Few cities in the world offer Houston's range of entertainment and cultural experiences. Downtown offers world-class performing arts, the 130,000 square-foot Bayou Place entertainment complex, world-renowned restaurants, movie theaters, shopping plazas and parks such as Discovery Green, a 12-acre park that hosts hundreds of events each year.
Houston is one of only four cities in the nation with permanent companies in all four performing arts: opera, theatre, symphony and dance, all of which are ranked among the top five in the nation - and you can get great seats for $20 to $40/ ticket. Or you can attend a free performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre, which is a 10-minute walk from Baylor College of Medicine, where music, mime and even Shakespeare are presented under the stars all summer long.
Houston's Midtown area features an internationally known Museum District with everything from fine art exhibitions to interactive activities for children.
Houston's East End neighborhood prides itself on becoming up and coming and having a young and vibrant atmosphere. With this, there are new and fresh activities always being planned in this area.
Need help planning your weekend? 365 things to do in Houston lists events that take place around the city Thursday through Sunday. For smaller venues within the arts, HoustonPress has some great information too!
There are always a diverse variety of events - arts, concerts, culinary, family-oriented, sports, musical, theatrical, literary - happening in Houston on any given day or night. And, of course, you can’t miss the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo during February and March.
No matter what your interest, you’ll find it in Houston! Check out:
"Coming to Houston marked my first time living outside of California. It took some time to adjust to life in a large city, but now I love it. The city offers great, cheap entertainment options like the Miller theater and no matter what activity you are interested in you can find it here."
- Amanda Minogue, Graduate Student
You’ll be able to find tons of fun events accessible all around the Houston area, no matter what time of day or year: Local farmer’s markets, arts and craft fairs, cultural festivals, live music concerts, culinary events, and programs that the entire family will enjoy. Your calendar will be packed with enjoyable events and festivals.
Here’s just a taste of the kinds of lively events that Houston offers:
Iconic events like the Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show and the Rodeo BBQ Cookoff
Culinary events like Houston Restaurant Weeks and Houston Oktoberfest
Music festivals like Free Press Summer Festival
Arts events like the Art Car Parade, the Bayou City Art Festival, the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, and the Houston Improv Festival
Cultural events like the Greek Festival, Korean Festival, Italian Festival, and Japan Festival
Family-friendly festivals like the Texas Renaissance Festival and Freedom Over Texas Festival.
There are also great, widely-known events nearby, such as Austin City Limits and SXSW.
Houston Museums
Be sure to check out the Museum District site to find out information about Houston museums. Keep in mind that we’ve got many museums that are free to explore, such as the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the Holocaust Museum, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, The Menil Collection, Houston Center for Photography, The Jung Center of Houston, Lawndale Art Center and the Rothko Chapel.
*Please note that Baylor College of Medicine is not providing endorsements, but an informational reference list. If you have any recommendations for additional information, please email pa-webteam@bcm.edu.
My Houston - Jim Parsons
Video courtesy of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Texas Medical Center
Baylor’s location in the TMC, the world’s largest life sciences complex, provides unique experiences and resources
