Event Roundup: What to Look Forward to This Weekend

Every winter, Discovery Green hosts an ice skating rink including fun, special events. (Photo: Katya Horner)

Happy Friday! It’s the last weekend of 2018, and there’s so much happening around town. From special holiday events to New Year’s Eve festivities, we’ve rounded up a slew of fun activities for you and your family to enjoy while closing out the year. 

Winter Park Chill Out 

Enjoy some sunshine, s’mores and outdoor games at Memorial Park during the Winter Park Chill Out on Friday afternoon. Memorial Park Conservancy Staff will be leading outdoor games while REI will be providing the camp chairs and cocoa/coffee supplies. 

Family Concert at Levy Park 

Pack a picnic and get ready to sing and dance at Levy Park with your children this Saturday afternoon. Sponsored by Primrose School at Greenway Plaza and Primrose School of Upper Kirby, this concert is part of a series of Prelude Music Classes for Children. The concerts are filled with music from a variety of cultures and are performed by professional musicians from Prelude Music Classes. 

Holiday Shows and Festivals
  
If you were away for the holidays or didn’t get a chance to check out Houston’s holiday shows, there’s still time! The final few performances of A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas happens this weekend at The Alley Theatre. And, it’s also the final weekend that the holiday classic The Nutcracker is on at the Wortham Center. Check out the list below for a number of holiday festivals and events that are continuing to run for a few more weeks, including

Christmas Village

Visit Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens to discover a winter wonderland filled with lights, live holiday music and activities for all ages throughout the 14-acre estate. Take a holiday-themed tour of Ima Hogg’s historic mansion, go sledding down a faux-snow slide, make your own holiday music and more! Christmas Village takes place rain or shine and remains open through Jan. 5.

Magical Winter Lights 

For the fourth year in a row, Houston’s Gulf Greyhound Park is home to Magical Winter Lights, a 52-day holiday lighting event, not to mention the largest lantern festival of its kind in the country. The festival runs through Jan. 6, and it offers guests a chance to explore themed lantern displays and to enjoy arts and crafts, food and shopping. 

Festival of Lights 

Drive out to Galveston’s Moody Gardens for the Festival of Lights, open through Jan. 6. Enjoy an outdoor skating rink, festive food, live entertainment and more. 

Zoo Lights 

Visit the Houston Zoo to see fifteen miles worth of LED lights and animal-themed light displays surrounded by the zoo’s real animals. Zoo Lights runs through Jan. 13. 

The ICE

Visit Discovery Green for a chance to skate at The ICE, the largest outdoor ice skating surface in the Southwest. The ICE remains open through Jan. 27, with special activities happening on select nights. This weekend you can enjoy Funfetti Friday - where DJ Mohawk Steve plays hit tunes while you skate - or Skating with the Stars on Sunday, where Houston’s top figure skaters perform demonstrations.

Ring in the New Year on Mon., Dec. 31 at CityCentre. The excitement begins at 9:30 p.m. with live music in the plaza from five-piece variety dance band, A Sure Thing, followed by a countdown to midnight capped off with confetti and a 60-second rooftop fireworks show.

New Year’s Eve at CityCentre 
 
Kick off New Year’s Eve festivities with a family-friendly Noon Year’s Eve celebration with Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. Held at CityCentre, the event will feature a balloon and caricature artist, face painting and more. Cap off Noon Year’s Eve with bubbles, and then CityCentre in the evening will ring in the New Year with live music in the plaza followed by a countdown to midnight and a rooftop fireworks show (weather permitting). 

More Events

To find out about more New Year’s Eve happenings, check out our New Year’s Eve 2018 roundup. See all upcoming events on our events calendar. Happy (almost) 2019!