What to do This Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day, Sept.  6, officially marks the end of the summer. Soak up this last bit of summer fun while it lasts. Here is a roundup of events and activities to consider over the long weekend. As always, please monitor individual event websites for any Covid- or weather-related updates.

Events

Party at the Pavilion

Max Flinn performs all over Houston and in other cities. (Photo: Trish Badger)

Bellaire Parks and the City of Bellaire are hosting Party at the Pavilion featuring Bellaire's own Max Flinn! This free, outdoor concert at Bellaire Town Square takes place Friday at 7 p.m. Holy Smoke Cookers will also be there providing complimentary hot dogs till supplies last. Read more about Max's journey here.

Hurricane Ida Relief Concerts
Axelrad Beer Garden is hosting a series of concerts to raise funds for Hurricane Ida relief efforts. The shows are free and a portion of each evening’s sales will go toward relief efforts. This weekend, Kermit Ruffins and The Htown Swingers perform Friday, 8-11 p.m.; Corey Henry & Treme funktet perform Saturday, 3-5:30 p.m. and sunday, 5-7:30 p.m. Find a list of ways to help those impacted by Hurricane Ida here. 

Houston Humane Society & Barkley's Fundraiser
After evacuating nearly 100 shelter pets in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Houston Humane Society is partnering with Barkley’s, a Midtown patio bar featuring a dog park and craft cocktails, to host a pet food drive and fundraiser. Donations will be accepted on-site Sept. 4-5, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and Barkley’s patrons will be able to meet Cowboy, one of the Hurricane Ida survivors available for adoption at 50 percent off. Event sponsor LALO’s Tequila will be donating $1 per drink served to Houston Humane Society, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka will be donating animal supplies and additional funds to support the shelter’s Ida rescue efforts. See Barkley's Facebook page for details. See Houston Humane Society's Hurricane Ida Animal Relief Fund. 

Catch a performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre
On Friday night at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Asia Society Texas Center and the Indo-American Association will perform an evening of Indian arts and dance. And on Saturday night, the Mercury Chamber Orchestra performs audience-favorite, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Both events are free and open to the public.

Chalk on the Block
Watch local artists create pavement art at Elizabeth Baldwin Park on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Labor Day Backyard BBQ Party at Market Square Park

Labor Day weekend isn't complete without a backyard BBQ. Come to Market Square Park for lawn games, cold brews and delicious BBQ. (Photo: Morris Malakoff)

On Saturday at 4 p.m., join Market Square Park for a good ole fashioned backyard BBQ. Stay for live music by Danny Ray & the Acoustic Production. Compete in the watermelon eating contest, where the winner will receive a trophy and ultimate bragging rights. This event is free and open to the public. 

Labor Day Weekend Concert at Sugar Land Square 
On Saturday night at Sugar Land Town Square, come watch the Houston Tidelanders, a barbershop style group, take the stage from 7:30 to 9 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Labor Day Tours of Battleship Texas 
Battleship Texas has been closed for major repairs, but it will be temporarily open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend. The cost of general admission is $10, $5 for ages 4 to 11, active military, and 65+, and free for kids under 3.

With the whole family, enter to win the Galveston Family Beach Challenge. (Photo courtesy of galvestonchallenge.com)

Galveston Family Beach Challenge
All day on Sunday, Stewart Beach in Galveston will be transformed into a giant obstacle course for families to compete on. The Galveston Family Beach Challenge is free to enter, and participants will have a chance to win the grand prize of a $500 gift card. 

Karbach Labor Day Market
At Karbach Brewing Company on Sunday, Shop Local Market will be hosting an open-air market featuring local artists and makers. This event is free and open to the public.

Family Zone on the Go at MFAH 
On Sunday, the Family Art Cart will make its way around the galleries in the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. On the cart is engaging activities and coloring sheets and pushing the cart is a knowledgeable staff member who can answer questions about any of the works of art. This event is included with the price of admission.

Labor Day in the Woodlands 
At Waterway Square in The Woodlands, compete in the pie eating contest, listen to live music by Cold Shot, and finish the night by watching the firework display. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more about the pie eating contest here.

Sunday Night Fireworks at Kemah Boardwalk
Fireworks begin Sunday at 9:30 p.m. on Kemah Boardwalk. This event is free for everyone.

Grab a paddle and get ready to play at Levy Park! (Photo courtesy of Levy Park)

Table Tennis Meet Up at Levy Park
On Monday at 10 a.m., two eight-person table tennis tournaments will be held back-to-back at Levy Park. To sign up for this free tournament, meet at the table tennis tables near the activities lawn 15 minutes before the tournaments start. Ping pong paddles and balls will be provided.

Labor Day at Lone Star Flight Museum
Labor Day weekend at the Lone Star Flight Museum will include the exhibit Never Forget: Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, which features the names of all 2,977 victims and a portion of the World Trade Center I-Beam. In addition, hangar talks, tours, flight simulators, craft stations and eggstronaut are available. All museum exhibits and Labor Day weekend programs are free with a general admission ticket. 

Live Music in the CITYCENTRE Plaza
Come enjoy live music in the Plaza at CITYCENTRE! David Gallego will perform pop/Latin favorite on Friday, Dan Oviedo will perform pop/alternative favorites on Saturday, and a line-up of inspirational artists featuring Jonathan Finney are set to perform on Sunday.

Sports
Skeeters vs. Aviators
The Sugar Land Skeeters take on the Las Vegas Aviators at Constellation Field every day over Labor Day weekend. Stay for post-game activities like fireworks on Friday and a giveaway on Saturday. 

Dynamo vs. Timbers 
On Friday night, the Dynamo take on the Timbers at BBVA Stadium.

Cougars vs. Raiders
On Saturday at NRG Stadium, the Cougars take on the Raiders.

Astros vs. Mariners
On Labor Day, the Astros take on the Mariners at Minute Maid Park.

Ongoing Activities
Candytopia
Candytopia will be at CITYCENTRE through Labor Day weekend. Tickets are $28 per adult, $24 per child (ages 4-12), and kids under the age of 3 enter for free. This family-friendly, sugar-filled utopia will be a sweet escape for visitors.

Houston Restaurant Weeks
Houston Restaurants Weeks runs through Labor Day weekend. Find the list of participating restaurants here. Each restaurant will donate a portion of their funds to the Houston Food Bank. 

Rent a kayak or navigate a radio-controlled boat around Kinder Lake. (Photo: Katya Horner)

Kayak Rides and R/C Boats on Kinder Lake
After months of being closed, Kinder Lake at Discovery Green is open for kayak rides and R/C boat rides again. Rent a kayak or navigate a radio-controlled boat around Kinder Lake. Rentals provided by Bayou City Adventures and are subject to weather conditions. No reservation is required, but rides cost $5.

Take a boat tour
Hop on board and enjoy the ride! There are plenty of boat rides around the Houston metro area that have reopened after not operating last year. 

Take a day trip
Think about visiting one of these destinations as a day trip or a weekend getaway this Labor Day weekend.

Go fishing
It’s surprising the amount of fishing spots around the metro. Check out this article on Urban Fishing in Houston for a list of great spots in the city to fish.

Kids can cool off and play in the water wonderland at Discovery Green, a longtime Houston favorite. (Photo: James LaCombe)

Cool off at a splash pad
Splash pads around town are a great way to cool off and have some fun in the sun!  

Walk through the trails at the Houston Arboretum
The play area at the Houston Arboretum, which had been closed since its installation mid-pandemic, is open again to the public.

Shallow marshes at the entrance to the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary are home to bullfrogs, turtles and tadpoles, as well as a wide deck to stroll through the trees. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

Find more walking trails
Consider taking an easy hike on tucked-away trails in the Houston area. Read about some of our favorite hiking trails and places to explore in Houston.

Visit a farmers market 
Head to one of Houston's many farmers markets for an assortment of produce. It's a super weekend to try out new veggies and experiment with recipes.

Ernesto Neto at MFAH  
SunForceOceanLife, at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, will be open through Sept. 26. Bring a pair of socks with you, so you can walk through the interactive artwork. Tickets are $25 for an adult (19+), $20 for seniors (65+), $20 for youth, 13-18; free for children 12 and under. Advance tickets are recommended; the price of tickets include general admission to the Museum.