Event Roundup: Festivities This Weekend

Happy Friday! There are tons of festive, fun events going on around town this weekend, including: 

Brighten up your winter with Cistern Illuminated, an immersive light and sound installation in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. 

Cistern Illuminated
On view Dec. 6, 2024-Jan. 26, 2025 (weekend hours: Fridays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.) 
Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern 
$12-15 
Cistern Illuminated, an immersive light and sound installation in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, opens today. The annual installation transforms the Cistern into an incredible display. An original soundscape follows the moving lights around the Cistern. On select dates, the Cistern Illuminated installation will be accompanied by live choral performances.

Kappa Kappa Gamma Charitable Foundation of Houston presents “Pilgrimage 2024 The Finale: 83 years of Giving,” the popular holiday home tour that began in 1941. Pictured are 2024 chairs Sarah Jones Lane, Debbie Jones, Becky Vander Ploeg Austin, Laurie Vander Ploeg, Lynn West, and Elizabeth West. (Photo: Sarah Austin of Chris Bailey Photography) 

Kappa Kappa Gamma Charitable Foundation's Holiday Home Tour
Fri., Dec. 6-Sat., Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Four Houston homes
$20 in advance ($25 at the door) and include admission to all four homes on the tour and must be purchased online
Kappa Kappa Gamma Charitable Foundation of Houston presents “Pilgrimage 2024 The Finale: 83 years of Giving,” the popular holiday home tour that began in 1941. Holiday Pilgrimage 2024 is Houston’s oldest, continuously running home tour. This is the swan song for the tour. The 2024 event includes a tour of four homes in the Tanglewood area decorated for the season. 2024 Pilgrimage co-chairs are mothers and daughters, including Laurie Vander Ploeg and Becky Vander Ploeg Austin; Debbie Jones and Sarah Jones Lane; and Lynn West and Elizabeth West, all members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association. Some 300 Association volunteers are also involved. Funds raised will be distributed to several nonprofits involved in the area of early childhood education and development.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston transforms Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens into a sparkling Christmas village. (Photo courtesy of MFAH)

Christmas Village at Bayou Bend
Fri., Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m.-Mon., Dec. 30, 5:30 p.m. (closed select dates) 
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens 
$18 adult and youth ages 13+; $12 child, ages 5-12; free for ages 4 and younger; prices increase on premium nights
Christmas Village at Bayou Bend opens this evening. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston brings holiday cheer to Bayou Bend, including a trail of sparkling lights, carolers, a hand-crafted model train, animated projections, and festive activities such as a cotton snowball toss, reindeer games, and sledding on a faux-snow slope.

 

61st Annual Candlelight and Carols Tours
Fri., Dec. 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 7, 5:30-8:30 p.m. 
The Heritage Society
$20/adults; $10: kids 5-18; children 5 and under: free. Includes cookies and hot chocolate. 
Visit The Heritage Society for their annual Candlelight and Carols Tour. Come anytime between 5:30-8:30 p.m. for tours of historic houses with reenactors and docents, holiday carols and classics by The Houston Boy Choir, a performance by the professional string ensemble HeartStrings, shop for holiday gifts, and enjoy cookies, hot chocolate, and wine or champagne for those over 21.

DECK THE PARK Memorial Park Conservancy’s Deck the Park features family-friendly holiday activities, a tree lighting ceremony, an outdoor movie screening, and festive treats. The event kicks off Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights, which will remain lit through early January. (Courtesy of Memorial Park Conservancy)

Memorial Park Conservancy’s 2024 Deck the Park
Fri., Dec. 6, 6-9 p.m. 
$10; children 2 and under are free 
Memorial Park Conservancy’s 2024 Deck the Park tonight, presented by Chevron, marks the official kick-off to Memorial Park’s annual month-long Holiday Lights display, presented by CenterPoint Energy Foundation. Enjoy a variety of family-friendly holiday festivities at the 2024 Deck the Park including cookie decorating, delightful holiday characters, a tree lighting ceremony, and outdoor screening of holiday classic, Home Alone. Festive refreshments like apple cider, hot cocoa and more will be available.  

14th Annual Rudolph Run
Sat., Dec. 7, 7-11 a.m.
CityCentre
Price varies depending on event
Dress in Christmas outfits and join for the annual Rudolph 5K Fun Run, Dasher 10K and Cupid 1K starting at CityCentre and dashing through the neighborhood. The winner of the best holiday costume will receive a gift card. After the run, stay for pictures with Santa and special treats, including mimosas and more.

Southside Place Winter Wonderland Carnival
Sat., Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Southside Place Clubhouse and surrounding green spaces
$25; free for ages 2 and under
The annual carnival includes activities for all ages, such as inflatables, games, face painting, glitter tattoos, hair art, Cookies with Santa (10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.), food trucks, confetti eggs, and lots of snow. The event supports the Fire Truck Park Fund.

MERRY Levy Park offers a family-friendly holiday festival, including live music, a performance by River Oaks Dance, photos with Santa, a holiday market, crafts, and more. (Courtesy of Levy Park)

Levy Park’s 2024 Holiday Festival
Sat., Dec. 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Holiday Photo Booth: Sun., Dec. 8, 1-5 p.m. 
Levy Park
Free
The annual 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. Note: Due to inclement weather expected on Sunday, the festival will now take place on Saturday; however, Santa will be available for photos on Sunday since the photo booth is sheltered from the rain. The Family Photo Booth will be located in the Levy Park Storage Building - look for the giant Santa. 

Reliant Lights Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular
Sat., Dec. 7, 6-8 p.m.
Hermann Square at City Hall
Free
The City of Houston kicks off the holidays with this family-friendly event, featuring live music and performances, the lighting of the holiday tree, free photos with Santa in his North Pole-themed booth and other festive activities. LeToya Luckett, a two-time Grammy award winner and founding member of Destiny’s Child will co-headline the show with two-time Academy of Country Music New Female Vocalist nominee RaeLynn.

West U Methodist's 37th Annual Christmas Alive
Sun., Dec. 8, 6 p.m.
Free
West U Methodist Church 
Join West U Methodist for their 37th annual live nativity with music and narration of the Christmas story on the front lawn. An all-community party in the backyard will follow the performance with a petting zoo, camel photos, Christmas treats, hot dogs, popcorn, and more.

This weekend, Galveston Historical Foundation presents their annual Dickens on The Strand, a holiday tradition with great family programming, live entertainment, special events and more. (Photo courtesy of Visit Galveston)

Dickens on The Strand
Fri., Dec. 6, 5-9 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 7, 10 a.m.– 9 p.m., Sun., Dec. 8, 12-6 p.m.
$25 for adults, $15 for youths; free on Friday
The Strand
Dickens on The Strand, hosted by the Galveston Historical Foundation, returns to Galveston's historic downtown Dec. 6-8, transforming the island into the Victorian London of Charles Dickens. The annual holiday street festival features parades, non-stop entertainment on multiple stages, strolling carolers, roving musicians, bagpipers, jugglers, and other entertainers.

More Holiday Events
See Festive Fun, our listing of holiday happenings this season, for more ongoing events. Find more on our online event calendar.