Event Roundup: What to Look Forward to This Weekend

Happy Friday! There are tons of festive events going on around town this weekend. (As always, please watch the weather forecast and check individual event websites for any weather-related updates.) 

Memorial Park Conservancy’s 2023 Deck the Park, presented by Crossbell Ventures, will mark the official kickoff to Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights, featuring beautiful new lighting features, including a 26-foot holiday tree on Bowden Terrace lit against Hines Lake, inside Clay Family Eastern Glades. Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights will remain lit for the public through early January 2024.

Memorial Park Conservancy’s 2023 Deck the Park  
Memorial Park Conservancy’s 2023 Deck the Park, presented by Crossbell Ventures, will mark the official kickoff to Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights, featuring beautiful new lighting features, including a 26-foot holiday tree on Bowden Terrace lit against Hines Lake, inside Clay Family Eastern Glades. Deck the Park kicks off tonight at 5 p.m., with the tree lighting at 6 p.m., and a showing of Home Alone 2 at 6:45 p.m. Holiday activities include arts and crafts for kids, cookie-decorating, and letters to Santa. There will be music, food trucks on site for purchase, festive photo opps, and a Holiday Village. The event is free. Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights will remain lit for the public through early January 2024.

Galveston Historical Foundation presents the 50th annual Dickens on The Strand, a holiday tradition with great family programming, live entertainment, special events and more.

Dickens on the Strand 
The Galveston Historical Foundation presents the 50th annual Dickens on The Strand this weekend. Travel back to Dickensian times during this fun festival, which includes parades, entertainment on four stages, roaming characters, costumed vendors selling holiday food and drink, Victorian-inspired crafts, holiday decorations, and more. The festival kicks off tonight, 5-9 p.m., and continues Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday, 12-6 p.m. Tickets are $20/adults; $15/youth; separate tickets for special events. 

Fall Bellaire Arts & Crafts Festival
The 2023 Fall Arts & Crafts Festival (which had been rescheduled due to weather) will now take place this Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Paseo Park. There will be local artists, delicious food from local restaurants, live music, and kids' activities. Guests may purchase wine at the event, and dogs on leashes are welcome. Parking is available at Condit, Bellaire Water Tower Lot, and Fifth Street near Bellaire Recreation Center. Admission is free. 

Southside Place Winter Wonderland Carnival  
The annual Southside Place Winter Wonderland Carnival will take place Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The event will include carnival games, inflatables, a holiday market, face painting, food and drinks, Santa, and a huge pile of snow. Tickets are $25/each for individuals over 2 years old; meal tickets: $8; drink tickets: $2. 

Levy Park Holiday Festival, a free two-day festival, features a holiday market, a craft station, live music performances throughout the park, a special performance by River Oaks Dance, a free photo booth with Santa Claus, and food and drink concessions.

Levy Park's 2023 Holiday Festival 
The sixth annual Levy Park Holiday Festival, a free two-day festival, takes place this Saturday and Sunday, 12-5 p.m. each day. The festival features a holiday market, a craft station, live music performances throughout the park, a special performance by River Oaks Dance, a free photo booth with Santa Claus, and food and drink concessions.

Holiday Brews on the Bend 
Enjoy beer tastings from select breweries on the beautiful grounds of Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens on Saturday, 2-6 p.m. The beer tastings take place under a festive tent in the Diana Garden. The Paul Chester Quartet provides live jazz. Last admission is at 5 p.m. This event is for ages 21+. Tickets are $35. 

The Reliant Lights Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular, headlined by American Idol star and Grammy nominee, Jordin Sparks, includes live music, dance performances, the lighting of the holiday tree, and a fireworks show.

Reliant Lights Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular   
Reliant Lights Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular, the annual free event, takes place Saturday, 6-8 p.m. at Hermann Square at City Hall and will feature live music, dance performances, the lighting of the holiday tree, and other festive activities for all ages. American Idol star and Grammy nominee, Jordin Sparks, will headline the event. The holiday variety show will also include performances by Mariachi Prodigy – Eduardo Trevino, Houston Children’s Chorus, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts theatre department, Dance of Asian America, Theatre Under the Stars, Segundo Barrio Children’s Chorus, and Ernest Walker and the Official Holiday Band. The event finale will feature the lighting of the tree and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah majestically orchestrated and timed with the fireworks. Attendees are encouraged to donate to Houston Food Bank and Toys for Tots. 

Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos 
The Texans take on the Broncos at NRG, Sunday, 3 p.m. Tickets start at $80.

 

West U Methodist's 36th Annual Christmas Alive and Backyard Party  
West U Methodists hosts its 36th Annual Christmas Alive and Backyard Party on Sunday, 6 p.m. The community is welcome to join the free, festive event, which includes a live nativity with music and narration of the Christmas story on the front lawn, following by a party with a petting zoo, camel photos, Christmas treats, hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, and more. 

More Events
Find more upcoming events on our online calendar here and find a listing of holiday happenings in our Dec. 2023 issue here.