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- Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern celebrates 100 years
Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern celebrates 100 years
+ Weekend events & more!
Kathrina Maribao
April 16, 2026
ON THE HOUSE is your weekly dose of Houston arts and culture, nightlife, and things worth leaving the house for. If you enjoy OTH and would like to support, you can buy readers coffee (aka sponsor an issue), sponsor your event, or simply keep reading. We appreciate you! Scroll down for your curated list of weekend events.
Got a tip, event, or something we should be paying attention to? Hit reply.
LATELY IN HOUSTON
This water reservoir is a centennial now. Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern celebrates its 100th year with "Undercurrents,” an interactive installation by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer running April 24 through January 24, 2027. Visitors record voice messages at intercom stations, triggering shifting light patterns across a suspended grid above the waterline. $12-$15. Houston Chronicle
Fleet Week Houston is here. Houston's first-ever Fleet Week kicked off with a parade of Navy and Coast Guard ships through Galveston Bay with 1,000+ sailors, Marines, Coast Guard members. The USS Kearsarge led vessels past cheering crowds. Houston Public Media
Court culture still endures. Houston pickup basketball is evolving with commercial gyms shuttered courts for wellness spaces and petitions sparking. The game survives though: rec leagues, pay-to-play venues like The Zone, and outdoor courts remain third spaces for the community. Teens, adults, and elderly regulars still hoop weekly. Chron
"I found myself again.” Harris County Women's Empowerment Center uses arts education to slash recidivism. HMAAC's program teaches incarcerated women painting, drawing, murals, and job training. While residents await trial, they gain dignity and purpose. Houstonia Magazine
Every dollar counts! Garden Oaks Theater needs $25K by April 21 to close its $7.1M acquisition and become an arts & cinema center. Arthouse Houston is fundraising to save the historic venue from demolition with a 30-day extension. Donations fund the final deposit while big pledges earn naming rights like the lobby walls, star walks, and theaters.
ICYMI
What everyone’s reading:
This week’s coffee is on us! That means 3 readers will receive a $10 gift card to Slowpokes East End location. All you have to do is open today’s issue and you’ll be entered to win.
Winners will be randomly selected and emailed tomorrow morning.
Want to sponsor a future issue and treat readers to a local coffee spot on you? Hit reply.
WEEKEND EVENTS
All weekend:
Houston Bookstore Crawl continues
Nutcracker Market Spring by Houston Ballet
August Wilson’s Fences at Alley Theatre opening weekend
Thursday, 4/16
6pm-8pm, Games | Spring Mahjong with Mocha Mahj at Red Dessert Dive. $75.
6pm-8pm, Art | Art & Champagne at La Colombe d’Or Hotel. “Explore over 425 museum-quality works in an intimate setting, guided by Anne Breux, and experience art, design, and history like never before.” $80.
6:30pm-7pm, Art | Poetry Workshops in the Galleries: Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Cosmos at MFAH. Included with museum admission.
8pm, Live Music | Sinatra Under the Stars at Marriott Marquis. $34 and up.
Friday, 4/17
5pm-8pm, Film | Sunset Cinema: The Lion King (2019) at Memorial Park located at Clay Family Eastern Glades.
6pm-8pm, Live Performance | An Evening of Sound and Verse at Silver Street Studios. “Presented by FotoFest in collaboration with ALMAAHH, this performance takes place within the exhibition itself, allowing live music and poetry to commingle with impactful photography.”
6:30pm-10pm, Food Event | Feast with the Beast at Houston Zoo. “Sample local cuisine from Houston’s best restaurants curated by Houston’s own Top Chef winner Tristen Epps-Long while you enjoy drinks, live music across the Zoo, and exciting animal experiences after hours at our culinary event.” $150 and up.
Saturday, 4/18
12pm-4pm, Workshop | Mini Ikebana Sessions at Taidama. $50.
1pm-5pm, Community | Neighborhood Community Day at Menil. “Enjoy a free afternoon of art, music, poetry, curator talks, and family activities in celebration of the museum’s vibrant neighborhood.”
3pm-5pm, Live Performance | New Art / New Music Spring 2026. “Hear original scores inspired by works featured in Imaging After Photography. Please join us after the concert for a reception including light bites and beverages.” RSVP.
3pm-9pm, Community | East End Street Fest at The Esplanade at Navigation. “Cristina Amaro’s tribute adds a special moment to the evening, honoring the music, spirit, and lasting impact of the Queen of Tejano in a way that feels close to home.” Free.
6pm-9pm, Museum Afters | Night at MFAH: Forces of Nature. “Enjoy a signature cocktail with all galleries open after hours and musicians throughout—including Monarch Chamber Players, jazz from the Pew, and DJ Sun.” $40 or free for members. Tickets include one complimentary drink.
6pm-9pm, Film | Annual Outdoor Movie Night: Zootopia 2 at Terry Hershey Park.
6:30-10:30pm, Live Music | Moth presents: Eric Mingus. “Here in our private listening room, Eric will host a pre-concert artist talk/meet and greet at 7pm and will begin the musical performance at 8:30pm.” $35.
9:30pm, Nightlife | Raza Nocturna at Barbarella. $10.
Sunday, 4/19
12pm-4pm, Market | A Bookish Spring by Her Market at 711 Milby St.
1pm-7pm, Live Music | 5th Annual Jazz Fest by HPMA at POST. Free.
5pm-7pm, Live Music | Joy Bloom with Kinder HSPVA Jazz Ensemble at Jazzy Sundays at Discovery Green.
6pm-7pm, Art | HTX Drawing Club with Rocios Art Shop at Hermann Park. “Bring a picnic blanket, your sketchbook (or any notebook!), pencils, or whatever you like to use. Come with friends or just yourself, everyone is welcome :)”
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