Event Roundup: What to Look Forward to This Weekend

Happy Friday! Find fun happenings in our weekend roundup: 

PlantCon International 
Calling all gardeners: PlantCon International takes place Friday and Saturday at NRG Center. The event features a 100-vendor plant market and exhibition featuring rare and hard-to-find plants, plus seminars and workshops from experts. The event is organized by With Heart Collective, a nonprofit focused on creating inclusive spaces and opportunities for small, minority-owned businesses and their customers. Events are happening throughout the day on both Friday and Saturday, and general admission is $25.

Umami Fest Night Market  
This umami-packed, Asian-inspired food festival and night market at Railway Heights Market will feature street food, vendors, artists, night market games and prizes, and entertainment. The festival takes place both Friday and Saturday, 4-11 p.m., and is free to attend.

Astros vs. Athletics
The Houston Astros take on the Oakland Athletics at Minute Maid, Friday, 7:10 p.m., Saturday, 3:10 p.m., and Sunday, 1:10 p.m. Find tickets here.  

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will present two free performances of Verdi’s La traviata, one of the world’s most beloved operas, at Miller Outdoor Theatre on Friday and Saturday, May 19 and 20.

La traviata Produced By Houston Grand Opera  
Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will present two free performances of Verdi’s La traviata, one of the world’s most beloved operas, at Miller Outdoor Theatre on Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Each spring HGO’s popular outdoor performances allow Houstonians to experience opera in a casual, relaxed setting that’s appropriate for the entire family. This production of La traviata opened HGO’s 2022-23 season to a sold-out, record-breaking audience; and now, operagoers and new audiences can once again experience award-winning director Arin Arbus’s production. The opera runs for two hours and 25 minutes with two intermissions. It is sung in Italian with projected English translation.

NAMIWalks Greater Houston 
NAMIWalks Greater Houston will raise awareness and create support for mental health services for all. This year’s walk will be held at Sam Houston Park on Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. There’s no fee to register for NamiWalks events; every registered participant who raises $100 and more will earn the official event t-shirt. 

iFest USA 
The International Festival of the United States of America also known as iFEST USA, is widely regarded as The Official Celebration Of Multiculturalism And Diversity. The festival promotes learning and information exchanges in support of peace, love, and friendship. The International Festival USA is the largest and most prominent global project for promoting world geography, traditions and cultures. The festival takes place at Discovery Green on Saturday, 2-9 p.m.., and will include international food, arts and entertainment, special guests, and more. Free to attend; registration recommended.  

Empty Bowls is an international effort to fight hunger, implemented in Houston to benefit the Houston Food Bank. The 17th annual Empty Bowls Houston takes place on Saturday, May 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

17th annual Empty Bowls Houston benefitting Houston Food Bank 
The 17th annual Empty Bowls Houston takes place on Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, in both the indoor gallery spaces and outdoor garden. Empty Bowls is an international effort to fight hunger, implemented in Houston to benefit the Houston Food Bank. The unique lunch fundraiser is a collaboration between Houston area ceramists, woodturners and artists working in all media and Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. Attendees will enjoy perusing the 1,500-plus hand-crafted bowls made and donated by Houston area ceramists and craft artists, which are available for a donation to the Houston Food Bank of $25 per bowl (100 percent goes to Houston Food Bank). There will be live artist demonstrations outdoors throughout the event, and live music in the garden. All attendees who purchase bowls will enjoy a simple soup lunch.  

West U Day at Rice Baseball’s Reckling Park 
During the Rice Baseball vs. FIU game on Saturday, 2 p.m., West U neighbors are encouraged to attend and receive discounted tickets. A portion of the proceeds will benefit West University Little League. Read more about the Rice baseball team here; many of the players grew up playing on local fields, including West U Little League.

More Events
See our event calendar for more upcoming events.