Weekend event planner

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

We’re now officially in 2025, and the first weekend of the new year brings plenty to do: Marcie Chapa and Stefanie Pepping will perform live. From the Ashes Theater Company and Theatre Southwest will hit audiences with some straight-up farces. Avant Garden and Improv Houston will have comedians ready to make you laugh. Archway Gallery and Redbud Arts Center will open up new exhibits. And the MFAH will give local cinephiles a very Hitchcockian weekend.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a whole calendar full of the city's best events.

Thursday, January 2

Echoes presents Marcie Chapa
Marcie Chapa, an original member of Beyoncé’s all-female band and a noted percussionist with a love for music and a passion for education in the arts, is playing a special concert at Echoes. Chapa has also worked with stars like Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Al Jarreau, Kanye West, Mary J Blige, and more. Gracing the stage with her will be Roy Chapa on trumpet and vocals, Charlie Perez on drums, Tim Ruiz on bass, and Jose-Miguel Yamal on keyboard. Echoes will also offer food and drink specials throughout the night. 8:30 pm.

Avant Garden presents It’s a Good Time Comedy Show & Happy Hour
Get ready for laughter and good times upstairs at Avant Garden’s weekly comedy kickback. The intimate setting provides the perfect backdrop for a laid-back and enjoyable evening. As you enjoy the comedic talents on stage, take advantage of the happy hour specials with cheap drinks flowing throughout the night. It's the ultimate combination of laughter, good company, and budget-friendly beverages. It’s free, and RSVPing gives you a wristband that allows $3 wells, $4 Lone Star beers and $5 sangrias (cash only). 9 pm.

The Big Easy presents Stefanie Pepping and the Sassafras Swing Set
Stefanie Pepping is a singer, mother, banjo player, herbalist, and damn fine cook. When she’s not serving as an art director/designer for a local church, she’s performing with the Sassafras Swing Set. They will be doing a free show at The Big Easy this weekend, along with Houston bassist Nick Gaitan. Dance the night away with an evening of swinging music, performed by a gal with a voice likened to Peggy Lee and Norah Jones. 9 pm.

Friday, January 3

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents My Name is Alfred Hitchcock
Before you check out the 4K restoration of Alfred Hitchock’s Vertigo at the MFAH this weekend, get to know the man who directed it. Filmmaker Mark Cousins (The Eyes of Orson Welles) looks at the auteur with a new and radical approach: through the use of his own voice. Hitchcock (whose familiar voice is remarkably evoked by Alistair McGowan) narrates excerpts from his films in a journey through his vast career, from early silent films to his memorable classics from the 1940s-1960s and beyond. 7 pm (2 pm Sunday).

Pink Martini with China Forbes in concert
Pink Martini, the world-famous “little orchestra” featuring original lead singer China Forbes, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. They will present a cocktail of multilingual delights, from Brazilian Samba music to jaunty Parisian café songs to retro jazz and old-fashioned pop. It’ll be an evening of joyful, dance-friendly tunes guaranteed to make your new year swing. This concert does not feature the Houston Symphony. 7:30 pm (7:30 pm Saturday, 2 pm Sunday).

From the Ashes Theatre Company presents Daddy's Dyin', Who's Got the Will?
After years of estrangement, the Turnover family reunites at their small-town Texas estate to bid farewell to the family patriarch, who has suffered a debilitating stroke. Joined by their plus-ones, they bring with them a tangled web of family trauma, greed, and jealousy. This sometimes heartbreaking, often hilarious journey through family dynamics offers moments of sharp wit, surprising warmth, and a poignant reminder: sometimes losing something precious is the only way to find what truly matters. 8 pm (2 and 8 pm Saturday; 2 and 6 pm Sunday).

Photo courtesy of Mark Normand

Improv Houston presents Mark Normand.

Theatre Southwest presents A Comedy of Tenors
One hotel suite, four tenors, two wives, three girlfriends and a soccer stadium filled with screaming fans. What could possibly go wrong? It's 1930s Paris and the stage is set for the concert of the century - as long as the producer can keep Italian superstar Tito Merelli and Maria, his hot-blooded wife, from causing runaway chaos. A Comedy of Tenors is an uproarious ride full of mistaken identities, bedroom hijinks, and madcap details. 8 pm (3 pm Sunday).

Saturday, January 4
Archway Gallery presents Maksim Koloskov: "Brushstrokes: Streetscapes, Style, and Skyline" opening reception
Archway Gallery presents "Brushstrokes: Streetscapes, Style, and Skyline," featuring watercolors and drawings by Maksim Koloskov. Whether sketching fellow passengers on a bus, painting on a street corner, or drawing in a park, Koloskov reflects life unfolding around him in vibrant, impressionistic watercolors. From skylines and city streets to the sleek runways of Houston’s Fashion Week, Koloskov transports the viewer to the heart of H-Town, revealing a dynamic city alive with color and movement. Through Thursday, January 30. 5 pm.

Redbud Arts Center presents Nela Garzón: "Not One of Us" opening reception
“Not One of Us," an exhibition by Nela Garzón, explores themes of migration and colonialism through fiberworks and paintings. The exhibition also features latch-hooked works of endangered species from emigration-prone regions and welcome rugs honoring Bogotá and Colombia. All these pieces are together for spectators to reflect on the intertwined stories of displacement, resilience, and cultural exchange. Through Saturday, February 22. 6 pm.

Candlelight: Best of Bridgerton on Strings
We all like Bridgerton, right? We enjoy binge-watching that Shonda Rhimes-produced, Netflix period drama where 19th-century aristocrats of every age, shape and color get amorous all over London. Well, fans can burn for the show at this string-filled gathering. At Candlelight: Best of Bridgerton on Strings, audiences can listen to favorite melodies from the Shondaland series, performed by the Listeso String Quartet. 6:30 and 8:45 pm.

Improv Houston presents Mark Normand
Saturday will be the last evening to check out goofball joke machine Mark Normand. Through his relentlessly punchy writing and expert delivery, the New Orleans-born Normand is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about comedians out there. Last year, he self-released a one-hour special, Out To Lunch, on YouTube. A veteran of the late-night shows, Normand also hosts two podcasts: Tuesdays with Stories (with Joe List) and We Might Be Drunk (with Sam Morril). 7 and 9:30 pm Saturday).

Sunday, January 5

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium presents 3ish Run/Walk
Get those beer bellies in shape for the Art Car IPA 5K with this social run/walk. For $35, you get a guided and marked 3-ish mile run/walk plus three tasty brews from Saint Arnold Brewing Company, a pint glass and a Texas Tamale Company breakfast. Check in at Flying Saucer early for the run/walk at 9 am and, when you get back, eat, drink and celebrate Saint Arnold, raise a toast, and crush some tamales and enjoy great times at the Flying Saucer, too. 8 am.

Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra presents Speed Racer
Critically maligned upon its 2008 release, the Wachowskis’ big-screen adaptation of Speed Racer is a hyperkinetic, ultra-stylized cartoon classic that comes to vivid life. With a vibrant color palette, futuristic racecars, and a host of instantly memorable characters, this is a spot-on homage to the original TV series and a film not simply created with a child audience in mind. It is completely sincere, goofy as all get out, and – from start to finish – a neon-crazed, candy-color dream of what cinema is and should be. Noon.

Holocaust Museum Houston presents "Facing Survival | David Kassan" closing day
This weekend is the last chance to catch the paintings and drawings of acclaimed artist David Kassan, capturing the poignant stories and portraits of more than 24 Holocaust survivors. By intertwining the visual representation of the survivors with the sketches revealing Kassan’s artistic process, the exhibition transcends conventional forms of testimony, forging a poignant visual language that surpasses the limitations of spoken or written word. Noon.

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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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