Top 15 Food & Drink Events in Houston This Month: May 2024

Dine on delicious dishes and enjoy our picks for the top food and drink events taking place around Houston in May 2024.

Are the May flowers here yet? No matter, these hot culinary happenings will keep us in good spirits regardless of the Houston weather.

We’ve got Cinco de Mayo weekend, mint julep-soaked Derby Day watch parties, and foodie festivals from Greek Fest to a brand-new food and wine celebration featuring some of the city’s top chef talent.

Here’s how to eat, drink and have fun in Houston this month:

Top 15 Food & Drink Events in Houston This Month: May 2024

• 10th Annual Derby Day Party at Julep | Saturday, May 4 – Southern cocktailery Julep will once again host its epic Kentucky Derby Day Party, inviting guests to dress up and enjoy a classy lawn party, fully tented with more than 5,000 fresh cut flowers throughout. Expect main bars, a whiskey bar and hydration station, eats from Top Chef contestant Chef Michelle Wallace, Kentucky Derby viewing, live DJs, and more. $20 and up. 1pm to 6pm.
• Derby Down the Bayou Wine Fest at Brenner’s on the Bayou | Saturday, May 4 – Brenner’s springtime Wine Fest goes Derby-style, inviting guests to sip wines from exclusive makers, stroll the gorgeous bayou-side grounds, and enjoy some Kentucky Derby action. Chef-crafted bites will be served from seven of Houston’s top restaurants including Brenner’s on the Bayou, Grotto Downtown, Cadillac Bar, Willie G’s, Babin’s and a dessert station from Landry’s Signature Group. $150 and up. 2:30pm to 5:30pm.
• Derby HTX at RockHouse Southern Kitchen | Saturday, May 4 – This annual blowout Kentucky Derby watch party in West Houston will feature live DJ music, Derby-inspired cocktails, Southern cooking, and good old-fashioned fun. $25 and up. 3pm to 8pm.
• Yaga’s Children’s Fund Wild Game & BBQ Cook-Off at Moody Gardens | Friday, May 10 & Saturday, May 11 – The 2024 edition brings two days of island-style fun, kicking off with a VIP Sponsor Party on Friday, followed by Saturday’s 5K Fun Run, cook-off and beer tasting. The family-friendly event benefits the Yaga’s Children’s Fund and its support of more than 25 Galveston County organizations. Ticket pricing and times TBA.
• Big As Texas Music Festival at Montgomery County Fairgrounds | Friday, May 10 to Sunday, May 12 – This hot new festival will make its debut in Montgomery County just outside of Houston, with a goal of becoming the largest annual outdoor country music fest in the Lone Star State. The weekend showcases more than 30 artists putting on live concerts, plus over 20 food trucks and open-fire grilling from local spots Honor Cafe and Dosey Doe. The food lineup includes favorites like Conroe Lake House, El Guajillo, Foreign Policy Food Truck, Island Noodles, Nacho Birria, the Burger Joint, Whiskey & Brisket Barbecue, and more. $139 and up. Times vary.

• Texas Crab Festival at Festival Park in Crystal Beach | Friday, May 10 to Sunday, May 12 – Held annually on Mother’s Day weekend, the Texas Crab Festival promises music, art and plenty of Gulf Coast crabs. Expect an assortment of vendors serving up local seafood specialties from crab gumbo and bbq crabs to stuffed crab and poppers, plus family-friendly fun including live Crab Races, a 5K Run, Kidz Zone, Wiener Dog Races, Arts & Crafts booths, contests and games, and a full schedule of music and entertainment. Single day tickets are $15; free on Sunday. $25 for weekend passes; free for ages 15 and under. Times vary.
• Chef Dawn Burrell x Equal Parts Brewing Collaboration | Friday, May 10 | Ongoing – As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, chef Dawn Burrell and the Second Ward brewery are collaborating on a special release with a shared goal of destigmatizing mental health struggles (both Burrell and the team at Equal Parts have experienced the heartache of losing a loved one to suicide). The Shared Strength brew is a crisp, dry lager that is slightly floral on the nose and nutty on the finish. It will be available at the Houston taproom and local spots around town, with 100% of proceeds supporting I’ll Have What She’s Having and its mental health efforts.
• Empty Bowls Houston at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft | Saturday, May 11 – The 18th annual Empty Bowls lunch fundraiser brings together Houston area ceramists, woodturners and artists to donate more than 1,500 one-of-a-kind hand-crafted bowls in benefit of the Houston Food Bank. Attendees can purchase bowls for $25 (or more), with 100% going to the food bank. All attendees who purchase bowls can also enjoy a simple soup lunch. 10am to 3pm.
• Houston Greek Fest at St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church | Thursday, May 16 to Saturday, May 18 – Dolmades. Gyros. Spanakopita. Baklava. You can find it all—and more—at the 25th anniversary Houston Greek Fest, held at West Houston’s St. Basil the Great Greek Orthodox Church over three days. $10; free for ages 10 and under. Times vary.
• Pasadena Strawberry Festival at Pasadena Fairgrounds | Thursday, May 16 to Sunday, May 19 – Held annually on the third weekend of May in a nod to Pasadena’s history as the “Strawberry Capital of the South,” the city’s family-friendly Strawberry Festival showcases fun stuff like a BBQ Cook-Off competition featuring seasoned pitmasters and backyard bbq enthusiasts, carnival rides and festival eats, and the “World’s Largest Strawberry Shortcake.” $15; $5 for ages 6 to 10; free for ages 5 and under. Thursday night is free admission to all. Times vary.

• Homegrown Houston: All Asian, No Fusion at Asia Society Texas Center | Friday, May 17 – Chef G and Graham Painter of Street to Kitchen lead a tasting tour of Houston cuisine at this special curated night featuring stand-out chefs from across the city. Tickets include one dish from each chef, plus drinks. Featured restaurants include Burmalicious, Koffeteria, Musaafer, Xin Chào, and more. $120; $210 for two. 7pm to 10pm.
• 2nd Annual Salsa de Mayo at Finca Tres Robles | Saturday, May 18 | FREE – This neighborhood celebration in Second Ward invites the community to come sample the taste of salsa and vote your favorite alongside a panel of celebrity judges. Kicking off the event is a bike ride through points of interest in the East End, celebrating the flavors of the neighborhood. 10am to 3pm.
• Heads & Tails Festival at 8th Wonder Brewery | Saturday, May 18 | No Cover – The annual all-ages crawfish festival hits the spacious back patio of 8th Wonder in East Downtown, offering mudbugs from Clutch City Crawfish and live music. Noon to 5pm.
• Bazaar Food & Wine Festival at Sugar Land Town Square | Saturday, May 18 – The new festival is a celebration of Houston’s diverse culture and culinary tapestry, created in partnership with the James Beard Foundation. Expect an all-star lineup of Houston’s most prominent chefs, including Yotam Dolev (Hamsa), Victoria Elizondo (Cochinita & Co), David Guerrero (Andes Café), Mayank Istwal (Musaafer), Kaiser Lashkari (Himalaya), Benchawan Painter (Street to Kitchen), Martin Weaver (Mi Tierra), Paul Qui (East Side King & Golfstrømmen), and more. There will also be live shows throughout the event including dynamic performances by Dance Houston, music by Houston-native country artist Sheila Marshall, and Lee’s Golden Dragon performing a lion and dragon dance. $150 and up. 5pm to 8pm.
• Sazon Latin Food Festival at Karbach Brewery | Saturday, May 25 | FREE – Come hungry (and thirsty) for the Sazon Latin Food Festival, featuring Latin food vendors representing flavors from the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Pair the eats with Karbach brews and look out for live music and family-friendly fun, too. 11am to 8pm.

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