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Hey! Welcome to Things To Do, your weekly one-stop newsletter for all things related to weekend fun in Houston and beyond.
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Temperatures are unlikely to cool of anytime soon, so beat the heat indoors this weekend. Go to a museum – the Houston Museum of Natural Science is hosting an after-hours mixer Friday. See a show – For theatergoers, Houston offers a rich menu from which to choose. Or peruse an indoor art market – First Saturday Arts Market and The Market at Sawyer Yards will unite for a one-day indoor event on Saturday.
But if you’re tempted by one of the outdoor events below, make sure to stay hydrated!
🏙️ Houston happenings
It’s a big city, with plenty to do, see, hear and watch. Here’s a sampling of the city’s cultural highlights this weekend.
Houston Restaurant Weeks
Through Sept. 4 at select Houston-area restaurants; houstonrestaurantweeks.com.
Houston Restaurant Weeks has returned in full force for its twentieth year. More than 200 restaurants across the Houston area are participating in this year’s program, which will run for five weeks, from Aug. 1, until Sept. 4. Each participating restaurant will offer special brunch, lunch and dinner menus for $25, or $39, and some higher-end places will offer three or more courses for $55. You can check out the full list of participating restaurants and their special menus here. The restaurants will donate $3 for a $25 meal, $5 for a $39 meal, or $7 for a $55 meal to the Cleverley Stone Foundation, the non-profit that operates Houston Restaurant Weeks. In turn, the foundation will make a donation to the Houston Food Bank. Here are 22 new and classic restaurants to eat at during the weeks-long event.
Anime Matsuri
Aug. 10-13 at the George R. Brown Convention Center; grbhouston.com.
The annual anime, Japanese culture and related arts convention will return to George R. Brown Convention Center this weekend. Thousands of anime fans are expected to attend the event, which will feature panels, workshops, live concerts, a Japanese fashion Show, cosplay contests, gaming, and a Japanese car show.
Houston Horror Film Fest
Aug. 11-13 at the Houston Marriott of Westchase; houstonhorrorfilmfest.com.
This annual horror film convention will screen over 70 horror films. Special guests at the festival will include Billy Zane, Nic Castle, P. J. Soles, Nancy Loomis, Lee Waddell, Michael Hargrove and more.
HMNS Mixers & Elixirs
Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Houston Museum of Natural Science; tickets.hmns.org.
“Rub elbows with the brainiacs and social butterflies on the dance floor, pick your potion at the cash bars, and chow down with the best food trucks the city has to offer this summer. Doors open at 7 p.m., skip the line when you buy your tickets online!”
BAM! Art Market
Aug. 12 and 12 p.m. at Silver Street Studios; firstsaturdayartsmarket.com.
The outdoor art markets First Saturday Arts Market and The Market at Sawyer Yards will unite for a one-day indoor event on Saturday dubbed the BAM! Art Market. Held at Silver Street Studios Warehouse, this event will feature exhibitors showcasing a mix of fine art and crafts.
Texas Sales Tax Holiday
Aug. 11-13; comptroller.texas.gov.
Texas shoppers will get a tax break this weekend as children prepare to return to school. The annual tax-free weekend, for a number of school-related items, begins Friday and runs through Sunday. Most clothing, footwear and school supplies priced less than $100 will be exempt from sales and use taxes.
H-Town Sneaker Summit
Aug. 13 at 3 p.m. at the NRG Center; nrgpark.com.
Sneakerheads will converge on NRG Park on Sunday for the H-Town Sneaker Summit, where they’ll buy, sell, trade, display, browse and discuss limited edition athletic shoes.
🏖️ Across the causeway
Meanwhile, in Galveston . . .
Galveston Island Beach Revue
During the early 20th century, Galveston Island launched a “bathing beauties contest” to strengthen the city’s tourism and economy and celebrate the summer holiday. The event evolved into the International Pageant of Pulchritude—the precursor to Miss Universe—and became so popular that on the weekends when it was held, the island’s population tripled. The pageant fizzled out during the Great Depression, but in 2009, the city resurrected the event, inviting visitors to cheer on competitors as they flaunted their best vintage beach fashion. The fun returns to Galveston this weekend. View a schedule of events here.
AIA Sandcastle Competition
The A.I.A. Sandcastle Competition is sure to liven up some walks along the beach in August. Forty-eight teams composed of architects, contractors and engineers who are affiliated with the American Institute of Architects will transform Galveston’s East Beach into an incredible, albeit somewhat temporary, exhibition space. On Aug. 12, teams have only five hours to build their sculptures out of approximately 15 cubic yards of sand in a race for the Golden Bucket Award. Spectators are welcome to survey their sandy creations. View a schedule of events here.
Air, Car, and Boat Show
Moody Gardens’ second-ever Air, Car and Boat show promises thrills by land, air and sea. Daytime and evening air shows will feature plane aerobatics and pyrotechnics, a splashy boat show will showcase an array of vessels, and an auto show will feature rows and rows of luxury vehicles. View a schedule of events here.
🎶 Music
Looking for live music in Houston? Here’s our guide to the best of live music happening this weekend.
Peso Pluma
Aug. 10-11 at 8 p.m. at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land; smartfinancialcentre.net.
The rising star made Spotify Mexico history as the first Mexican artist to lead the Daily Top Artists Mexico chart. He currently holds ten positions on the Billboard Global 200 and four songs on the Spotify Top 50 Global. He also recently released his highly anticipated 14-track album, “Genesis.”
Uptown: A Celebration Of Soul
Aug. 11 at 8:30 p.m. at the Miller Outdoor Theatre; milleroutdoortheatre.com.
“Fusing Bruno Mars-caliber stage presence with top-tier vocals and wall-to-wall choreography, the men of Uptown combine the smooth stylings of R&B with the fresh hits of today in a unique and modern show that gets every crowd on their feet!”
Boy George and Culture Club
Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion; woodlandscenter.org.
The “Letting It Go Show Tour” will bring music icons Boy George and Culture Club to The Woodlands on Aug. 11. Support on the tour will be provided by Howard Jones and Berline. The concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion will feature the prolific band performing dozens of fan-favorite and chart-topping hits from their catalog. Some of the music artists’ Hot 100 hits include “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me,” “Karma Chameleon,” and “Church of the Poisoned Mind.”
Stevie Nicks
Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Toyota Center; toyotacenter.com.
Stevie Nicks will come to Houston as part of her 2023 tour. Nicks, a longtime member of Fleetwood Mac, was the first woman to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Foreigner
Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion; concerts.livenation.com.
Foreigner’s historic Farewell Tour with special guests Loverboy will stop at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Saturday. Foreigner is the band behind these iconic songs: “I Want To Know What Love Is”, “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Juke Box Hero,” and “Urgent”.
Mudvayne
Aug. 13 at 5:30 p.m. the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion; woodlandscenter.org.
Heavy metal band Mudvayne will bring its tour, “The Psychotherapy Sessions,” to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands this weekend. The band will be joined by a number of supporting acts including Coal Chamber, performing for the first time in eight years, along with GWAR, Nonpoint and, Butcher Babies.
🎭 Theater
For theatergoers, Houston offers a rich menu from which to choose.
Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations
“‘Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations’ is the electrifying, new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one.” (Through Aug. 13 at the Hobby Center.)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
The Alley Theatre presents “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.” “One of Agatha Christie’s best-known novels is turned into this murderous mystery for the stage. This twisty whodunit features extraordinary characters who holds secrets about blackmail and murder that only the detective Hercule Poirot can solve in this all-new adaptation.” (Through Aug. 27 at the Alley Theatre.)
Always...Patsy Cline
“Featuring 27 of Patsy Cline’s biggest hits, including ‘Walkin’ After Midnight,’ ‘I Fall To Pieces,’ and ‘Crazy,’ ‘Always…Patsy Cline’ is a tale of friendship and great music. In 1961, country music legend Patsy Cline met Louise Seger, a fan from Houston, at a honky-tonk. The two struck up a friendship that continued via letter-writing until the singer’s tragic death years later. First premiering at Stages 35 years ago, ‘Always…Patsy Cline’ welcomes home the fans who made it a hit and invites new generations to discover Patsy and Louise.” (Through Oct. 29 at the Stages.)
📅 Things to do, any day of the week
- The Lone Star State’s 101 best experiences >> We assembled the ultimate Texas to-do list. On it, a strenuous hike up Guadalupe Peak; an unforgettable performance in Palo Duro; a bottle of Dr Pepper in Dublin; a hidden desk in Alpine; and 97 more delightful and awe-inspiring things every Texan should experience before they kick the bucket.
- Free things to do in Houston, every day of the week >> On any given day, you can enjoy some of the city’s “bucket list” experiences without breaking the bank. Here’s our shortlist of Houston attractions with very agreeable admission fees. How does $0 sound to you?
- Houston critter encounters >> Get up close and personal with adorable, extraordinary animals at these wild Houston-area experiences.
- Beat the heat >> Splash pads, spraygrounds, interactive fountains and community aquatic centers are a go-to source for free and low-cost family summer fun. Here’s where to go to get a quick dose of H2O when you’re not up for a full-fledged beach trip.
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