Plan Your Weekend: May 4 to 7, 2023

Things to Do
All Weekend Long

• Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at J Bar M Barbecue & Beer Garden | Thursday to Saturday | No Cover – EaDo’s barbecue hotspot serves up three days of special food and drink specials with live Latin music—including the main event on Friday, Cinco de Mayo day itself, which will be plussed with a mini-market, face painting, and more. 11am to 11:45pm daily.
• The Riot Comedy Club presents Bo Johnson at Rudyard’s Pub | Friday & Saturday – Hailing from Seattle, Johnson can be found headlining clubs, breweries, and dingy bars across the United States and sometimes Canada. The comic has been featured on Kevin Hart Presents: Hart of the City on Comedy Central, and high-profile comedy festivals across North America. $17 and up. Times vary.
• Comedian Michael Rapaport at Houston Improv | Friday & Saturday – Acting in more than 60 films since the early 1990s, with appearances in Boston Public, Friends, Prison Break and other shows, the podcast host and comedian takes to Spring Branch for back-to-back nights of hilarity. $50 for 2, and up. Times vary.
• Houston Polish Festival at Our Lady of Czestochowa Roman Catholic Church | Friday to Sunday | FREE – Held in spring and the fall, the Houston Polish Festival combines traditional and modern elements featuring food, drink, and entertainment, plus a Children’s Corner that offers an area full of exciting games, face painting, bounce houses and more. Though free to attend, food and drinks are on you. Times vary.
• La Izquierda Surf & Music Festival at Galveston’s Beach Central | Friday to Sunday – Head down to the island for a three-day celebration of beach culture and live music, with 20 acts including headliner Bun B on Saturday, along with sets from other local favorites Swimwear Department, Los Skarnales, Young Mammals, India Tigers in Texas, and more. The festival will also feature surf competitions on Saturday, yoga, vendors, food trucks, art installations, and more. Free on Friday; $20 per day on Saturday and Sunday. Times vary.
• Change the Pattern at Multiple Locations | Daily | FREE – On display in Downtown and near the Intercontinental Airport, newly-made panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt offer visitors the chance to help remember the lives and stories of those lost to HIV/AIDS. Daily quilt-making workshops, educational forums and movie screenings help round out this week-long event. 11am to 3pm.
• Dinos Alive at Marq’e Entertainment Center | Daily | Ongoing –Step back in time and get a sense of the sheer scale of the largest beasts to walk the earth at the Dinos Alive Immersive Experience. More than 80 animatronic dinosaurs can be viewed in their natural habitat, along with an added boost thanks to the latest in virtual reality tech. 20 and up; price varies by date and time. Times vary.

Japan Festival
Hermann Park
^{Saturday & Sunday}

After a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the popular Japan Festival returns to Hermann Park, offering two days of cultural celebration through music, dance and martial arts, food, hands-on activities and more.

FREE | 11am to 6pm

• Juxtapose Arts Collective presents Giselle at MATCH | Friday to Sunday – This ghost-filled ballet production tells the tragic, romantic story of a beautiful young peasant girl who falls in love with a disguised nobleman, and the spiraling consequences of their clandestine relationship. $20. Times vary.
• Houston Symphony presents Broadway Hits Go to Hollywood at Jones Hall | Friday to Sunday – Hear beloved songs of Broadway on the Symphony stage, featuring works from My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Les Misérables, The Wiz, and more—performed by Broadway stars Nikki Renée Daniels and Hugh Panaro. $35 and up. Times vary.
• 27th Annual Keels & Wheels: Concours D’Elegance at Lakewood Country Club | Saturday & Sunday – This gathering combines displays of vintage and contemporary automobiles—including antiques, Ferraris, hot rods, super cars, classic American and European models, and more—along with boats that range from historic crafts built before 1919 through classic and contemporary classes. $30 and up. Saturday 10am to 5pm; Sunday 9am to 4pm.
• 49th Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour | Saturday & Sunday – In the first of two weekends, Galveston Historical Foundation opens up the doors to some of the Island’s significant architectural history, along with numerous special events that offer unique experiences at historic sites across Galveston. $45 and up. 10am to 6pm.
• Japan Festival Houston 2023 at Hermann Park | Saturday & Sunday | FREE – Following a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the popular Japan Festival returns to Hermann Park, offering two days of cultural celebration through music, dance and martial arts, food, hands-on activities and more. 11am to 6pm.
• Fiddler on the Roof at the Grand 1894 Opera House | Saturday & Sunday – This enduring musical about the dairy farmer Tevye and his daughters comes to Galveston, bringing with it the songs that have made it a beloved classic since its original opening on Broadway nearly 60 years ago. A story of traditions, family and how to endure against struggle, Fiddler is loved around the world. $34.20 and up. Saturday at 8pm; Sunday at 2pm and 7pm.

Ongoing Live Theater & Performing Arts in Houston

• Mildred’s Umbrella presents Tooth & Tail at the DeLuxe Theater | Daily | Opening Weekend – This world premiere by Elizabeth A.M. Keel is the swashbuckling story of Vixen LeFey and her dragon Flicker, on a quest to save the kidnapped Princess Plumeria. Its a fairy tale, an adventure and a reflection on what women can do and how we’re stronger together. Please note, parents are encouraged to read the play’s content warning before determining whether to bring younger children. Pay-what-you-can. Showtimes vary.
• Vincent Victoria presents Dreamgirl Deferred at Midtown Art Center | Friday to Sunday | Opening Weekend – A selection of the National Black Theatre Festival in 2022, this production is a fictionalized dramatization on the tragic life of singer Florence Ballard of the Supremes. Set in Detroit in 1975, the story finds Ballard in a mental health and alcohol recovery center, dealing with depression while trying to attempt a musical comeback. $25. Showtimes vary.
• 9 to 5: The Musical at Art Factory | Friday to Sunday | Opening Weekend – Hear the hits of beloved country music icon Dolly Parton when Art Factory’s revival of this bombastic Broadway musical hits the Docks near Downtown. $30. Showtimes vary.
• A.D. Players presents The Play That Goes Wrong at the George Theater | Daily | Ongoing – If Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes combined forces to write a play, it might well be this one, where a band of thespians attempt to get through a performance in the face of calamities. This production runs through Sunday, May 14. $30 and up. Showtimes vary.
• Wolf Play at the Rec Room | Daily | Ongoing –In this wildly theatrical play, desires and decisions collide in unexpected ways and a child finds himself on a lone wolf’s quest to discover who he is meant to be. $10 and up. Times vary.
• Sherlock Holmes & the Case of the Jersey Lily at Alley Theatre | Daily | Ongoing – This classic sleuthing caper gets a comic twist when the muse of author Oscar Wilde is caught up in a conspiracy that brings in the famed Sherlock Holmes to solve the case. $34 and up. Showtimes vary.
• Stages presents The Bride Or: Does This Dress Make Me Look Married? at the Gordy | Daily | Ongoing – Beloved to Houston audiences for her role as Sister in Late Night Catechism, Denise Fennell offers her unique perspective on the institution of marriage. Mere hours before her wedding, a bride of a certain age questions everything, including whether she should get married at all. This production runs through Sunday, May 14. $30 and up. Showtimes vary.
• Music Box Theater presents The Greatest Hits Album Side B: Moving Boxes at Queensbury Theatre | Friday & Saturday | Ongoing – The cabaret troupe celebrates the move to its new home in CityCentre with an evening of jazz, pop, rock and Broadway tunes from the 1960s through the ‘90s. $38 and up. Showtimes vary.
• Houston Grand Opera presents Tosca at Wortham Center | Friday | Final Weekend – Puccini’s dazzling tour de force follows the story of singer Floria Tosca, madly in love with painter Cavaradossi. Their love affair is threatened by the Baron Scarpia, who desires Tosca for himself. Star soprano and HGO Studio alumna Tamara Wilson makes her role debut as Tosca. $20 and up. Showtimes vary.

Weekend Festivals, Study Spots & More Destinations

• Star Wars Day Events in Houston – May the 4th be with you at these celebrations, trivia nights and film screenings for the epic Star Wars saga.
• Cinco de Mayo Celebrations & Parties in Houston – Celebrate Mexican American culture with a weekend of celebrations, food and drink specials, concerts and more across Houston.
• Kentucky Derby Day Parties in Houston – Pony up for a good time as the Kentucky Derby returns, bringing with it a slate of events at local bars and restaurants that will you have you sipping mint juleps, gathering among some of the most elegant hats you’ve seen, and toasting to two minutes of horse race madness.
• Best Places to Study & Remote Work in Houston – Check out our 20+ picks for places where you can cozy up and cram throughout Houston.
• 2023 Spring Festivals in Greater Houston – Get a head start on your springtime planning with our guide to spring festivals taking place through May 2023.
• 2023 Spring Markets in Greater Houston – Shop local vendors, craftmakers and more at over 20 spring markets across the Houston region.
• Limited Time Museum Exhibits & Art Installations Around Greater Houston | Daily | Many FREE – Explore the many striking, stunning, and diverse exhibits exploring history, science, art, culture, and creativity around the Greater Houston metro area.

• Aligning Your Inner & Outer Nature at Houston Botanic Garden – Yogi Ashokananda will guide you through Atma Kriya meditation, which moves the prana (life force) through the body into your higher consciousness by using the breath, the gentle concentration of the mind, and subtle awareness of the process. $25. 6pm to 7:30pm.
• Urban Harvest’s Cultivated Cocktails at Southside Place Community Garden – The latest installment in Urban Harvest’s Cultivated Cocktails series sees a gathering in the garden where attendees will learn how to craft the perfect margarita with Acasa Margarita mix, herbs, jalapeños and other items grown from the Urban Harvest garden. Free for Cultivators members; $125 to join. 6pm to 8pm.
• Art Spiegelman on Si Lewen & Graphic Novels at the Menil | FREE – The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of the 1992 Holocaust narrative, Maus, comes to the Menil for a discussion on the art of Si Lewen and the history of graphic novels. 6pm to 8pm.
• Star Wars Day at Ingenious Brewing Company | No Cover – The Humble brewery celebrates the day with special themed can and small batch releases, songs of the trilogy from Homebrewed Brass Ensemble, a best dressed contest, and a sip-and-paint workshop where you can put together a Star Wars-themed canvas to take home. Free to attend; $35 and up for the painting workshop. 6:30pm to 9pm.
• Boots on the Bayou at the Ballroom at Bayou Place – Helping raise funds to promote healthy waterways, this evening gala from the Bayou Preservation Association features a night of Southern charm with exquisite dining and festivities that celebrate Houston’s bayous. Western cowboy boots with business casual attire is encouraged. $275 and up. 6:30pm to 9:30pm.
• 3rd Annual Star Wars Wine Dinner at Max’s Wine Dive – Star Wars fanatics can wine and dine at Max’s third annual themed wine dinner, featuring a five-course menu inspired by the iconic films paired with the exclusive labels from the Dive. Costumes are encouraged. Reservations are recommended. $99. 7pm. 
• Giacomo Turra in Concert at Last Concert Cafe – Head to the North Downtown mainstay for a laidback concert featuring Italian guitarist and singer, Giacomo Turra with the Funky Minutes. $12 and up. 7pm.
• TUTS: 2023 Tommy Tune Awards at Hobby Center – Fans of musical theatre won’t want to miss this awards show, which celebrates the ensembles, performances and productions of Houston area high schools. Broadway star Michael James Scott (Aladdin, Shrek The Musical) hosts the show. $36 and up. 7pm.

Star Wars: A New Hope
Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown
^{Thursday, May 4}

Celebrate Star Wars day with an outdoor screening of the O.G. 1977 film about Luke Skywalker and rebel alliance forces taking on Darth Vader and the Death Star.

$20.20 and up | 7:30pm

• Kiko Villamizar in Concert at Discovery Green | FREE – Part of the Thursday Concert Series in Downtown, you can catch this fusion of Afro-Colombian, reggae and other Latin world beats courtesy of Kiko Villamizar. 7pm to 9pm.
• May The Fourth Trivia Night at City Orchard | No Cover – Summon the force for a special trivia night at the Arts District cidery that will test your knowledge of all things from a galaxy far, far away. 7pm to 9pm.
• Star Wars Night at Eureka Heights Brewing Co. | No Cover – This May the 4th celebration in the Heights kicks off with Space Balls bingo, followed by a Jumbotron screening of Return of the Jedi, and more Star Wars–themed fun. 7pm to 10pm.
• Star Wars: A New Hope Movie Screening at Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown – Celebrate Star Wars day with an outdoor screening of the O.G. 1977 film about Luke Skywalker and rebel alliance forces taking on Darth Vader and the Death Star. $20.50 and up. 7:30pm.
• Comedian Che Durena at Houston Improv – Best known for his work as a host and writer for My Most Amazing Top 10, the Haitian Canadian comedian comes to the Spring Branch comedy club for a solo set. $100 for 4, and up. 7:30pm.
• The Squad: Rise of the Chicano Squad Movie Screening at MATCH – Based on a true story, five Mexican American detectives are tasked with stopping the epidemic of drug violence and missing children. $22 and up. 7:45pm.
• The Band of Heathens in Concert at the Heights Theater – On the heels of releasing the band’s 13th album, Simple Things, the Austin-based Americana group takes to the Heights for one night-only. $26 and up. 8pm.

• More Great Things to Do All Weekend Long – Some of the biggest things to do in Houston are happening all weekend long. Scroll up to explore events and shows spanning multiple days, or browse Houston Experiences to save on museum and brewery passes, tours, and more.