Houston’s African Art Festival returns May 2–3! Art, culture, food, music & a Saturday afterparty. Free admission.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/houstons-african-art-festival-tickets-1984099106839

Hot and Spicy Louisiana Boiled Crawfish with Live music and good family fun!

For more than a decade, M.E.N. Inc.’s Annual Crawfish Festival has been a cornerstone community event in Houston, bringing together families, businesses, and supporters to celebrate culture, connection, and purpose. What began as a small community gathering has grown into one of M.E.N. Inc.’s signature fundraisers featuring live music, Zydeco performances, great food, and family-friendly activities for all ages.

Beyond the crawfish and music, the festival represents something bigger: a shared investment in the next generation. With the continued support of community partners, volunteers, and sponsors, the Crawfish Festival remains a powerful reminder of what’s possible when a community comes together with purpose and heart.

 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/12th-annual-crawfish-festival-tickets-1982977994562

Make blue-toned photographic prints and explore one of photography's earliest processes.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cyanotypes-with-danielle-mason-tickets-1983637302570

Establishing Your Voice; Knowing Your Audience

This is an in-person workshop that takes place at Inprint House.

This workshop invites writers to think more intentionally about how the concept of an audience shapes their voice, tone, and the creative risks they take. Drawing on the distinct literary approaches of Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright, we explore what it means to write from within a community versus writing about a community, under pressure to explain, justify, or perform. Rather than positioning these approaches in opposition to each other, the workshop uses them to open a broader conversation about power, visibility, and responsibility in storytelling.

Through guided reading, conversation, and generative writing, participants are encouraged to notice how their own language shifts depending on who they imagine is listening. The emphasis is on awareness and ultimately offers writers space to reflect on factors such as voice, authority, and trust on the page without determining a single “correct” method. Designed for writers of fiction at all experience levels, but also applicable across genres, this workshop will create a focused, supportive environment for experimentation and reflection.

Registration & More Info Here

In-person Q&A with filmmaker and Wu-Tang Clan member RZA and star Shameik Moore (SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE) following the screening

RZA’S ONE SPOON OF CHOCOLATE follows Unique (Shameik Moore, DOPE and voice of Miles Morales in the Spider-Verse films), a veteran and ex-convict seeking a fresh start in a small town. After an altercation with a gang of locals, he starts to suspect they may have something to do with the disappearance of young men in the area – including his cousin. As he digs for the truth, he finds himself the target of not only the gang but the local sheriff’s office, whose involvement in the disappearances may be even more sinister. Instead of waiting for his turn to be picked off, Unique and those closest to him (Paris Jackson, RJ Cyler) decide to fight back in this sharply satirical and stylish action thriller from the visionary leader of the Wu-Tang Clan.

https://www.theriveroakstheatre.com/movie/RiverOaks/Live-Event-ONE-SPOON-OF-CHOCOLATE-with-RZA-and-Shameik-Moore

brittny ray crowell and Nina McConigley will read from their new books respectively, Cord Swell and How to Commit A Postcolonial Murder, followed by an on-stage conversation led by poet and University of Houston Creative Writing Program director Kevin Prufer. The evening will conclude with a book sale and signing. The event is presented as the closing event of the 2025/2026 Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series and also marks the final Inprint reading hosted by Rich Levy, Inprint’s longtime, outgoing Executive Director, who is retiring after 31 impactful years in the role.

Tickets & More Info Here

brittny ray crowell is a poet, artist, and assistant professor at Clark Atlanta University. Winner of an Inprint Donald Barthelme Prize in Poetry and the Lucy Terry Prince Prize, crowell received her PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Houston, where she was an Inprint C. Glenn Cambor Fellow. Her poems have appeared in The Common, Copper Nickel, The Journal, Ploughshares, and elsewhere, and her work as a librettist has been featured as part of the Kennedy Center’s Cartography Project. Cord Swell, crowell’s ambitious and inventive debut poetry collection, is a pilgrimage of poems, stories, voices, and mixed-media collage through the lives of three generations of Black women from her hometown of Texarkana, Texas. Nick Flynn calls the book “an altar, a praise song to women…who survive―some as witness, some as memory, some as a recipe for gravy.” A. Van Jordan describes these poems as “heirlooms passed down to us, bolstering strength through every challenge.”

Nina McConigley is the author of the story collection Cowboys and East Indians, which won the PEN/Open Book Award and the High Plains Book Award. Her play based on Cowboys and East Indians was commissioned by the Denver Center for Performing Arts and recently received its world premiere. McConigley’s work has also appeared in The New York Times, Orion, O: The Oprah Magazine, The Virginia Quarterly Review, and Salon. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston, where she was an Inprint Brown Foundation Fellow and a winner of the Inprint Donald Barthelme Nonfiction Prize. How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder is McConigley’s bold and fiercely original debut novel, set in 1986 rural Wyoming, about a pair of Indian-American teenage sisters who plot to murder a newly immigrated uncle. At its heart, the tale is a moving story of sisterhood, a playful ode to the 80s, a murder mystery (of sorts), and a powerful meditation on history and language, trauma and healing, and the meaning of independence. Celeste Ng writes, “I have been waiting for Nina McConigley’s debut novel for years and it’s even better than I could have imagined.”

Formed in Chicago in 1969 by visionary musician Maurice White, Earth, Wind & Fire revolutionized popular music with their genre-blending sound and uplifting spirit. Combining elements of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, and pop, the band created timeless hits like September, Boogie Wonderland, and Shining Star. Known for their dynamic horn section, kalimba-driven grooves, and electrifying stage shows, EWF became one of the best-selling and most influential groups of all time, with over 90 million records sold worldwide.

Their innovative approach earned them nine Grammy Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and countless honors for their cultural impact. Today, founding members Verdine White, Philip Bailey, and Ralph Johnson continue to carry forward the band’s legacy of positivity, love, and musical excellence.

TICKETS & MORE INFO HERE

Juneteenth is coming and the Juneteenth Houston Citywide Planning Committee is kicking things off with an exciting happy hour!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/road-to-juneteenth-juneteenth-houston-kickoff-registration-1987094811071

On view: Friday, March 27th - Sunday, May 24th
Featured Artists:
Jamee Elyse Hill
William Harry Dadson, Jr.
Makala McCoy
Deveney Thomas
Jaida LaCour
Arya Sreedharan
Ken Jackson
Keri Manuel

https://www.umusetsu.org/exhibitions

Jennifer Marine, 2025-26 Menil Drawing Institute Pre-Doctoral Fellow, explores how artists and scientists have employed the intermedial and multidimensional relationships between drawing and other technologies to visualize, picture, materialize, and register invisible phenomena.

Attend
This program takes place at the Menil Drawing Institute, located at 1412 W. Main St.

As always, Menil programs are free and open to all.

https://www.menil.org/events/lecture-drawing-as-technology

Free | All Ages

Registration & More Info Here

Get ready to groove to the rhythm of the bayou with live music, on site restaurants and good vibes at Beats on the Bayou!

Welcome to Beats on the Bayou at East River Houston! Get ready for a day filled with amazing music and good vibes on Every 1st Friday starting at 6pm. Join us for a fantastic lineup of artists, delicious food and a beautiful outdoor setting by the river. Don't miss out on this opportunity to dance, sing, and create unforgettable memories with friends and family. See you there!

DJ Santos Sounds visits the MFAH for a Friday evening performance inspired by Frida: The Making of an Icon. Devoted to Frida Kahlo’s life and legacy, the monumental exhibition features more than 30 works by the legendary Mexican artist and 120 by the generations of artists she inspired.

This all-vinyl experience is inspired by themes from the exhibition and uses immersive soundscapes to highlight Kahlo's role as an icon of the Chicano movement, the music of her era, and the preservation of local music history.

Tickets & More Info Here

Plan Your Visit

• This program is included with Museum admission.
• The performance takes place on the lower level of the Kinder Building.
• Parking Information | Museum Hours | MFAH Campus Map

About the Performer
DJ Santos Sounds (Jesus Lopez) is a Houston-based musical artist and archivist whose work seeks to preserve Chicano sounds in analog form. He has been digitizing his personal collection for almost a decade, a vast archive comprised primarily of 45s of rare Chicano Soul, Texas Soul, Lowrider Oldies, Barrio Ballads, Swamp Pop, Rancheras, Doo Wop, Boleros, and Cumbia that he curates for online audiences and live performances. His work includes background research on the artists and local music history. 

Previews May 3, 6 & 7 | Runs MAY 8 - 31, 2026

PG-13 COMEDY
Contains race relations and adult content.

Written by TORIE WIGGINS

Directed by STEVEN J. SCOTT & EILEEN J. MORRIS

Things aren’t always black and white—especially when it comes to relationships. When Dean, a young professional, and Danya, an aspiring singer, go on a refreshingly candid first date, they keep it real about the dynamics of a potential interracial relationship. As they grow comfortable nestled in the cocoon of their budding love, the real world brings a whirlwind of inflammatory race relations, opinionated family and friends, and troublesome pasts. Can love truly be colorblind? This work, inspired by the classic Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, shines a light on the story of what happens when cultures clash in the name of love in today’s times.

More Info Here

Tickets Here

There is a restless, searching energy that defines Marcus Gilmore, a Grammy Award winning drummer, composer, and bandleader known for his fluid, forward thinking approach to rhythm. The grandson of Roy Haynes, Gilmore bridges generations with a sound that blends jazz tradition, contemporary composition, and electronic influences. His project Journey to the New is an expansive, immersive suite that moves fluidly through jazz, electronic textures, and contemporary composition, guided by rhythm as both foundation and frontier. With intricate, elastic drumming at its core, the work unfolds as a continuous exploration, honoring the past while pushing toward new sonic possibilities.

Live at Eldorado Ballroom on Friday, May 8, 2026, presented by Project Row Houses, ushering in a new season at the historic Eldorado Ballroom.

Funded in part by Sis & Hasty Johnson and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

https://dice.fm/partner/tickets/event/pyd28l-marcus-gilmore-journey-to-the-new-8th-may-eldorado-ballroom-houston-tickets

Tickets & More Info Here

If you're looking for a fun, easy plan the night before Mother's Day – this is it.

We're hosting a charity bingo night at Decant with the Rotary Club of Houston, raising funds for local community initiatives. It's casual, a little competitive, and a good excuse to get out of the house with friends.

Come with your girls, bring your mom, or just show up and join a table and do some good.

Your ticket includes:
• Bingo cards for 10 rounds
• Prizes throughout the night 
• A portion of proceeds donated to Houston Rotary

VIP Tickets include:
• Early entry from 5-6:30pm in our front tasting room
• Sushi box from Himari
• Paired wine flight
• Bingo ticket

After VIP dinner, all guests will move to our production warehouse where bingo will be held.

Wine, spritzes, and snacks will be available for purchase.

Win curated prizes perfect for Mother's Day–think pampering, shopping, dining, and seasonal favorites.

General check-in begins at 6pm and the first game will start at 7pm. Guests will receive bingo cards for all 10 games with 3 chances to win each game. Additional cards and daubers will be available for purchase. Join us for good times for a great cause!

This event is 21+ | TICKETS & MORE INFO HERE

When Cher ruled the charts, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air had everyone quoting lines, and MTV was the ultimate pop-culture destination, the ’90s gave us unforgettable music, bold fashion, and iconic moments. Now it’s your turn to relive it all.

Join us at the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land for a nostalgic night packed with throwback vibes, dancing, and interactive fun. Dance the night away as DJ Griffin spins the best hits of the decade, grab cocktails from our cash bars throughout the museum, and enjoy bites from local food vendors.

Need a break from the dance floor? Stop by our friendship bracelet station to get your craft on or capture your most legendary ’90s look at our 360° photo booth.

Whether you lived through the decade or just love the aesthetic, this event is your chance to step into a time of neon colors, unforgettable beats, and pure fun. Throw on your best ’90s outfit, bring your friends, and get ready for a night of nostalgia you won’t forget.

THE FILMS OF ROY FRIDGE
Special guest Betty Moody
Location: Aurora Picture Show – 5601 Navigation Blvd.
Free admission
NOTE: Originally planned for April 18, this program was re-scheduled due weather.

Aurora is pleased to present a program of rarely-seen experimental films by Texas artist Roy Fridge, introduced by his friend and gallerist Betty Moody and Aurora’s Peter Lucas. Though he’s well known as a sculptor, Fridge’s fascinating film art made between the late-1950s and early-1970s has gone largely unseen for decades. This special presentation features eight short films–many of them incorporating elements of his sculptural works and extending themes of heroes/anti-heroes, voyages, and reflections seen in his visual art. The program also includes a number of his early animated television commercials. These films and related images are courtesy of the Menil Archives, The Menil Collection, Houston.

More Info Here

Celebrate the release of Pleasure Please with Ashley Cobb!

RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

TICKETS & MORE INFO HERE

ABOUT THE BOOK

A fun, exciting, and informative guide to sexual health, wellness, and pleasure for women of color

In Pleasure, Please! The Black Woman's Guide to Unapologetic Pleasure and Confidence, certified sex educator Ashley Cobb delivers a comprehensive and empowering new exploration of sexual wellness for women of color (and especially Black women). Cobb draws on her extensive experience and expertise in women's health, sexuality, and activism to walk you through everything from individual empowerment to effective ways to confront and overcome the barriers and stigma that Black women face.

You'll discover expert advice interwoven with real stories from real women who have been in your shoes and dealt with the same issues you deal with every day. You'll also find answers to the questions women most frequently ask the author to answer, as well as crystal-clear, informative guidance you can apply in your own life and relationships to help you make your life better now.

Echoes and Verses is an interactive cultural experience celebrating African heritage through music, storytelling, spoken word, and traditional performance, inspired by the spirit of the village square.

Bringing together diverse local artists and from across the diaspora, the event creates a vibrant space for cultural expression, dialogue, and the sharing of African stories across generations.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/village-square-echoes-and-verses-tickets-1985112072647

LUCÍA is a 23-year-old vocalist from Veracruz, Mexico whose singular artistic vision bridges the gaps between jazz, Latin and pop music. Lucía Gutierrez Rebolloso started her musical career at the age of two, singing and dancing in her parents’ son jarocho band, “Son de Madera.” She is the first artist from Mexico to enter and win the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Her self-titled debut album is out now. It presents Lucía’s interpretations of jazz standards (“What a Difference a Day Makes,” “You Must Believe in Spring”) classic Spanish songs (including “Silencio,” “La Llorona,” “Como Fue”) and pop songs by Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, featuring an extraordinary group of musicians including Edward Simon, David Sanchez, Larry Grenadier, and Antonio Sánchez.

TICKETS & MORE INFO HERE

LUCÍA is a 23-year-old vocalist from Veracruz, Mexico whose singular artistic vision bridges the gaps between jazz, Latin and pop music. Lucía Gutierrez Rebolloso started her musical career at the age of two, singing and dancing in her parents’ son jarocho band, “Son de Madera.” She is the first artist from Mexico to enter and win the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Her self-titled debut album is out now. It presents Lucía’s interpretations of jazz standards (“What a Difference a Day Makes,” “You Must Believe in Spring”) classic Spanish songs (including “Silencio,” “La Llorona,” “Como Fue”) and pop songs by Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, featuring an extraordinary group of musicians including Edward Simon, David Sanchez, Larry Grenadier, and Antonio Sánchez.

TICKETS & MORE INFO HERE

Welcome to Boldface, the only conference in the country dedicated to emerging writers.

Five days of daily workshops, readings, craft talks, social events, and professionalism panels in an intimate and supportive environment, designed specifically with the needs of emerging writers in mind.

Workshops include poetry, fiction, flash memoir, and hybrid options.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boldface-conference-for-emerging-writers-tickets-1985763793963

Welcome to Boldface, the only conference in the country dedicated to emerging writers.

Five days of daily workshops, readings, craft talks, social events, and professionalism panels in an intimate and supportive environment, designed specifically with the needs of emerging writers in mind.

Workshops include poetry, fiction, flash memoir, and hybrid options.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boldface-conference-for-emerging-writers-tickets-1985763793963

Welcome to Boldface, the only conference in the country dedicated to emerging writers.

Five days of daily workshops, readings, craft talks, social events, and professionalism panels in an intimate and supportive environment, designed specifically with the needs of emerging writers in mind.

Workshops include poetry, fiction, flash memoir, and hybrid options.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boldface-conference-for-emerging-writers-tickets-1985763793963

Welcome to Boldface, the only conference in the country dedicated to emerging writers.

Five days of daily workshops, readings, craft talks, social events, and professionalism panels in an intimate and supportive environment, designed specifically with the needs of emerging writers in mind.

Workshops include poetry, fiction, flash memoir, and hybrid options.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boldface-conference-for-emerging-writers-tickets-1985763793963

Clay Conversations brings together an engaging discussion on ceramics with a relaxed social hour. Artist Susan Budges will discuss how she developed her process for building and firing her large scale ceramics. 

The evening begins with a casual happy hour, followed by a loosely structured conversation with Susan, open to audience questions.

Bring a friend, meet someone new, grab a drink, and join us!

https://www.clayhouston.org/calendar#!event/2026/5/21/clay-conversations-susan-budge

Welcome to Boldface, the only conference in the country dedicated to emerging writers.

Five days of daily workshops, readings, craft talks, social events, and professionalism panels in an intimate and supportive environment, designed specifically with the needs of emerging writers in mind.

Workshops include poetry, fiction, flash memoir, and hybrid options.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boldface-conference-for-emerging-writers-tickets-1985763793963

More Info Here

The awakening of spring offers a unique opportunity to connect with nature’s healing bounty through a Spring Tea Party. More than just a social gathering, this event is a chance to delve into the world of local medicinal herbs, guided by the knowledge Janice Brown - @girlonthegrow.
Garden fairy tales and garden poetry will be shared, as inspiration for attendees to create their own original works. Come discover why gardens are important intergenerational spaces that are portals to ancestral wisdom. Light bites and herbal tea choices are included.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS & PARTNERS:

Janice Brown
Tomii Culmer
Kristi Rangel

Plant Bingo is a fun, social game for plant lovers—play, learn, and win plants or prizes in a relaxed, community-centered shop experience.

Plant Bingo is your new favorite way to gather, play, and unwind among plants. Enjoy a relaxed, social atmosphere with refreshments available as you move through fun, plant-themed bingo rounds.

Winners will take home exciting prizes! Come for the game, stay for the vibes, and leave with something special. 🌿

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/plant-bingo-tickets-1988260408404

Families are invited to join a teaching artist for an afternoon in the galleries and the studio. Explore and learn about a work of art, and then create your own masterpiece. Using high-quality materials and tools provides the opportunity to better understand artists’ techniques. Recommended for families with children ages 5 to 12.

Tickets & More Info Here

Tickets

• $10 per person* | Capacity is limited.
  *Museum admission is required in addition to the Family Art-Making Studio ticket. Admission is free for MFAH members and ages 12 & younger. 

Plan Your Visit

• This event starts in the classroom on the lower level of the Law Building.
• Parking Information | Museum Hours | MFAH Campus Map

Learn from Houston-based attorneys in intellectual property, entertainment, and business law. Join the Houston Lawyers Association and the Third Ward Cultural District for a session on copyright, contracts, and intellectual property for artists in the age of artificial intelligence.

Learn from Houston-based attorneys in intellectual property, entertainment, and business law about how to:
Protect your creative work
Understand contracts and licensing
Learn your rights in the age of Al

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protect-your-art-artists-in-the-age-of-ai-tickets-1987960448215

A refined book club for curious minds craving growth, connection and conversations that matter

Books for Brunch is an elevated book club experience designed for people who value personal growth, intellectual curiosity, and genuine connection.

This isn’t a surface-level book club. It’s a space for intentional conversation — where we explore mindset, self-development, and the real work of becoming sharper, more self-aware, and more aligned.

Each month, we’ll read one carefully selected book, broken into four parts. We’ll gather weekly in a private online community for guided discussion, reflection, and insight-sharing. Our final week culminates in an in-person brunch gathering, where conversation moves off the page and into real life.

Expect elevated wellness, thoughtful dialogue, and a community that values both refinement and authenticity. Come as you are — curious, open, and ready to grow.

Register now and order your copy of "Attached" by Amir Levine & Rachel Heller!

Online discussions begin March 1st reviewing Chapters 1-4.
 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/elevated-conversations-for-personal-intellectual-growth-tickets-1981531444893

Moody Center for the Arts | Free + Open to the Public | Registration Appreciated

Celebrate the artist’s first solo show in Texas, a site-specific, sculptural installation populated with spirits, shapeshifters, and other changelings animated by a longing for recognition and connection amidst a rapidly changing world. Rendered through Masako Miki's vibrant visual language, this exhibition interprets themes from Japanese folklore and brings them into relation with the present.

REGISTRATION & MORE INFO HERE