Event Roundup: What to Look Forward to This Weekend

What a weekend - Lunar New Year celebrations galore, Mardi Gras, the MLK Parade, and the Super Bowl on Sunday! Take a look at our weekly roundup for details on all these and more.

More than 50 larger-than-life Chinese lantern installations come to life in stunning displays at Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Garden. (Photo: Tianyu Arts & Culture)

Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Garden
At Houston Botanic Garden’s Radiant Nature, Chinese lantern installations come to life in stunning displays that showcase the beauty of nature and celebrate the Lunar New Year. Explore three themed zones, including an interactive area with lighted swings, seesaws, and other immersive opportunities for family-friendly play and memory-making. Radiant Nature is open Friday-Sunday until Feb. 25. Timed entry is offered at 15-minute intervals from 6-8:30 p.m., with the last entry at 9 p.m., and closing time at 10 p.m. Admission is $28.50 per person, and infants (0-3) are free. 

The 113th Annual Mardi Gras! Galveston takes place Feb. 2-4, 9-11, and 13, 2024. Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Photo courtesy of Galveston CVB)

113th Annual Mardi Gras! Galveston 
This is the second weekend of Mardi Gras! Galveston, featuring tons of live music, parades, and fun for all. Friday will feature a live performance by the Eli Young Band from 9-10:45 p.m., the Danny Weber Memorial Fire Truck Parade, and two other parades. It’s also First Responder Day, with free admission for all first responders, active military, and veterans, plus one guest. Saturday’s festivities will include more live music and six parades, including the Knights of Momus Grand Night Parade. Sunday is Family Gras, with free admission for all. Sunday’s parades include the Shriners Children’s Texas & Sunshine Kids Parade and the Krewe of Barkus and Meoux Parade! Festivities take place in Galveston’s historic downtown in the Mardi Gras Entertainment District, with activities running in the area bordered by 20th to 25th Streets and Harborside Drive to Mechanic Street. Admission is $35 per person, with free admission Sunday.

46th Annual "Original" MLK Parade 
The City of Houston and the Black Heritage Society Inc. will partner to present the rescheduled 46th Annual "Original" MLK Parade. The parade was rescheduled last month due to the winter freeze. Join in honoring and celebrating Dr. King in Black History Month and reflect on the achievements of African Americans and others throughout history. The parade is free and open to all, and will take place Saturday at 10 a.m., beginning at the corner of Smith and McKinney in front of City Hall. 

2024 Lunar New Year Festival at the Chinese Community Center
On Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., usher in the Year of the Dragon at the Chinese Community Center. Their Lunar New Year Festival will include performances of lion and dragon dances, a king fu demonstration, Asian street food, cultural activities, games, crafts, and more. Outside, you can peruse the Lucky Find Bazaar for even more food, games, and fun. Admission and parking are both free.

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at Children's Museum Houston's Lunar New Year Bash. 

Children's Museum Houston's Lunar New Year Bash 
Join the fun at the Children’s Museum Lunar New Year Bash, Saturday from 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Activities will include several dance performances featuring lion dancers, an interactive storybook opera from the Houston Grand Opera, drawing chalk art dragons, and making your own Chinese character banner! Admission is $17 for adults and children, and free for children under one.

Enjoy tasty Italian tapas and perfectly paired wine and beer while supporting the Houston Arboretum at Tapas on the Trails.

Tapas on the Trails
This Saturday, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center presents Tapas on the Trails from 5-9 p.m., back by popular demand. Enjoy tasty Italian tapas and perfectly paired wine and beer from the chefs of Cotton Culinary, Double Decanted, and Saint Arnold Brewery, while supporting the Houston Arboretum. Registration is available in 15-minute intervals, with the last entry at 7:15 p.m.. Tickets are $100 for members and $110 for non-members. The event is for ages 21+ only. Parking is free, and cars left overnight will not be towed.

Celebrate Lunar New Year at Discovery Green with performances, crafts, food vendors, and more. 

Discovery Green Lunar New Year Celebration 
Discovery Green is hosting a free Lunar New Year celebration from 5-7 p.m. this Sunday featuring Lee’s Golden Dragon, along with other performers, crafts, and food vendors. 

Spring into COLORS IN BLOOM at Color Factory!

Color Factory’s Colors In Bloom 
Color Factory’s Colors In Bloom display opens today, featuring larger-than-life bluebonnets. Timed entry tickets are sold in 15 minute-intervals and range from $29-36.

Lion dancers will perform on Saturday and Sunday at the Galleria for Lunar New Year.

The Year of the Dragon at the Galleria 
The Galleria and Asia Society Texas celebrate the Lunar New Year with free cultural festivities on level 1 near Louis Vuitton and level 1 near Nordstrom. On Saturday, from 3-4 p.m. Shaolin Kung Fu Academy will perform the Lion Dance. On Sunday, the events will start with the Huaxing Arts Group at noon and 1 p.m., followed by the Houston Grand Opera at 2 and 3 p.m., and a Lion Dance performance from Shaolin Kung Fu Academy at 4 p.m. Several retailers at The Galleria also have special Lunar New Year offerings. 

Super Bowl LVII 
It’s finally Super Bowl weekend! This year will match up defending champions Kansas City Chiefs versus the San Francisco 49ers in the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The halftime show will feature a performance by Usher. Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m. CST. If you have cable, you can catch the game on CBS. You can also sign in with your TV provider on CBS.com or CBS Sports apps. The game is available to stream via Paramount+ (you can sign up for a one-week free trial), as well as several other streaming services, including YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV and fuboTV. If you have kiddos, Nickelodeon will be airing a family-friendly broadcast of the game!

If sports aren’t your thing, try the adorable furry version: the Puppy Bowl XX, which kicks off at 1 p.m. CST. All 131 puppies in the Puppy Bowl are available for adoption. You can watch Team Ruff vs. Team Fluff serve up some adorable action on Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, TBS, TruTV, Max and discovery+. 

More Events
See our online event calendar for more.