Step into Houston’s 2022 Fall Festival season

Fireworks go off above a market
The Texas Renaissance Festival happens every weekend throughout the fall | Photo courtesy of Texas Renaissance Festival

Circle these dates for 45+ of this season’s upcoming fall festivals featuring live music, food, cultural celebrations and more at places across Greater Houston from Saturday, September 17 to Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 24, 2022.

With cooler weather comes a bustling festival season through Houston, every month bringing a new slate of outdoor fun and cultural festivities.

We’ve gathered some of the city’s best festivals we’ve come to know and love over the years, as well as special events taking place across the city.

2022 Fall Festivals in Greater Houston

Houston Fall Festivals in September 2022

The Galveston Island Shrimp Festival returns in September | Courtesy of Galveston Island Shrimp Festival
  • Latin Festival 2022 at Pearland Town Center | Saturday, September 17 | FREE – The Pearland outdoor shopping destination hosts a Latin Festival with cultural dances, live music, small business shopping, and the presentation of Latino Hero Scholarships to local students and teachers. 10am to 8pm.
  • Houston Blues & Jazz Festival at Multiple Locations | Weekends from Saturday, September 17 to Sunday, September 25 | FREE – Across two weekends in September, venues across Houston host world-renown names in jazz, including hard bop greats Nellie McKay and the Cookers at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Frank Lacy and Bayou City Funk at Axelrad, bassist and Prince collaborator Mono Neon at 713 Music Hall, and Houston-native Diunna Greenleaf and Eric Gales at the Rustic in Downtown. Shows across the first weekend are free; other shows are $35 each. Times vary.
  • Galveston Island Shrimp Festival at Saengerfest Park | Friday, September 23 & Saturday, September 24 – Fill up on gumbo, shrimp and Gulf Coast eats at this annual festival that kicks off with a Friday night party, followed by a Saturday morning 5K, cook-off competition, a rum punch contest, vendors along the Strand, and more. Prices for events vary, but Saturday’s popular Gumbo Stroll tasting event starts at $13 in advance; $16 day of. Times vary.
  • Karbachtoberfest 2022 Kick-Off at Karbach Brewing Company | Friday, September 23 & Saturday, September 24 | No Cover – Running three full weekends (from Friday to Sunday), Karbachtoberfest is back with live music, stein hoisting competitions, wiener dog races and the brewery’s Bavarian-style marzen (lager), Karbachtoberfest. Times vary.
  • 86th Annual Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo in Rosenberg | Friday, September 23 to Sunday, October 2 – Through the first Sunday in October, this 10-day fair and rodeo features carnival rides, BBQ competitions, concerts, a farmer’s market, a crawfish boil, a fishing tournament, and much more. Season passes are available for $40; single day admission is $15 at the gate; $5 for ages 6 to 11; free for ages 5 and under. Times vary.
Diunna Greenleaf closes out the Houston Jazz Festival in late September | Courtesy of Diunna Greenleaf
  • Sugar Land Fall Fest at Sugar Land Town Square | Saturday, September 24 | FREE – Kick off the fall season in Sugar Land with this free afternoon festival featuring live music, food, dance and cultural performances, art demos, hayrides and more. Food and drink specials will also be available at Sugar Land Town Square restaurants. 10am to 3pm.
  • Texas Roots Festival at Texas Roots Ranch | Saturday, September 24 & Sunday, September 25 – In New Waverly, this 2-day fest offers live music, food trucks, a beer garden, overnight camping, a local vendor market and more on Texas Roots Ranch, north of Houston. $26 and up. Noon to 10pm.
  • 2nd Annual Charreada at Traders Village | Sunday, September 25 – Rooted in Mexican cultural traditions, this festive event extends beyond rodeo horses and riders to include costume, music and delicious foods. Expect dancing horses, live performances, a petting zoo and more. Free to attend; $5 for parking. 10am to 5pm.
  • Takuache Festival Houston at Sports Creek | Sunday, September 25 – Celebrate National Latin Heritage Month in East End featuring live music from bandas and grupos all day long, local vendors and food pop-ups, ice cold micheladas, and more. Advance tickets start at $10. Noon to 9pm.
  • El Festival de la Salsa at Midtown Park | Sunday, September 25 – The central Midtown parkspace hosts an all-day festival including salsa artists Maelo Ruiz, Cro Cro y Su Tumbaka, Rudy Rincon, and several others along with a salsa dance competition, food and more. Free before 3pm with RSVP; $10 after. Free for ages 12 and under. 1pm to 10pm.
  • Grito Fest 2022 Pre-Party at Baytown Town Square | Friday, September 30 | FREE – The two-day Grito Fest celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month in Baytown, getting the ball rolling with a pre-party at Baytown Town Square, featuring mariachi, ballet folklórico and Tejano artist Jay Perez. 5:30pm to 10pm.
  • Oktoberfest: Music to My Beers Weekend Kickoff Party at Pearland Town Center | Friday, September 30 | FREE – The fun gets rolling with a Friday night kickoff event where you can shop local vendors at a market hosted by Old Pearland Farmer’s Market, along with weenie dog races, singer-songwriter tunes from Dustin Harper, and a barbecue cook-off. 6pm to 10pm.
  • Saint Arnold Oktoberfest 2022 at Saint Arnold Brewery | Friday, September 30 & Saturday, October 1 | FREE – The spacious beer garden at Saint Arnold hosts high energy live music from Das Ist Lustig with Valina Polka, plus glass boots and beer goggle races. 6pm to 9pm.

Houston Fall Festivals in October 2022

King’s BierHaus taps another Oktoberfest this fall | Courtesy of King’s BierHaus
  • Nigeria Cultural Parade & Festival at Root Memorial Square | Saturday, October 1 | FREE – Celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day at the annual parade that begins at Root Memorial Square, just outside of Toyota Center. Dish on jollof rice, and enjoy afrobeats and a cultural procession through the streets of Downtown. 10am to 4pm.
  • 8th Annual Houston Creole Heritage Festival at Emancipation Park | Saturday, October 1 – Third Ward welcomes the return of the Creole Heritage Festival, which packs a day full of live music—including Ruben Moreno and the Zydeco Re-Evolution—as well as delicious food, dancing, a special Mardi Gras punch, and a VIP Creole tasting experience with Chef Gason Nelson out of NOLA. $10 and up; free for ages under 12. VIP tickets are $50. 11am to 10pm.
  • Oktoberfest: Music to My Beers at Pearland Town Center | Saturday, October 1 | FREE – The big beer fest extravaganza returns to Pearland with a full day of music performances from Morgan Ashley, the Hamilton Loomis Duo, and the Stringbenders, plus, you can sample seasonal offerings from nine of the region’s tastiest craft breweries. 2pm to 9pm.
  • 2022 H-Town on Tap Beer Fest at the Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park | Saturday, October 1 – Local and national breweries gather at the Water Works for a crisp fall day of beer sampling and local chefs, live bands, games, giveaways and more. $15. 2pm to 9pm.
  • Oktoberfest at Sugar Land Town Square | Saturday, October 1 | No Cover – Flying Saucer Biergarten opens more than 50 taps for a Bavarian celebration in Sugar Land, featuring a vintage and crafts market, live music and dance, and traditional German foods with roaming jugglers, stilt walkers, tarot readers and other special surprises. 4pm to 9pm.
  • Grito Fest 2022 at Bicentennial Park | Saturday, October 1 | FREE – The all-day Grito Fest returns to Baytown’s Bicentennial Park, featuring a full slate of performances from mariachi, ballet folklórico, an accordion competition, jalapeño eating contests, and more. 4:30pm to 10:30pm.
The 50th biannual Bayou City Arts Festival heads to Sam Houston Park in Downtown | Courtesy of Bayou City Arts Festival
  • The Original Greek Festival at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral | Thursday, October 6 to Saturday, October 8 – The annual Greek festival returns to the heart of Montrose, where you can expect bountiful Greek food, wine tastings, dancing, games and other family-friendly fun. $5; free for ages 12 and under. Friday 5pm to 10pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 10pm.
  • 43rd Annual Festival Chicano at Miller Outdoor Theatre | Thursday, October 6 to Saturday, October 8 | FREE – The Hermann Park stage again hosts this annual festival celebration of Chicano culture with performances across three nights, featuring Jay Perez and David Farias Band on Thursday; Elida Reyna y Avante with La Fiebre on Friday; and a Saturday night performance from Ram Herrera and Little Joe y La Familia. 7pm nightly.
  • Pearland Art on the Pavilion at Pearland Town Center | Saturday, October 8 & Sunday, October 9 | No Cover – Hit up Pearland’s outdoor shopping district for a two-day juried art market featuring regional artists showcasing and selling one-of-a-kind artwork, with performances by local bands and musicians, and food truck offerings. 10am to 5pm.
  • Bayou City Art Festival in Downtown | Saturday, October 8 & Sunday, October 9 – Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Bayou City Art Festival returns to Sam Houston Park in Downtown for two days of art shopping and showcases by more than 220 national and international artists. Plus, you can stroll the craft beer and boutique wine gardens, participate in a community art project and take in live performances. $15; $5 for ages 6 to 12. 10am to 6pm.
  • Black Heritage Fest at Emancipation Park | Saturday, October 8 & Sunday, October 9 – Celebrate Houston’s vibrant African American community with a weekend gathering of artists, guest speakers, poets and crafts people, featuring performances by DJ Elevated, Elle Varner, Eric Benét, and Ruben Moreno & Zydeco Re-Evolution. $15; $5 for ages 9 to 12. 4pm to 10pm.
  • Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission | Saturday, October 8 to Sunday, November 27 – Back for its 48th year, the annual renaissance faire offers a whole fall of reveling in the enchanted worlds of kings and queens, knights, fairies and elves, with unique themes, crowd-pleasing performances, and delicious eats. Costumes are encouraged and you can shop unique crafts, leather goods, clothing and more. 9am to 8pm.
The annual Kids Day festival returns to Second Ward in October | Courtesy of Buffalo Bayou Partnership
  • 33rd Annual Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival in Downtown Conroe | Friday, October 14 to Sunday, October 16 – The family-friendly Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival features three days of live music with local, regional and national performers on three stages, food vendors offering festival and Cajun favorites, arts and crafts vendors, a professional carnival, assorted community and educational exhibits, an annual Catfish Pageant and a KidZone area, and more. $15 and up; free for ages 12 and under. Times vary.
  • Oktoberfest 2022 at King’s Bierhaus | Friday, October 14 to Sunday, October 16 – The Bavarian BierHaus in the Heights hosts a weekend of Oktoberfest fun with a wide selection of German beer and authentic German plates, costume contests, mug lifting competitions, live music and carnival games. $18 and up. Friday and Saturday 11am to midnight; Sunday 11am to 9pm.
  • Puerto Rican & Cuban Festival at Crown Festival Park in Sugar Land | Saturday, October 15 – This annual festival returns to Sugar Land, celebrating Puerto Rican and Cuban culture, with a live performance from El Chacal and a full day of concerts and dancing, food vendors, a car show, vendors and more. $15 in advance. Noon to 10pm.
  • 8th Annual Tacolandia at the Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park | Saturday, October 15 – The 8th annual taco festival gathers dozens of taco vendors for sampling, along with a games zone, live DJ, a pepper eating contest and plenty of margs to wash it down. $35 and up. 4pm to 7pm.
  • 40th Annual Galveston Oktoberfest at First Lutheran Church of Galveston | Friday, October 21 & Saturday, October 22 | No Cover – Galveston’s family-friendly festival returns for its 40th year, offering a weekend of free entertainment, food, rides and games. Enjoy traditional German food and drink while you take in a slate of polka performers on both days. Friday 5pm to 10pm; Saturday 11am to 10pm.
  • Southern Smoke Festival at Multiple Locations | Friday, October 21 to Sunday, October 23 – Chef Chris Shepherd’s foundation that supports food and beverage workers across the nation hosts a three day festival showcasing dozens of top chefs from Houston and around the country. The festival features a Hermann Park night of bites hosted by Austin pitmaster Aaron Franklin; a limited raw bar dining experience at the Houstonian Hotel; and an 8th Wonder Brewery throwdown to cap it off, with trailer and pit cooking, and live music from Shakey Graves. $150 and up. Times vary.
  • 2022 KBR Kids Day at Tony Marron Park in Second Ward | Saturday, October 22 | FREE – Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s annual family festival returns to the Second Ward park, filled with local entertainment, hands-on activities, live performers, face painters and much more. Costumes are encouraged. 11am to 3pm.
  • Houston Filipino Street Festival at Constellation Field | Saturday, October 22 – Celebrate the Philippines and local Filipino culture at this family-friendly festival in Sugar Land that presents traditions, live performances and street food in an embrace of cultural diversity. $17 and up. Noon to 7pm.
  • 2022 Houston Afrifest at Houston Baptist University | Saturday, October 22 – Drawing thousands from across the city, this annual fest celebrates the continent of Africa with a market featuring local and international vendors, and showcasing the arts, music, fashion and foods from across the region. $10; free for ages 5 and under. Noon to 7pm.
Danza Azteca Taxcayolotl performs at MECA Houston’s Día de los Muertos | Courtesy of MECA Houston
  • 9th Annual Magnolia Park Dia de los Muertos Festival & Parade in Hildalgo Park | Saturday, October 29 | FREE – Houston’s First Barrio celebrates Día de los Muertos with a free festival and parade at Hildalgo Park in Second Ward, including food, kids activities, cultural performances and live music. 11am to 5pm.
  • Sugar Land Dia De Los Muertos Celebration at Sugar Land Town Square | Saturday, October 29 | FREE – Take in traditional mariachi and ballet folklórico performances, Aztec dancers, Hispanic cuisine and more at this annual festival in Sugar Land for the whole family. Noon to 4pm.
  • CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow 2022 at Ellington Field | Saturday, October 29 & Sunday, October 30 – One of the top airshows in the nation, Wings Over Houston showcases vintage World War II aircraft and modern aviation with soaring spectacles, reenactments, and high-flying aerobatics. $32.50 and up; free for ages 14 and under. 8am to 4pm.
  • Día de Muertos Festival at MECA Houston | Saturday, October 29 & Sunday, October 30 | FREE – MECA’s annual two-day Día de los Muertos community festival in Sixth Ward returns, packed with delicious foods, live music and dance performances, arts and crafts activities, a local vendor market, artists, ofrendas and more. 11am to 7pm both days.
  • Freaky Deaky 2022 at Houston Raceway Park | Saturday, October 29 & Sunday, October 30 – Get ready for two nights of costumed EDM fun at this festival taking place in Baytown, featuring producers like Kaskade, Steve Aoki, Illenium, and Chris Lake, plus dozens more DJs and pulse-pounding spooky fun. Single day tickets are $95 and up; 2-day passes are $170 and up. 2pm to 11pm.

Houston Fall Festivals in November 2022

Catch outdoor screenings and film premieres at the Cinema Arts Festival in November | Courtesy of Cinema Arts Festival
  • International Quilt Festival Houston at George R. Brown Convention Center | Thursday, November 3 to Sunday, November 6 – Join more than 55,000 quilting enthusiasts for a full week of classes, exhibits, networking, shopping, guest speakers and more at the International Quilt Festival in Downtown Houston. $15. Thursday to Saturday 10am to 7pm; Sunday 10am to 4pm.
  • 2nd Annual Houston Día de los Muertos Parade & Festival at Sam Houston Park in Downtown | Saturday, November 5 – After a successful inaugural parade in 2021, the Día de los Muertos festival returns to Downtown, offering an evening of live music, a parade procession from 7pm to 8pm, delicious concessions, arts and crafts, and more. Free to participate in the parade, but traditional attire—full of pageantry and beauty—is recommended. 2pm to 10pm.
  • 2022 Wild West Brew Fest at Typhoon Texas Waterpark in Katy | Saturday, November 5 – More than 600 styles of beers from over 80 brewers will be on hand at this one-day festival that also offers live bands and an array of food trucks. $50 and up. 3pm to 9pm.
  • 14th Annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival at Multiple Venues | Thursday, November 10 to Thursday, November 17 | Some FREE – The city’s annual festival celebrating the silver screen returns to theater spaces across Houston, screening and premiering short films and feature lengths from Houston and around the world, as well as providing special guest panels and workshop opportunities. Screenings are typically individually ticketed and sometimes free, but all-access passes start at $200. Times, locations and prices vary.
  • Tokyo Night Festival at Texas Festival Grounds | Friday, November 11 & Saturday, November 12 – Celebrate modern and traditional Japanese culture with back-to-back days of performances, cosplay, and Japanese food–themed vendors, plus take in a merch market, a sumo tournament, car exhibits and more. $25 and up. 3pm to 10pm.
  • 2022 Houston Food Fest at Midtown Park | Saturday, November 12 – Dozens of local food vendors line up for a day of delicious eats to suit any appetite. $8 and up. 2pm to 10pm.
  • 32nd Annual Native American Championship Pow Wow at Traders Village | Saturday, November 12 & Sunday, November 13 – This annual event draws Native and Indigenous people from across the country for back-to-back days of tribal dance displays, art, crafts, fry bread, and more. Free, but parking is $5. 10am to 5pm.
  • We Are One Music & Arts Festival at Eleanor Tinsley Park | Saturday, November 12 & Sunday, November 13 – Set against the skyline of Houston, this two-day music festival features EDM talent like Tiësto and Martin Garrix, and rap stars DaBaby, Gucci Mane and Chief Keef, a Welcome to Houston performance, and appearances by other big live acts. $150 for a 2-day pass; VIP starts at $250. Times TBA.
  • Come & Take It Comedy Festival at the Secret Group | Thursday, November 17 to Sunday, November 20 – The EaDo venue celebrates the return of the weekend-long comedy festival that spans multiple indoor and outdoor stages, graced by some of the country’s funniest upcoming and established comics. Individual show prices vary; $140 for a weekend pass. Times vary.
  • 73rd Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in Downtown | Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 24 | FREE – Get into the holiday spirit at the 70th Annual H-E-B Houston Thanksgiving Day Parade, a showcase of sensational floats, high-flying balloons, marching bands, artistic entries, and live entertainment through the streets of Downtown. 9am to 11am.

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Justin Jerkins
A longtime Houstonian, Justin Jerkins always keeps an eye out for what's ahead on Houston's horizon while serving as Editor-in-Chief of 365 Things to Do in Houston. When he's not passing along the latest events, destinations and hidden treasures in H-Town, he loves diving into the city's food scene, shopping local and learning about Houston's rich history.