Discover some of our favorite ways to unwind after a tough week in Houston with free events, indoor attractions, 713 Day celebrations and community resources this weekend, Friday, July 12 to Sunday, July 13, 2024.
It’s been a tough week, y’all.
As we head into the weekend, we want to help you find ways of re-emerging into the city of Houston.
Whether you want to support reopening businesses and organizations, find relief from difficult situations at home, or lean into some distractions after a frustrating week, this weekend provides plenty of opportunities for all of the above as Houston slowly gets back onto its feet.
These are just some highlights from this coming weekend, but you can explore deeper with our Weekend Guide, where we have confirmed dozens of events that are still taking place as scheduled, as well as others that are facing a change of plans.
We’ve also brought together local coverage of ongoing recovery efforts from Houston media in our weekly Bayou Brief series, which also features resources for residents on storm debris, power outages and more.
Here are some of the best ways to spend this weekend:
5 Free Things to Do This Weekend
- Noche de Cumbia: Grupo Pegasso in Concert at Axelrad | Friday | FREE – The Third Ward watering hole is still on for their monthly night of cumbia music on the outdoor stage. The pioneering Grupo Pegasso is July’s special guest, joined by El Tigeron, DJ Pedacito, Chido Machine and more. Ages 21 and up. 7pm to 2am.
- Summer Symphony Nights with Houston Symphony at Miller Outdoor Theatre | Friday & Saturday | FREE – The Houston Symphony is planning to move forward with the opening weekend of its annual free summer concert series in Hermann Park. Come out to experience a night of all-American music with guest conductor Kellen Gray leading the orchestra in the sounds of jazz and jubilee. 8:30pm.
- Christmas in July at Pearland Market Days | Saturday | FREE – Get into a chillier mindset when this Pearland market returns with an afternoon of Christmas movies, gift shopping, plus kids activities and food trucks, and photos with Santa. 2pm to 8pm.
- 7-Year Anniversary at BLCK Market | Saturday | FREE – The Houston homegrown marketplace celebrates 7 years of shopping Black-owned businesses with a Downtown celebration at the Greenstreet location with music, food, art and great vibes. 4pm to 8pm.
- Hot Nights, Cool Grooves at City Place | Saturday | FREE – Enjoy a night at the City Place waterfront in Spring, where a lively showcase by Tomar and the FCs and Bayou City Funk will provide the summer vibes. Look for pop-ups including food trucks, fruit samples from The Peach Truck, beer giveaways from Saint Arnold, photo opportunities, giveaways and other surprise activations. 7pm.
Find more things to do in our Weekend Guide.
5 Ways to Celebrate 713 Day in H-Town
The annual celebration of Houston, 713 Day on July 13th, is this Saturday and the events below are confirmed as still taking place:
- 713 Day & Alotta Michelada at 8th Wonder Brewery – The EaDo brewery hosts its second annual Michelada Mix-Off, giving you access to more than 20 Michelada challengers, plus 3 beverage tokens and a souvenir pint glass. Good Market HTX will also be on-site with local vendors, and you can take in live music and a Donkeeboy surprise. $35 and up. Noon to 4pm.
- Saint Arnold 713 Day Downtown Pub Crawl in Downtown Houston | No Cover – The popular pub crawl through Downtown returns on 713 Day, sending you through seven stops before ending at Market Square Park for the We Heart Hou concert. Locations include Flying Saucer, McIntyre’s, Angel Share, Little Dipper and others. Once you punch your card at each of the seven, you can go pick up a commemorative pint glass. 2pm to 6pm.
- 713 Day: We Heart Hou Music Series at Market Square Park | FREE – The historic Market Square Park hosts a special 713 Day edition of the We Heart Hou music series, featuring live tunes from Aire Fresco and EZ Band, plus a market space with more than 20 vendors doling out unique crafts, food, and refreshing drinks to enjoy on the lawn. 5pm to 8pm.
- 713 Day with DJ Michael Watts 5000 at Social Beer Garden | No Cover – The Midtown beer garden welcomes DJ Michael Watts 5000 for 713 Day, spinning Houston hits all night, alongside food and drink specials, double cup specials with Crown and Hennessy, Frozen Purple Drank, and support by DJ Vic G and DJ SK. 6pm to 1am.
- Houston Dynamo FC vs. Minnesota United FC at Shell Energy Stadium – The Dynamo close out 713 Day with a match against Minny, featuring Houston celebrations throughout the night, including a pre-game slab show on Orange Avenue beginning at 5pm. The club is also offering $13 tickets, matched with an additional $13 donation toward local organizations supporting recovery efforts. $13 and up. 7:30pm.
Find more things happening on 713 Day in Houston.
Cool Off at Indoor Attractions
- Catch a Live Show | Daily – Performing arts productions are confirmed heading to Houston stages this weekend, including the play The Woman in Black at Main Street Theater, as well as the start of a three-week run for The Lion King in Downtown. Plus, the Riot Comedy Club in Montrose hosts a weekend of comedy with Isabel Hagen, nightly showcases and a Friday night roast battle; Donnell Rawlings arrives for Friday-to-Sunday shows at the Houston Improv; and the Secret Group welcomes comedian Myq Kaplan to the stage on Sunday.
- Explore the furthest reaches at Space Center Houston | Daily – The Space Center campus has reopened and is inviting all to come through for air-conditioned fun with publicly available wi-fi, science exhibitions, interactive stations, historical artifacts, and much more. $24.95 and up; free for ages 3 and under. 9am to 6pm.
- Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park | Friday to Sunday – The Astros notch another installment of the Silver Boot Series at home, hosting a faltering Rangers squad across 713 Weekend, with special giveaways like an Astros 713 jersey, a Yordan “Still Tippin” bobblehead, and a 713 jewelry chain on Sunday. $29 and up. Times vary.
- Summer Nights at Museum of Fine Arts Houston | Saturday – In addition to the museum’s regular daily hours, this special Saturday evening program at MFAH invites you for an after-hours tour of ongoing exhibitions and the permanent galleries along with cocktails, food specials, live music in the galleries, and other highlights. $40. 6pm to 9pm.
Discover more ways to cool off with our guide to beat Houston’s heat (some activities may be unavailable).
Come Together to Help Houston
This weekend marks one of the first opportunities for the Houston community to come together in post-Beryl efforts. Here are just a few ways you can help:
- Hurricane Beryl Disaster Relief Drive at Toyota Center | Friday | FREE – The Rockets organization is coming together to distribute boxed lunches, water, fruit, snacks and other relief items on a first-come, first-served basis in Downtown Houston. Donations can also be made to the Clutch City Foundation to assist in providing supplies, shelter and medical care. 9am.
- BARC Adoption Day at Post Houston | Saturday | FREE* – Still taking place as scheduled, this adoption event at BARC helps relieve some of the overcrowding taking place at area shelters. Held at Post in Downtown, the adoption event will waive fees for adult dogs, and reduce them for puppies. All adoptions include vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, microchipping and city pet registration. 11am to 3pm.
- 713 Day Volunteer Shift at Houston Food Bank | Saturday | FREE – Make time to give back to Houston on 713 Day with the East Branch of Houston Food Bank, who open a volunteer shift where you’ll join friends from the Houston Dynamo as you prepare food bank necessities. Then, at 3:30pm, join in a Houston celebration with food, ice cream candy, and a DJ spinning Houston classics. 1pm to 4pm.
- Crowdsource Rescue | Daily – For several years, this uniting service brings thousands of everyday members of the Greater Houston community together to help one another. Currently active for Hurricane Beryl, Crowdsource Rescue has already provided more than 500 meals to senior living residents, brought generators and window a/c units to those in need, and more. Sign up to volunteer or donate to assist in their active emergency needs.
