It's festival season, which dovetails perfectly with one of the nicest times of year for getting outside and having fun in the Bayou City. We've got the Holi Festival, where white tees don't stand a chance; a SpringFest up in Kingwood and dock diving over in Pearland at the Fido-friendly Paws in the Park. Keep reading for ten of our favorite events that won't cost you more than $10 — and seven of them are free! Check out the Houston Press calendar for even more things to do.
Deconstructing The Beatles: The White Album
14 Pews
7 to 9 p.m. Friday, free to $10
There are fans of the Fab Four, and then there are superfans. Composer, producer and engineer Scott Freiman turns his lectures into multimedia extravaganzas, digging deeper into the Abbey Road Studio years with anecdotes about recording sessions and the evolution of key albums and songs. His analyses of their creative process should appeal to both musicians and non-musicians, bringing in-depth answers to how and why the music of The Beatles has stood the test of time. Insider tip: Join 14 Pews and get in for free, or pay at the door and save the online fee and get in with a Hamilton.
Bassmaster Classic Expo
George R. Brown Convention Center
Noon to 8 p.m. Friday, free
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, free
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, free
Legendary Bassmaster Classic winner Hank Parker will be in da house – along with big-name pros Rick Clunn, Bill Dance, Roland Martin and Jimmy Houston – when the Bassmaster Classic Expo takes over GRB this weekend. Come out and ogle the new equipment and gear, throw your line for a chance at prizes and giveaways and tell some tall fish tales at this Dick's Sporting Goods-sponsored expo. Friday is Military Appreciation Day, so bring your military I.D. and collect your own official Bassmaster hat.
Houston Holi Festival
Houston Farm & Ranch Club
Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, $10 (in advance)
Color play, dancing, live music and Indian street food make this one of the messiest ways to have fun this weekend. Avoid the lines and the surcharges, because advance purchase gets you into the Houston Holi Festival for just a sawbuck. Tickets are sold in Sugar Land, Katy and along Hillcroft, so go find your whitest whites and get ready to throw color powder as a symbol of love and togetherness. Scaredy-cats can hang out in the color-free zone, where there are plenty of goodies and merch from more than 60 vendors. Procrastinators can get in for $15 at the door.
This is Kingwood SpringFest
Kingwood Town Center, Kingwood
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, free
There's something for everyone at this mash-up, one-size-fits-all festival: Live music, an arts and crafts market, trackless train rides and live music. Chow down on the crawfish boil and food trucks while the little ones wear themselves out at the huge play area, carnival, petting zoo and pony rides. Local dance academies will be strutting their stuff and, watch out, because rumor has it we might even see a flash mob or two at this outdoor festival.
Paws in the Park
Independence Park, Pearland
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, free
If you see those tails wagging, you know it's time for the dog-friendly 23rd annual Paws in the Park. Start the day with an H-E-B Pet and Owner Fun Run (1K, 3K and 5K) with your bestie, then check out the splash-tastic national dock diving competition. The expo, which is presented by Westside Veterinary Hospital, has free parking, demonstrations, pet exhibitors and food vendors. Tell Fido to grab the leash; he or she can't get in unless attached to a human.