Top 22 Festivals & Events in Houston This Month: July 2023

Make the most of your month with our list of the 22 biggest and most notable festivals and events in Houston in July 2023.

Events are listed chronologically by week, and are not in a ranked order. Events that span multiple weeks are carried over into the following week where appropriate.

Top 22 Festivals & Events in Houston This Month: July 2023

• Comedian Dave Chappelle at Toyota Center | Saturday, July 1 – Descending on Houston in a surprise show, comedian Dave Chappelle packs the Toyota Center for a night of arena-sized laughs. $64.50 and up. 7:30pm.
• Outlaw Music Festival: Willie Nelson & Family at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion | Sunday, July 2 – Celebrate one of country music’s bonafide legends on Independence Day weekend when Willie Nelson and friends come to the Woodlands to honor the red-headed stranger’s legacy in the American songbook. $39.50 and up. 4:30pm.
• RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq the World Tour at Smart Financial Centre | Sunday, July 2 – Iconic drag superstars from RuPaul’s Drag Race come together for a show-stopping performance, featuring fabulous talent like Asia O’Hara, Bosco, DeJa Skye, Lady Camden, Rosé, and Laganja Estranja, with Mistress Isabelle Brooks and Sasha Colby. $57 and up. 8pm.
• Freedom Over Texas & Fireworks at Eleanor Tinsley Park | Independence Day, Tuesday, July 4 – The annual Freedom Over Texas will feature local, regional, and national entertainment and will be capped off with a musically choreographed, “Texas-sized” fireworks finale at Eleanor Tinsley Park. The concert stage will host a headlining set from country star Chris Young, plus award-winning artist Yola, soul band TMF, Cupid, Keesha Pratt Band, Step Rideau and more. Fireworks are slated to start around 9:30pm. Tickets are $10; free ages 5 and under. 4pm to 10pm.
• BLCK Market Pop Up: 6th Anniversary at Greenstreet | Friday, July 7 | No Cover – Celebrating its sixth year of pop-up vendor markets that highlight Black-owned small businesses and local vendors, this party features all the shopping you’ve come to know and love from the markets, plus live music, food and drinks. 6pm to 10pm.
• Blink-182 in Concert at Toyota Center | Saturday, July 8 – The pop punk band’s original lineup of Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker rejoin for the first time in nearly a decade for a singalong concert of fan faves. $29.50 and up. 7:30pm.
• Texas Restaurant Awards & Lone Star Bash at 713 Music Hall | Sunday, July 9 – Foodies can enjoy the ultimate celebration of the Texas Restaurant industry, featuring tasty bites from 20 local restaurants, specialty cocktails from Houston mixologists, live music, and more. $150 and up. 5pm to 11pm.

• TUTS: A Celebration of Houston Stories & Songs at Miller Outdoor Theatre | Tuesday, July 11 to Saturday, July 15 | FREE – Theatre Under the Stars celebrates 55 years and Miller’s centennial with five nights of performances from celebrated Houston stars taking on iconic songs from TUTS’ history of Broadway productions and more. Arrive early for Friday and Saturday’s performance at 6:30pm for a celebration of Miller Outdoor with puppet shows, magicians and a larger-than-life birthday cake photo opportunity. 8:30pm.
• Houston Texans 713 Day at Post Houston | Thursday, July 13 | FREE – The Texans team up with Bud Light for an all-ages 713 Day celebration at Post, featuring appearances by Texans celebrities, Toro the mascot, games, giveaways, music and more. 5pm to 8pm.
• Mixers & Elixirs at Houston Museum of Natural Science | Friday, July 14 – Party amid prehistory when HMNS returns with another edition of its popular Mixers & Elixirs series, which offers a dance floor to groove on, along with cash bars and local food trucks on hand. $25. 7pm to 10pm.
• Summer Jam 2023 at Moody Center for the Arts | Saturday, July 15 | FREE – The Rice University arts gallery is transformed for Summer Jam, offering an indoor farmers market, hot food vendors, art activities, face painters, the Texas Bubblers and gallery tours. Free to attend; $6 for parking. Noon to 5pm.
• Vegan Vibez Summer Festival at the Raven Tower | Saturday, July 15 – Check out more than 70 vendors serving up delicious vegan foods at this Northside food festival that also includes a cooking contest, a rollerskate/dance battle, a vegan fashion runway show, giveaways, live music and more. $20. 2pm to 11pm.
• 23rd Anniversary Bash at Continental Club | Saturday, July 15 | No Cover – Get ready for a good time in celebration of the Mid-Main concert venue and backyard dive, Continental Club, when they host a Customer Appreciation Party honoring 23 years of service. The packed concert lineup features sets from Tomar & the FCs, the Allen Oldies Band, Jane Woe, the Lonesome Haunts, and many others. 7pm to 2am.
• ThriftCon at NRG Center | Sunday, July 16 – Shop vintage and retro culture and apparel from more than 100 fashion vendors at this super-sized con that makes for a prime place to cop your next look. $12 and up. 10am to 5pm.
• Colombian Fest International at Houston City Hall | Sunday, July 16 – Celebrate Colombian independence at Texas’ biggest celebration of its kind, boasting authentic art and food, as well as a local market, children’s games and more. Featured artists include Jorge Celedon, Formell y Los Van Van, La Suprema Corte, Willy Garcia and local talent from right here in Houston. $30 and up. 1pm to 10pm.

• Houston World Series of Dog Shows at NRG Center | Friday, July 21 to Sunday, July 23 – See a field of four-legged friends compete in a series of events, across 150 different breeds, vying for the coveted “Best in Show.” Competitive events include flyball, creative grooming, a frisbee exhibition, and canine musical freestyle. $15; free for ages 12 and under. Times vary.
• IgboFest Houston at Discovery Green | Saturday, July 22 | FREE – Take part in a cultural folklore festival that promotes the music, culture and traditional dances of Igbo peoples from Nigeria. 3pm to 9pm.
• Tex-Mex BBQ Block Party 2023 at Saint Arnold Brewery | Sunday, July 23 – This second annual event celebrates the influence of Tejano and Tex-Mex cooking traditions in Central Texas–style craft barbecue. More than a dozen pitmasters will serve up bites of smoked brisket tacos and flautas, crispy prime brisket chimichangas con queso, and smoked pork shoulder pozole. ‘Que vendors include John and Veronica Avila (Henderson & Kane), Eudel Hernandez (Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Cue), Richard Orozco (Heights BBQ), Alec Varnell (J-Bar-M Barbecue), and several more. $70 and up. 1pm to 4pm.
• Houston Toy Museum presents Barbie Movie Screening at Regal Edwards Marq’E | Sunday, July 23 – The Heights’ Toy Museum hosts a rented-out screening of the new Barbie film at the Marq’E, with Gram-worthy photo ops, unlimited popcorn and soda, and prizes for the best-dressed Barbie and Ken. $35. 6:30pm to 9:30pm.
• Real Madrid vs. Manchester United at NRG Stadium | Wednesday, July 26 – Elite clubs of Europe clash on the NRG field when superstars of soccer come to town for an international friendly. Players subject to appear include Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior and Luka Modrić against Manchester’s Marcus Rashford, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro. $90 and up. 7pm.
• Houston Shakespeare Festival presents Macbeth & Much Ado About Nothing at Miller Outdoor Theatre | Opens Thursday, July 27 | FREE – The annual festival returns to Miller for nine nights of free productions featuring two of the Bard’s theater masterpieces, Macbeth and Much Ado About Nothing on alternating nights. Performances end on Saturday, August 5. 8:15pm.
• Sarah Sherman at the Secret Group | Saturday, July 29 – A recent addition to the Saturday Night Live cast, the comedian who also goes by Sarah Squirm has toured the country with unconventional routines that have had her open for outside-the-box comedians like Eric Andre. $25 and up. 7pm.