1. On, Dancer
Houston Ballet’s Connor Walsh and Sara Webb in ‘In the Night’
In the midst of its always-celebrated production of The Nutcracker, the Houston Ballet’s annual Jubilee of Dance (Dec. 6-8) includes the premiere of a new work by choreographer Brett Ishida and a toast to principal dancers Connor Walsh and Jessica Collado’s 20th season with the company. Spring brings a trio of expressive ballets fusing contemporary and classic: In the Night (Feb. 27-March 9) will include Irish-folk number Celts, Stanton Welch’s Maninyas, and, naturally, Jerome Robbins’ In the Night.
2. Night Lights
Dubbed a “multisensory holiday escape,” Artechouse is an interactive digital-art space near M-K-T in the Heights. Its exhibits Spectacular Factory — an exploration of a holiday toy factory — and Tingle Bells promise to capture the nostalgia and festvitiy of the season. Raise a glass at the city’s only “extended reality” bar, inside Artechouse.
3. By a Thread
Bumin Kim’s thread-and-acrylic piece ‘Spring Shadows’
Houston’s galleries are full of gems year-round, especially during the holiday season. At Anya Tish Gallery, Hedwige Jacobs’ whimsical drawings and animations — inspired by her time living in Indonesia, particularly the overwhelming presence of cardboard shipping boxes — populate the walls through Dec. 28. In January, Korea-born and Texas-based artist Bumin Kim hangs colorful new thread-and-acrylic pieces. The Montrose gallery also curated a group show called Hurry Up, You’re Dreaming in the lobby of 700 Louisiana; works by József Bullás, HJ Bott and others explore the allure of the Op Art movement of the 1960s.
4. Home Girl
Hidden-gem music venue Heights Theater hosts a handful of homegrown stars this winter, including Hayes Carll (Dec. 7-8), Jack Ingram (Dec. 19), and jazz songstress Kat Edmonson (pictured, Feb. 16).
5. 'Nature' Calls
The dragon tunnel at Houston Botanic Garden
Houston Botanic Garden’s illuminated holiday exhibit has been popular for a few years running. This season, HBG brings back Radiant Nature (through Feb. 23), a dynamic, artist-created light show celebrating the Lunar New Year. Immersive and photo-friendly installations — plus plenty of pit stops for hot chocolate and more — will have guests of all ages lighting up!
6. Big Top!
‘Echo’ arrives in February.
Cirque du Soleil returns to Houston with Echo, an all-new production (its 20th!) that will set up at Sam Houston Race Park in February. Filled with dynamic lights and projections, quirky characters and awe-inspiring acrobatics, the fantastical show explores the sacred bond between humans, animals and nature. Echo runs Feb. 6 to March 9.
7. A Festive 'Flourish'
‘Untitled (Overcast)’ by Rubinstein
The landscape-inspired abstractions by New York’s Heather Bause Rubinstein cover the walls of Barbara Davis Gallery until Jan. 10. The show, Flourish + Fade, is comprised of huge oil-on-canvas paintings that were largely created during Rubinstein’s stint in Houston — she called it a “self-created residency” — in early 2024.
8. Cool Cat
A pioneer in the immersive-art world, Meow Wolf has expanded to Houston with Radio Tave, created by 100 artists, many of whom are local. The experience begins with guests walking into what looks like a radio station — but office drawers, doors (even the fridge!), and windows offer portals into new worlds, each surreal and otherworldly in its own way.