Event Roundup: What to Look Forward to This Weekend

Happy Earth Day! Remember to give your favorite tree a hug today! And recycle. We’ve rounded up some of the ways Houston is celebrating here. Find more festivities happening around town this weekend here:  

Colonial Park Pavilion All Outdoor Event Series
Today at 7 p.m., the Irie Time Caribbean Steel Drum Band will be taking over Colonial Park bringing tropical island vibes to West U. Unpack your worries and pack your lawn chairs to listen to the joyful sounds of summertime. This will be the last installment of the Colonial Park Pavilion All Outdoor Event Series sponsored by the West University Place Parks and Recreation Department this spring.

Astros vs. Blue Jays 
Cheer on the Houston Astros in their three games against the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend at Minute Maid Park. The first game will be tonight at 7:10 p.m., the second will be Saturday afternoon at 3:10 p.m., and the third will be Sunday afternoon at 3:10 p.m. Game highlights include Pregame Happy Hour on Friday, Faith and Family Night on Saturday, and Kids Run the Bases on Sunday. Tickets start at $24.

Houston Texans Kids Triathlon
Kids ages 6 to 17 are invited to compete in the 2022 Houston Texans Kids Triathlon on Saturday and Sunday at 7 a.m. New this year, the Houston Texans are teaming up with Typhoon Texas for their 7th annual race with an exciting course as kids will tackle the triathlon through their waterpark. Once kids triumphantly cross the finish line, they can celebrate with their family for the rest of day in Typhoon Texas with a free waterpark pass per child participant. Registration is $90 per child.

Evelyn’s Park Picnic in the Park
Celebrate Earth Day, Phase 2 of Evelyn's Park, and the 5th anniversary of the park! Picnic in the Park will be a free day of fun, family-friendly activities including a 5,000 seedling giveaway (generously donated by Trees For Houston), a Young Artist Showcase performing live music, Zumba, crafts, and much more. Grab a picnic blanket and head to the park tomorrow from noon to 4 p.m. Stop by the Buzz booth and say hi to our editorial assistant, Caroline – she’ll be passing out popcorn!

Earth Day Celebration at the Houston Arboretum
Express your love for the planet by joining the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center for a fun, free event on Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Celebrate Earth Day through poetry, drawing, photography, and more. Get creative and explore informative booths, nature hikes, fun displays in the Discovery Room, and Earth-friendly crafts and activities.  

Kinder HSPVA’s Encore 50 at Miller Outdoor Theatre
Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Kinder HSPVA) marks its 50th anniversary this year with “Encore 50.” This Saturday at 8:15 p.m., guests will enjoy performances by current students at Miller Outdoor Theatre, with special appearances by alumni including Broadway star Samantha Williams (’16), pianist and Guggenheim Fellow Helen Sung (’89), and opera star Camille Zamora (’88). The program will feature selections from every fine arts department at the school: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and Vocal Music. The event is free and open to the public. 

In addition to the concert, there will be two other Encore 50 events on Saturday. Before the concert is their Party in the Park, at Hermann Park from 6-7:30 p.m. ($500 per person). After the concert, there will be an After-Party at Axelrad from 10 p.m.-12 a.m. ($75 per person).

Nature Discovery Center’s Spring Fling Festival
The Nature Discovery Center’s 2022 Spring Fling Festival takes place Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. A fun and informative, free, family-friendly event, there will be nature and environmental activities crafts and exhibits for children, family nature hikes, live animals, and more. Center staff and volunteers will set up stations focused on live animals and biofacts, native wildflowers and their pollinators in the Pocket Prairie, pond wildlife in Cypress Pond, and edible plants and gardens out back by the pavilions. Plus, there will be a kid-friendly nature art project, scheduled hourly nature walks for the whole family (from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.), and a chance to make wildflower seed balls.

Spring Family Day at Bayou Bend & Rienzi
Visit the two MFAH house museums from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday for an afternoon of free, family-friendly programs that connect art, nature, history, and science. The “Glorious Gardens” at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens will offer music and theatrical performances, a storytelling program, and gardening-focused games and activities outside. Inside, guests can discover the influences of the natural world on American art and design. The “Exploration & Mapping Technology” event at Rienzi will offer activities focused on 18th-century scientific expeditions, exploration, and mapping technology. Enjoy story time in the gardens, and participate in art activities with connections to a telescope and a globe in the Rienzi Collection. Guests can also explore the galleries inside. Parking is available at Bayou Bend, and there will be a complimentary shuttle between locations.

Holocaust Museum Houston’s Yom HaShoah Observance
Holocaust Museum Houston (HMH) will host the annual Yom HaShoah observance at Congregation Beth Israel, at 3 p.m. Sunday. During this annual commemoration, the community mourns the loss of the 6 million Jewish people who perished in the Holocaust, honors those who survived and comes together to remember and reflect. The ceremony, led by Rabbis David Lyon, Adrienne Scott, and Gideon Estes includes remarks by HMH Chair Carl Josehart, songs from Cantors Diane Dorf, Kat Hastings, Francyne Davis Jacobs, David Krohn, Rollin Simmons, and Renee Waghalter, and a candle lighting ceremony narrated by Tobi Cooper. Emanu El Youth Choir and Shlenker Stars Choir will also perform.

Dash vs. Racing Louisville FC 
This Sunday, the Houston Dash will face off against Racing Louisville in the final Challenge Cup group stage match. The game will take place at PNC Stadium at 5 p.m. Tickets start at $15.

Editor's note: Please check individual event websites for any weather-related changes or Covid-related restrictions. Find more events here.