SATURDAY
January 13, 2024
- We Are Houston 5K in Downtown Houston – It’s too late to run in the Houston Marathon, but you can register for the annual We Are Houston 5K through the city core on the morning before the big event. It’s a great way to kick off your New Year’s resolution to get more exercise. $55. 6:30am.
- 28th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration at Children’s Museum Houston – The museum honors Dr. King’s legacy and recognizes this year’s Caryakid Award winner, Larry Payne. Expect gospel music, a Peace March, and an “I Have a Dream” speech reenactment by Steve Scott. $17. 10am to 6pm.
- 15th Annual Yaga’s Chili Quest & Beer Fest at the Strand in Galveston – January’s big island fest returns to Galveston’s Historic Downtown Strand District for a day full of, you guessed it, chili and beer. Eat your weight in chili samples from the best cookoff teams around, then sip and stroll through 70+ brews and spirits beginning at 1pm. $13 for chili tasting tickets; $35 for beer tasting tickets, including 24 2-oz. samples and 4 spirit samples. 10am to 6pm.
- Mix-Match: A Mixed Arts Festival at MATCH – This first-ever festival runs for 12 hours, inviting the public to come by and see more than two dozen of Houston’s small and mid-sized arts organizations delivering captivating live performances, interactive activities, and more across the spectrum of performing arts. Festival passes are $25 and includes access to all performances, a mimosa kick-off with brunch bites, four complimentary drink tickets, and entry to the closing reception with a featured performance from Christina Wells. 10am to 10pm.
- Origami with Japan America Society of Houston at Evelyn’s Park | FREE – Learn more about the beautiful Japanese art of paper folding in this hands-on class, where you will make New Year’s resolution-themed crafts. All levels of crafters are welcome. 11am.
- The Market at Sawyer Yards | FREE – Art Valet’s dynamic monthly Second Saturday market showcases Houston artists and artisans and their original works. It’s a chance to talk to local creators and pick up unique home goods, art, jewelry, and more. 11am to 5pm.
- H-Town Market at Post Houston | No Cover – Shop from over 200 local vendors setting up shop throughout Post Houston, selling everything from art, sneakers and vintage clothing to candles, food and more. 11am to 7pm.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center – Celebrate one of America’s greatest leaders with all-new activities, crafts and storytime, designed to help children learn more about Dr. King and his quest for tolerance and justice. $15. Noon.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at Central Green Park | FREE – The Katy park hosts this Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration, featuring live music, a community art project, giveaways and a presentation of a Martin Luther King Jr. speech. 1pm.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade in Galveston | FREE – Galveston Island honors the legacy of Dr. King with a lively parade down 29th Street and concluding at Menard Park. 1pm to 2pm.
- Puzzle-like Pool: Drop-In Experience at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston | FREE – Take to the immersive exhibition, Six Scenes From Our Future, and rearrange the moveable cushions from the sunken seating area of Mel Chin’s Convo Pool. 1pm to 4pm.
- Raclette Party on the Patio at Montrose Cheeses & Wine – Montrose Cheese & Wine is kicking off the new year with its après-ski style Raclette Party on the Patio. Guests can oooh and ahhhh as a full wheel of cheese gets scraped onto their plates, which include potatoes with caramelized onions, cornichons and baguette slices. 1pm to 5pm (or until sold out).
- Broken Pot Fairy Gardens at Houston Botanic Garden – The Garden’s education manager Erin Mills will help you tap into your creative side by repurposing a broken pot into a whimsical fairy garden. $50. 2pm to 4pm.
- NFL Wild Card: Houston Texans vs. Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium – After a thrilling comeback season led by new head coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans return to the NFL playoffs with a Wild Card matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Tickets are $150 and up, but you may find cheaper or hard-to-get seats using the online resale marketplace. 3:30pm.
- Motown & Soul Tribute by Soul Sessions Band at Main Street Crossing – Get ready to groove and move as the Soul Sessions Band pays tribute to the legendary sounds of Motown, past and present, with two performances at Main Street Crossing in Tomball. $43 and up. 4pm and 8pm.
- Ars Lyrica Houston presents Fugal Games at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music – Journey though this quintessentially Baroque mode of music-making while celebrating the release of artistic director Matthew Dirst’s new book on Bach’s “Art of Fugue and Musical Offering,” the composer’s ultimate demonstrations of learned counterpoint. $45. 5pm.
- Family Owl Prowl at Houston Arboretum & Nature Center – In this fun, relaxed event, you can enjoy light snacks, hot chocolate, coffee, water and—for the grown-ups—Saint Arnold beer while you meet live owl ambassadors. $50. 6pm.
- Galveston Island Country Music Fest at Galveston Island Convention Center – Organized by the Galveston Chamber of Commerce, this seated dinner and concert features a lineup of Texas country artists including Randall King of Fredericksburg, joined by Catie Offerman of New Braunfels and Hayden Haddock of Dallas. Tickets are $225 and up; including dinner. 6pm to 11am.
- The Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular at Bayou Music Center – This psychedelic and electrifying tribute concert celebrates one of the greatest bands of the 20th century. Listen to Pink Floyd’s hits as you’re immersed in this spectacular blend of sight and sound. $24 and up. 8pm.
- Keith Sweat, with Dru Hill, Johnny Gill & Levelle in Concert at Smart Financial Centre – The New Jack Swing pioneer, known for hits “Don’t Stop Your Love” and “Make It Last Forever,” comes to Sugar Land to perform live. He leads an all-star R&B lineup, which also includes Dru Hill, Johnny Gill and Levelle. $82 and up. 8pm.
- Mercury presents The Crimson Prince of Venice at Wortham Center – Through costumes and multimedia effects, you’ll find yourself immersed in what is part concert, part drama and part historical tale. Will Vivaldi or Paganini, two masters of the violin, come out on top? Find out in this evening of magic, which was a hit with Houston audiences when it premiered in 2015. $25 and up. 8pm.
- Maldito Año Nuevo: Con Puro Perreo at White Oak Music Hall – The Downstairs stage at White Oak hosts a night of reggaeton hits from performers like Bad Bunny, Karol G and more. $15. 8:30pm.
- Bollywood Night at Last Concert Cafe – Party all night to your favorite Bollywood hits from Arijit Singh, Neha Kakkar, Badshah, Guru Randhawa, Sidhu Moose Wala and more. Local Bollywood dance groups will also be taking the stage throughout the night. $16. 9pm.
- Bowie All Night at Numbers Nightclub – Come out for this yearly salute to the legendary David Bowie with music, videos, and giveaways all night. You’ll hear all the hits by the iconic British superstar. Cover charge at the door. 9pm to 2am.
- Esther Anaya in Concert at Warehouse Live Midtown | FREE with RSVP – The violinist, singer and EDM DJ heads to the rooftop of the new Warehouse Live location for a free concert. 10pm to 2am.
- Darude DJ Set at Stereo Live – The “Sandstorm” hit DJ arrives at the West Houston venue for electronica and EDM. $10. 10pm to 2am.
- More Great Things to Do All Weekend Long – Some of the biggest things to do in Houston are happening all weekend long. Check out this week’s list, local attractions and destinations, or browse Houston Experiences to save on museum and brewery passes, tours, and more.
SUNDAY
January 14, 2024
- Chevron Houston Marathon & Aramco Half Marathon in Downtown Houston | FREE – Registered runners race along a meandering course that takes them through Montrose, the Texas Medical Center, the Galleria, Memorial Park and other districts, before finishing at Avenida de las Americas. While it’s too late to lace ’em up if you missed registration, you can still celebrate thousands of runners across the city along the marathon course. 7am to 2:30pm.
- MFAH on the Move: Bilingual Zumba in the Cullen Sculpture Garden | FREE – Begin your day with this workout designed for all fitness levels. You’ll move through a series of progressions that will amp up your heart rate and get you moving amongst works of art. 11am to noon.
- 2024 Winter Bridal Show at the Bryan Museum – Guests can tour the Galveston museum’s romantic gardens, conservatory, bridal suite and groom’s lounge, gazebo and more. Enjoy complimentary tasty bites and signature cocktails while visiting with caterers, photographers, florists, bakers, event planners, designers, and other wedding professionals who can help plan your big day. $10. 11am to 2pm.
- Hop Topic World’s Annual Chili Cook-Off at Equal Parts Brewing – Come out to the Second Ward brewery for this celebration of chili. General admission gets you unlimited chili samples, a swag bag for early bird ticketholders, and a token for voting. $18. Noon to 4pm.
- Houston BBQ Throwdown 2024 at Saint Arnold Beer Hall – The Houston Barbecue Festival and Saint Arnold Brewing Company team up once again for the 7th annual Houston BBQ Throwdown, where 14 of Houston’s best barbecue restaurants compete to dream up “the next great barbecue dish” to represent Houston’s smoke scene. The event is always a sell-out, so get tickets while you can. $75 and up. 1pm.
- 7th Annual Family Fun Day at MATCH | FREE – This annual, kid-centric tradition features an afternoon of family performances and opportunities to explore the arts. Kiddos can have their face painted, hop into bounce houses, and enjoy balloon artists, stilt walkers and more. 1pm to 5pm.
- La Speranza presents Beethoven on the Bayou Festival at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church – Come out to the Heights to enjoy this concert of Beethoven’s Quartet No. 5 in A major and Quartet No. 6. It’s a chance to celebrate the composer and his enduring musical legacy at this third and final Beethoven concert from the chamber ensemble. $25. 5pm.
- Chefs for Paws at the C. Baldwin Hotel – Enjoy a seated, multi-course dinner from some of Houston’s top chefs and restaurants, including Alyssa Dole (Hope Farms), Andre Garza (The Chelsea), Eakkapan Ngammuang and Aphassorn Predawan (MaKiin), Top Chef’s Sasha Grumman and others. All proceeds benefit Rescued Pets Movement. $250. 5pm to 9pm.
- Neal McCoy in Concert at Main Street Crossing – The award-winning country music legend, known for his hits “No Doubt About It” and “Wink,” comes to Tomball for a live performance. $95 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. Check out this week’s list, local attractions and destinations, or browse Houston Experiences to save on museum passes, tours, and more.
MLK DAY
MONDAY
January 15, 2024
- 30th Annual MLK Grande Parade in Midtown – This parade features more than 100 culturally diverse performance groups from across the nation coming together to showcase their talents and spread the message of peace, justice and love. This year’s theme is “Will Still Believe” and the parade will begin on San Jacinto and Elgin Street in Midtown. 10am.
- 46th Annual Original MLK Jr. Parade & Festival in Downtown Houston | FREE – Presented by the Black Heritage Society, this parade will be led by City of Houston dignitaries, marching bands, floats, peaceful marches and more. The procession begins at Lamar and Smith Streets. Stick around after the parade for a family festival at City Hall featuring multicultural musical performances, kid-friendly activities, art, craft vendors, food and other festivities. 10am to 4pm.
- Bubbles & Board Games at Evelyn’s Park | FREE – Kids and their families can come to Evelyn’s Park to play board games and enjoy bubbles. It’s a fun way to spend part of the MLK Day school holiday. 11am.
- MLK Birthday Observance: Public Health Epidemic of Gun Violence at Rothko Chapel – In the spirit of Dr. King’s commitment to address critically important justice issues and create a more equitable society through engaging in nonviolent tactics, this event provides space to learn more about the public health impacts of gun violence, and to delve into our collective responsibilities to address this critical epidemic. David Hogg will serve as keynote speaker in the evening, and all day long you can view a memorial on the plaza dedicated to US victims of gun violence. Pay-what-you-can. 10am to 8:30pm; Discussions begin at 5:45pm.
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