Houston is an incredibly diverse city. That diversity is highlighted in the various festivals and events held in Houston. From hot sauce to parrots, Houston has a festival to celebrate virtually anything imaginable.
Held over the course of two weekends, the Houston International Festival displays a wide variety of dance, theatre and visual arts from around the world, as well as international foods for the thousands of patrons who attend the annual event.
One of Texas' most recognized annual events, the Texas Renaissance Festival runs from October through November. Visitors shouldn't miss an opportunity to attend this unique, eight-week theme park which features period food, music, and entertainment, as well as eight themed weekends.
Clear Lake's Ballunar Liftoff Festival is the "Largest Hot Air Balloon Event in Texas" and features over 80 hot air balloons, the world's largest hot air ballon, skydiving competitions, aerial demonstrations, games, music, food and more.
The Houston Hot Sauce Festival is the Bayou City's showcase event for any type of sauce with a little "kick" in it, including hot sauce, salsa, barbecue sauce, Bloody Mary mix and more.
Sponsored by the National Parrot Rescue and Preservation Foundation, the Parrot Festival is held in Houston annually during the last weekend of January. Experts from around the world speak on topics such as parrot behavior, care, nutrition and preservation.
One of Houston's largest food festivals, the Original Greek Festival has been held on an annual basis since 1966 and serves up a variety of Greek cuisine, including souvlaki, gyros, tiropita, spanakopita, dolmades and more.
For more than a three decades, the Houston Italian Festival has celebrated Italian heritage, culture and romance. The festival features live entertainment, bocce ball, a grape stomp, pasta eating contest, food and more.
