Chocolate Bayou Festival

Not to be outdone by Atlanta, with its National Black Arts Festival, or New Orleans with its Essence Festival, Houston has started a citywide African-American celebration of its own. At the Chocolate Bayou Festival, you can chow down, shop or check out a high school step show or a three-on-three basketball tournament while the kids hit the petting zoo. The musical acts will attract young and old alike: See jazz saxophonist Kyle Turner (Saturday, 3 p.m.), Step Rideau and the Zydeco Outlaws (Saturday, 2 p.m.), up-and-coming Detroit gospel group Ramiyah (Sunday, around 1 p.m.), choirs from South Side churches (Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams (Sunday at 4 p.m.).