Everything to Know About This Weekend’s Bayou City Art Festival! (Hint: It’s Bigger and Boozier Than Ever)

Robin Barr Sussman

HARD TO BELIEVE it’s been 50 years. What once was a small art show in a wooded park has grown to feature 300 artists from around the country representing 19 different disciplines, live entertainment and food and beverage options. The Bayou City Art Festival, produced by the Art Colony Association, Inc., returns to Memorial Park for its 50th anniversary. The weekend-long event (March 25-27, 10am-6pm) benefits six local nonprofit partners, and this year’s fest ushers in new and interactive happenings for the whole fam.

Symphony Bids Adieu to Orozco-Estrada, Celebration Concludes with a ‘Startling’ New Concerto by Jazz Legend

Chris Becker

“ANDRÉS FEST,” A two-week celebration honoring the eight-year tenure of Houston Symphony Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada, concludes this weekend (March 26-27) with two concerts featuring the Texas premiere of Wynton Marsalis’ Concerto for Tubist and Orchestra.

In MFAH’s ‘Extraordinary Realities,’ Pakistani Painter and Glassell Alum Invites Viewers to Confront Biases

GIVEN PAKISTANI-BORN artist Shahzia Sikander’s deep connection to the city, it makes sense that the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is the final stop for her retrospective, Shahzia Sikander: Extraordinary Realities. The critically acclaimed exhibit, which opened Sunday and is on view through June 5, is a visually sumptuous summation of 15 years of work by Sikander, whose art questions and subverts the viewer’s assumptions regarding ethnicity, gender and history. Interestingly, in several works, Sikander casts that critical eye upon herself, “the artist."

Spa-tacular Getaway Opportunity: Retreat to Mexico this Fall with a Houston Wellness Expert

Palmaïa The House of AïA

THIS SUMMER, LEBRINA Jackson, owner of Escape Spa in Cypress, is taking her wisdom and joie de wellness to the jungle. Far beyond the walls of her beautiful spa, she’s aiming to create a quiet space for people to work on their personal growth in a community-centric atmosphere. She shares what participants will get out of the trip and why it’s important to take time for self-care in 2025.

Why is it important for people to “retreat”? Life can feel like a non-stop marathon, and sometimes we forget to just... breathe. Retreating offers a chance to step off the treadmill for a bit and hit the reset button. It's about giving your body and mind some much-needed TLC, allowing for genuine relaxation and rejuvenation. Beyond the personal perks, retreats often create a cool sense of community, connecting you with others on a similar path. By carving out space for self-reflection, you can recharge and return to your daily life with a clearer head and a bit more pep in your step.

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Wellness+Giving Back

Heather Almond and Zinat Ahmed

NEARLY 1,700 GUESTS headed to Cotton Ranch in Katy for Cotton Holdings’ 13th annual CrawFest — a Texas-sized evening of food and music. The event raised a record-breaking $768,000 for the Cotton Foundation, which supports families facing disaster, illness and hardship.

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Parties

Maddy and Patrick Moffitt and Christina and David McAllen

A DERBY WATCH party was so much more than the fastest two minutes in sports! The Post Oak Hotel hosted the Hats, Hearts & Horseshoes event benefiting Bo's Place, and the most fashionable and philanthropic Houstonians turned out.

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Parties