Top 25 Festivals & Events in Houston This Month: February 2024

Make the most of your month with our list of the 25 biggest and most notable festivals and events in Houston in February 2024.

February is full of festive fun in all corners of town, with Mardi Gras, Black History Month, Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day all falling within the next 29 days.

But it’s the big fest at the end of the month that everyone eagerly awaits, when the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo comes moseying back into town.

Here are Houston’s top festivals and notable events coming to the city in February 2024:

Top 25 Festivals & Events in Houston This Month: February 2024

• Dance Party at Menil Drawing Institute | Friday, February 2 | FREE – Celebrate Queer histories with Houston artists Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin, Koomah, and Harrison Guy kicking things off with short performances. Then, get your groove on with DJ Stephanie Saint Sanchez and outdoor video projections from artist Marc Bauer, whose work, Resilience, Drawing the Line, is on display. 7pm to 10pm.
• 113th Mardi Gras! Galveston in Downtown Galveston | Friday, February 2 to Fat Tuesday, February 13 | Ongoing – The third largest Mardi Gras in the United States, the Island’s big bash returns for its 113th year with two weekends of festive parades, balcony parties, family events, and live performers bringing the grooves deep into the night. Single day General Admission starts at $14, with weekend passes available for $24 and 5-day passes for $53; free for ages 12 and under. Multi-day packages and VIP Balcony Party options available. Times vary.
• Woodson Black Fest 2024 at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston | Saturday, February 3 | FREE – This third annual fest returns to CAMH to kick off Black History Month. Visitors can expect spoken word performances from former Houston Poet Laureates Outspoken Bean and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, plus music, dance, a comic and illustrator panel, and more. 1pm to 4pm.
• BLCK Market’s BLCK History Now! Festival at Karbach Brewing Co. | Sunday, February 4 & Sunday, February 25 | FREE – More than 100 markets later, the team behind BLCK Market continues to celebrate Black-owned businesses with two dates at Karbach, featuring local vendors, food trucks and plenty of family-friendly fun, with appearances by a DJ from 97.9 The Box. 11am to 6pm.
• Stomp at Smart Financial Centre | Friday, February 9 & Saturday, February 10 – For back-to-back nights, Stomp brings its international sensation to Sugar Land, letting audiences feel the pulse of rhythmic percussion across a stage full of everyday objects. $30 and up. Times vary.

• AnimeVerse Fest at NRG Center | Friday, February 9 to Sunday, February 11 – Join fellow fanatics for a weekend of anime-fueled fun. Meet voice actors from beloved animes, shop one-of-a-kind goods from local vendors, plus take in panels, cosplay contests and more at this inaugural show. $20 and up. Times vary.
• Catastrophic Theatre presents It Is Magic at MATCH | Saturday, February 9 | Ongoing – Deb and Sandy are auditioning Tim for the role of the Wolf in a production of The Three Little Pigs. But there’s a mysterious haze in the basement of the Mortier Civic Playhouse that, in addition to interruptions from the director of ‘the Scottish play’ that’s having its opening night upstairs, is making things difficult. Then, the mysterious Liz shows up throwing the room into utter chaos, revealing the deep, ancient evil at the heart of the community theater audition process. Tickets are pay-what-you-can; suggested price of $35. 8pm.
• 2024 Lunar New Year Festival: Year of the Dragon at Chinese Community Center of Houston | Saturday, February 10 | FREE – Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with the return of CCC’s annual Lunar New Year Festival, featuring a full day of family-friendly activities, local vendors, merch, Asian street eats and live cultural performances. 10am to 4pm.
• Lunar New Year 2024 at Asia Society Texas Center | Saturday, February 10 | FREE – Welcome in the Year of the Dragon with cultural performances, arts and crafts activities and globally-inspired foods at Asia Society in the Museum District. Free to attend and enjoy the festival; performances by Huaxing Arts Group are $10. 10am to 4pm.
• Galentine’s Day Texas Bonita Market at the Esplanade at Navigation | Saturday, February 10 | No Cover – Grab the chicas in your life for a special Galentine’s market at the Second Ward esplanade, featuring more than 65 women-owned businesses, plus music, photo ops, and more. 11am to 4pm.

• Galentine’s Day at Axelrad | Tuesday, February 13 | FREE – This Galentine’s Day, Axelrad offers a night of gal pal glory with a screening of Bridesmaids, plus a Shop Local marketplace, Houston Paint Sesh, drink specials, roses and more. 6pm to midnight.
• The Moth: Love Hurts at Warehouse Live Midtown | Tuesday, February 13 – Love hurts, love scars, love wounds and mars, and the Moth wants to hear all about it. Celebrate Cupid’s birthday by taking in five-minute tales wherein love was given a bad name. $17.50. 7pm.
• Before Sunset Movie Screening & Concert at MATCH | Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, February 14 – The Friends of River Oaks Theatre bring their Mobile Movie Palace to MATCH for a Valentine’s Day special event. Come by when doors open to grab a drink and a poem from Inprint poetry buskers, then catch Sara Van Buskirk performing live at 7pm, followed by a screening of Richard Linklater’s Before Sunset, starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. $17. 6pm.
• Artist JooYoung Choi & Frank Oz at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston | Thursday, February 15 | FREE – The Houston artist is joined virtually by Frank Oz, the puppeteer and filmmaker who has performed as beloved characters like Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Cookie Monster, Bert and Yoda. The two will discuss creativity, legacy, resilience and the process of making work accessible. Limited space available; free with RSVP. 6:30pm.
• Eat Drink HTX at Multiple Locations | Thursday, February 15 to Thursday, February 29 – Charitable foodie campaign Eat Drink HTX—the more casual, lower price point sister event to Houston Restaurant Weeks—returns for another two weeks of good eating and drinking. Similar to HRW, participating restaurants will offer specially priced, prix fixe brunches, lunches and dinners, with donations made to the 2024 beneficiaries, the Houston Food Bank and DePelchin Children’s Center. Brunches and lunches are $15; dinner for $20 to $25. Times vary by location.

• College Basketball: Houston Cougars vs. Texas Longhorns at Fertitta Center | Saturday, February 17 – One of the top teams in the nation, the Coogs host the Longhorns from Austin in one of the last home games before March Madness get into full swing. $30 and up. Noon.
• Afrobeats in America Festival at Discovery Green | Saturday, February 17 – This full-day festival celebrates the sounds and impact of Afrobeats in the United States. Head to the Downtown park space to enjoy performances by artists like DJ Jimmy Jatt, Kelly Hansome, Omawumi, Ajaeze and many more, plus a fashion show, food trucks, DJs and a screening of a Netflix documentary. $50 and up. 2pm to 10pm.
• 2024 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo | Sunday, February 18 | Ongoing – The city’s signature event brings together more than two million people from all backgrounds and all regions of the Greater Houston area—and beyond—for three full weeks of carnival fun, adventurous eats, livestock shows, rodeo competitions and star-studded live concerts. Pre-rodeo events kick-off on the 18th, but the actual Livestock Show & Rodeo gets into full swing from Tuesday, February 27 through Sunday, March 17. Check out the concert lineup and secure your seats, or go for the thrill of the festival with a grounds-only ticket, available for $20; $10 for ages 3 to 12 (carnival rides and games are an additional cost). Times vary.
• World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at NRG Park | Thursday, February 22 to Saturday, February 24 – Kicking off the rodeo every year is an epic bbq weekend, the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. More than 250 teams of barbecue enthusiasts will compete for the title, and while most team tents are invitation-only, visitors can join in on the fun at several public venues, including the carnival, The Garden, Rockin’ Bar-B-Que Saloon and the Chuckwagon. $25; $10 for ages 3 to 12; includes a complimentary sliced brisket plate with chips and beans. Times vary.
• Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns at Toyota Center | Friday, February 23 – For the final time in Houston this season, Kevin Durant and his Phoenix teammates, including Devin Booker and Eric Gordon, bring a Western Conference clash to the hardcourt. $15 and up. 7pm.

• 16th Indian Film Festival of Houston at Asia Society Texas Center | Friday, February 23 & Saturday, February 24 – The film festival celebrates 16 years with a lineup of feature films, documentaries and shorts from filmmakers of India and the Diaspora. Each night features three screenings, plus a reception and live entertainment. $20 for single screenings; $50 for day passes. 4pm to 9:30pm.
• Hockey Day in Houston at Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Saturday, February 24 | FREE – Hockey fans will gather in the beer garden for a full day of NHL hockey on the big screen, plus appearances from former professional hockey players, Zamboni photo ops, vendors and a street hockey clinic for kids. 11am to 11pm.
• Have A Nice Day Lunar New Year Celebration at the Ion | Saturday, February 24 | FREE – The annual fest returns to the Ion, with an evening of local vendor shopping, lion dances, a red envelope giveaway, music and more. Complimentary beverages from Johnnie Walker for those 21 and up. 4pm to 8pm.
• Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Garden | Through Sunday, February 25 – Follow the sprawling path through the gardens and past more than 50 larger-than-life lanterns that evoke the vivid displays of traditional Chinese lantern festivals. Make your way through a tunnel of hanging wisteria toward kaleidoscopic installations, multi-colored animals and plants, and centerpieces like the 200-foot-long dragon that marks the zodiac animal for the Lunar New Year. $28.50; free for ages 3 and under. 6pm to 10pm.
• Olivia Rodrigo in Concert at Toyota Center | Tuesday, February 27 – The pop star arrives in Houston, touring her Album of the Year–nominated Guts. Tickets are sold out at the venue, but you may find hard-to-get seats using the online marketplace. 7:30pm.

---

Don’t Miss Out on Tomorrow’s Fun!