Weekend Events in Houston

(Scene from Motown Revue)
One of the best free events happening in Houston Texas this weekend is at Miller Outdoor Theater. Big hair, a big heart, and big time dancing will come to life when the popular musical “Hair Spray” takes center stage at the Midtown Houston venue.


The outdoor theater season is just starting and there are several must see performances planned for this summer. Dancin' in the Streets: Motown & More Revue featuring soul music from the1950s and beyond returns this year along with these fabulous events slated for:

June 2011
22nd Annual Accordion Kings & Queens
The finalist for the 2011 Big Squeeze contest finalists will kick off the show this year.

Classic Albums Live
Featuring Led Zeppelin IV musicians will recreate the entire album and perform a selection of “greatest hits”.

Noticeably missing from this year’s Outdoor Theater line up in June, is the Juneteenth Festival that has been held at the outdoor Theater for the last decade. Maybe this is just a miss print. We’ll get back to you with more details about Juneteenth Celebrations in Houston .

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Weekend In Houston

This weekend in Houston there are plenty of diversions in and around the city. I've got the latest scoop on where to find some magnificent music, a wonderful chance to learn belly dancing and a tip on a hot fishing spot for outdoorsman.

Houston Midtown

We can all do some small things to reduce our carbon footprints. One key things is to shop closer to home. For many of us that could be as simple as a weekly visit to the Midtown Farmers market.

It's best to get there early on Saturday mornings before the crowds arrive. There's an eclectic selection of locally produced, fresh fruits, veggies and other goods at this urban farmers market.

TROUT FEST AT AMERICAN LEGION PARK

Saturday, morning January 30 from 9am-11am is a good time for you to catch some fresh trout for dinner. You can join the action at the recently stocked lake at American Legion Park, 4015 Lexington Blvd. Bait will be provided while it lasts and If you catch the largest trout you will get the added bonus of being awarded a prize.

Stepping Competition Comes To Houston

Looking for some cool evening entertainment this weekend in Houston? Take a look at some of these hip events scheduled for this weekend.

The Sprite Step Off, comes to Texas Southern University, Houston Texas. It showcases the richness of the multicultural college experience and creativity of Greek letter organizations Stepping teams.

This dynamic form of self-expression was primarily performed on Historical Black Colleges and Universities for years and is finally breaking into primetime.

The Step Off selects regional winners to compete in a final showdown. This year's Sprite Step Off will culminate with the National Finals held on February 20, 2010 in Atlanta, GA.

The 9th Annual Trinity Jazz Festival

It's time again for the 9th Annual Trinity Jazz Festival. World-renown saxophonist Kirk Whalum will take the stage at historic Trinity Church in Midtown Houston.
Other activities at the festival includes a free Master Class/Clinic and a Jazz Mass.
Tickets to the January 29-31, 2010 event are available on-line at the official webiste: www.trinityjazzfest.net

Classes In Houston

2 Days of Belly Dancing classes with Jill Parker

The class start introduce student to an essential exercise of yoga & conditioning.It is created for you to bring into your own practice, safely building muscle awareness, isolation, flexibility, grace & postural alignment, ever important elements of stunning performance.

This weekend in Houston you can register for a new class that not only will make you smarter it can possibly make you richer. It teaches you how to buy and sell on Ebay.

Everyone will learn how to register for a trading account online, safe trading practices,and everything you wanted to know about Ebay but didn't know who to ask.
Pre-registration is required. For additional information, you can call the Fort Bend County Parks & Recreation Department at (281) 403-8637.

Check out our new Midtownlive Houston Guide.

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5 Fun Christmas Events In Houston

Take a look at these 5 fun Christmas events in Houston that will stop any Grinch that's trying to steal your Christmas spirit, dead in his tracks. I sifted a really long, initial list of events, but only the 5 best events made the final cut. I chose exciting things that would interest an adult and still be kid friendly too.

The finalist for my fun Christmas events list are a cruise on Buffalo bayou, Christmas Blues cruise onboard a yacht, a delightful play entitled
Christmas with Great Aunt, A candlelight tour and a new look at the famous, Star of Bethlehem.

Christmas Cruises In Houston

Houston is city founded on the banks of a bayou and getting out on the lakes and waterways in and around Houston can be a wonderful adventure anytime of year. Two cruises that I know you'll enjoy are picks on my list of things to do for the holidays in Houston.


Buffalo Bayou Christmas Cruises. Dec 19, 5-8pm. You can take a short 30-minute ride on a comfortable boat with your family or friends down the winding water trail. It'll give you a new viewpoint of Houston from the banks of our famous Bayou. Tours depart on weekends about 30-minutes apart from Sesquicentennial Park in Downtown Houston

Blues Cruise, Tuesday, Dec 22nd, 7:00pm, 10:30pm
Join the staff and crew of the the FantaSea for an exciting dinner cruise. The night will be filled with Blues, delicious food and foot stomping entertainment. If you're looking for a unique way to celebrate the holidays this year, try the Blues Cruise you'll love it.

related post:
Houston Boat Tours
Houston Yacht Cruises
Tours of Houston

Christmas Tours In Houston

(Photo credits:Montgomery County home decorated for Christmas)

If you fancy a nice stroll through the crisp Houston air during winter you may want to try touring one of Houston's most picturesque places during Christmas, Bayou Bend all decked out with lights, ribbons and Southern charm.


Candlelight Tours:
November 27; December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18, 2009
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. (last admission)

Bayou Bend stays open late on for special nighttime tours. Guests get to enjoy the festive lights and decorations on display during the holidays at Bayou Bend. The tour of the holiday-themed exhibition covers the first floor of the house. Outside, relax with a cup of hot cider and enjoy some music and holiday cheer.


Christmas Activities in Houston

These last couple of events in Houston are showstoppers that I know that everyone will be talking about long after the Christmas season is over, The Star Of Bethlehem and Christmas with Great Aunt.

Star of Bethlehem

Houston Museum of Natural Science now through January 4 will seek to offer new insight into the scientific search for the star that begat a holiday.

Star of Bethlehem is a new planetarium show produced by the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It tries to answer some of the questions Bible skeptics have about the biblical account of the star that led the wise men to the Christ child.

Christmas with Great Aunt

Now through December 27, The Ensemble Theatre takes you on a journey with the Gilliam clan that test their faith and family when they visits their great-Aunt in Bethlehem, Texas. A town that lost their 150-year old church in a fire, but still determined to uphold the tradition of having their annual Christmas play.

See more about entertainment in Houston at the Ensemble Theater

Check out some of these other holiday events in Houston to get your Christmas cheer going. Best of all most of them are as close as a trip to Midtown Houston.

Even a couch potato won't mind exchanging his couch for a chair to watch a contemporary gospel play by acclaimed Houston playwright Thomas Meloncon about Christmas or a movie about the star of Bethlehem that tells the famous story with a whole new twist.

I couldn't resist adding one bonus Christmas event. The Jesus Is The Reason For the Season Christmas Musical being held Saturday December 19, 2009 - Sunday December 20, 2009 from 10:00am - 2:00pm Almeda Mall. It features some of the city's most talented kids the AMA Dance Ect. youth.

Books

Art/Theater

Attractions

Parks

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Fun things to do near Midtown Houston

How would you like to get a close-up look at one of the city's most recognized landmarks? The next time you're zooming thorough downtown on any of the interstates that pass through the area or visiting Houston's Midtown, touring Minute Maid Park can be a fun thing to do in downtown houston.

Ballpark Features

The home of Houston's major league baseball team was built to reflect Houston's historical relationship with the railroads and features a vintage, full-sized locomotive that runs along 800 feet of track on the left-field wall.

The state of art ballpark beautifully incorporates modern conveniences like a retractable roof combined with classic features like red brick and natural grass.

Tour Packages

Their tours give you a behind-the-scenes look at Houston's Minute Maid Park. You'll checkout the view of the ballpark from the rooftop of Union Station and the broadcasting booth just to name a few tours memorable highlights.

It doesn't matter which of their tours you sign up for, all of them can be both a fun and exciting thing to do.

Educational Tour

Twilight tour

Ballpark Tour

Clubhouse Tour

If you're in Midtown, you can ride to the park on Metro's light rail train and it will drop you off near the stadium (within walking distance. Tickets to the Minutemaid Park Tours can be purchased online and should be obtained a day or two before you visit this Houston landmark.

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Things To Do In Houston This Week: July 08

Michael Winslow is in town. Who?
His name is not as familiar as his face, but after hearing a couple of the weird noises he makes, you’ll remember how hard this human sound effects machine used to make you laugh.

Winslow brings his stand-up act to The Improv in Houston this week. You’ll get to laugh at more of his funny noisemaking abilities, from beatboxing, and kung fu sounds to Jimi Hendrix, where he impersonates the guitar.

Spaceballs and the Police Academy series are just a few of the shows he entertained us in. He was also the voices for the mogwai and gremlins in the Gremlins series. Recently, Winslow treated us to a fresh dose of his unique talent in a Geico commercial and a just released DVD. Tickets for any of the shows at the Improv or available online at improvhouston.com

[Where: The Improv, 7620 Katy Freeway]

Things to Do In Houston This Weekend With a Group of Kids.

Got Kids! I’ve got a great way to get them out of the house. Why not take them to see HITS Theater's presentation of Willy Wonka Jr.


HITS is a training facility for children ages 6-22. It’s also one of the leading performing arts education organizations for young people in the Houston area. They try to inspire and instruct school age students by providing the highest quality performing arts education around.

The positive themes in this musical are taken from the original book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

The Enigmatic candy manufacturer stages a contest by hiding five golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whoever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy.

The words and music for this local production are by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley and stage adaptation is by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy A. McDonald.

HITS is located in the Houston’s Historic Heights neighborhood, a couple of miles northwest of Midtown Houston.

You can find out more about the show times and dates by visiting hitstheatre.org or calling 713.861.7408

HITS Theater, 311 W. 18th Street Houston, Texas USA 77008

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Things to do In and Around Midtown Houston

(courtesy of Sloangallery.com)


The joy of experiencing new and exciting adventures will punctuate each day in May. Here are a few suggestions of fun events for those who are planning their list of things to do this week, to enjoy quality time with your family, a group or on a solo evening in Houston, Texas.

Cinco do Mayo events in downtown Houston, are a tradition in this city as it prepares for the entry of the summer months.

Midtown Houston residents can beat the hustle and bustle of the crowds of tourist by taking their family out for a long overdue Sunday day trip, to the museum or an intimate evening of star gazing?

These are just a few of the free events that are happening this week, during May in H-Town.

Houston is a city where every moment is a kodak moment, especially while attending the plethora of activities that will be happening, in Midtown Houston, downtown and the museum district.

Be sure to include a trip to Minute Maid Park, home for the Major League Baseball team, the Houston Astros, somewhere on your list of things to do this week.

Take a look at these listing for the details on the date and time for these fun activities.


Museum of Fine Arts, Houston




May 4 is a Target Free First Sunday at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
The MFAH, offers free admission all day, the first Sunday of each month, courtesy of Target.




Children's Museum of Houston





Cinco de Mayo Celebration
The Children’s Museum of Houston will celebrate Mexico’s victory at the Battle of Puebla during Cinco de Mayo Celebration.




Major League Baseball featuring the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.



Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Houston Astros
May 2-May 4, 2008


Nights on Blue Bayou
May 9, 2008



Join the Buffalo Bayou Partnership for a night of stargazing, boat rides, storytelling and more along the Sabine Promenade. The Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Discovery Dome will be on hand as well as bayou boat rides for anyone over 4 years old.


Free Stuff

My latest Free Stuff find is a new fast and free web site analysis. What’s even better there is no installation or registration required.

You simply enter your URL and you will get a report about the SEO aspects of your site. Why not try it for your site, and let me know how it worked.

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Living in Midtown Houston

Midtown residents and property owners the management District wants to here from you they are asking residents to respond to a Management District Survey and fax back to 713-526-7519.

Management District Board Meeting: 01.09.08, 11:00 AM, Midtown Offices 410 Pierce, 3rd Floor Conference Room Houston TX 77002.

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LIVE IDEAS

Holidays are always a great time to visit with family and if you’re not heading out of town you probably have guest coming to Houston to visit. So I have checked out some of the things that you and the family can do between now and the New Year.

If you part a big family and some of the relatives will need lodging the place to go for deals on Houston hotels and dinning.
The Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau discount offers on everything from tours to travel visit this portal and save a little mooola.

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LIVE WORDS

What’s all this stuff I keep hearing about a problem in Midtown with the number of homeless people that gather in our area. Let’s talk facts instead of emotions.
As many as 14,000 people in Houston are homeless and despite popular belief most of them aren’t hanging out in Midtown. According to a recent survey after losing their jobs 59% of the people become homeless, it’s no secret that anyone can miss one or more paychecks and find themselves in the same situation.
Homelessness must be addressed on a larger platform than the” not in my neighborhood” mentality that seems to imply that we value our property values more than we value people. If we can put a man on the moon then surely we can put a homeless person in a house.
We should be asking the power brokers and elected officials to make ending homelessness a priority. Why settle for a transfer of the homeless population when what this city needs is a transformation of the of the homelessness situation.
Familiarizing ourselves with the real issues surrounding homelessness and becoming an advocate for change can make a real difference in the lives of our friends, family members and others who may experience these circumstances.
Or have we become a city where we would rather spend millions on Green spaces and public art and forget about the thousands of people that are sleeping on the streets.

Visit the homeless guy blog and read the journal of a homeless man who blogs from the public library in Nashville, Ten. and get a real idea of what’s happening in our cities, our country, our society to people living in challenging situations.

photos from flickr

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