(Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Austin)
HOUSTON: Memorial Park Conservancy
Join the celebration at the Kinder Park Land Bridge (West Mound) April 8 from 1pm-3pm. The viewing party will include practical information on how to safely view an eclipse and how to build your own pinhole camera. Lawn chairs and sun protection are highly encouraged. RSVP here.
HOUSTON: Houston Museum of Natural Science
HMNS
HMNS is inviting Houstonians to view the total eclipse at the museum’s sundial at 12:20pm. Viewing glasses will be on offer for purchase. HMNS will be live streaming the eclipse from Bandera, a town northwest of San Antonio.
HOUSTON: Cornelius Nursery
Visit Cornelius Nursery’s five stores across Houston and Galveston for a watch party. The family-friendly gathering will provide free viewing glasses for attendees, who will also receive a bag of stargazing gifts. Kids can enjoy crafts at the children’s stations.
HOUSTON: Levy Park
On April 8 at 12:30pm, the Upper Kirby Park and gathering spot will host a Solar Eclipse viewing party featuring music from DJ Del Sur. Included is a lunar-themed craft for kids of all ages, and free viewfinders so guests can safely enjoy.
HOUSTON: Four Seasons Houston
Four Seasons Houston's rooftop pool
Join the Four Seasons Hotel on the pool deck for fresh air, a delicious lunch, and a total solar eclipse at noon on April 8. The hotel will provide protective eyewear so that you can safely view this natural phenomenon that won't occur again until 2044.
HOUSTON: Space Center Houston
If you're looking for a fun — and appropriate — spot to watch in Space City, head down to Space Center Houston for the Total Solar Eclipse Celebration. All guests will receive a complimentary pair of eclipse glasses!
AUSTIN: Four Seasons Hotel Austin
Four Seasons Hotel Austin
Austin’s finest hotel invites guests and locals to experience, beyond a shadow of a doubt (and under the shadow of the moon), one of the rarest events — the 2024 Great American Total Solar Eclipse — with a “Celestial Celebration” picnic on April 8. The event for the Total Solar Eclipse will be full of activities including a BBQ lunch, live music and activities for the whole family. On hand will be an expert astrophysicist and solar telescopes for safe sun viewing.
SAN ANTONIO: Thompson Hotel Riverwalk
Thompson Hotel San Antonio rooftop
On April 8, San Antonio will be one of the few cities to witness its path of totality. San Antonio, being the largest city in the path, is a prime place for visitors to witness the natural phenomenon. The hotel’s signature restaurant, The Moon's Daughters, inspired by the Greek goddess of the moon, and will be hosting a Solar Brunch from 11am-1:30pm. To celebrate the extraordinary event, the brunch will include themed cocktails, entertainment, as well as custom solar eclipse glasses for all guests to enjoy.
HILL COUNTRY: Messina Hof
This iconic Fredericksburg-area winery will be celebrating the eclipse from 10am-6pm with wine tastings, food offerings, and more. Bring chairs and blankets for the west lawn, and with limited parking, car-pooling is strongly encouraged. Tickets include eclipse glasses, two drink passes, and a commemorative wine glass.
HILL COUNTRY: William Chris Vineyards
William Chris Vineyards new tasting room
Astronomer-led lessons, live country tunes, a custom picnic blanket, plus breakfast, lunch and two bottles of wine? Say no more. William Chris Vineyards in Hye hosts this unforgettable celebration on April 8.
Korean BBQ at Hongdae 33, which is participating in the Houston Barbecue Festival (photo by Jenn Duncan)
Empire State Jazz Festival
Discovery Green
Mother’s Day Weekend brings a fun festival to Discovery Green. The Empire State Jazz Festival presents smooth-jazz artists from all over America, including Stephen Richard, Pat Williams, Dean James & Friends, and more, on May 11 (12-10pm). Victor Allotey, founder of Houston’s Empire State Jazz Café and its festival, is a veteran of the NFL and founder of Victor’s Victors Foundation, the event’s nonprofit partner that provides aspiring young musicians with new instruments. Expect a soulful lineup of food, too, including Jamaican, Soul, and Creole cuisine from Nyammings Fusion Bistro. ”There is nothing quite like the magic of live jazz in the open air surrounded by the beauty of Discovery Green,” says Allotey. “Between the extraordinary lineup of musical talent, the food, and the vibe, and the cause, festival attendees are in for a very memorable experience.”
Hill Country Wineries Tasting
On April 18, Texas Hill Country Wineries are bringing more than 60 wines from 20-plus different wineries to Houston for a tasting experience. Come meet winery personalities including owners, winemakers, vineyard managers, and more at The Peach Orchard in The Woodlands, with doors opening for consumers at 5:30pm. Tickets, $75 per person, include wine tastings, charcuterie, light appetizers, and an event wine glass to take home.
Houston Barbecue Festival
Houston Barbecue Festival participant Feges BBQ
Don’t miss the 11th annual Houston Barbecue Festival, April 14, at the Humble Civic Center on Will Clayton Parkway. Smoky stalwarts including Gatlin’s and Roegels join newcomers like Hongdae 33, which will dish out its savory Korean barbecue for the hundreds of attendees. The event is expected to sell out; a portion of proceeds will go to the Recovery Houston Foundation. Kids 6 and under are free!
Celebrity Chefs Against Cancer
Live-action stations will serve plenty of meaty favorites
Taking place in the Four Seasons Hotel’s Grand Ballroom, Celebrity Chefs Against Cancer features 21 chefs from some of Houston’s most exciting restaurants. Gaby Jiminez of Bayou & Bottle and Jonathan Esparza from Toro Toro welcome fellow chefs — Richard Sandoval, Uchiko’s Shaun King, Xochi’s Hugo Ortega, Martin Stayer of Nobie’s — to their home turf. Each chef will prepare bites of signature dishes at live-action stations, while hand-crafted cocktails and beverages — courtesy of Wagner Family of Wine, Maestro Dobel Tequila and Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey — flow. Last year’s event set the fundraising record, and this year’s is poised to do it again: The silent auction will tout Four Seasons packages galore, a Formula 1 VIP-experience weekend in Austin, and more. Proceeds will go to Camp H-Town, the summer sleep-away camp at the Four Seasons for kids who have been touched by cancer. They get to enjoy a movie night, pool party, dance night at House of Blues, and more.
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