Plan Your Weekend: December 17 to 20, 2020

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Photo courtesy of Avenida Houston

Updated Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 11pm

Find the perfect things to do in Houston this weekend with our Houston Weekend Guide from Thursday, December 17 through Sunday, December 20, 2020.

Commemorate the 250th birthday of one of the greatest composers the world has ever known during a concert series; kick the holidays into high-gear while gift shopping; catch a holiday drive-in flick; pay homage to the late, great DJ Screw while hearing his hits on a bike ride around the city; hit the patio for a cheesy Raclette and wine party in the heart of Montrose and more.

Click here for health guidelines, recommended actions, ways to help, restaurants offering curbside service, things to do at home with the kiddos, and more.

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Things to Do All Weekend

  • 2nd Annual Hometown Holidays & Trail of Lights at Silver Sycamore | Daily – Celebrate the holidays in Pasadena when the old west grounds of Silver Sycamore come to life during a week-long lights festival featuring an 18-foot Christmas tree, more than 100,000 lights, live music, Santa Claus, holiday food, shopping and more. $12 in advance; $8 for ages 12 and under. Times vary.
  • 32@32: Beethoven Piano Sonatas Concert Series by Adam Golka at Archway Gallery | Daily – Presented in conjunction with Resonance, Archway’s newest exhibition of woven artworks by Laura Viada, pianist and native Texan Adam Golka performs the complete Beethoven sonatas across a series of 11 concerts, alongside behind-the-scenes short films. Concerts will be performed nightly, minus a few nights around Christmas through Wednesday December 30, 2020. Tickets are $35 for a single show. 8pm nightly.
  • Dinosaur Adventure Drive-Thru at Pasadena Convention Center & Fairgrounds | Daily – Roll through a prehistoric time warp in Pasadena while getting up close with 80 life-sized dinos from the comfort and safety of your own vehicle—including a 40-foot T-Rex, a 30-foot Brachiosaurus, a Triceratops and more. Tickets are $49 per vehicle for up to 8 people and must be purchased in advance. 9am to 8pm daily.
  • Things to Do for Chanukah 2020 in Greater Houston | Ends Friday Load up on chocolate gelt (coins), latkes, and other holiday favorites while lighting the menorah and enjoying music, live entertainment, crafts, and other activities during Chanukah 2020 in Houston. Times and prices vary.
  • 40th Annual Home for the Holidays in Old Town Spring | Friday & Saturday | FREE – Stroll through the shops and restaurants in Old Town Spring while you enjoy live entertainment, train rides, Santa’s House and more. 10am to 8pm both days.
  • Comedian Marcus D. Riley at Houston Improv | Friday to Sunday Notorious for his hilarious clean comedy, Houston’s own Marcus D. Riley takes to the Improv stage for five socially distanced standup shows. Showtimes vary.
  • Houston Symphony presents A Very Merry Pops at Jones Hall | Friday to Sunday – Bask in holiday favorites like “Feliz Navidad,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and more when Conductor Michael Krajewski leads the Houston Symphony in a socially distanced concert at Jones Hall. $25; livestream tickets for the Saturday show are $20. Showtimes vary.
  • Main Street Theater presents The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley Virtual Read | Friday to Sunday | FREE – A companion to Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (performed the week prior), this holiday comedy takes us below stairs at Pemberley, where the servants are trying to not only manage the Christmas gathering upstairs but also the arrival of an unwelcome guest. Showtimes vary.
  • Longer Day Trips from Houston: Things to Do Outdoors | Daily – Load up the car for a full day’s worth of things to do outside, including state parks, natural landmarks, and more so you can plan an unforgettable day trip from Houston.
  • Things to Do for Christmas 2020 in Houston | Daily – Make your holiday season merry and bright with Christmas light displays, shopping markets, concerts and theatrical performances, socially distanced outdoor gatherings, skating rinks and more this winter. Times vary.
  • Christmas Light Displays Around Houston in 2020 | Daily – Pile in the car for a leisurely holiday drive or take a hot cocoa-fueled stroll while you ooh and ah at Houston’s most popular Christmas light displays—in residential neighborhoods and at city landmarks alike. Appropriate hours to do Christmas light drive-bys are typically from 7pm to 10pm.
  • Christmas Train at Victory Camp in Alvin | Daily – Enjoy yourself an old-fashioned train ride out in the open air while on a Christmas Train that takes visitors past Christmas lights and themed displays all along the way. $10 for ages 3 and up; $12 at the door; $8 after 8pm. Hours vary.
  • Zoo Lights at Houston Zoo | Daily – Stroll through the Houston Zoo with hot chocolate in hand while you admire glimmering displays made up of more than two million Christmas lights at this annual must-see attraction. $12.95 to $25.65; free for ages 1 and under. Tickets cannot be purchased in person and must be purchased online in advance. 5:30pm to 10:30pm daily; last entry 9:30pm.

Thursday, December 17, 2020

  • Menorah Lighting at HEB in Meyerland Plaza | FREE – Join Chabad Outreach of Houston and HEB in Meyerland Plaza for the last evening of their Menorah Lighting for Chanukah. Every participant will receive a goodie bag filled with Chanukah treats. 4pm.
  • Grand Chanukah Celebration and Menorah Lighting at Market Street | FREE – Head to Market Street in the Woodlands for a Chanukah celebration complete with the lighting of a nine-foot menorah and musical entertainment from Hasidic folk-rock band Rogers Park, following the ceremony. 4:30pm to 6:30pm.
  • Trivia Night on the Green at Kings Harbor in Kingwood | FREE – Gather your team, hit Kings Harbor, and battle it out to win prizes using your knowledge of sports, history, music and more. Masks are encouraged. 7pm.
  • Skate with Santa! at The Ice at Discovery Green – Get into the holiday spirit while skating with Santa Claus for an hour on The Ice at Discovery Green. $15 per person (including skate rental) and must be purchased in advance. The Ice is open for skating from 5pm to 10pm; Santa will be on The Ice from 7pm to 8pm.
  • SPA presents HACP Virtual Premiere: WindSync | FREE – Marvel at the beautiful music of woodwind quintet WindSync when the Society for the Performing Arts presents a premiere performance of a new work by composer and dancer Akshaya Avril Tucker. The performance will remain viewable after it debuts. 7pm.
  • Candlelight Open Air Concert: Holiday Special Featuring Tchaikovsky & Winter Classics at Hughes Manor Take in a classical concert during an outdoor candlelit (electric for safety) concert on Washington Avenue when the Listeso String Quartet performs classic Christmas carols as well as works by Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Strauss and more. $49 per person at tables for two or four. 6pm and 9pm.
  • Six-Course Holiday Wine-Paired Dinner at Haak Winery in Santa Fe Delight in a robust dinner featuring six courses paired with wine when Haak Winery hosts a delicious meal just in time for the holiday season. $80 per person. 6:30pm to 9pm.
  • Joshua Ray Walker in Concert at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck – Singer-songwriter Joshua Ray Walker takes to the stage for a set that blends Americana and working-class lyricism at Upper Kirby’s Mucky Duck for an in-person and virtually broadcast performance. $120 for a table for four; $180 for a table for six. The show will also be broadcast free online. 7pm to 9:30pm.
  • Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs: Live from Toyota Center on ATT Sportsnet-SW Tune in as the Rockets face off against in-state rivals San Antonio Spurs in the last game of their 2020 NBA Preseason, live from Toyota Center in Downtown Houston and broadcast live on ATT Sportsnet-SW. 7pm.
  • Main Street at the Mic presents 2020 Holidays: Passover through New Year’s on YouTube Celebrate everything from Passover through Christmas and New Year’s when Main Street Theater hosts their live streamed music event series which wraps up 2020 and features local and professional actors familiar to Houston audiences. Registration is required; donations are welcome. 7:30pm.
  • Comic Raj Sharma at Houston Improv Laugh out loud when comedian Raj Sharma, co-founder of Indians at the Improv, takes the stage at the Houston Improv for a socially distanced comedy show. $20 for two people; $30 for four people; $60 for six people; preferred tables range from $30 to $90, based on the number of people. 8pm.

Friday, December 18, 2020

  • Home Alone Movie Screening at City Acre Brewing Co. | FREE – Grab a slice of pizza and kick back while enjoying an outdoor screening of the 1990 holiday classic Home Alone starring Macaulay Culkin. Free to watch; $10 for all-you-can-eat pizza. 6pm to 10pm.
  • Jack Ingram in Concert at The Heights Theater Take in the acoustic tunes of Texas’ beloved Woodlands-born country artist, Jack Ingram when he performs two socially distanced shows at the Heights Theater. John Baumann opens. $28. 6pm and 8:45pm.
  • Sugar Land Movie Night Drive-In: Disney’s Frozen Movie Screening at Crown Festival ParkJoin Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Elsa and more for a drive-in screening at Crown Festival Park in Sugar Land of the 2013 family favorite classic, Frozen. $20 per car and must be purchased in advance. 7pm.
  • Houston Grand Opera’s Virtual HGO Studio Holiday Celebration | FREE – HGO Studio artists perform a repertoire ranging from Handel to traditional carols and contemporary favorites in this holiday concert. 7:30pm.
  • Letsdothishouston’s Chopped & Screwed Night Light Bike Ride Vibe to a curated playlist of all Chopped & Screwed music, DJ Screw, and other Houston artists while exploring the city on LED bikes. Tickets are $11.91; $27.60 including bike rental. 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
  • Sarah Grace in Concert at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck – A semi-finalist on NBC’s The Voice, Sarah Grace brings her powerhouse vocals and multi-instrumentalist talent to the stage at Upper Kirby’s Mucky Duck for an in-person and virtually broadcast performance. $120 for a table for four; $180 for a table for six. The show will also be broadcast free online. 7pm to 9:30pm.
  • 101st Annual Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular on ABC-13 | FREE – While the big, live holiday concert and fireworks blowout at City Hall has to stay dark this year, you can still tune in to see a streamlined re-broadcast of the variety show online featuring appearances and performances from Robert Glasper, Laci Kaye Booth, DCappella, Ledisi, Santa Claus, Houston Ballet, Dance of Asian America, International Voices and more. 7pm to 8pm.
  • Ars Lyrica Houston Virtual Comfort & Joy Concert  This performance of holiday favorites—along with little-heard Baroque selections—showcases the vocal and instrumental artistry of one of Houston’s most-acclaimed ensembles. The show will remain available for streaming after debut. $10. 7:30pm to 8:30pm.
  • Vince King Christmas Show at Main Street Crossing Hear hits from the Rat Pack and the king of rock and roll during a holiday concert where musician Vince King will cover tunes by Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis at Main Street Crossing in Tomball. $37. 8pm to 9pm.
  • Dusti’s Headliner Special featuring Comedian Andy Huggins at Rudyard’s British Pub Fall out of your chair laughing when local comedian Dusti Rhodes hosts an evening of standup featuring local favorite Andy Huggins, who is known for his appearances on the TV Show, America’s Got Talent and more, at Rudyard’s British Pub in Montrose. $5; $10 for a table for two; $20 for a table for four. 8:30pm to 11pm.

Things to Do on Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20, 2020.

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Cody Swann
Cody Swann is a writer and musician born and raised in Houston. When he isn't recording or touring the country with his band, Wild Moccasins, he can be found covering live music and arts events for 365 Things to Do in Houston.