Spring Festival Roundup
Spring Festivals In Houston 2024
Spring is a great season in Houston to enjoy the outdoors and spend more time at the city's parks, attractions, and spring festivals that combine several fun activities in one place. Here's a brief guide to Houston's traditional festivals that welcome spring to the city.
Azalea Trail
March 8-10, 2024
If you want to immerse yourself in a sea of colors, this tour is for you! Celebrating its 87th anniversary this year, the Azalea Trail is a tradition in Houston. This biannual event is organized by the River Oaks Garden Club. There are seven stops on the Azalea Trail, including four private homes, the River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics, the Rienzi House Museum and Gardens, and the Bayou Bend House Museum and Gardens, former residence of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg. The tour can be enjoyed at your own pace, either in a single day or in the three days that the event lasts. During the tour, you can see different types, sizes, and colors of azaleas: various shades of pink, purple, white, red, and yellow. At the Forum Building stop, the horticultural experts are ready to answer your questions related to gardening. Park complimentary at The Forum, then ride the complimentary round-trip shuttle to all six other locations. Shuttle offers pickup and dropoff at each location. View details and buy your tickets HERE.
Moon 2 Mars Festival
March 13 -16, 2024
Space Center Houston’s Moon 2 Mars Festival will launch your Spring Break into hyperdrive. Experience live music, space tech, immersive activations and a stellar odyssey of exploration for all ages. The best part? Access to the Moon 2 Mars Festival is included in general admission to Space Center Houston for these four days. Enjoy the entirety of Space Center Houston’s permanent attractions, such as tram tours to NASA Johnson Space Center, plus limited-time immersive activities. Get unprecedented access to cutting-edge space technology, astronaut appearances, new immersive experiences, and loads of fun at the THINK Neurology Future Astronaut Training Grounds kid’s zone.
Bayou City Art Festival Spring Downtown
March 23-24, 2024
For two days, celebrate spring and enjoy art in the unique atmosphere of the Bayou City Art Festival Spring Downtown at Sam Houston Park (1000 Bagby) and along Allena Parkway. Whatever your preferred style of art is, you're sure to find something you like. This year, some 300 artists are expected to participate, representing 19 mediums, including clay (decorative and functional), digital (not photography), drawing/pastel, fiber/textiles, furniture (functional), glass, jewelry, leather, metal, 2-D Mixed Media, 3-D Mixed Media, Paintings (Acrylic or Oil), Painting (Watercolor), Photography (Digital or Computer-Manipulated), Photography (Traditional), Prints, and Sculpture (3-D).
In addition to delighting in art, you and the whole family will be able to sample delicious food and drinks, watch live performances by musicians and other artists, and participate in various interactive activities. There will also be a play area for children. Bayou City Art Festival is produced by the Art Colony Association. This nonprofit organization celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of Houston with two annual art festivals (spring and fall editions).
Kite Festival In Hermann Park
April 7, 2024
Save the date for Sunday, April 7, 2024 (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)! Hermann Park Conservancy's Kite Festival will bring a day full of fun and, of course, kite-flying to Hermann Park (Miller Hill and Jones Reflection Pool). Activities include live music, a DJ, interactive games and activities, face painting, and more. This community-favorite event is made possible through contributions from Host Committee members and sponsors.
Houston Art Car Parade 2024
April 11-14, 2024
Houston celebrates creativity and invites you to be part of this great party at the 37th. Art Car Parade, presented by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. The oldest and largest art car parade of its kind in the world will take place this year on Saturday, April 13, featuring more than 250 moving masterpieces designed and created by artists, individuals, schools, nonprofits, corporations, and anyone with a dream and a set of wheels.
In addition to the main parade, there are several fun and creative activities that will take place on April 11th and 12th. Be among the first to see several of the participating art cars in this year's parade at Discovery Green Park in downtown Houston on Thursday, April 11, from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. There will be music, food and drinks, children's activities, and an incredible selection of art cars, all set against the beautiful grounds of Discovery Green and Downtown Houston as the backdrop.
The grand opening party, Art Car Ball, takes place on Friday, April 12, from 6:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. at The Orange Show facility (2401 Munger St.). There will be various bands, DJs, dancer shows, food, drinks, and hundreds of illuminated art cars.
The legendary parade will take place on Saturday, April 13, and will feature more than 250 motorized vehicles that will start aligning at 11:00 a.m. along Allen Parkway and ready to start the parade at 2:00 p.m. This is a free event, and you can bring your folding chairs, water, and snacks, but NOT your furry friends.
Try to arrive early to find a good spot to watch the parade. If you prefer to have reserved seats, parking, and lunch included, among many other special benefits, opt to purchase a VIP experience. The parade festivities culminate on Sunday, April 14, with the awarding of more than $15,000 in prizes. See the detailed program of all the activities of this year's event HERE.
The Art Car Parade has become a national phenomenon and continues to inspire the artist in everyone. Don’t miss it! This year, the event is expected to attract about 250,000 fans from all over the world. Team Gillman, one of Houston's oldest and most established auto retailers, has taken the lead as the title sponsor of the 2024 Houston Art Car Parade Weekend.
Comicpalooza 2024
May 24 -26, 2024
Comicpalooza, Texas’s largest pop culture convention, arrives in Houston the weekend of May 24 to 26, bringing hours of programming for the whole family. Whether you’re into anime, comics, gaming, or cosplay, or you just want to people-watch, this three-day event at the George R. Brown Convention Center has it all. Passes are already on sale!
Visit our EVENTS page to explore other activities awaiting you in Houston this spring.
Photos: Courtesy of the festivals mentioned in this note.
