Free Events Thursday

Free Day of Music at Jones Hall

Saturday, July 19, 2014 from noon – 10 pm

The Houston Symphony’s Free Day of Music returns. The full day features 25 musical performances on six stages + kid-friendly fun, Instrument Petting Zoo, free salsa lessons, Harmonica clinics, food trucks and more.

Price: FREE!!!

Art Houston 2014

Celebrate Houston’s finest art galleries at ArtHouston2014 Friday and Saturday. The annual event includes more than 30 local galleries hosting events throughout the city in and around Montrose. There is a concentration of 11 galleries on Colquitt near Kirby.

Price: FREE!!!

Bayou City Outdoors Kayak Polo & Rolling Practice

Friday, July 18, 2014 from 8-10 PM

CLCCA Kermet H. Applewhite Sports and Recreation Center

16511 Diana Lane, Houston, TX 77062

Want to practice your kayak roll? Don’t know what a kayak roll is and want to learn how? There are lots of kayakers who are always looking for guinea pigs (whoops, we mean students) who want a little help. They will be practicing our rolls from 8:00 to 8:30 while they get the Polo court set up. @ 8:30… It is ON – Houston Kayak Polo (aka: Water Hockey) Haven’t played before? Get ready to have an incredibly fun time. We chase the ball, try and make goals, paddle around and in general just crack up. (if you don’t know how to roll they will teach you how to wet exit) See the what the Chron has to say about Kayak Polo and BCO

Price: FREE!!!

Bayou City Outdoors Stand Up Paddleboard Lessons

Sunday, July 20, 2014 from 2-6 PM

288 Lakes

4800 Schurmier, Houston, TX 77042

Haven’t tried this great new sport yet? Tried it and ready to step up your SUP? Come out and join us for some time on the water! We’ll be getting wet in the cool, spring-fed waters of 288 Lakes, easy access off 288 and South Sam Houston Tollway. Plan on learning all about this awesome new sport that has everyone raving. It’s a full body workout, but so much fun you won’t even notice you are working out! This is a rare opportunity to try a board out for a very low price. Please – you MUST bring cash. $12 for entrance to 288 Lakes and $10 for board rental and instruction (unbelievable price)!They will have boards, instructors, and don’t forget the FUN!

Price: $12 for entrance and $10 for board rental and instruction

Houston World Series of Dog Shows

July 16, 2014 – July 20, 2014 (Recurring daily)

One NRG Park, Houston, TX 77054

Mark your calendars for the largest tail-wagging event in Houston! Celebrating 37 years, the NRG Park World Series of Dog Shows brings together hundreds of dogs to compete in events such as conformation and obedience. The lively performance events, exhibitions and relay races make for a great family event, but don’t forget about the great shopping! The multitudes of vendors provide useful and unique doggy essentials for your four-legged family member!

Price: $15

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Blue Box Theater Live Smooth Music Thursday’s

Starting February 20, 2014 from 6p.m. – 11p.m.

2020 Leeland, Houston, TX 77003

Every Thursday, head to Blue Box Theater for live smooth jazz band and complimentary wine tasting. Happy hour is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., with the first drink on the house. Located conveniently in the EaDo District near downtown Houston and just two minutes distance from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Price: $10

Bikes, Bats and Brew

July 12, 2014 at 7:15 p.m. (depart at 7:45 p.m.)

Joe Jamail Skate Park

103 Sabine Street, Houston, TX

Bring your bikes (and helmets, too) for an evening spin around town and the Buffalo Bayou trails. Cycle the Waugh Bridge to see teh Mexican free-tail bats depart for their sunset flight, learn more about these important creatures from volunteers with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, then head back downtown for a brew and some social time. Please note that all types of bikes are welcom (B-Cycles will be available for rent if you don’t have your own). Helmets are required (if you’re renting a B-Cycle we will bring helmets for you). Reservations are required.

Price: FREE!!!

A5: Annual Affordable Australian Aboriginal Art Show

July 12, 2014 – September 06, 2014 (Recurring daily) from 11 am – 5 pm

Booker Lowe Gallery

4623 Feagan Street, Houston, TX 77007

A5: Annual Affordable Australian Aboriginal Art Show, an exhibition of paintings and fine art prints priced from $225-$2250 by leading and emerging indigenous, opens at Booker-Lowe Gallery, Saturday, July 12, 2014 in conjunction with ArtHouston. The public is invited to the opening reception from 2-5 pm, at the gallery, 4623 Feagan Street, Houston, Texas. A5 features colorful Warlpiri paintings from Yuendumu and a variety of paintings from other Aboriginal communities. Artists include Josiah Omeenyo, Mary Napangardi Butcher and Nellie Nangala Wayne, and will be on display through Saturday, September 6th. Gallery owner Nana Booker said “A5 is our 7th Annual Affordable Australian Aboriginal Art Show and we are pleased to have the opening reception during NAIDOC Week (July 6-13), the Australia-wide celebration of indigenous cultures. NAIDOC originally stood for the National Aborigines and Islanders Day of Observance Committee, and was founded in the 1960s.

Price: FREE!!!

Annual Harvest Day Festival

July 12, 2014 from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Haak Vineyards & Winery

6310 Ave T, Santa Fe, TX 77510

Come out and help us pick our grapes! It’s a family fun event for people of all ages! To guarantee you get to pick grapes, you need to arrive early. In previous years we have harvested all the grapes in two hours. Includes a complementary light breakfast for our harvesters and DJ Frankie will provide us with music from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Lunch will be available for purchase from our kitchen as well.

Price: FREE!!!

Bastille Day at Etoile Cuisine et Bar

July 14, 2014 at 5:00PM

Etoile Cuisine et Bar

Celebrate French National Day with a special menu crafted by Chefs Philippe Verpiand and Philippe Schmit. Hosted at Etoile Cuisine et Bar, the four-course dinner will pay homage to Jean Michel Diot of Tapenade San Diego who trained both chefs. The menu will be offered for $78 with the choice of two wine pairings, one at $32 and the other at $48. Menu- First Course Tarte de Chèvre Frais: “Coach Farm” goat cheese tart filled with Ratatouille and tapenade coulis Second Course Fletan Aux Artichauts: Alaskan halibut, artichokes “en barigoule”, basil and asparagus Third Course Magret de Canard Aux Cerises: Roasted duck breast with cherries, mini squash stuffed with polenta, fresh fava beans Dessert Mille-Feuille Aux Framboises Et Pistache: Raspberry and pistachio napoleon, raspberry gel, rhubarb ice cream

Price: FREE!!!

Bayou City Outdoors – A Walk in the Woods

July 12, 2014 from 8:15 am – 12:00 pm

Memorial Park Rugby Parking lot

N Picnic Ln, Houston, TX 77007

Memorial Park, known as the Central Park of H-town, is an amazing 1466 acre park (one of the largest in the county) right inside the loop! Trails are a mix of hard packed dirt, sand, trees and tree roots. Even with the loss of trees from the drought, it is still green and wooded. Join this group for an hour and a half quick-paced hike through some of the lesser-known (and a little more adventuresome) trails the park has to offer. Wear tennis shoes or hiking boots, it’s easy to bang a toe on a tree root. And, there’s some “elevation” in the park that you wouldn’t expect from just driving by. Remember to bring water; there are no water fountains along the trails. After the hike, a group is going to the Black Walnut Café @ 5512 Memorial Drive, for breakfast and coffee.

Price: FREE!!!

Big Tex BBQ Fest

July 10, 2014 – July 12, 2014 (Recurring daily) from 8 am- 1am

Pasadena Convention Center and Municipal Fairgrounds

7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, TX 77507

The Big Tex BBQ Fest is a 3 Day Family Cook Off held on July 10,11,12 2014. The event will feature the top BBQ Cooking Teams in the state of Texas, live music, carnival, and special events for vets.

Price: $5; Free to Vets and Active Duty Service

BESO Latin Saturdays at Synn Ultra Lounge

April 05, 2014 – July 12, 2014 (Every Saturday) from 10:00pm – 2:00am

Synn Ultra Lounge

3302 Mercer St., Houston, TX 77027

Join us this Saturday Night at Synn Ultra lounge for BESO. Houston’s upscale latin party. With its welcoming ambiance, Moving Music, & Plenty of Eye candy BESO Saturdays at Synn Ultra Lounge display elegance, class, and style amongst all the rest.

Price: FREE!!!

Classical Concert

July 10, 2014 at 8pm

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Join us for a classical concert featuring the Houston Symphony and the 2014 Ima Hogg Concerto Competition winner. Named to honor the memory of Miss Ima Hogg, a co-founder of the Houston Symphony, this prestigious competition is open to young musicians who play standard orchestral instruments or piano. Pre-concert activities begin at 7 p.m.

Price: FREE!!! ( $15 orchestra seating)

Grand Opening Zum Barrel Tavern

July 12, 2014 from 7:00pm-9:00pm

13101B, Houston, TX 77090

Grand opening of Zum Barrel Tavern. 10,000 sq of Beer Wine Spirits & Food. Enjoy German Delights and over 32 beers on tap. Tv’s at every angle to watch the game, and yes a patio to smoke. Join us for a night of samples from our favorite vendors of food beer wine and spirits NO COVER!

Price: FREE!!!

Market Square Park: The Princess Bride

July 11, 2014 at 8:00 pm

301 Milam, Houston, TX 77002

Forget about trekking to the ‘burbs for your Alamo fix. Join us for a film under the stars as the Rolling Roadshow presents, The Princess Bride, a classic fairy tale about a beautiful princess who escapes the custody of an evil prince and reunites with her one true love.

Price: FREE!!! (Anybody want a peanut? Yes, I went there)

Free Events Thursday: 4th of July Edition!

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Hey Everyone! I hope all of you have exciting plans to celebrate America’s Independence Day! Don’t have any? Don’t worry, check out some of the amazing events that are going on this weekend here in Houston. Go see what events are happening in your neck of the woods this 4th of July and keep coming back for the latest news and events of the Framers!

A Star Spangled Salute

July 04, 2014 at 8:30pm

Miller Outdoor Theatre

6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030

Enjoy an evening with Principal Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski and the Houston Symphony listening to patriotic, toe-tapping American music. Make sure to stay until the end for the 1812 Overture-complete with booming cannons! This celebration concludes with a magnificent display of fireworks provided by Miller Theatre Advisory Board. As always, open seating on the hill.

Price: FREE!!!

17th Annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival

July 04, 2014 from 6pm-10pm

The Woodlands Town Center

31 Waterway Square Place, Woodlands, TX 77380

This all evening event celebrating the American Dream, will have two locations along the Waterway. Enjoy your Independence Day at both Town Green Park and Waterway Square, each featuring a main stage and activities for all ages.

In addition to live bands, the festivities will also include face painting, games, vendor booths and concessions. But we can’t forget American food staples for the Fourth of July, hot dogs and watermelon! There will be an eating contest for each of these, which are sponsored by HEB.

End the night at the Waterway Square, which will have the best view for the 23-minute fireworks extravaganza.

Price: The Festival is FREE and open to the public!!!

Cocktails & Covers feat Skyrocket! – 4th of July Kick Off

July 04, 2014 at 8 pm

House of Blues

1204 Caroline Street, Houston, TX 77002

Join the House of Blues in their 4th of July celebration featuring the party band Skyrocket.

Price: $17.33

A Thin Wall of Air: Charles James

May 31, 2014 – September 07, 2014 (Recurring daily)

The Menil Collection

1515 Sul Ross, Houston, TX 77006

Artistic, difficult, and imaginative, Charles James was well suited to the eclectic spirit of his most unique patrons and clients, John and Dominique de Menil. As a couturier, Charles James was known for his virtuosic design and construction. His clothes fuse Victorian design approaches with forms derived from nature and are defined by dramatic curves and metamorphic extensions from the body, accentuated by unusual color choices and combinations.

Price: FREE!!!

Francesca DiMattio: Housewares

June 01, 2014 – August 30, 2014

Blaffer Art Museum

120 Fine Arts Building, Houston, TX 77204

For her first solo museum exhibition, Francesca DiMattio will create a new series of painting and ceramics that cut across art-historical genres, historical eras and cultural currents. Her work has been included in exhibitions at the Zabludowicz Collection and Pippy Houlsworth Gallery, London, Conduits Gallery, Milan, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, The National Arts Club, New York, LAXART, Los Angeles, The Saatchi Gallery, London, and Locust Projects, Miami. She is represented by Salon 94 in New York.

DiMattio creates intricately layered paintings where objects and figures collide in continually shifting planes. Space and subject are carved out by juxtaposing different swatches of color, pattern, and form into a fragmented but choreographed whole. Likewise, her multi-faceted ceramic sculptures fluctuate between illusionism and abstraction, high art and craft, exploring shifting ideas of beauty, femininity, and art. The exhibition is organized by Claudia Schmuckli.

Price: FREE!!!

U-Pick Blueberries, Strawberries and Thornless Blackberries

June 14, 2014 – July 05, 2014 (Recurring daily) from 8am – 1pm

Blessington Farms

510 Chisolm Trail, Simonton, TX 77485

Gather the family and head to Blessington Farms for a fun time picking fresh, delicious blueberries, strawberries and thornless blackberries. It does not get any fresher than this. The fun does not have to end after picking berries. Also enjoy other farm fun festivities like giant slides, hay maze, pedal cars, chickens, barrel train ride, hay rides, sand mountain and much more. No admission fee for berry picking – just pay for berries picked. Farm Funland is $5 to $8 per person depending on the day. Closed Sundays.

Price: $5-$8

MARVAILLOSSO! A Contemporary Circus

July 03, 2014- July 04, 2014 at 7 pm

Discovery Green

1500 McKinney

Don’t miss the Texas premiere of “ile O” by Barolosolo Cirkus Company, from Carcasonne, France, featuring a mash-up of modern physical theater. Houston’s own Cirque La Vie and FrenetiCore Dance Company also will perform.

Price: FREE!!!

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Sizzling Summer Dance

Jun 6, 2014 at 8:30 p.m.

Miller Outdoor Theatre

Kick off your summer with MET Dance at the annual Sizzling Summer Dance Concert! Get a sneak peek of a World Premiere by New York based choreographer Joe Celej and 2014 Emerging choreographer Steven Vaughn. The evening will also include some of the Met’s most celebrated works. A diverse and versatile program bursting with dance, music and spirit, catch MET in their final performance of the season in a show perfect for all ages.

Price: FREE!!! As always, open seating on the hill. This is a ticketed event for the covered seating area.

25th Annual Accordion Kings & Queens

Jun 7, 2014 at 6 p.m.

Miller Outdoor Theatre

Come out for an evening of dancing and roots music and help Texas Folklife celebrate the Accordion Kings & Queens Festival 25th anniversary! It will be a star-studded affair, featuring Mark Halata & Texavia and C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band. Plus, there will be a tribute to Conjunto and Tejano music pioneers with Avizo and many more.

Price: FREE!!! This is a ticketed event for the covered seating area. As always, open seating on the hill.

Favorites and Firsts – Hear and Now!

June 07, 2014

The Church of St. John the Divine

2450 River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, TX 77019

We all have our favorites, but we also enjoy the excitement of something new. Well, in this case there is no need to choose. Both favorites and firsts will be found in this Special Bonus Concert as Houston Chamber sings audience requests and the world premiere of a brilliant new work by McKnight award-winning composer Jocelyn Hagen that the Chamber Choir commissioned just for this occasion. Past commissions by David Ashley White, Christopher Theofanidis, and Dominick DiOrio add to the mix of this spectacular concert.

Price: $25; Student tickets available for $10 with valid student ID.

Following General Sam Houston, 1793-1863 by Bernhardt Wall

June 06, 2014 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

1100 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002

Artist and historian, Bernhardt Wall was a producer of fine press books who treated a vast array of subjects, including Texas and the Southwest. Today, Wall’s books are highly collectible and may be found in private collections, libraries and universities around the world. The etchings for this pictorial biography of Sam Houston were made while Wall was in La Porte, Texas in 1935, close to the battlefield of San Jacinto. At the time, Wall had the assistance of Houston’s one surviving son, Andrew Jackson Houston. One of the over seventy etchings in the book features Sam entering the 1850 Nichols-Rice-Cherry House, now located at The Heritage Society in Sam Houston Park. The exhibit will also feature some personal objects from the Houston family from the Permanent Collection of The Heritage Society. The etchings in this exhibition are on loan from The Printing Museum.

Price: FREE!!!

First Saturday Arts Market

(Recurring monthly on the 1st Saturday) from 6:00 am -10:00 pm June, July, August

548 W. 19th Street, Houston, TX 77008

First Saturday Arts Market is a monthly outdoor fine arts event featuring the works of dozens of visual artists. Located in the Historic Houston Heights by Gen’s Antiques at 548 W. 19th St. at Lawrence St., the market showcases paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry and handcrafted items. Bring the entire family and come enjoy the great outdoors, live music and delicious fare from some of the area’s best gourmet food trucks.

Price: FREE!!!

First Saturday Art Crawl

(Recurring monthly on the 1st Saturday)

Houston Socialites Club from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

On the first Saturday each month, join HSC for a fun, social art crawl around Houston, followed by dinner/drinks. Each month will feature a different art cluster/neighborhood, and includes these old favorites: Gallery Row, Montrose, Rice, Upper Kirby, Heights, to name a few.

This event is free. Houston Socialites Club (HSC) is a members-based social and events club for singles and couples over 30. Members enjoy a variety of social events each month, from art events to group dinners, recreational sports to game night potlucks, wine tasting to unique events, all designed to bring people together for friendship, fun while discovering Houston.

Price: FREE!!!

Garden Architecture Exhibition

Recurring daily

Architecture Center Houston (ArCH)

315 Capitol St., Houston, TX 77002

Garden Architecture will feature images and stories about many of Houston’s historic gardens, a juried presentation of recent significant garden design in both the public and private realm and a showcase of “vignette gardens” installed inside Architecture Center Houston. The exhibit is created for both architecture and landscape architecture design professionals, gardening enthusiasts, and will appeal to anyone interested in the history and growth of Houston as seen through the lens of our local gardens.

Price: FREE!!!

Posters of Gorbachev Era: The Sunset of Soviet Power

Recurring daily

Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas”

Every Soviet poster no matter the date of creation bears a stamp of expressiveness and graphical quality. The attention to details is awesome. The scope of techniques is endless. And what’s important, every Soviet poster has a historical reference essential for understanding the layers of meanings it carries through time. We present the collection of the posters that have been published in 1987-1990 years. It was very dramatic period in Russian history: Perestroika and the sunset of Soviet power took place then, leading to the new Russian Federation.

Price: FREE!!!

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Latin Beats

Friday, May 30th Downtown Aquarium from 7 pm – 10 pm and Saturday, May 31st, City Center from 7 pm-10 pm

Enjoy a live band (last Friday each month) plus free salsa dance lessons from professional dancers.

Price: FREE!!!

Dance Under the Stars

Friday, May 30th Sugar Land Town Square from 7:30 pm – 9 pm

Grab your dancing shoes and enjoy outdoor dance lessons with Fred Astaire instructors. This month’s dancing features Splash Band, a Motown and Oldies band.

Price: FREE!!!

Breakfast Yoga Club Houston

Sunday, June 1st at Asia Society Texas Center from 9 am – 11 am.

Soothing music and breakfast accompany the yoga.

Price: FREE!!! (with reservations)

Sandcastle Competition

Saturday, May 31, Galveston from 10am- 4:30 pm.

Galveston East Beach, 1923 Boddeker

The 28th year of this friendly competition pitting business teams against each other. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) annual Sandcastle Competition in Galveston is like nothing you’ve seen!

Price: FREE!!! (Parking is $10)

Learn Improv

Friday, May 30th at 7:30 pm.

Station Theater

1230 Houston Ave

Take a free Improv class, thanks to Station Theater’s Intro to Improv. All Intro students are invited to stay to watch Supernova Armando show for free ($6 value), a fast-paced comedy show with a guest monologist.

Price: FREE!!!

Walk the Streets

Sunday, June 1st, Studemont to Milam (Market Square Park) from 11 am – 3 pm.

Closed to vehicles, folks can walk, bike, dance and socialize their way down the road. Market Square Park will have several businesses onsite: Houston B-cycle, Bayou City Outdoors, Bike Barn, Buffalo Bayou Partnership and the Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt food truck!

Price: FREE!!!

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Facing Mars

May 24, 2014 – September 01, 2014

1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058

The challenges of a human mission to Mars are as big as any humans have faced. We know that we can get there, but will we be able to survive? How will we solve the many challenges? What will happen when we push our bodies and minds far beyond any place we have been before?

This summer, visitors will be asked these simple questions at Space Center Houston’s new exhibit “Facing Mars.” Focusing on the real-life obstacles of sending humans to Mars, this groundbreaking exhibition, developed and designed by the Ontario Science Centre, shows visitors how the challenges of a Mars mission aren’t limited to technology or money. It asks questions associated with traveling to Mars for which there currently are no known answers. It also engages participants in the physical, psychological and scientific challenges that come with interplanetary travel.

Price: $17.95 (Save $5 per ticket by buying online)!

Break Out Arts

May 26, 2014 from 2pm – 6pm

2521 Holman, Houston, TX 77004

Break Out Arts is a multi dimensional creative event featuring talented music artists, a fashion showcase and visual arts gallery. The show will take place at Our House: The Store Project on Memorial day, Monday May 26th 2014 from 2-6pm. Break Out Arts is an effort to expose and connect the community to the arts in all its forms. In addition to the live music and dance performances, runway showcase and curated art exhibit – the event offers a free music workshop for children, diet consultations with free food samples by Rawbiquitos and functions as a platform for community interaction featuring a variety of vendors with unique products.

Price: FREE!!!

Carnival Houston

May 24, 2014 from Noon – 9:00pm

1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77479

Celebrating carnival from the caribbean, Brazil and New Orleans Mardi Gras. It is an exciting an explosion of music, cuisine, revelry, costume parade and performances. The Premier Annual Carnival Houston show will showcase carnival costumes and performances such as Samba, Merengue, and costume masqueraders, Dance Performances, Calypso, Soca, Salsa, and Samba.

Price: $10

Centennial Exhibition at the Julia Ideson Library

May 24, 2014 from 10:00am-6:00pm

500 McKinney Avenue, Houston, TX 77002

Hermann Park Conservancy is partnering with the Julia Ideson Library downtown to present an exhibition honoring Hermann Park’s centennial year. Having re-opened in 2011 after a $32 million renovation, the historic library is the perfect place to display objects from the Park’s history, including original planning documents, maps, renderings, and historical photos. Objects in the exhibition have been sourced from the archives of Hermann Park Conservancy, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and the City of Houston Archives in the Texas Room of the Julia Ideson Library. The exhibition will be on view in the Tudor Gallery through July 26.

Price: FREE!!!

Discover Houston Tours: Rice Village Chocolate Safari

May 24, 2014 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

2365A Rice Boulevard, Houston, TX 77007

Walk along Rice Boulevard on Saturdays, visiting yummy and unique chocolate shops and restaurants on the way. Meet new friends and learn about the history of chocolate.

Price: $30.00

Garden Architecture Exhibition

May 22, 2014 – July 18, 2014 (Recurring daily)

315 Capitol St., Houston, TX 77002

Price: FREE!!!

In Juliet’s Garden AND Ophelia’s Rope & Friends

May 22, 2014 – May 30, 2014 (Recurring daily) at 8pm

Studio 101 (Houston Heights)

Act 1: In Juliet’s Garden (40 minutes) By: Judy Elliot McDonald Juliet Capulet invites four other heroines of Shakespeare’s classics (Katharina, Portia, Ophelia and Desdemona) to lunch in her favorite garden in Verona to discuss issues they all have with their plots. All the ladies have suggestions how these issues might be remedied. Shakespeare has also been invited, but instead sends an envoy, his literary agent and Editor Jacqueline de Boys, who attempts to save the day! Act 2: Ophelia’s Rope & Friends Improv Show (40 minutes) Houston Improv troupes will use audience suggestions to create spontaneous–and often hilarious–once in a lifetime stories!

Price: $15.00

Russian Spring Bazaar

February 03, 2014 – May 30, 2014 (Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00p.m., Saturday: 11:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.)

Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas”

2337 Bissonnet, Houston TX 77005

Discover unique ethnic souvenirs and gifts that are hard to find anywhere else. – Wooden figures of Father Frost; – Beautiful icons; – Lovely lacquer jewelry boxes; – Famous blue-and –white china – Gzhel; – Golden wooden tableware “Khokhloma”; – Famous Russian Matreshkas or nesting dolls.

Price: FREE!!!

Free Events Thursday: Mother’s Day

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Soto: The Houston Penetrable

May 8, 2014 – Sep 1, 2014

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Jesús Rafael Soto’s signature Penetrables series is one of the great marvels of contemporary art. The Houston Penetrable—the Venezuelan artist’s final, and most ambitious work—is the only one Soto (1923–2005) designed as permanent or semipermanent, and one of the few he created as an indoor piece.

A vast, floating sea of plastic strands suspended from the ceiling, the Houston Penetrable is completed only by the viewer’s participation. Intended to be touched, handled, and waded through, the strands compose a floating yellow orb on a transparent background. The 24,000 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) tubes, individually hand-painted and tied, hang two stories high from the ceiling to the floor in the Museum’s Cullinan Hall.

Price: $15 (Free for members)

Canvas, Cocktails & Conversation; May Edition

May 10, 2014 from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Bisong Art Gallery 1305 Sterrett St. Houston, TX 77002

Bisong Art Gallery presents the May edition of Canvas, Cocktails & Conversation Saturday, May 10 Bisong Art Gallery is unique in that the warehouse district area is a historical arts community. 20 years ago, what was once all industrial buildings, has now been transformed into art studios, upscale living, and restaurants. On the second Saturday of each month, the gallery is transformed into an art class, but no worries if you aren’t the next Picasso. Enjoy your complimentary drink, get relaxed and let your creativity flow with a few of your closest friends so you can create your own take-home masterpiece. Create your own version of Paul Signac’s The Pink Cloud. A local artist will help you recreate this masterpiece; no experience required. Many of the events are free and open to the public.

Art supplies, canvas, aprons, complimentary mimosas and appetizers will be provided. Specials will be available for premium drinks. Seating is limited.

Price: $30

Domaine Sainte Rose Wine Dinner!

May 02, 2014 – May 28, 2014 (Recurring daily) at 7pm

Artisans Restaurant

3201 Louisiana Street, Houston, TX 77006

Come enjoy some creative dishes paired with wonderful wines from Domaine Sainte Rose! Seating is limited so please call 713.529.9111 today to make your reservation!

Price: FREE!!!

Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May 10, 2014 from 11:00am – 5:00pm

Asia Society Texas Center

1370 Southmore Boulevard, Houston, TX 77004

First observed by the United States Congress in the late 1970s and finally signed into law in 1992, May is recognized as a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. The month was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese in 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, worked on by numerous Chinese immigrants, in 1869.

Join us at Asia Society Texas Center for our eleventh Family Day, which will mark Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Activities, interactive experiences, and performances will present a snapshot of Asian culture and the Asian American diaspora. Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks!

Price: Free for Members, $5 Nonmembers

Heartbreak House

May 08, 2014 – June 01, 2014

Main Street Theater
2540 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

September, 1914. The topsy-turvy household of Captain Shotover and his daughter Hesione Hushabye entertains weekend guests: Ellie Dunn, her father, and her fiancé. Unfortunately, Ellie’s fiancé is a scoundrel, her father is a bumbling prig, and she’s actually in love with Hesione’s husband Hector. This bold mix of farce and tragedy lampoons British society as it blithely ignores the catastrophe looming on the horizon that will become the War to End All Wars.

Price: $20-$32

Mother’s Day Brunch at L’Olivier

May 11, 2014 from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm

240 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77006

Sunday, May 11th from 10:30 to 2:30 3 Course Menu $45 Per Person Price Does Not Include Beverages, Tax or Gratuity 1st Course Housemade Pate chicken liver a touch of brandy Shrimp Cocktail spicy horseradish sauce Housemade Smoked Salmon Goat Cheese Salad mixed greens & cherry tomatoes dressed in maple vinaigrette Butternut Squash Panzotti sage truffle sauce 2nd Course Grilled Prime Beef Medallion with mashed potatoes Grilled Lamb Chop with ratatouille Crab Cake Benedict with poached egg & paprika hollandaise Seared Shrimp with black rice Dessert Creme Brulee Chocolate Mousse Marquise Chocolate Roquefort Terrine.

Price: FREE!!! (Until the bill comes…yay)!

Museum District Walking Tour

Houston Architecture Tours from 10 am – 12 noon

Meet at the Miro sculpture inside the MFAH Sculpture Garden, 5101 Montrose Blvd, 77006.

Street and lot parking available.

The Houston Museum District is one of the few areas in the country with such a dense population of museums, public art, contemporary architecture, and landscape design. On this 2-hour walking tour you will experience the quintessential Modernism of Mies van der Rohe, the structuralist view point of Gunnar Birkert, and the simplicity and craft of Isamu Noguchi. Come explore these and other world class examples of design with ArCH tour guides and trace the chronology of significant cultural shifts from the early twentieth century through today.

Price: $10

Peaches and Cream for Mom

May 10, 2014

Kiehl’s since 1851

4076 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77027

Give Mom the gift of Peaches and Cream! Let her be pampered with a relaxing Kiehl’s mini facial while sipping on a Peach smoothie or herbal tea! Space is limited, so call for your mom’s reservation now!

Price: FREE!!!

United Nations Association International Choir Concert

May 10, 2014 from 5p.m. and 8p.m.

Heinen Theatre
3517 Austin Street, Houston, TX 77004

United Nations Association International Choir is a multicultural group of singers who inspire, educate and bring joy to audiences through world music by performing international choral works in their unique styles and languages. The choir celebrates cultural diversity as part of the greater Houston community through its collaborative environment of camaraderie, learning, and growth.

Price: $25

Free Events Thursday!

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

14th Annual Houston Dragon Boat Festival

May 03, 2014 from 8:30am-4:30pm

Allen’s Landing

1001 Commerce Street, Houston, TX 77002

Performances include lion dancing, martial arts, Hawaiian style dancing, belly dancing, and many more activities bringing awareness of Asian and Asian-American culture. The entire family can enjoy the culture and traditions of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans and experience the culture and traditions through a sample of Asian cuisine, colorful arts and crafts and other activities during the festival.

Once again the MD Anderson Super Heroes youth team is competing. This will be the second time the team, which consists of leukemia and cancer teenagers, parents, doctors, nurses and other “sidekicks,” is paddling in our event. Also this year’s festival will feature Blind Fury, a team whose members are from the Lighthouse of Houston. The Lighthouse of Houston is a private, nonprofit education and service center dedicated to assisting blind and visually impaired people to live independently.

Price: FREE!!!

African Art from the Cameroon & Nigeria with Paintings by Lucinda Cobley and Beatriz Olivetti

May 01, 2014 – June 14, 2014 (Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday) from Noon to 6 pm

Gallery Jatad

1517 Blodgett Street, Houston, TX 77004

Gallery Jatad is exhibiting two new exhibits. “African Art from the Cameroon & Nigeria with Paintings by Lucinda Cobley and Beatriz Olivetti” and “three dudes from Corpus”. The exhibit focuses on traditional African art from the Cameroon and Nigeria border region. This is an opportunity to acquire antique objects originally used for ritual purposes from an area of Africa that remained relatively untouched by Western contact well into the 20th century. Smaller objects include whistles carved with a sculptural purity anticipating Modern Art with some covered with multi-colored beads, and skin cover sculptures of heads worn as head crests to honor ancestors. A variety of masks, figures, dolls and textiles are offered, including objects from the Bamileke, Banso, Vere, Mumuye, Mambila, Ibibio, Ibo, Keaka and Ekoi. Contemporary works by Lucinda Cobley and Beatriz Olivetti are featured on the walls of the main gallery. Both artists titillate the eye with color. The north gallery features works by Ricardo Ruiz, Oscar Guerra and Jimmy Pena.

Price: FREE!!!

Bulgari: 130 Years of Masterpieces

May 02, 2014 – October 05, 2014

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Bulgari: 130 Years of Masterpieces will be an exhibition of approximately 150 sizable pieces
of jewelry from Bulgari?s Heritage Collection, including masterpieces from the historical archives of the company headquarters in Rome or on loan from private collections. This exclusive retrospective marks the first time the storied jeweler has showcased pieces representing every period since its Roman beginnings in 1884, making Bulgari: 130 Years of Masterpieces a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Included in the Houston exhibition are pieces from the collection of Dame Elizabeth Taylor, who became almost as famous for her love of Bulgari jewels as for her on-screen triumphs. Other pieces in the exhibition belonged to or were worn by iconic women past and present, including Sophia Loren, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Isabella Rossellini, Gina Lollobrigida, Anna Magnani, Juliette Binoche, Milla Jovovich, Jennifer Aniston, Claudia Schiffer, Elizabeth Hurley, Rachel Weisz, Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore.

Price: $25

Drinko de Mayo

May 03, 2014 from 7 pm – 2 am

Howl at the Moon

Enjoy our drink specials and of course, our dueling pianos will be rocking the party all night long! DRINKO DE MAYO SPECIALS: $4 Dos Equis $22 86oz Mega Margaritas $5 Jose Cuervo Shots WIN A CINCO DE MAYO HAPPY HOUR PARTY Follow the link to win a free Cinco de Mayo happy hour party for you and up to 100 friends for even more Cinco de Mayo drink specials!

Price: $10

First Saturday Arts Market

May 03, 2014 – May 02, 2015 (Recurring monthly on the 1st Saturday)

Times: 11-6 Sept – May and 6-10 June, July, August

548 W. 19th Street, Houston, TX 77008

Price: FREE!!!

Houston Food Truck Fest

May 03, 2014 from 12pm – 5pm

6400 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77057

Stereo Live will host the 3rd Houston Food Truck Fest on Saturday May 3rd from 12pm–5pm. The event will feature 21 of Houston’s finest Gourmet Food Trucks. Live music, DJ, karaoke stage and a multitude of attractions will keep Fest goers entertained. Family friendly movies will also be shown indoors on our massive 210 sq ft screen.

Price: $12

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

BESO Latin Saturdays at Synn Ultra Lounge

April 05, 2014 – July 12, 2014 (Every Saturday) from 10:00pm – 2:00am

3302 Mercer St., Houston, TX 77027

Price: FREE!!!

3rd Annual Houston Improv Festival

April 24, 2014 – April 27, 2014 (Recurring daily): Thursday – 8pm; Friday & Saturday – 8pm & 10pm

Midtown Art Center

3414 LaBranch, Houston, TX 77004

The 3rd Annual Houston Improv Festival descends upon Houston April 24-27 at Midtown Art Center. HIF 2014 welcomes fifteen improvised acts from around the country.

Price: $15

Save the date! San Jacinto Day Festival 2014

Saturday, April 26th

Booming cannons, cracking musket fire, thundering hooves and desperate battle cries resound across the San Jacinto Battleground as hundreds of history reenactors recreate the events leading up to Texas winning its independence at the decisive Battle of San Jacinto.

Price: FREE!!!

30th Annual Wine & Roses Festival

April 26, 2014 at 2-8pm

Messina Hof Winery and Resort

4545 Old Reliance Rd., Bryan, TX 77808

We invite Houston to our 30th Annual Wine & Roses Festival at Messina Hof?, Saturday April 26th in Bryan, TX! Wine tasting, grape stomp, art classes, live music and so much more!

Price: FREE!!!

4th Annual Gumbo Cook-Off and Fun Day

April 26, 2014 from 10 am – 6 pm

Clear Lake, Landolt Pavilion

5100 E Nasa Pkwy, Seabrook, TX 77586

4th Annual Gumbo Cook-off & Family fun day featuring Gumbo Cook-off Competition, People Choice Award, Gumbo Tasting, Celebrity Judges, Vendors, Booths, Silent Auction, Dunking Tank – See whose getting dunked! Come hungry for Gumbo, Crawfish Plates, Sausage-on-a-Stick and more. Live Entertainment featuring The Station Break Band. Proceeds benefit Rotarians of Seabrook Charities.

Price: $10 and includes Gumbo Tasting (It includes food, people)!

Artist Talk: Trenton Doyle Hancock

April 27, 2014 at 2:00 pm

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

5216 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006

Join artist Trenton Doyle Hancock and Senior Curator Valerie Cassel Oliver for an artist talk in conjunction with Trenton Doyle Hancock’s exhibition “Skin and Bones, 20 Years of Drawing.”

Price: FREE!!!

2013-2014 ROCO Chamber Series: French Salon

April 27, 2014 at 4:00 PM

Gremillion & Co. Fine Art Annex

2504 Nottingham Street, Houston, TX 77005

Finishing out the Chamber Series is a French Salon concert that includes music by Poulenc and more feature Alecia Lawyer on Oboe and Kristin Wolfe Jensen on Bassoon.

Price: $25

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

It’s that time again…Free Events Thursday!!!

Wine Wednesdays and Ladies Night Thursdays

Every Wednesday, Thursday (All day Wednesday and 5:30- 10:00 Thursday)

Latin Bites Cafe

5709 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX 77057

Wind down in the middle of the week and enjoy 50% off wine bottles all day Wednesday at Latin Bites. Pair any wine from Latin Bites’ extensive cellar to compliment a lunch or dinner dish to enjoy a well rounded Peruvian meal. From 11 to close, Latin Bites Peruvian inspired dishes such as their Quinoa Salad or Arroz Con Pato, a Latin take on duck confit, would pair nicely with any white or red wine of a diner’s choosing. In celebration of the highly anticipated weekend, Ladies Night will be every Thursday at Latin Bites. From 5:30pm until 10:00pm, women of Houston can enjoy 50% off all cocktails and 15% off appetizers. Mingle with friends while sipping on a Mangotini, a sweet mango martini made with Pisco, Peru’s native spirit, and snack on appetizers perfect for sharing. Choose from Latin Bites famous empanadas or award-winning causitas; with so many options it would be near impossible to choose only one!

Price: FREE!!!

#womenfordance

April 11, 2014 – April 12, 2014 at 8 pm

Wortham Theater Center

500 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002

Join MET Dance at #womenfordance as they celebrate the female dance maker. Two nights only, this program will premiere works by Kiki Lucas and Andrea Dawn Shelley as well as recent repertory additions by Sidra Bell, Lauren Edson and Kate Skarpetowska. The introspective program connects the strength, emotion and humanity of the feminine manifest. Embark on the emotional journey to validation and mark-making. Guest artists from Island Moving Company join MET Dance in a high-octane, thunderous evening that is not to be missed!

Price: $15-$45

Boy Scout Fair

April 12, 2014

Reliant Park Saturday, April 12, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Scouts from 16 countries will unite in one place to showcase their Scouting skills. Meet leaders and Scouts from your neighborhood. Sample the amazing dutch oven creations and delicacies in the outdoor cooking area. Visit the midway with over 60 experts representing merit badges. Watch demonstrations, interact with participating booths from our community partners…pick up free offers.

Price: FREE!!!

Book Signing: Lisa Scottoline’s Keep Quiet

April 14, 2014 at 6:30 PM

Murder By the Book

2342 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77005

Description: Lisa Scottoline is a 20 time New York Times best-selling and an Edgar award-winning author with over 20 novels (in 20 years) under her belt, including her latest novel KEEP QUIET. Her stories have been translated into 25 different languages and her wildly popular, non-fiction column, “Chick Wit,” appears in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Lisa delivers once again with Keep Quiet, an emotionally gripping and morally complex story about one father’s decision to protect his son — and the devastating consequences that follow. Powerful and dramatic, Keep Quiet will have readers and book clubs debating what it means to be a parent and how far you can, and should, go to protect those you love.

Price: FREE!!!

Asia Society Presents: Melody, Harmony, and Melharmony

April 12, 2014 at 6:00pm

Asia Society Texas Center

Melharmony is an award-winning concept pioneered by Chitravina N. Ravikiran during his collaboration with artists of the BBC Philharmonic. As the name suggests, Melharmony aims to create a synergy between diverse melodic concepts not common in the west and vertical harmonic dimensions that are unusual in many systems in the east, such as Indian classical music. As part of Classical Arts Society of Houston’s 2014 Spring Festival, this vibrant and cultural musical presentation explores western classical music and music from north and south India. Spotlight instruments include chitravina (fretless Indian lute), modified western mandolin, and percussion (mridangam and tabla). Jugalbandhi Concert: 6:00 pm Chitravina N. Ravikiran, Snehasish Mozumder, Rohan Krishnamurthy, and Gouri Shankar Karmakar The concert is a ticketed event.

Price: $10 Members, $15 Nonmembers.

Bubblegum Yum Video Jukebox Love Party

April 11, 2014 Doors at 6, Show is 7

Orange Show Monument
2402 Munger St, Houston, TX 77023

Local artist and DJ Stephanie Saint Sanchez will present a salute to 60’s bubblegum music and the lovey dovey groovy feelings they inspire. This is a curated short film showcase with assorted local filmmakers doing their own take on love in the style of this genre. Each film will last from 3-8 minutes, and during the evening there will be bubblegum blowing contests, crowning of the bubblegum King or Queen, music and dancing plus a special live performance by The Janets. Come ready to groove all night long and see some incredible short films by a variety of local artists Sponsored by Saint Arnold Brewing Company.

Price: $15 pre sale and $20 door