The biggest annual events in Houston

Runners, start your training, because the Chevron Houston Marathon is an event you’ll definitely want to participate in. Founded in 1972, the annual marathon attracts 300,000 participants each year who come to run either the full marathon (26.2 miles), the half (13.1) miles, or the 5K. The course begins and ends downtown, passing through Montrose, Memorial, the Galleria District, West University, and the Museum District. If you’re not into running marathons yourself (we feel that), the event is still a lot of fun to attend, so go set up along Allen Parkway and cheer on the participants with your best chants and signs. It’s always a pleasure to see someone you know struggling to complete mile 20.

Dates 2025: January 18-19

The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, the largest rodeo competition in the world, is a must-see, period. The three-week event usually begins in late February and lasts until mid-March, although it sometimes begins in early March. The rodeo attracts more than 2 million visitors to NRG Park each year. Since there’s plenty to see, from livestock shows, carnival and food vendors to concerts, parades, bull riding and sheep herding, you’ll want to visit more than once.

Dates 2025: From March 4 to 23

Although bayous crisscross the city, few Houstonians take advantage of their easy access by canoe or kayak. If you want to explore the city by water, one of the best opportunities to do so is to participate in the Buffalo Bayou Regatta, the largest canoe and kayak race in Texas. Established in 1970, the annual event, typically held in early March, attracts hundreds of participants who all come together to paddle an 8.5-mile stretch of Buffalo Bayou. As with the marathon, you are always welcome to cheer from the sidelines.

date 2025: March 22

Although Houston doesn’t have a reputation for being a very bike-friendly city, there have been many improvements to the city’s cycling infrastructure in recent times. One of the best ways to experience it is to take part in the Tour of Houston, which takes place every year in April. The ride, which raises funds for the city’s RE-Plant Houston program, takes participants on a winding route through some of the city’s most picturesque parks and neighborhoods. Trip lengths vary from 20 to 60 miles.

date 2025: To be determined

Hundreds of thousands of people descend on Allen Parkway and downtown Houston each year to witness the eccentric Art Car Parade, which consists of an hour-long procession of bizarre art cars designed to look like anything , from flowers to wolves to settlers (yes, those kinds of cars). colon), tacos and roosters. This incredibly wacky event, which has taken place every year since 1987, gets crazier and crazier with each iteration. If the parade isn’t enough, a ball also precedes it at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, the organization that puts on the parade, as well as a festival on the day of the event itself.

Dates 2025: To be determined

Since its inception in 2008, Comicpalooza has been the go-to convention for Houston’s nerdy crowd. The event, centered around all things comics, cartoons, TV shows, movies and games, takes over downtown’s George R. Brown Convention Center for three full days of nerdy fun. Comicpalooza offers ticket holders a variety of attractions such as concerts, raves, cosplay contests, celebrity meet-and-greets, shopping, food vendors and exhibits. If you are a die-hard anime fan or love comics and sci-fi, you should definitely attend this event. Cosplay outfits are optional, but encouraged.

Dates 2024: May 24-26

For the first time, Houston is holding not one, but two pride parades to celebrate its LGBTQ+ community. The first and oldest parade, Pride Houston 365, has been an institution in the city for nearly half a century. Although the parade initially took place in Montrose, the city’s historic gay district, it has since moved to downtown. The second parade, organized by Houston’s New Faces of Pride, is also holding a full parade downtown this year, a week later. Our suggestion? Check out both, because the more, the merrier. After both shows, be sure to head to Montrose for all the lively afterparties.

New Faces of Houston Pride 2024 Date: June 22

Houston Pride 365 2024 Date: June 29

Everything is bigger in Texas, including fireworks. Every year on July 4, Shell’s Freedom Over Texas Festival takes over downtown’s Eleanor Tinsley and Sam Houston Parks for Houston’s most patriotic celebration. The festival, which begins in the afternoon and lasts approximately six hours, includes live concerts and a multitude of food and drink options. The best part? It ends with a spectacular final fireworks display the size of Texas.

date 2024: July 4, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

In the fall, Houston’s biggest food festival takes over downtown’s Discovery Green. Organized by the Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit organization created by local celebrity chef Chris Shepherd that provides assistance to food and beverage workers nationwide, the festival brings together some of the biggest names in the industry. food of the whole country. Unlike some food festivals where the samples are quite small, the offerings here will fill you up. Be sure to stay for live music, drinking, and socializing.

date 2024: October 5

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York has nothing to do with the Houston HEB Thanksgiving Parade, a Houston tradition for 75 years. Every Thanksgiving morning, the parade, one of the oldest of its kind in the country, takes over downtown Houston. Hundreds of thousands of Houstonians come out for the fun, which includes marching bands, floats, balloons and live performances. Since the parade spans 20 blocks, there are enough places to display for you to take in all the fun.

date 2024: November 28

The opening of Houston Ballet’s massive Nutcracker Market marks the unofficial start of the holiday season in Houston. The festive shopping experience, which occupies the NRG Center for three days in November, typically brings together about 300 unique vendors, selling everything from home goods and toys to ornaments, clothing and food. The festival, which has taken place every year since 1981, should definitely be on your Houston vacation list.

Dates 2024: November 14-17

One of our favorite places in the city is the Houston Zoo, and the best time to visit is during the holiday season. From November to January each year, visitors can experience Zoo Lights daily from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., a time when you are not normally allowed to visit. For this experience, the zoo is decorated with holiday, animal and plant life themed lanterns and lights. It’s an atmospheric holiday experience, perfect for many occasions, from a date night to a family night out.

Dates 2024-2025: To be determined

Houston’s holiday season would seem incomplete without performances by the Houston Ballet Nutcracker and Alley Theater A Christmas Carolboth of whom have enjoyed long annual runs here—Nutcracker every year since 1972 and A Christmas Carol for almost 30 years. They are both Houston classics, and a lot of work goes into staging them and preparing the artists year after year. Since performances of both productions are spread over a month, you have no excuse not to see at least one.

2024 Nutcracker Appointment: November 29 – December 29

2024 Christmas song Appointment: November 15 – December 29