Plan Your 5-Day MLK Weekend: January 12 to 16, 2023

Things to Do
All Weekend Long

• Galveston Restaurant Weeks in Galveston | Daily | Ongoing – Happening throughout the month of January and until Sunday, February 5, the annual Galveston Restaurant Weeks offers diners a chance to try top dishes from dozens of the Island’s best eateries on prix-fixe breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus at very pocketbook-friendly prices. Two- or three-course dinners range from $20 to $60; two-course lunches from $10 to $30; and brunches from $10 to $40. Prices, times and locations vary.
• Mezclada Dance Company presents All of the Above at MATCH | Thursday & Friday – Take in a new dance work from Mezclada Dance Company, which features a range of dance techniques from breakdancing and contemporary to salsa, hip-hop and more, all set to tunes that include funk and Latin jazz, salsa and classical melodies. $25. 7:30pm.
• Classical Theatre Company presents School for Scandal at the DeLuxe Theater | Thursday to Sunday – Six actors portray 16 characters in this great comedy from the classic canon, where gossip flies faster than truth. $25. Showtimes vary.
• Houston Salsa Congress at Westin Houston Memorial City | Thursday to Sunday – This annual salsa expo offers multiple days of live music, social dancing, workshops and lessons, competitions, and more. Single night passes start at $25; full event passes are $275. Times vary.
• Dream Big WonderWeek at Children’s Museum Houston | Thursday to Sunday – Beginning on Tuesday, January 10, this annual week of observation at the Children’s Museum celebrates the life and advocacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Expect a week of inspiring activities, craft stations, and more. 10am to 6pm.
• Houston Marathon Health & Fitness Expo at George R. Brown Convention Center | Friday & Saturday | No Cover – The Chevron Marathon festivities include this two-day expo in Downtown, where runners can pick up packets and explore fitness vendors, shop race merch, sample products and learn about healthy ways. Times vary.
• The Riot Comedy Club presents Adrienne Iapalucci at Rudyard’s Pub | Friday & Saturday – The comic known for spots on Netflix’s Degenerates, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, and The Late Show with David Letterman, as well as co-host of the weekly podcast Vadge with fellow comic Sarah Tollemache, Adrienne Iapalucci performs three sets across back-to-back nights. $17 and up. 7pm and 9pm.

Comedian Jay Pharaoh
at Houston Improv
^{Friday to Sunday}

Known for his hilarious impressions and six-season run as cast member on Saturday Night Live, Jay Pharoah works the room for five shows this weekend.

$60 for 2, and up | Times vary

• International Gem & Jewelry Show at NRG Center | Friday to Sunday – Wholesalers, manufacturers and designers come under one roof for a weekend of public shopping of booth after booth of quality gemstones, beads, jewelry and much more. $6 and up. Times vary.
• Autograph Show of Texas at Westin Galleria | Friday to Sunday – Major names in the world of sports entertainment headline this autograph show, including Mike Tyson, Karl Malone, William Shatner, Gary Payton, Charlie Sheen, Hulk Hogan, Allen Iverson, and many others. Ticket prices vary by signing. Times vary.
• Houston Symphony presents Riots & Scandals Festival at Jones Hall | Friday to Sunday – This two-week festival offers concerts featuring beloved masterpieces. The first week, running from Friday, January 13 to Sunday, January 15, brings Bartok’s Miraculous Mandarin paired with Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto. And in the second and final week, running from Friday, January 20 to Sunday, January 22, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto feature. $30 and up. Showtimes vary.
• New Jack City Live at Hobby Center | Friday to Sunday – Set to the soundtrack of some of the most classic songs from the film, New Jack City Live will give audiences an opportunity to experience classical theater storytelling of the ’90s movie live on stage. $60 and up. Showtimes vary.
• Comedian Jay Pharaoh at Houston Improv | Friday to Sunday – Known for his hilarious impressions and six-season run as cast member on Saturday Night Live, Jay Pharoah works the room for five shows across this weekend. Tickets are sold by the table; $60 for 2, and up. Times vary.
• 70th Annual Charity Cat Show at Hilton Houston North | Saturday & Sunday – Feline fanatics rejoice at the Houston Cat Club’s 70th Annual Charity Cat Show, where cats abound are judged on their smarts and agility throughout the two-day show. Make sure to check out the cat costume contests, shop vendors at the Meow Mall, and stop by cat rescue groups if you’re in search of your own feline friend. $15; $10 for ages 5 to 12; free for ages 4 and under. Saturday 9am to 5pm; Sunday 9am to 4pm.
• The Oak Ridge Boys in Concert at the Grand 1894 Opera House | Saturday & Sunday – With a career that stretches back to the 1940s, the country gospel vocal quartet arrives in Galveston for back-to-back days of their decades-spanning song catalog. $37 and up. Saturday 7:30pm; Sunday 3pm.

MLK Day, Mocktails & More Destinations

• MLK Day Parades & Events in Houston – In addition to events you find in this Weekend Guide, you can go deeper into the full array of parades and celebrations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with our guide to events in Houston
• Best Places for Mocktails in Houston – Start the year with sober celebrations at our 11 picks of Houston bars and restaurants serving up alcohol-free cocktails for January 2023.
• Day Trips & Things to Do Outside Houston – Discover more than 500 things to do in Houston’s surrounding communities and beyond, including Brazosport, Clear Lake, Beaumont, Galveston, Sugar Land, the Woodlands and more.
• Top 27 Breweries in Greater Houston – Explore what’s on tap at 27 of the city’s best breweries and taprooms, from the inner loop to Galveston, Conroe and beyond.
• 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.

• Artists on Robert Motherwell at Menil Collection | FREE – Artists Angel Otero and Joseph Havel join Phong Bui, Executive Director of The Brooklyn Rail magazine, and Edouard Kopp for a conversation that explores the influence of Robert Motherwell’s work on artists today. 6pm to 7:30pm.
• Opening Reception: Woman, the Spirit of the Universe at Holocaust Museum Houston | FREE – Inspired by 23 American heroines that tirelessly fought for equality, artist Carolyn Marks Johnson has created bronze-cast collars that each represent the storied figures in America’s fight to establish women’s rights. The exhibition will be on display through Sunday, April 2. 6pm to 7:30pm.
• Winter Sound Series: Nick Gaitan at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston | FREE – Co-founder of Tejas Got Soul, storied renaissance man and Houston-native Nick Gaitan will take you on a journey through decades of Chicano music. Umbrella Fellas will also be on hand, slanging their signature burgers and dogs throughout the night. 6pm to 8pm.
• Marty and Olivia Willson-Piper in Concert at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck – The internationally-touring musicians combine the 12-string guitar with violin for an evening of beautiful acoustic music at the Upper Kirby stage. $40 and up. 7pm.
• UH Baseball Bar Takeover at Little Woodrow’s Shepherd | No Cover – Watch as UH baseball players test their bartending skills at a bar takeover at Little Woodrow’s near Washington Avenue. 7pm to 9pm.

Woman, the Spirit of the Universe
at Holocaust Museum Houston
^{Thursday, January 12}

Inspired by 23 American heroines that tirelessly fought for equality, artist Carolyn Marks Johnson has created bronze-cast collars that each represent the storied figures in America’s fight to establish women’s rights.

FREE | 6pm to 7:30pm

• The Goonies Movie Screening at Discovery Green | FREE – The 1985 classic adventure film gets an outdoor screening in Downtown, so bring your blankets and chairs for a night on the lawn. 7pm to 9pm.
• Candlelight Flamenco: The Passion of Spain at Lone Star Flight Museum – Take in the sounds and sights of Spanish flamenco dancers and musicians by candlelight among the vast hangar of planes at LSFM. $45 and up. 7pm and 9:15pm.
• Harry Potter Trivia & Inspired Drinks & Menu at King’s BierHaus | No Cover – The German-inspired Heights beer garden hosts a trivia night with themed food and drinks, decor, prizes and costumes for fans of the Harry Potter universe. Teams are allowed eight members max. 7pm to 10pm.
• Pearl Jam Tribute at Main Street Crossing – Hear the tunes of the legendary grunge rock band when Lemon Yellow Sun take the Main Street stage in Tomball. $19 and up. 8pm.

• More Great Things to Do All Weekend Long – Some of the biggest things to do are happening all weekend long. Scroll up and see our list, or browse Houston Experiences to save on museum passes, tours, and more.