🛎️ Don't miss getting my list of things to do in Houston this weekend by signing up for my newsletter. Every signup makes a difference in keeping these posts going🛎️

If you're interested in going to the Rodeo Cook-Off, I wrote a "First timers guide to the cook-off, and how to get wristbands" which has a lot of information I wish I had known before arriving the first time.

Festivals and Markets

Saturday – Houston Rodeo Parade @ Downtown @ 10AM Decorative floats intermingle with thousands of men and women on horseback to fill the streets with hoof beats and marching bands.

Saturday – First Saturday Arts Market @ Houston Heights @ 11AM Visit Houston’s original monthly outdoor arts event!

Saturday – The Astro Market @ 917 Franklin St @ 12PM This monthly market brings together vendors, artists, musicians, and families for a day of connection, creativity, and culture.

Saturday – Coffee and Cars @ POST @ 9AM Come out and enjoy an amazing display of unique cars at POST!

Sunday – Blackwood Farmers Market @ POST @ 2PM Shop, taste, and support fellow Texan makers and organizations working towards the city’s green future.

All weekend – WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP BAR-B-QUE CONTEST AND COOKOFF @ NRG Park More than 250 teams, led by barbecue aficionados, compete in the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest.

All weekend – Mardi Gras! @ Galveston The 113th edition of Galveston’s Mardi Gras is non-stop entertainment! Dance your way through the streets, enjoy live performances, become part of the annual parade extravaganza, and so much more. Ends 3/4.

Standup

Thursday – Chris Estrada Stand Up @ Houston Improv @ 7:30PM

Thursday – Mo Gilligan Stand Up @ Punchline Houston @ 7:30PM

Thursday – JJ Liberman Stand Up @ The Secret Group @ 8PM

Sunday – Cactus Tate Stand Up @ Houston Improv @ 7:30PM

Sunday – Ocean Glapion Stand Up @ The Riot Comedy Club @ 8PM

FRIDAY & SATURDAY – Steve Byrne Stand Up @ Houston Improv

FRIDAY & SATURDAY – Heather Shaw Stand Up @ The Riot Comedy Club

All weekend – Andrea Jin Stand Up @ Punchline Houston

Sports

Saturday – Rockets vs Sacramento Kings @ Toyota Center @ 7PM

Saturday – SaberCats vs Seattle Seawolves @ SaberCats Stadium @ 7PM

Sunday – Dynamo vs Inter Miami FC @ Shell Energy Stadium @ 6PM

All Ages Events

Thursday – ‘Dragons & Mythical Beasts’ Puppet Show @ The Hobby Center @ 6:30PM Enter into a magical world of myths and legends in this fantastical show for all the family.

Saturday – Saturday Stargazing @ George Observatory in Needville

Sunday – Family Zone @ MFAH @ 1PM On selected Sundays, families are invited to visit the MFAH for exciting activities in the galleries.

Sunday – Brunch with the Dinosaurs @ Houston Zoo @ 8AM Enjoy a variety of tasty brunch items, early access to the Zoo, and a first look at the Zoo’s one-of-a-kind prehistoric adventure.

Ongoing – ‘Beat The Bomb’ Experience The World’s Craziest Team Game is coming to Houston! Step into a real life video game and get blasted with paint, foam, and slime if you lose.

Ongoing – Sloomoo Exhibition @ Marq E Entertainment Center Immerse yourself in the joy of sensory play with Sloomoo Institute’s colorful world of never-ending, hand-crafted slime, yummy scents, and soothing ASMR delights. Ends 3/31.

Ongoing – ‘Time and Space’ Exhibition @ ARTECHOUSE Visit three distinctive exhibitions showcasing over 18 unique installation pieces, ranging from cinematic experiences and laser performances to robotic installations and interactive artworks. Ends 3/5.

Ongoing – ‘Body Worlds 101: The Core of Life’ Exhibition @ The Health Museum This fascinating all-new exhibit is designed to ignite curiosity, understanding, and awe for the human body for visitors of all ages.

Arts & Culture

All weekend – ‘In The Night’ Ballet @ Brown Theater Houston Ballet presents three expressive ballets in this unique program that combines classical and contemporary artistry. Ends 3/9.

All weekend – ‘007: James Bond Forever’ Concert @ Jones Hall Enjoy an evening of style, sophistication, and intrigue as the Houston Symphony celebrates 60 years of 007, performing unforgettable Bond themes from Connery to Craig.

Ongoing – ‘Space City: Art in the Age of Artemis’ Exhibition @ Asia Society Texas Featuring over 30 artists, the exhibition travels through art, science, and human curiosity, inviting visitors to embark on an imaginative journey through the cosmos. Ends 3/16.

Ongoing – ‘Knights in Shining Armor: The Pavia Tapestries’ Exhibition @ MFAH Restored to its original glory, the seven monumental tapestries on view draw into the world of Renaissance history, fashion, and military technology. Ends 5/26.

Ongoing – ‘Picturing Nature’ Exhibition @ MFAH Featuring over 70 artworks from the Stuart Collection, the exhibition examines innovative works by J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, and others in revolutionizing the genre of landscape art. Ends 7/6.

Ongoing – ‘Navigating the Waves’ Exhibition @ MFAH Exploring identity, heritage, and socio-political change, the exhibition traces the evolution of photography in Cuba from the 1960s to the 2010s. Ends 8/3.

Ongoing – ‘Tacita Dean: Blind Folly’ Exhibition @ Menil The exhibition spotlights the British visual artist’s career-defining approach to creating art through unmediated and chance-based drawing processes across a variety of mediums. Ends 4/15.

Ongoing – ‘Joe Overstreet: Taking Flight’ Exhibition @ Menil The exhibition presents a series of landmark paintings by pioneering artist Joe Overstreet, whose innovative works intertwine abstraction and social politics. Ends 7/13.

Ongoing – ‘Vincent Valdez: Just a Dream’ Exhibition @ CAMH Considered to be one of the most important American painters working today, multidisciplinary artist Valdez’s works address the failings and triumphs of contemporary American society. Ends 3/23.

Live Theater

All weekend – ‘The Wedding Singer’ Musical @ Stageworks Theatre Based on the hit Adam Sandler movie, this musical takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room. Ends 3/16.

All weekend – ‘The Ripple, The Wave That Carried Me Home’ Play @ Stages Houston From Tony-nominated playwright Christina Anderson comes a new poignant play that delves into themes of injustice, forgiveness, and familial ties. Ends 3/23.

All weekend – ‘The Glass Menagerie’ Play @ Alley Theatre A family drama of great tenderness, charm, and beauty, ‘The Glass Menagerie’ is an icon of the American theater. Ends 3/16.

All weekend – ‘Seared’ Play @ Alley Theatre Indulge your senses in this spicy comedy of culinary chaos and artistic vision that clashes with the hard realities of business. Ends 3/9.

All weekend – ‘Seven Assassins Walk Into A Bar’ Play @ Main Street Theater LAST CHANCE – A hilarious, dark comedy about morality, camaraderie, and what it means just to get by in life, this play is filled with swift-moving dialogue and unexpected twists. Ends 3/2.

All weekend – ‘Miss LaRaj’s House of Dystopian Futures’ Play @ MATCH LAST CHANCE – The Catastrophic Theatre’s newest production features talking trees, judgemental rocks, and other elements of nature as they guide humankind in a post-apocalyptic New World Order. Ends 3/1.

All weekend – ‘Blackbird’ Play @ MATCH Sharp, poignant, and intense, Dirt Dogs Theatre’s newest play examines abusive attachments and the raw emotions that come with processing cruel relationships. Ends 3/8.

All weekend – ‘Topdog/Underdog’ Play @ 4th Wall Theatre A darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity is Suzan-Lori Parks' latest riff on the way we are defined by history. Ends 3/8.

Live Music

Thursday – Eric Bellinger @ House of Blues @ 7PM With Jastin Martin

Thursday – Palaye Royale @ White Oak Music Hall @ 7PM With Johnnie Guilbert

Thursday – Illiterate Light @ White Oak Music Hall @ 7PM With Vision Arcade

Thursday – Alcest @ Warehouse Live @ 7:30PM

Thursday – Jon Stork @ Armadillo Palace @ 10PM

Thursday – Held Orbit @ Scout Bar @ 8PM

Friday – Sullivan King @ Bayou Music Center @ 9PM With Yookie, Grabbitz, & RZRKT

Friday – Role Model @ House of Blues @ 7PM With Debbii Dawson

Friday – Ollie Wride @ House of Blues @ 6PM

Friday – Mr. Kitty @ White Oak Music Hall @ 8PM

Friday – Los Skarnales + Swimwear Department @ The Heights Theater @ 8PM

Friday – Hi I’m Ghost @ Stereo Live @ 10PM With Strangers

Friday – Layton Giordani @ Warehouse Live @ 10PM

Friday – Lølø @ The Secret Group @ 7PM

Friday – Kin Faux @ Armadillo Palace @ 10PM

Friday – The Beatles Tribute Band Rooftop Concert @ POST @ 8PM

Friday – Left of West + Lonesome Haunts @ Continental Club @ 9:30PM

Saturday – Gary Clark Jr. @ 713 Music Hall @ 8PM With Grace Bowers

Saturday – Nessa Barrett @ House of Blues @ 7PM

Saturday – Spencer Sutherland @ House of Blues @ 7PM

Saturday – Good Kid @ White Oak Music Hall @ 7PM With Phoneboy

Saturday – Palmer Anthony @ White Oak Music Hall @ 7PM

Saturday – Trevor Hall @ The Heights Theater @ 8PM

Saturday – Hayden James @ Stereo Live @ 10PM

Saturday – Together Pangea @ The Secret Group @ 8:30PM

Saturday – Bri Bagwell @ Armadillo Palace @ 10PM

Saturday – Garden Grove: A Sublime Experience @ Scout Bar @ 9PM

Saturday – Marshall Falcon + Hard Luck Revival @ Continental Club @ 9:30PM

Sunday – Carlos Rivera @ Smart Financial Centre @ 8PM

Sunday – Palace @ House of Blues @ 7PM With Darling Farm

Sunday – Swallow The Sun @ House of Blues @ 6PM With Ghost Bath, Harakiri for the Sky, & Snakes of Russia

Sunday – The Plot In You @ White Oak Music Hall @ 6PM With Holding Absence, Boundaries, & Acres

Sunday – Robert Cray Band @ The Heights Theater @ 8PM With John Egan

Sunday – Koo Koo @ Warehouse Live @ 1PM With 123 Andrés

Sunday – Apricity @ Scout Bar @ 6PM

Other Events

Friday – Happy Hour Friday – Tango Night @ MFAH @ 5PM
Explore the galleries after-hours, mingle with the local tango community and learn new moves at this special edition of the MFAH’s Happy Hour!

Saturday – Sip & Stroll @ MFAH Bayou Bend @ 4PM Stroll Bayou Bend’s historic estate at twilight while you enjoy refreshments and a light Spring-themed program.

All weekend – 2025 Oscar-Nominated Short Films Screenings @ MFAH MFAH presents its annual selection of Oscar-nominated live-action, animated, and documentary shorts you always wish you’d seen come Oscar night.