Because the fourth largest metropolis within the nation, Houston hosts a ton of occasions yearly. However whereas there’s a lot occurring right here each day, not all occasions are created equal. There are a handful of annual occasions that you simply completely have to expertise earlier than you’ll be able to name your self a real Houstonian, from the Artwork Automotive Parade to the Houston Livestock Present and Rodeo.
To be sure to’re hitting all of the excessive notes all year long, we’ve put collectively a Houston social calendar filled with occasions it’s best to get pleasure from at the least as soon as—and hopefully yearly.
January
Chevron Houston Marathon
Runners, begin your coaching, as a result of the Chevron Houston Marathon is an occasion you’ll undoubtedly need to take part in. Based in 1972, the annual marathon attracts 300,000 members yearly who come out to run both the complete marathon (26.2 miles), the half (13.1) miles, or the 5K. The course begins and finishes downtown, journeying by way of Montrose, Memorial, the Galleria space, West College, and the Museum District. If you happen to’re not into working marathons your self (we really feel you), the occasion remains to be a ton of enjoyable to attend, so go stake out a spot alongside Allen Parkway and cheer on the members together with your greatest chants and indicators. It’s all the time a thrill to see somebody you realize struggle-bussing by way of mile 20.
2025 dates: January 18 & 19
February and March
The Houston Livestock Present and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Present & Rodeo, the biggest rodeo competitors on this planet, is unskippable, interval. The three-week occasion sometimes kicks off in late February and lasts by way of the center of March, though it generally begins early March. The rodeo attracts greater than 2 million guests to NRG Park yearly. Since there’s rather a lot to take a look at, from the livestock exhibits, carnival, and meals distributors to the concert events, parade, bull driving, and mutton bustin’, you’ll need to go to greater than as soon as.
2025 dates: March 4–23
March
Buffalo Bayou Regatta
Though bayous chart their programs all by way of town, few Houstonians benefit from their easy accessibility by means of canoeing or kayaking. If you happen to’re desirous to discover town by water, probably the greatest alternatives to take action is thru the Buffalo Bayou Regatta, the biggest of canoe and kayak race in Texas. Established in 1970, the annual occasion, which often takes place in early March, attracts tons of of members who all come collectively to paddle their manner by way of an 8.5 mile stretch of Buffalo Bayou. As with the marathon, you’re all the time welcome to cheer on from the sidelines.
2025 date: March 22
April
Tour de Houston
Though Houston doesn’t have a repute as a really bike-friendly metropolis, there have been a variety of enhancements to town’s biking infrastructure of late. Top-of-the-line methods to expertise that’s by taking part in Tour de Houston, which takes place yearly in April. The trip, which raises cash for town’s RE-Plant Houston Program, takes members on a winding trip by way of among the most scenic parks and neighborhoods on the town. Trip lengths range from 20 to 60 miles.
2025 date: TBD
The Houston Artwork Automotive Parade
Tons of of hundreds of individuals descend on Allen Parkway and downtown Houston yearly to observe the quirky Artwork Automotive Parade, which consists of an hours-long procession of outlandish artwork vehicles made to seem like every little thing from flowers and wolves to colons (sure, that type of colon), tacos, and roosters. The extremely wacky occasion, which has taken place yearly since 1987, will get wilder by way of every iteration. If the parade isn’t sufficient, there’s additionally a ball previous it at the Orange Present Middle for Visionary Artwork, the group that places collectively the parade, in addition to a competition on the day of the particular occasion.
2025 dates: April 12
Could
Comicpalooza
Since its founding in 2008, Comicpalooza has been the go-to conference for Houston’s nerdy crowd. The occasion, centered round all issues comedian books, anime, TV exhibits, motion pictures, and gaming, takes over the George R. Brown Conference Middle downtown for 3 full days of nerdy enjoyable. Comicpalooza provides ticketholders quite a lot of sights like concert events, raves, cosplaying competitions, superstar meet and greets, purchasing, meals distributors, and show objects. If you happen to’re a die-hard anime fan or into comics and sci-fi, you then completely want to return out for this occasion. Cosplaying outfits are non-compulsory, however inspired.
2025 dates: June 20–22
June
Pleasure Houston
Houston has not one, however two Pleasure parades in celebration of its LGBTQ+ neighborhood. The primary and oldest parade, Pleasure Houston 365, has been an establishment within the metropolis for almost half a century. Though the parade was initially positioned in Montrose, town’s historic gayborhood, it has since moved to downtown. The second parade, hosted by Houston’s New Faces of Pleasure, can also be placing on a full parade downtown. Our suggestion? Try each, as a result of the extra the merrier. And after, be sure to head to Montrose for all the vigorous afterparties.
2025 Houston’s New Faces of Pleasure date: TBD
2025 Pleasure Houston 365 date: June 28
July
Freedom Over Texas
Every part is larger in Texas, together with the fireworks. Yearly on July 4, Shell’s Freedom Over Texas competition takes over downtown’s Eleanor Tinsley and Sam Houston Parks for probably the most patriotic of Houston celebrations. The competition, which kicks off within the afternoon and lasts for round six hours, contains dwell concert events and a bevy of meals and beverage choices. One of the best half? It ends with a spectacular, Texas-size fireworks finale.
2025 date: July 4
October
Southern Smoke Pageant
Within the fall, Houston’s most distinguished meals competition takes over Discovery Inexperienced in downtown. Hosted by the Southern Smoke Basis, a nonprofit began by celebrated native chef Chris Shepherd that gives support to meals and beverage employees nationwide, the competition brings in among the largest names in meals from throughout the nation. Not like some meals festivals the place samples are fairly small, the choices right here will fill you up. Be certain that to stay round for the dwell music, ingesting, and enjoyable socializing.
2025 date: TBD
November
H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York ain’t bought nothing on Houston’s H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade, a Houston custom for 75 years. Each Thanksgiving morning, the parade, one of many oldest of its sort within the nation, takes over downtown Houston. Tons of of hundreds of Houstonians come out for the enjoyable, which incorporates marching bands, floats, balloons, and dwell performances. Because the parade stretches over 20 blocks, there are ample spots during which to put up up so you’ll be able to get pleasure from all of the enjoyable.
2025 date: Nov 27
The Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market
The opening of Houston Ballet’s huge Nutcracker Market is the unofficial begin of the vacation season in Houston. The festive purchasing expertise, which takes over NRG Middle for 3 days in November, often options round 300 distinctive distributors, who provide every little thing from residence items and toys to ornaments, clothes, and meals. The competition, which has been occurring yearly since 1981, ought to undoubtedly be in your Houston vacation bucket checklist.
2025 dates: Nov 13–16
Zoo Lights
Considered one of our absolute favourite locations within the metropolis is the Houston Zoo, and one of the best time to go to is in the course of the vacation season. From November by way of January yearly, guests can expertise Zoo Lights day by day from 5:30 to 10:30pm, a bit of time when you’re usually not allowed to go to. For the expertise, the zoo is decked out in cool vacation, animal, and flora–themed lanterns and lights. It’s a vibey vacation expertise good for a spread of events, from date evening to household evening.
2025–2026 dates: TBD
December
The Nutcracker at Houston Ballet and A Christmas Carol at Alley Theatre
Houston’s vacation season would really feel incomplete with out performances of Houston Ballet’s The Nutcracker and Alley Theatre’s A Christmas Carol, each of which have loved lengthy annual runs right here—The Nutcracker yearly since 1972 and A Christmas Carol for almost 30 years. They’re each Houston classics, and a variety of work goes into staging them and getting the performers ready for them 12 months after 12 months. Because the performances for each productions span over a month, you don’t have any excuse to not see at the least considered one of them.
2025 Nutcracker dates: TBD
2025 Christmas Carol dates: TBD
