Event Roundup: What to Look Forward to This Weekend

Happy Friday! The weather is starting to cool off (sort of) and this weekend brings the start to fun fall events, including: 

River Oaks Garden Club’s Pink Elephant Sale 
River Oaks Garden Club’s 69th annual Pink Elephant Sale, offering a wide range of curated treasures at bargain pricing, takes place Friday-Saturday at Bayou City Event Center. Admission is $1. 

Astros vs. Athletics
The ’Stros take on the Athletics in a four-game series at Minute Maid, including Friday, 7:10 p.m., Saturday, 6:10 p.m., and Sunday, 1:10 p.m. This weekend is Hispanic Heritage Weekend. 

Mexican Independence Day
Celebrate Mexican Independence Day at Memorial Park with music, dancing, and great food on Friday, 5:30-8 p.m.  

Blessington Farms is open for fall family fun, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 17-Nov. 20. 

Blessington Farms Fall Festival and Pumpkin Patch
Blessington Farms Fall Festival kicks off this Saturday and continues every Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 20. Family-friendly fall activities include hayrides, an animal encounter, pumpkin patch, a barrel train ride, a rope maze, and more. 

Houston Bird Week  
Houston Bird Week, a celebration of the important role Houston plays in the journey of billions of migratory birds and resident birds, kicks off Saturday. Houston Audubon and local conservation partners have created a week of virtual and in-person events centered around our region’s birds and wildlife. This weekend’s events include a kick-off party at Sawyer Ice House on Saturday, 5-7 p.m. Find the full schedule here.  

Houston Arboretum will host its first-ever “Bat Fest” on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which is free and open to the public. Families are encouraged to come out with their children for this fun and educational event. (Photo courtesy of Houston Arboretum and Public Domain)

Houston Arboretum's Bat Fest Celebration 
The Houston Arboretum will host its first-ever “Bat Fest” on Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., a free, educational, family-friendly event. Learn about Houston’s 11 bat species, how they help humans, and how we can help them. Fun bat-themed activities will be offered, including crafts for kids and live animals, as well as a blood drive with Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. As a continuation of “Bat Fest,” adults can celebrate at “Going Batty,” an evening event from 6:30-8:30 p.m. ($50 for nonmembers, ages 16+) at the Arboretum, which includes tequila treats, since bats are the pollinators of the tequila agave. Guests will hear a presentation by bat expert Cullen Geiselman, Ph.D., who will discuss the important role of bats in our ecosystem as pest control, seed dispersers, and pollinators. 

Celebrate Fiestas Patrias at Children's Museum Houston with mariachis, interactive activities, and more.

Fiestas Patrias at Children’s Museum Houston 
Celebrate Mexican Independence Day at Children’s Museum Houston on Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., with a range of fun and educational interactive activities and a dance performance. 

Flea by Night and Screen on the Green 
Shop for handmade goods from local vendors at Discovery Green’s monthly open-air flea market Saturday evening, 6-10 p.m. Stick around for Screen on the Green and enjoy Wizard of Oz under the stars, starting at 7 p.m. 

The Houston Jazz Festival Produced by The Houston Jazz Collective
The Houston Jazz Collective presents The American Masters Series featuring the hardbop supergroup The Cookers, jazz artist Nellie McKay, and the artwork of acclaimed artist Jack Whitten at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Saturday, 8 p.m. 

Family Day at Bayou Bend 
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens’s Family Day on Sunday, 1-5 p.m. – “Our Classical Past” – features an afternoon of free, family-friendly fun in which visitors can explore the influences of the ancient world on early American art and design. Highlights include a performance of “From India, with Love” by Anjali Dance Theater; a musical program creating ekphrastic poetry with author and artist Hal Evans; giant puppets of Greek mythology figures located near the garden statues; an architecture demonstration and activity; and visits to the first-floor room galleries in the house. 

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Bun B at a Trill Burgers pop-up at 8th Wonder. (Photo: Marco Torres)

Trill Burgers Pop-Up at Houston City Hall 
This summer, Trill Burgers won the title of best burger in America on Good Morning America’s weeklong competition. Trill Burgers, owned by Bun B, Andy Nguyen, and Nick Scurfield, plans to open its first brick-and-mortar location in Houston soon. This Sunday, 3-7 p.m., there will be a family-friendly Trill Burgers pop-up at Houston City Hall, including family-friendly activities, music performances, a game zone, food samples, and more.  

Candlelight x UNHCR Presents Ukrainian Benefit Concert For Peace Fundraiser. (Photo courtesy of Fever)

Ukrainian Benefit Concert For Peace Fundraiser
Candlelight presents a two-show series of benefit concerts by collaborating with UNHCR, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on Sunday, 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., at the Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church. All proceeds from this Candlelight series will help refugees affected by this conflict. The “Concert for Peace” concept was created by a group of musicians from Ukraine and Eastern Europe, representing the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, University of Houston Moores School of Music and Campbell Learning Center. The group, composed of strings with piano and vocals, will perform an all-Ukrainian program under the gentle glow of candlelight.

More Events
See our online event calendar for more upcoming happenings.