Top 20 Things to Do in Houston: November 2023

Make the most of your month with our list of the 20 biggest and most notable festivals and events in Houston in November 2023.

The festival season keeps rolling into the month of November, bringing with it familiar favorites like the Nutcracker Market, the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, and Zinefest.

Elsewhere Honeyland makes its debut in Sugar Land, and Miller Outdoor drops the curtain on their 100th season.

Events are listed chronologically by week, and are not in a ranked order. Events that span multiple weeks are carried over into the following week where appropriate.

Top 20 Festivals & Events in Houston This Month: November 2023

• Pearland Restaurant Weeks Around Pearland | All Month Long – Throughout the month of November, the growing restaurant scene in Pearland will showcase curated menus and specialty offerings, with a portion of all orders going to support Pearland Neighborhood Center. Fixed-price menus are $29 for 2-course breakfasts and lunches; $35 for 3-course dinners. Times and locations vary.
• 10th Annual Houston Afrifest at Houston Christian University | Saturday, November 4 – Drawing thousands from across the city, this annual fest celebrates the continent of Africa with a market featuring local and international vendors, and showcasing the arts, music, fashion and foods from across the region. $10; free for ages 12 and under, students, seniors and veterans. 11am to 7pm.
• 3rd Annual Houston Día de los Muertos Parade & Festival at Sam Houston Park in Downtown | Saturday, November 4 | FREE – The Día de los Muertos festival returns to Downtown, offering an evening of live music, a parade procession from 7pm to 8pm, delicious concessions, arts and crafts, and more. Free to participate in the parade, but traditional attire—full of pageantry and beauty—is recommended. 2pm to 10pm.
• ROCO Unchambered: Rachel Jordan at Eldorado Ballroom | Saturday, November 4 – The acclaimed violinist offers a vibrant, intimate program honoring the memory and legacy of her father, New Orleans-based musician Kidd Jordan, an internationally acclaimed saxophonist who once played at the Ballroom in the 1970s. Pay-what-you-wish; suggested price of $45. 5pm.
• Dream with Alebrijes Fall Festival at Museum of Fine Arts Houston | Sunday, November 5 | FREE – Celebrating the Mexican folk art tradition of alebrijes and spirit guides, this outdoor fest in the Cullen Sculpture Garden unveils large-scale artworks by six artists, plus a lineup of tasty food vendors, lotería, film screenings and more. 1pm to 5pm.

• Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center | Wednesday, November 8 – LeBron James leads the Lakers to town for an early season matchup with the Rockets in Downtown. $40 and up. 7pm.
• Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market at NRG Center | Thursday, November 9 to Sunday, November 12 – Knock out your holiday shopping at one of Houston’s largest market events. Stroll through the endless aisles filled with merchants selling goodies and gifts for the holiday season. $20. Times vary.
• 15th Houston Cinema Arts Festival at Multiple Locations | Thursday, November 9 to Sunday, November 19 | Some FREE – The city’s annual festival celebrating the silver screen returns to theater spaces across Houston, screening and premiering short films and feature lengths from Houston and around the world, as well as providing special guest panels and workshop opportunities. Screenings are typically individually ticketed and sometimes free, but all-access passes start at $200. Times, locations and prices vary.
• Houston Diwali: Festival of Lights at Rise Rooftop | Friday, November 10 – The annual Diwali festival heads to Midtown this year, posting up at Rise Rooftop with an all-ages Diwali bazaar, fashion show, cultural performances and street foods. Then, at 10pm, the 18+ party commences with more fashion shows, live performances, laser fireworks and more. $25 and up for the full night of festivities. 6pm to 2am.
• Veterans Day: American Heroes Parade in Downtown | Veteran’s Day, Saturday, November 11 | FREE – Pay tribute to our men and women in the military by attending the annual Downtown Veterans Day celebration. Local veteran organizations, bands and supporters will march in the parade to show respect and honor our veterans. 10am.

• Bella Gaia with William Close & the Earth Harp Collective at Miller Outdoor Theatre | Saturday, November 11 | FREE – Miller caps off its centennial year with a pre-show celebration featuring steampunk photo ops and entertainment, followed by a concert and visual art projection. William Close and the Earth Harp Collective will perform on two large-scale harps with accompanying musicians as Bella Gaia displays a visual work that reminds us of connection to the planet and one another. 5:30pm for the pre-show celebration; concert begins at 7:30pm.
• 33rd Annual Native American Championship Pow Wow at Traders Village | Saturday, November 11 & Sunday, November 12 | FREE – This annual event draws Native and Indigenous people from across the country for back-to-back days of tribal dance displays, art, crafts, fry bread, and more. Free, but parking is $5. 10am to 5pm.
• Honeyland Festival at Crown Festival Park | Saturday, November 11 & Sunday, November 12 – This inaugural two-day festival in Sugar Land highlights food, music and Black creativity, featuring a series of mixology sessions curated by Fawn Weaver; delicious food samples and culinary demos from Tabitha Brown, Bun B’s Trill Burgers, Ghetto Gastro, Dawn Burrell, Chris Williams and other award-winning talent; plus headlining concerts by Mary J. Blige, Miguel, Tobe Nwigwe, the Houston All-Stars, and more. Times vary.
• Comedian Ali Wong at Smart Financial Centre | Sunday, November 12 – Best known for her award-nominated role in Netflix’s Beef and stand-up specials like Baby Cobra and 2022’s Don Wong, the comedian and actress takes the Sugar Land stage for a November night of hilarity. $59 and up. 7pm.
• Author Zadie Smith at Congregation Emanu El | Monday, November 13 – The novelist and literary star arrives in Houston to read from latest novel, The Fraud, followed by a conversation with Rice professor Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan. $5. 7:30pm.

• Broadway Across America presents MJ at Hobby Center | Tuesday, November 14 to Sunday, November 19 – This multi-Tony Award–winning musical follows the creation of Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour. Featuring more than 25 of the iconic performer’s hits, including “Beat It,” “Bad,” “Man in the Mirror” and more, it traces Jackson’s career and explores what made him a legend. $40 and up. Times vary.
• 31st Annual Artcrawl at Hardy & Nance Studios | Saturday, November 18 | FREE – Explore dozens of artist studios at this art crawl north of Downtown, also taking place at Bisong Art Gallery and Mother Dog Studios. Sip complimentary Karbachs and enjoy live DJ music while touring the galleries and warehouses. 10am to 9pm.
• 30th ZineFest Houston at the Orange Show | Saturday, November 18 | FREE – Celebrating its 30th year, ZineFest is a grassroots festival that gathers media creators from across the city to share their zines, mini-comics and other forms of small press, alternative, underground, DIY media and art. Swing by Houston’s Orange Show for Visionary Art, shop and find community. Noon to 6pm.
• Houston Margarita Festival at the Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park | Saturday, November 18 – The annual festival returns to Buffalo Bayou, offering a day of drink tasting and revelry. Pour up a wide range of 17+ flavored margs while you enjoy live music, DJs, dancing, food vendors and more. $25 and up. Noon to 10pm.
• 74th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in Downtown | Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 23 | FREE – Get into the holiday spirit at the 74th Annual H-E-B Houston Thanksgiving Day Parade, a showcase of sensational floats, high-flying balloons, marching bands, artistic entries, and live entertainment through the streets of Downtown. 9am to 11am.

Don’t Miss Out on Tomorrow’s Fun!