Event Roundup: What to Look Forward to This Weekend

Happy Friday! There's tons of fun events and festivals happening around town this weekend, including: 

The International Quilt Festival draws thousands of passionate quilters for classes, exhibits, networking, shopping, guest speakers, and more at George R. Brown Convention Center. 

International Quilt Festival Houston 
The International Quilt Festival draws thousands of passionate quilters for classes, exhibits, networking, shopping, guest speakers, and more. The festival takes place at George R.  Brown Convention Center and continues today and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $15. 

Hedwig Village’s Texas Arbor Day Celebration and Tree Giveaway  
This morning, Hedwig Village is hosting its first Texas Arbor Day community celebration and tree giveaway, 10 a.m., with a tree dedication and Informational talk at Hedwig Park. Children will receive their own Lil’ Gardener starter kit. The city will dedicate the planting of four new Oak trees purchased with a grant from the Garden Club of Houston. Skip Richter, the new host of the GardenLine radio show on KTRH 740 AM, will speak about “Success with Trees: Selection, Planting, & Summer Care.” 

Asia Society Texas' 11th annual Night Market event will take place Fri., Nov. 3, 6–10 p.m. Featuring 60+ local AAPI-owned restaurants, small businesses, and community partners, the festival celebrates the vibrant diversity of Houston’s Asian American communities and presents a memorable night of culinary delights and interactive fun for all ages.

Asia Society Texas’ 11th annual Night Market  
Asia Society Texas’ 11th annual Night Market event takes place tonight, 6-10 p.m. Featuring more than 60 local AAPI-owned restaurants, small businesses, and community partners, the festival presents a night of culinary delights and interactive fun for all ages. AST will transform its parking lot and one block of Southmore Boulevard into a free outdoor market with food trucks, retail and food vendors, and special activations. Visitors will enjoy Otaku Alley highlighting all things manga and anime, Indus Arts Council's interactive art truck, and a Chinese lantern display previewing Houston Botanic Garden’s upcoming Radiant Nature installation. Inside AST’s Center, guests will enjoy after-hours access to the Explore Asia and Tsherin Sherpa: Spirits exhibitions, an all-ages Japanese-inspired carnival, mahjong, and other table games, and three sumo wrestling demonstrations by Shogeki Sumo. The outdoor market is free and open to the public; indoor entertainment is ticketed ($5/guest, plus an additional $5 for the sumo wrestling demos).  

Children’s Museum Houston will be magically transformed into a colorful, beautiful, and bountiful Land of the Dead, bursting with incredible offerings in celebration of El Día de los Muertos.

Children’s Museum Houston's Day of the Dead Celebration  
Children’s Museum Houston will be magically transformed into a colorful, beautiful Land of the Dead, bursting with incredible offerings in celebration of El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Festivities throughout the day include a Coco-inspired Day of the Dead Celebration with characters from the movie; painting a sugar skull masterpiece with local artist Christian Navarette; honor the dearly departed with a dance inspired by Día de los Muertos; visiting an authentic Day of the Dead ofrenda. Included with general admission. 

HCCC's Hands-On Houston Family Festival 
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft hosts the annual Hands-on Houston Family Festival, a free community event for families and visitors of all ages. This year, the festival celebrates wood crafts and the fall exhibition, Tree of Life, with hands-on making, artist demonstrations, free trees from Trees for Houston, and more. Food will be available for purchase from the Moon Rooster food truck. Families and children of all ages are welcome, and materials are provided. The festival takes place on Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 

The 3rd Annual Houston Dia de los Muertos Festival includes a parade, live music, beautiful procession, delicious concessions, arts and crafts, and more. 

3rd Annual Houston Dia de los Muertos Festival 
The 3rd Annual Houston Dia de los Muertos Festival includes a heartfelt parade to celebrate the living and honor our beloved. Join for an evening filled with live music, beautiful procession, delicious concessions, fun arts and crafts, and more! The festival takes place on Saturday at Sam Houston Park from 2-10 p.m. and the parade kicks off at 7 p.m. Free to attend.  

CAMH Open Studio: Mini Piñata  
Celebrate Contemporary Arts Museum Houston’s 75th anniversary by creating a personalized mini piñata! CAMH’s Open Studio sessions feature drop-in, hands-on activities that draw inspiration from the exhibitions on view. During these sessions, participants will have an opportunity to explore imaginative concepts inspired by world-renowned artists who show at the Museum by making your own artworks in response to theirs. All ages are welcome; admission is free. The event takes place on Saturday, 2-4 p.m. 

Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival
The 51st Jewish Book & Arts Festival kicks off this weekend and continues through Nov. 18, offering an outstanding lineup of authors and artists and programs for all ages. Opening Night features Martin Fletcher, author of Teachers: The Ones I Can't Forget, in conversation with Khambrel Marshall, host of Houston Newsmakers. Sunday, Nov. 5 includes several events: Local Literati with keynote speaker Alex Lazar at 1 p.m.; featured authors include Larry Dachslager, Judy Haveson, Ben Koshkin, Milton Klein, Arlene Lassin, Joseph Schiller, Bill Sunshine, Rachel Teichman, Jennifer Tiras, Ronarose Train, Howard Sherman, and Leonard Zwelling. Sunday at 4 p.m. features emerging novelist David Biespiel. Sunday at 7 p.m. features authors Uri Kaufman and Oren Kessler. Find the lineup here with full event descriptions. 

Beijing Dance Theater performs Three Poems, a breathtaking contemporary ballet by Wang Yuanyuan, at Miller Outdoor Theatre. 

Beijing Dance Theater: Three Poems
Beijing Dance Theater presents Three Poems, a breathtaking contemporary ballet by Wang Yuanyuan, at Miller Outdoor Theatre on Saturday, 7 p.m. Noted around the world for their unique style and modern aesthetics, this performance in three parts is sure to wow audiences of all ages.

Discover Houston Music Showcase  
More than 80 Houston bands submitted applications for the Discover Houston Music Showcase. The top 20 were selected by a team of music professionals and the public voted for their favorite. The winning bands will play the Discovery Houston Music Showcase at Discovery Green on Saturday, 7-10 p.m. The winner is The Creeps; first runner up is Blossom Aloe; and second runner up is Sugar Joiko. Emcees for the evening include Matt Graham of Swimwear Department and Rapper/Activist Genesis Blu. The Discover Houston Music showcase is supported by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Houston Music Advisory Board.  

Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings 
The Houston Rockets take on the Sacramento Kings at Toyota Center, Saturday, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $5.

Houston Texans vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
The Houston Texans take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NRG Stadium, Sunday at noon. Tickets start at $60.

Fall Festival “Dream with Alebrijes”  
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston hosts its second annual Dream with Alebrijes festival on Sunday, 1-5 p.m. The event celebrates the unveiling of six new temporary sculptures. This year, the MFAH partnered with ALMAAHH (Advocates of a Latino Museum of Cultural and Visual Arts & Archive Complex in Houston, Harris County) for the selection and commission of six Houston-based Latinx artists to create the sculptures for the festival. Each will create sculptures that are inspired by alebrijes, and represent their own cultural heritage. Their work will be on view from the day of the festival through Nov. 12. Visitors will be greeted on the day of the festival by David Linares from Mexico City, whose grandfather, Pedro Linares, originated the alebrije concept with his papier-mâché fantastical creatures. Guests will also enjoy live music, dance performances, art making activities, and a new lotería game inspired by works in the MFAH collection. Film screenings will be provided by Houston Latino Film Festival. Both the Fall Festival and the Museum are open to the public with free Museum admission. 

More Events
See our event calendar for more upcoming events. See this Nov. 2023 listing of festive holiday happenings and mark your calendar for these upcoming holiday events.