Annual Events & Festivals - Annual Events

Thanks to the hundreds of events held in Houston each year, you can always find something to do here. These events—many of them held year after year—are as diverse as the people of Houston themselves: There are car and boat shows, air shows, a marathon and other races, art events, cultural heritage celebrations, holiday events, food festivals, music festivals, shopping extravaganzas, the world’s largest livestock show and rodeo, and even an art car parade.

Overview

Unfortunately, it would take several volumes to list all of the events that take place in and around Houston each year. So this chapter offers a sampling of some of the city’s largest and quirkiest annual happenings. With a few exceptions, the events listed here are held in Houston. Many take place at downtown venues such as Discovery Green, the George R. Brown Convention Center, and Sam Houston Park; others are held in Hermann Park or Reliant Park. Some require venturing outside the city limits, though. These have been included because they draw so many people from Houston and the surrounding areas.

Almost all the events listed here are family friendly, and many offer special activities for kids.

Some events, such as the Ice at Discovery Green, begin in one month and end in another. These have been listed under the month in which they begin. Likewise, a Hanukkah event is listed in December, even though the holiday—and the corresponding event—occasionally falls at the end of November.

Events listed here are wheelchair accessible unless indicated otherwise. Call ahead and double-­check, though, since some events change venues or accessibility offerings. The contact information provided here is for the event organizers. With a couple of noted exceptions, I’ve included the event location’s street address.