Things To Do This Weekend in Houston: November 9-12, 2023


A bustling market scene inside a long warehouse building
Markets for Makers offers a weekend of local artisan shopping ahead of the holiday season | Courtesy of Markets for Makers

Find the perfect things to do in Houston this weekend with our Weekend Guide for Thursday, November 9 to Sunday, November 12, 2023.

Add an Event, Offer or Attraction

Have an event, attraction, or offering that we missed? Let us know at [email protected] or order a Boosted Calendar Listing and we’ll add it within one business day (usually sooner). Contact us at [email protected] to learn more.


we-are-one-community-day-emancipation-park-houston-december-2020

Things to Do
All Weekend Long

  • Pearland Restaurant Weeks | Daily – Throughout the month of November, the growing restaurant scene in Pearland will showcase curated menus and specialty offerings, with a portion of all orders going to support Pearland Neighborhood Center. Fixed-price menus are $29 for 2-course breakfasts and lunches; $35 for 3-course dinners. Times and locations vary.
  • Disney on Ice: Find Your Hero at NRG Stadium | Daily – Watch in amazement as Mickey and his friends sing and glide around the ice in stunning costumes. See your favorites like Moana, Mirabel, Maui, Elsa, and of course Mickey, plus others as they search for their inner hero that lives inside. $20 and up. Times vary.
  • Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market at NRG Center | Daily – Knock out your holiday shopping at one of Houston’s largest market events. Stroll through the endless aisles filled with merchants selling goodies and gifts for the holiday season. $20. Times vary.
  • 15th Houston Cinema Arts Festival at Multiple Locations | Daily | Some FREE – The city’s annual festival celebrating the silver screen returns to theater spaces across Houston, screening and premiering short films and feature lengths from Houston and around the world, as well as providing special guest panels and workshop opportunities. Screenings are typically individually ticketed and sometimes free, but all-access passes start at $200. Times, locations and prices vary.
  • Musiqa presents Underground Sounds at Buffalo Bayou Cistern | Daily – Enjoy the world premiere of new music by artist board member Pierre Jalbert. This half-hour length composition was written to take advantage of the cistern’s unique acoustic reverberations. Please note: Performances are currently sold out, but in-person wait list reservations can be made beginning exactly 30 minutes before each concert. Showtimes vary.
  • The French Farm Winter Open Warehouse Sale in the Heights | Friday & Saturday | No Cover – Just in time for the start of the holiday season, the French Farm in the Heights opens their warehouse to the public on select weekends to shop gourmet goods and quality kitchenware from Europe. Stop by for complimentary wine and cheese, and browse a wide selection of shelf-stable food products like olive oil, honey, jam, sweets, spreads and more. 10am to 3pm.
  • The Riot Comedy Club presents Ed Hill at Rudyard’s Pub | Friday & Saturday – For two nights at the upstairs stage in Montrose, the Taiwanese comedian brings the laughs, building off his one-of-a-kind Amazon Prime special, Candy and Smiley. $20 and up. Times vary.
  • Comedian Steve Byrne at Houston Improv | Friday & Saturday – The established comedian known for making rounds at some of NYC’s most fabled comedy clubs, Steve Byrne brings his latest material to the Improv for four shows heading into the weekend. $40 for 2, and up. Times vary.

Honeyland Festival
Crown Festival Park
Saturday & Sunday

The inaugural Honeyland Festival celebrates the best of Black expression via food, music, art and culture. Top restaurateurs, beverage makers, and artists will join the fun, including world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson, Top Chef finalist Dawn Burrell, hometown rapper and singer Tobe Nwigwe, artist and “it girl” Chlöe and more.

$95 and up| Times Vary

  • B.A.P.S. Live at Hobby Center | Friday & Saturday – The ’90s cult classic film gets a stage adaptation, helmed by writer and director Je’Caryous Johnson. Follow Nisi and Mickey as their entrepreneurial dreams come true when the nephew of a dying millionaire offers them $25,000 to make his last days as painless as possible. $53 and up. Times vary.
  • Annual Gem, Mineral, Jewelry & Fossil Show at Humble Civic Center | Friday to Sunday – Uncover beautiful minerals, fossils, jewelry, gemstones, and more unique finds when the ever-popular show returns just in time for holiday shopping. $10; free for ages 10 and under. Times vary.
  • Fall Festival at Armand Bayou Nature Center | Saturday & Sunday – The Bay Area nature center hosts a fall festival for the whole family, including wagon rides, handmade toys and gifts, a pie eating contest and historical reenactments like candle making, butter making and blacksmithing. $12; $8 for ages 4 to 12. 10am to 4pm.
  • 33rd Annual Native American Championship Pow Wow at Traders Village | Saturday & Sunday | FREE – This annual event draws Native and Indigenous people from across the country for back-to-back days of tribal dance displays, art, crafts, fry bread, and more. Free, but parking is $5. 10am to 5pm.
  • Markets for Makers Houston at Silver Street Studios | Saturday & Sunday – The Silver Street campus opens up for pop-up shopping from more than 120 makers and creatives doling out home decor, fashion, art, design, gourmet foods and more. $8 in advance; $15 at the door. 10am to 5pm.
  • Children’s Festival: Dino Party at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion | Saturday & Sunday | FREE – Walk amongst the dinosaurs in a 2-day event in the Woodlands for all dino fans. Catch Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live on the main stage plus hands-on activities, toddler fun, art projects, active adventures and more. $10. Saturday 10am to 5pm; Sunday noon to 5pm.
  • Honeyland Festival at Crown Festival Park | Saturday & Sunday – The inaugural Honeyland Festival celebrates the best of Black expression via food, music, art and culture. Top restaurateurs, beverage makers, and artists will join the fun, including world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson, Top Chef finalist Dawn Burrell, hometown rapper and singer Tobe Nwigwe, artist and “it girl” Chlöe and more. Tickets start at $95 for day passes and $175 for weekend passes, with add-on experiences available. Times TBA.
  • Intocable in Concert at Arena Theatre | Saturday & Sunday – The Texas Titans of Tejano and Norteño music are back in H-Town with back-to-back nights in Southwest Houston. $55 and up. Saturday 8:30pm; Sunday 7:30pm.

Ongoing Live Theater & Performing Arts in Houston

  • Stages presents Always…Patsy Cline at the Gordy | Daily | Ongoing – Celebrating its 35th anniversary, this musical biography features 27 of the iconic country singer’s hits, while showcasing her rise to stardom in the 1960s. It’s also the story of the friendship between Cline and Houston native Louise Seger, who met the singer in a Bayou City honky tonk. $48 and up. Showtimes vary.
  • Return Engagements at Theatre Southwest | Friday to Sunday | Ongoing – This Canadian farce traces the romantic entanglements of four couples across 30 years. Written by the author of Same Time Next Year, the play was called “amusing and witty” by the Cape Cod Times. $22. Showtimes vary. 
  • Switzerland at Stages | Daily | Final Weekend – In this taut, psychological thriller, Texas murder mystery writer Patricia Highsmith gets a strange visitor to her remote Swiss Alps home. A stranger, a fan of her work, turns up urging her to write another installment of her Tom Ripley series. Will she? Or will something worse happen? Stages favorite Sally Edmunson stars as Patricia. This production runs through Sunday, November 12. $50 and up. Showtimes vary.

Northside, Patio Dining & Other Destinations

  • Must Do Things near Northside Village – Catch a show on the lawn, dive into deep dish, stroll one of the city’s oldest farmers markets, and more with our picks for the area around Northside Village.
  • My Top 5: Alecia Lawyer of ROCO – Founder and Principal Oboist of River Oaks Chamber Orchestra offers her five favorite places in Houston.
  • Happy Hour in Greenway & Upper Kirby – Plot out your next bang-for-your-buck meal and cocktails at our picks for the best happy hour spots in the Greenway and Upper Kirby areas.
  • Best Brunch in the Heights – The bustling neighborhood hides plenty of gems for your weekend brunch destinations.
  • 20+ of Houston’s Best Patios – It’s patio weather in Houston—at long last—and we’ve gathered more than 20 spots across town where you can post up and enjoy a breeze, a beer or a meal.
  • 75+ Fall Festivals in Houston | Ongoing – Explore our guide to a supersized festival season coming to Houston, showcasing the city’s culture, music, arts, food scenes, and more.
  • Fall Markets in Greater Houston| Ongoing – From spooky evenings on the bayou to annual nutcracker extravaganzas, we’ve gathered 25 fall markets to put on your radar.
An evening scene of people strolling through a park

THURSDAY
November 9, 2023

  • Saks Fifth Fashion Show and Luncheon at NRG Center – As part of the Nutcracker Market festivities, this luncheon and fashion show offers a first glimpse at sparkling holiday fashions, along with appetizers, lunch, dessert and wine. This ticket is also good admission to all four days of the market, including early bird admission on Thursday and Friday. $200 and up. 10:15am.
  • Tree of Life Concert at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft | FREE – DaCamera presents a one-night chamber music concert at HCCC, inspired by the fall exhibition, Tree of Life. 5:30pm to 7pm.
  • Iron Sommelier at the Post Oak Hotel – The Periwinkle Foundation will host its Iron Sommelier wine competition and tasting, with some of the city’s most prestigious sommeliers competing for this year’s title in support of the foundation’s mission to positively change the lives of children, young adults and families who are challenged by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. $250, with additional sponsorship opportunities available. 6pm.
  • Men I Trust in Concert at White Oak Music Hall – The Canadian indie rock outfit brings “Billie Toppy,” “Ring of Past,” and other new tunes to the lawn at White Oak when they pull through. $32 and up. 6pm.
  • Cirque Du Luminaire at Discovery Green – Be among the first to see the Downtown park’s winter art installation, Bioluminaire. This special event also includes cocktails and drinks, culinary bites, an artist talk and performances by Cirque Olympus. $300. 6pm to 9pm.
  • Olivia Block’s 12 Degrees of Sky Opening at James Turrell Skyspace at Rice University | FREE – The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace at Rice University hosts this opening of a new sound and light installation by Olivia Block, commissioned by Nameless Sound. The installation will be on view through Wednesday, November 29. 6:15pm.
5-must-do-things-in-rice-university

12 Degrees of Sky
James Turrell Skyspace
Thursday, November 9

The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace at Rice University hosts this opening of a new sound and light installation by Olivia Block, commissioned by Nameless Sound.

FREE | 6:15pm

  • Lands: Portrait of the City of Houston at MATCH – French artists Jocelyn Cottencin and Emmanuelle Huynh present a unique production that starts outside MATCH with choreographed performances before being guided into the theater for a film that probes the personal and cultural memory embedded within Houston’s local geography. Pay-what-you-wish; suggested price of $25. 6:30pm.
  • Artist Talk: Robert Gober at the Menil Collection | FREE – Artist Robert Gober will join the Menil to discuss his exhibition, The Meat Wagon, which was on view at the Menil in 2005 and 2006. The artist will discuss his inspiration and creative process around the exhibition, as well as profound themes of spirituality, race and the everyday object. 7pm.
  • Progressive Forum presents Michael Pollan at Wortham Center – The best-selling author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma will discuss his latest book, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. Books will be available for sale at the event, and he’ll greet fans and sign books following the presentation. $45 and up. 7:30pm.
  • Comedian Jason Cheny at Houston Improv – The LA-based comedian from Taiwan hits the upstairs stage at Rudyard’s for a set that offers a cross-cultural perspective that skewers the social absurdities within his family, his upbringing and American society. $100 for 4, and up. 7:30pm.
  • Ratatouille Movie Screening at Trebly Park | FREE – The classic Pixar film screens in one of Downtown’s newest green spaces, Trebly Park. Feel free to grab food from one of the surrounding restaurants for another installment of the Movies Under the Stars series. 8pm.
  • More Great Things to Do All Weekend Long – Some of the biggest things to do in Houston are happening all weekend long. Scroll up to explore events and shows spanning multiple days, or browse Houston Experiences to save on museum and brewery passes, tours, and more.

FRIDAY
November 10, 2023

  • Stephen Sanchez in Concert at White Oak Music Hall – The Nashville indie singer-songwriter comes through White Oak, just weeks after the release of his debut album, Angel Face. $30. 6pm.
  • Frostival at Discovery Green | FREE – The annual winter festival returns to Downtown, offering families a way to celebrate the season with a snow zone, photo ops with Pancho Claus and Black Santa, art cars, a performance by J-Dance Company and ice skating at the newly reopened ice rink. 6pm to 10pm.
  • Houston Diwali: Festival of Lights at Rise Rooftop – The annual Diwali festival heads to Midtown this year, posting up at Rise Rooftop with an all-ages Diwali bazaar, fashion show, cultural performances and street foods. Then, at 10pm, the 18+ party commences with more fashion shows, live performances, laser fireworks and more. $25 and up for the full night of festivities. 6pm to 2am.
  • Yahritza Y Su Esencia in Concert at House of Blues – The Latin Grammy–nominated trio brings their brand of norteño to Houston, touting songs from their debut album, Obsessed, and its recent follow-up, Pt. 2. $32.50 and up. 7pm.
  • Thanksgiving Cranberry Cocktail Class at William Price Distilling – Learn how to craft a series of cranberry-inspired cocktails with expert mixologists at the Garden Oaks distillery, just in time for Thanksgiving. $40. 7pm.
An outdoor beer garden with neon installations

Noche de Cumbia
Axelrad
Friday, November 10

Midtown’s neon beer garden hosts another of its monthly Cumbia party, featuring El Dusty, Trucha Soul, Reafinado and more.

FREE; 21+ | 7pm to 1:30am

  • Beer & Cheese Tasting at Astral Brewing – The Northside brewery is joined by Curd Culture for a night of cheese tasting, paired with a flight of Astral brews. $50. 7pm.
  • Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Pelicans at Toyota Center – New to the NBA this season, the inaugural In-Season Tournament sees the Rockets open up group play against the New Orleans Pelicans. Expect a brand new colorful court as the Rockets look to win a mid-season trophy. $16 and up. 7pm.
  • Matt Castillo Live Set at J-Bar-M Barbecue | No Cover – The EaDo barbecue and beer garden destination welcomes Texas country artist Matt Castillo for an evening of live music in the outdoor beer garden stage. 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
  • Noche de Cumbia at Axelrad | FREE – Midtown’s neon beer garden hosts another of its monthly Cumbia party, featuring El Dusty, Trucha Soul, Reafinado and more. 21+. 7pm to 1:30am.
  • Junior H in Concert at Smart Financial Centre – The Mexican singer-songwriter and master of corridos tumbados is back in Sugar Land, bringing the hype and energy on his Sad Boyz tour. $74 and up. 8pm.
  • Lil Uzi Vert in Concert at 713 Music Hall – The “Just Wanna Rock” rapper brings his Top 10 song and others from his summer release, Pink Tape, for a Friday night party at Post Houston’s music venue. $63 and up. 8pm.

Bollywood Blowout
Musaafer
Friday, November 10

The opulent Indian restaurant in the Galleria area hosts a special Diwali celebration with an exclusive menu, Bollywood DJs and live entertainment.

$35 and up | 10pm

  • The Milk Carton Kids in Concert at Last Concert Cafe – The folk duo bring songs from their most recent album, I Only See the Moon, to the intimate stage of the near Downtown venue. $40 and up. 8pm.
  • Jackie Venson in Concert at the Heights Theater – Blues guitarist Jackie Venson takes the stage in the Heights with songs from her latest, evolution of joy. She’ll be joined by Suffers frontwoman Kam Franklin in support. $20 and up. 8pm.
  • Comedian David Spade at Cullen Performance Hall – The Saturday Night Live comedian and star of hilarious films from Tommy Boy to Joe Dirt, David Spade arrives at the University of Houston stage for an uproarious night of comedy. $133 and up. 8pm.
  • DaCamera presents Fire Shut Up in My Bones at Wortham Center – Composer Terrance Blanchard brings a new suite of music from his groundbreaking opera, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the first opera by a Black composer to be staged at the Met. This “opera in jazz” based on the memoir by Charles M. Blow is the coming of age story of a young man growing up in the face of adversity. $42.50 and up. 8pm.
  • Bollywood Burnout: Diwali Edition at Musaafer – The opulent Indian restaurant in the Galleria area hosts a special Diwali celebration with an exclusive menu, Bollywood DJs and live entertainment. Admission is $35; food available for purchase. 10pm.
  • Paul Van Dyk DJ Set at Stereo Live Houston – West Houston’s premiere EDM venue welcomes the Grammy-nominated German DJ and producer, Paul Van Dyk, for a live set. $10. 10pm to 2am.
  • More Great Things to Do All Weekend Long – Some of the biggest things to do in Houston are happening all weekend long. Scroll up to explore events and shows spanning multiple days, or browse Houston Experiences to save on museum and brewery passes, tours, and more.

Things to Do on Saturday, November 11 & Sunday, November 12, 2023.


Don’t Miss Out on Tomorrow’s Fun!

Subscribe to our free Weekend Guide newsletter and receive a round-up of great things to do every weekend in Houston, hitting your inbox on Thursday.

Don’t want to miss anything? Opt in for our Daily Updates to discover new things happening in Houston and receive special updates and offers, every weekday.


Add Your Event

Don’t see your event? Order a Boosted Calendar Listing and we’ll add it within one business day. Or contact our advertising team to learn about larger campaigns, including bulk and discount options.

Previous articleTop 15 Live Comedy Events This Month: November 2023

A longtime Houstonian, Justin Jerkins always keeps an eye out for what’s ahead on Houston’s horizon while serving as Editor-in-Chief of 365 Things to Do in Houston.

When he’s not passing along the latest events, destinations and hidden treasures in H-Town, he loves diving into the city’s food scene, shopping local and learning about Houston’s rich history.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *