilson enthralls at sold-out RodeoHouston debut. Lainey Wilson, the ‘Hillbilly Hippie’ queen of modern country-rock, made headlines for her sold-out matinee at HLSR. The musician and actress made a dramatic exit by riding a horse around the stage before galloping out of NRG stadium.

    hot-headlineslistsrodeorodeohouston
    news/entertainment

    for the win

    Cheer on these Texans competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics

    Amber Heckler
    Feb 5, 2026 | 10:30 am
    Emily Chan, 2026 Winter Olympics figure skater
    teamusa.com/
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    The XXV Winter Olympic Games, also known as the Milano Cortina 2026, are right around the corner, running February 6-22 in northern Italy. Out of the 2,900 athletes who will participate in this year's Games, 232 will represent the U.S., with four hailing from the Lone Star State.

    Houston residents might recognize one local athlete in particular: Figure skater Emily Chan, who is a Pasadena native.

    To catch these Texas-born athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics, viewers can tune in to NBC and its affiliate networks, websites, and apps (like Peacock).

    Without further ado, these are the Winter Olympians competing for Team USA with roots in Texas. (Note that there are other athletes with Texas ties, like Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars, who are competing in the Olympics but aren't considered Texans.)

    Hannah Bilka, 24
    Sport: Ice hockey
    Texas tie: Bilka grew up in Coppell and is the youngest of four children. At age six, she followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Anthony, and started playing hockey. Due to a "lack of girls’ hockey teams in Texas," she grew up playing hockey with boys.
    Fun facts: She won the 2024 National Championship in women’s ice hockey with the Ohio State Buckeyes, the same university where she earned a master's degree in sport management. Her two older sisters, Christina and Stephanie, were figure skaters.
    When to watch: The women's ice hockey preliminary round begins on Thursday, February 5. The women's bronze and gold medal matches will take place on Thursday, February 19.

    Hannah Bilka, 2026 Winter Olympics hockey player Hannah Bilka is one of two North Texans competing in this year's Games.Photo courtesy of Getty Images

    Emily Chan, 28
    Sport: Pairs figure skating
    Texas tie: Chan hails from Houston suburb Pasadena, but she also calls Dallas home. She graduated from Texas Online Preparatory School as the valedictorian.
    Fun facts: She loves to cook, bake, make jewelry, and dreams of opening her own café in the future. Her longtime skating partner, Spencer Akira Howe, is from Los Angeles. They both relocated to train at the Skating Club of Boston in 2019, where Chan now coaches young figure skaters. Chan is also pursuing a family and marriage counseling degree from Grand Canyon University.
    When to watch: The figure skating "team event" kicks off on Friday, February 6. The pairs figure skating competition begins on Wednesday, February 16.

    Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe In addition to being a top-notch figure skater, Emily Chan is also trained in Chinese modern dance and ballet.teamusa.com/

    Amber Glenn, 26
    Sport: Singles figure skating
    Texas tie: She was born in Plano, and started skating at just five years-old.
    Fun facts: Glenn is a mental health advocate and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She came out as pansexual in 2019. She loves to play Magic: The Gathering, and her dog, Uki, is named after stalking shadow card Ukkima. She also enjoys anime and Star Wars. On Friday, May 29, Glenn will visit the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb Allen during the 2026 Stars on Ice Tour.
    When to watch:
    The figure skating "team event" kicks off on Friday, February 6. The women's singles free skate competition begins Thursday, February 19.

    Amber Glenn, 2026 Winter Olympics figure skater from Plano Plano's famous figure skater Amber Glenn is on the roster. teamusa.com/

    Boone Niederhofer, 32
    Sport: Bobsledding
    Texas tie: Niederhofer grew up in San Antonio, and later became a wide receiver at Texas A&M University. His father, Dan, played football for Abilene Christian University. Niederhofer and his family previously lived in Midland.
    Fun facts: Niederhofer has a degree in petroleum engineering and worked in Texas' oil and gas industry while competing in bobsledding competitions.
    When to watch: The bobsled competition begins on Sunday, February 15. The men's two-man heat will take place on Tuesday, February 17, and the men's four-man heat is scheduled for Sunday, February 22.

    Boone Niederhofer, 2026 Winter Olympics bobsledder Boone Niederhofer is a former Texas A&M University football player.Photo courtesy of Getty Images

    winter olympicsolympicstexashoustonpasadena
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