Upcoming Festivals

(From left) Gayla Kusin, Abby Wendler and Holly Kurisky, all recent Memorial High School grads, attended Free Press 2017 despite the rain. 

In Bloom, aka the new and improved (or so we hope) Free Press, is happening this weekend at Eleanor TInsley Park. After last year’s rainy weekend, the Free Press organizers decided to rename the festival and move it to a less rainy time of year. It will be exciting to see how the “reopening” goes. In the meantime, check out this list of other cool festivals (music and otherwise) happening nearby and around the country, on the off chance you might like something to compare.

March 23-25: Bayou City Art Festival @ Houston, TX

• Big acts: Over 300 artists
• Features: Original art, art vendors, artist meet and greets
• Other information: The Art Colony Association, which is putting on the event, will be donating part of the proceeds to non-profits, including local art organizations

March 24-25: In Bloom @ Houston, TX

• Big acts: Lil Uzi Vert, Beck, Queens of the Stone Age, 21 Savage, T-Pain
• Features: Beatbox lounge, Houston Cares non-profit area, local Houston eats (including Local Foods, Oh My Gogi, The Burger Joint, and Fluff Bake Bar)
• Other information: The re-vamped FPSF - similar but hopefully better? 

March 31: H-Town Blues Festival @ Houston, TX 

• Big acts: TK Soul, Sir Charles Jones, Tyree Neal
• Features: Live music
• Other information: Located at NRG Park, now that the Rodeo is over!

April 7: Mac and Cheese Festival @ Houston, TX 

• Big acts: This isn’t a music festival, but I just had to include it. 40 Houston restaurants will be serving their take on mac and cheese.
• Features: Live music, local vendors, art exhibits
• Other information: no big music acts, but lots of cheesy goodness

April 7: 2018 Houston Zydeco Fest @ Houston, TX 

• Big acts: DJ Jack Frost, Lil Nate and the Zydeco Big Tymers, Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers
• Features: Creole food vendors, crawfish, BBQ
• Other information: Only $15 for general admission   

April 14-15: Houston Japan Festival @ Houston, TX 

• Big acts: ASKA-GUMI drum troupe, TiA, Kohei
• Features: Vendors, food trucks, martial arts, cosplay contest
• Other information: Located in Hermann Park

(From left) Sisters Haley and Holly Kurisky attended the 2017 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. They saw Earth, Wind, and Fire as well as Stevie Wonder perform. 

April 27-29, May 4-6: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival @ New Orleans, LA 

• Big acts: Rod Stewart (recently announced to replace Aretha Franklin), Sting, Aerosmith, Khalid, Cage the Elephant, Juanes
• Features: Local NOLA food, cultural stations, kids craft tent, nationwide vendors
• Other information: If you go, I’ll see you there! This is my favorite festival, and I go every year

May 4-6: Houston Polish Festival @ Houston, TX 

• Big acts: Wawel and Brave combo polka group
• Features: Custom made beer, Polish dancing and music, Polish food, Polish vendors
• Other information: Located at Our Lady of Czestochowa Polish Church in Spring Branch

May 4-6: Beale Street Music Festival @ Memphis, TN 

• Big acts: Jack White, Post Malone, Incubus, Alanis Morissette, Vance Joy, Gov’t Mule, Misterwives
• Features: Live music, lockers, other performances, food vendors
• Other information: Part of a month-long civic celebration called Memphis in May

May 6: JMBLYA @ Houston, TX 

• Big acts: J.Cole, Migos, Cardi B, Kevin Gates
• Features: Live music, food vendors
• Other information: Benefits Texas Organizing Project, Angel by Nature Foundation, and Grounded in Music

May 11-13: 2018 Texas Crab Festival @ Crystal Beach, TX 

• Big acts: Local Gulf Coast bands
• Features: Art, crafts, crab gumbo cook off, 5K and 1K runs, crab races, carnival rides, RV and boat shows, games, food booths
• Other information: 100% percent of the proceeds from the CrabFest go to fund educational and job training programs that help better the lives of those living on Bolivar Peninsula

June 1-3: The Governors Ball Music Festival @ New York, NY

• Big acts: Jack White, Post Malone, Travis Scott, Halsey, Eminem
• Features: Silent discos, mini golf, photobooths/stations, art, local food
• Other information: The festival is rain or shine!

See more upcoming events and festivals on our events calendar here.