Things to do in Houston this weekend, Nov. 12 to 15
Cirque Kalabante closes the Miller Outdoor season
By Lou P. and the Houston Loop editors. Thursday, November 12, 2026
Cirque Kalabante's Afrique en Cirque closes the Miller Outdoor Theatre season Saturday night. The International Quilt Festival takes over the George R. Brown, Discovery Green marks Diwali, and a Northside hall hosts a borscht cook-off for Ukraine. Makaya McCraven plays the Cullen Theater on Friday.
IF YOU ONLY DO ONE THING
Season Finale! Cirque Kalabante: Afrique en Cirque at Miller Outdoor Theatre
Cirque Kalabante's Afrique en Cirque is the season finale at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Miller Outdoor Theatre ends its season with an acrobatic celebration inspired by everyday life in Guinea, West Africa. Expect bright costumes, daring solo feats and full-company numbers with music. All seats are free, and covered seating needs a free ticket reserved 24 hours ahead.
Saturday at 7:30 pm · Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX, 77030
FREE THIS WEEKENDcosts nothing
Diwali at Discovery Green
Saturday at 4 pm
Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX, 77010
Discovery Green marks the Festival of Lights with Tx2 Dance Company. Take a Bollywood dance lesson, watch performances from across India, get henna done, shop, and eat from local Indian food vendors. Dressing up is encouraged, and it's free.
From the Bayou, We Speak: A Multilingual Showcase and Open Mic In-Person
Saturday at 3 pm
Houston Public Library - Central (Jesse H. Jones), 500 McKinney, Houston, TX, 77002
ESL students share bilingual poetry about who they are today and the futures they imagine, hosted by Houston's 2020 Youth Poet Laureate, Madison Petaway. Free, and garage parking at Central Library is free on Saturdays.
WITH KIDSbring them
Movie in the Park - Zootopia 2
Friday at 6:30 pm
Colonial Park - 4130 Byron West University Place TX 77005
Zootopia 2 gets an outdoor showing at Colonial Park in West University Place after being rescheduled from October. An easy Friday night for families to settle in on the grass.
Disney and Pixar's FINDING NEMO: A 60-Minute Family Musical
Saturday at 3 pm; also Sun 3 pm
Art Factory, 1125 Providence St., Houston, TX, 77002
A one-hour stage musical of the Disney and Pixar film, following Marlin across the ocean to find Nemo. The cast is entirely Houston-local, with Luke J. Hamilton as Marlin and Elizabeth Chrisman Shurtz as Dory. Free onsite parking.
THE WEIRD ONE with Lou P.
HTX4Ukraine: Houston Borscht Cook-off 2026 at Northside Columbus Hall
HTX4Ukraine is holding a borscht cook-off at Northside Columbus Hall, and the borscht is the competition.
Saturday at 12 pm · Northside Columbus Hall, 607 E Whitney Dr, Houston, TX, 77022
OUTSIDEfresh air
Open Dance Project: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Miller Outdoor Theatre
Friday at 7:30 pm
Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX, 77030
Open Dance Project retells Shakespeare's comedy with aerial silks, acrobatics and clever choreography, following Hermia into a forest of lovers, feuding fairies and amateur actors. Free under the stars in Hermann Park, and made for all ages.
Inprint Colson Whitehead Reading
Thursday at 7:30 pm
Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Blvd, Houston, TX, 77005
The two-time Pulitzer winner reads from Cool Machine, the final book of his Harlem Trilogy, then talks on stage with a local author or journalist. The $35 ticket includes a copy of the novel.
DATE NIGHTfor two
Makaya McCraven
Friday at 8 pm
Wortham Theater Center - Cullen Theater, 501 Texas Ave., Houston, TX, 77002
The drummer, composer and producer blends live playing with electronic manipulation and looping into a seamless, gritty sound. He's joined by Joel Ross on vibraphone, Matt Gold on guitar and Junius Paul on bass.
CelloGayageum
Friday at 7:30 pm
Asia Society Texas Center, 1370 Southmore Blvd., Houston, TX, 77004
A cellist and a gayageum player, who performs on the 12-string Korean zither, pair two instruments that shouldn't work together on paper. The duo formed in Berlin in 2016 and has spent a decade proving otherwise.
BRING A TOTEmarkets and sales
International Quilt Festival at George R. Brown Convention Center
Friday at 10 am; also Sat 10 am, Sun 10 am
George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, TX, 77010
The world's largest quilt show fills the convention center with more than 1,400 quilts and textile works, 500 shopping booths, and over 275 talks and classes. At 1 pm, former NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, the Quilter in Space, discusses her journey and new children's book.
M-K-T Sunset Market: Holiday Edition at M-K-T Trailside
Thursday at 6 pm
M-K-T, 600 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX, 77007
An early holiday shopping evening along the Heights Hike and Bike Trail, with local makers, live music, a DIY dried citrus ornament activity, and free Saint Arnold beer while it lasts. Family and dog friendly.
BIG SHOWSyou've heard of these
- SAT 7 PMLeanne Morgan, Toyota Center - TX
- SUN 8 PMEl Tri, 713 Music Hall
PLAN AHEAD
WHAT DID WE MISS?
We do our best to read every calendar in Houston, and we still miss good stuff. The church supper, the band at the corner bar, the block party your neighbor is throwing. If you know about something, tell us. Just write hello@loopcities.com. We read every note.
Know someone planning their weekend? Send them this article