Back to www.houstontx.gov > About Houston > Annual Events

About Houston

Annual Events

JANUARY

  • Chevron Houston Marathon
    • Houston’s largest single-day sporting event. More than 20,000 participants, 200,000 spectators and 5,000 volunteers will take to the streets.

FEBRUARY / MARCH

  • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
    • The annual 20 day rodeo and concert event is the biggest rodeo in the world.

MARCH

  • Tour de Houston
    • Open course bike ride of 20, 40, and 70 miles throughout the City
  • Azalea Trail
    • These showy flowers flourish at six Houston locations in the River Oaks neighborhood.
  • Bayou City Art Festival (Spring)
    • Built on an 8/10 mile asphalt loop surrounded by lush trees, foliage, and picnic areas, the annual, juried, fine art event boasts a stress-free outdoor gallery brimming with 300 artists working in 19 artistic media. Spring art festival takes place at Memorial Park.
  • H-E-B Children's Festival
    • Designated as "Houston's Official Family Celebration," the H-E-B Houston Children's Festival, presented by Baker Hughes, is gearing up for its 19th year as Houston's favorite family outing. The Festival offers six stages of music and entertainment and more than 350 exciting activities, music, crafts, exhibits, participatory games, sports and rides.

APRIL

  • Art Car Parade
    • Art Car Weekend is non-stop celebration featuring the nation's largest parade of decorated automobiles, a.k.a. Art Cars. Parade begins at 1:00 p.m. at Taft @ Allen Parkway and goes to Bagby before going back outbound along Allen Parkway
  • U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
    • The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships take place at the River Oaks Country Club. It's the second longest-running USTA National Championship in the U.S.. Only the US Open has a longer history.
  • Worldfest Houston International Film Festival
    • WorldFest will screen just 55-60 feature film premieres, with a complete and absolute emphasis on the American and International Independent feature films and with a continuing annual spotlight on an individual country and its films.
  • San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Re-Enactment
    • Ceremony and reenactment of battle for Texas independence, won on April 21, 1836.

MAY

  • Houston Water Festival
    • Fifty local, county and regional environmental agencies and non-profit organizations will be providing hands-on activities and take-home materials for all ages. The City will also be introducing The Water Works: Museum + Education Center and begin accepting school group reservations for the school year.

JULY

  • Houston's Official July 4th Festival
    • Along Buffalo Bayou and Eleanor Tinsley Park, FREEDOM OVER TEXAS, Houston's Official July 4th Celebration, celebrates America's Birthday with a live concert featuring a nationally known and recognized recording artist, and one of the largest fireworks displays in the United States!

AUGUST

  • Theater District Open House
    • The free, family-friendly Theater District Open House will take place in the heart of the Theater District at the Alley Theatre (615 Texas Ave.), Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby), Wortham Theater Center (500 Texas Ave.), and Jones Hall (615 Louisiana Ave.).

OCTOBER

  • Texas Renaissance Festival
    • A 50-acre 16th-century English kingdom comes to life for seven consecutive weekends. The merriment amidst the marketplace and gardens includes jousting, falconry exhibitions, magic shows, juggling and great food. Weekends, from 9:00 a.m. to dusk.
  • Wings Over Houston Air Show
    • Takes place at Ellington Field, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Houston, via I-45 South.
  • Bayou City Art Festival (Fall)
    • Held each year the second weekend of October, the Bayou City Art Festival Downtown welcomes the fall season and has created a new Houston Fine Art tradition. Fall art festival takes place at City Hall Reflection Pond.

NOVEMBER

  • Thanksgiving Day Parade
    • In downtown Houston
  • Uptown Tree Lighting Ceremony
    • When half a million holiday lights simultaneously illuminate 80 Christmas trees lining Post Oak Boulevard, it signals the start of the season. Choirs, bands and a huge fireworks show help stir up holiday spirit the evening of Thanksgiving.

DECEMBER

  • Mayor's Official Downtown Houston Holiday Celebration
    • Watch our famous skyline come alive with music, lights and fireworks!
  • Christmas Candlelight Tour
    • Candles and decorations reminiscent of the 19th century brighten the eight historic structures in downtown's Sam Houston Park. Stroll down memory lane at The Heritage Society's Candlelight Tour. Come tour Houston's most historic homes decorated for the season. Enjoy food, entertainment and more.
  • Texas Bowl
    • Annual college football bowl game at NRG Stadium