Top 20 Festivals & Events in Houston This Month: October 2024

Make the most of your month with our list of the 20 biggest and most notable festivals and events in Houston in October 2024.

With typically great fall weather and 31 days, October is always bursting with festivals and special events big and small—and that’s not even counting Halloween.

From beloved classics—think Original Greek Fest, Festival Chicano, Bayou City Art Fest, Korean Fest, The Woodlands Wine Walk, RenFest and Wings Over Houston—to newer favorites like Southern Smoke, Love Street Music Fest, Pumpkin Festival, and more.

Check out our 20 top picks for fall festivals and fun events around Greater Houston.

The Top 20 Festivals & Events in Houston in October 2024

• Houston Pumpkin Festival at Discovery Green | Daily – Experience a day filled with family-friendly activities, photo opportunities and the world’s largest bouncy pumpkin. Other activities include a corn pit and, of course, pumpkin picking. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. $18 and up. Attendance windows vary. 
• 58th Annual Original Greek Festival at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church | Thursday, October 3 to Saturday, October 5 – The annual Greek festival returns to the heart of Montrose for its 58th year, where you can expect bountiful Greek food, wine tastings, dancing, games and other family-friendly fun. $5; free for ages 12 and under. Thursday 5pm to 10:30pm; Friday and Saturday 11am to 10:30pm.
• 45th Annual Festival Chicano at Miller Outdoor Theatre | Thursday, October 3 to Saturday, October 5 | FREE – One of the oldest, ongoing events of its type in the world returns to the Hermann Park stage, celebrating Chicano music—from Tejano and conjunto, to mariachi and orchestra—with Jay Perez and David Marez on Thursday, Little Joe y La Familia and Los Desperadoz on Friday, and Elida Reyna y Avante and Avizo on Saturday. 7pm nightly.
• Southern Smoke Festival at Discovery Green | Saturday, October 5 – Hit up the Downtown park for Saturday’s throwdown event, where dozens of talented chefs from Houston and around the country will be serving samples of everything from delicious smoked meats to flaky pastry goodies along with wine, beer and spirits, plus live entertainment. $225 and up. 4pm to 8pm.
• Oktoberfest Celebrations Around Greater Houston | Every Weekend Through Saturday, October 26 – Don your dirndl or lederhosen for Houston’s collective ongoing celebration of the late September German tradition, with celebrations dotting the map from the Inner Loop to Conroe, Porter, Sugar Land, Galveston, and more. Locations & times vary.
• 35th Annual Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival in Downtown Conroe | Friday, October 11 to Sunday, October 13 – The family-friendly Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival features three days of live music with local, regional and national performers on three stages, food vendors offering festival and Cajun favorites, arts and crafts vendors, a professional carnival, assorted community and educational exhibits, an annual Catfish Pageant, and more. $15 and up; free for ages 12 and under. Times vary.
• Bayou City Art Festival at Memorial Park | Friday, October 11 & Sunday, October 13 – Following a new switch, the fall edition of Bayou City Art Festival returns to Memorial Park for 2 days of art shopping and showcases by more than 220 national and international artists. Plus, you can stroll the craft beer and boutique wine gardens, participate in a community art project and take in live performances. 10am to 6pm.
• 15th Annual Korean Festival at Discovery Green | Saturday, October 12 & Sunday, October 13 | FREE – Celebrating 15 years, the Korean Festival showcases the best of Korean food, music, performing arts, and culture in Downtown. Saturday 10am to 9pm; Sunday 11am to 8pm.
• 50th Annual Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission | Saturday, October 12 to Sunday, December 1 – Back for its golden year, the annual Renaissance Fair offers a whole fall of reveling in the enchanted worlds of kings and queens, knights, fairies and elves, with unique themes, crowd-pleasing performances, and delicious eats. Costumes are encouraged and you can shop unique crafts, leather goods, clothing and more. Ticket prices vary by weekend, but advance tickets are generally $29; $15 for ages 5 to 12. 9am to 8pm each day.
• Love Street Music Fest 2024 at Karbach Brewing Co. | Sunday, October 13 – Get your groove on and enjoy live performances from St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Night Cap, and more at the Love Music Fest in the Karbach Biergarten. Tickets start at $50. 4pm.
• Indigenous Peoples’ Day: A Celebration of All Nations at The Water Works | Monday, October 14 | FREE – Presented by Xochipilli Collective, this celebration invites people of all backgrounds to recognize the sovereignty and resilience of Indigenous nations, featuring cultural performances, vendors, foods, and music. 5pm to 8:30pm.
• 20th Annual Wine Walk at Market Street | Thursday, October 17 – The popular Wine Walk returns to The Woodlands with more than 50 wine-tasting tents, 40+ craft beer selections, and dozens of culinary offerings from area restaurants as well as live music, photo ops, and more. Tickets range from $79 to $135. 6pm to 9pm.
• Houston Filipino Street Festival at Constellation Field | Saturday, October 19 – Celebrate the Philippines and local Filipino culture at this family-friendly festival in Sugar Land that presents traditions, live performances and street food in an embrace of cultural diversity. $17 and up; free for ages 7 and under. Noon to 7pm.
• Japanese Sake & Food Festival Houston 2024 at Post Houston | Saturday, October 19 & Sunday, October 20 – Indulge in a variety of local dishes paired with premium sake from renowned breweries at Post Houston. Tickets are $45. Saturday noon to 4pm and 5pm to 9pm; Sunday 2pm to 6pm.
• 8th Annual Hess Houston Corporate 5K at Memorial Park | Tuesday, October 22 to Thursday, October 24 – Houston’s largest office party returns what will be its biggest year yet, bringing offices and coworkers together for a 5K fun run/walk and after work outdoor happy hour event with refreshments, live entertainment, and more. Corporations are invited to bulk-register teams of 10, 20, or 50 entries; individual entries are $50. Daily 5pm to 8:30pm.
• Houston Mediterranean Festival at St George Orthodox Christian Church | Saturday, October 26 – Originally started in the early ’80s and revived in 2023, the Houston Mediterranean Festival returns to St. George Orthodox Christian Church in West University, celebrating the region’s vibrant culture and flavors with a day of food, drinks, shopping, music, and more. Tickets are $5; free for ages 3 and under. 11am to 10:30pm.
• 11th Annual Magnolia Park Dia de los Muertos Festival & Parade at Hidalgo Park | Saturday, October 26 | FREE – Houston’s First Barrio celebrates Día de los Muertos with a free festival and parade at Hidalgo Park in Second Ward, including food, kids activities, cultural performances and live music. 11am to 5pm.
• Houston AfriFest at Houston Christian University | Saturday, October 26 – Drawing thousands from across the city, this annual fest celebrates the continent of Africa with a market featuring local and international vendors, and showcasing the arts, music, fashion and foods from across the region. $10; free for ages 12 and under, students, seniors and veterans. 11am to 7pm.
• Elissa’s 147th Birthday Party at Galveston Historic Seaport | Saturday, October 26 – Celebrate the grand old lady, the “Official Tall Ship of Texas,” at the 1877 Elissa annual birthday party, complete with complimentary craft beer from Saint Arnold Brewing, food, custom birthday cake, live music from Houston’s Buxton, and a shipload of fun with the good and festive folks from Galveston Historical Foundation. $65. 7pm to 9pm.
• Wings Over Houston Airshow at Ellington Airport | Saturday, October 26 & Sunday, October 27 – One of the top airshows in the nation, Wings Over Houston showcases vintage World War II aircraft and modern aviation with soaring spectacles, reenactments, and high-flying aerobatics. Advance general admission tickets are $45, day of admission is $50. 8am to 5pm both days.

Don’t Miss Out on Tomorrow’s Fun!