Affordable art, yoga with dogs (or goats) and real snow? Sounds like a typical winter weekend in the Bayou City. GONZO247 also is hosting an art and dance party that celebrates female artists and, because the holidays aren't very fun for kids whose parents are incarcerated, we've got a chance to send a little bit of Christmas cheer their way with toys, elves and a visit from Santa. Keep reading for the deets on this great weekend in Houston.
You would think that the title says it all: Cheap Date 5: A $20 Art Show. But that's just the tip of the iceberg for this annual frenzy over at Insomnia Gallery. Running with an idea conceived by Blake Jones, guests will have an hour to peruse almost 400 pieces of original art created by more than 40 local artists. Here's the tricky part: When the clock strikes 8 p.m. this Friday, collectors need to grab a staffer and point out as many as five pieces they want to buy. Everything's priced at just 20 bucks, which makes the math easy, so bring a C-note, a date (that gets a discount on admission) and enjoy free beer from Eureka Heights Brewing Company plus spins from a DJ. Insiders say last year felt like hectic game show so come support art and artists and finish that holiday shopping in one fell swoop.
7-11 p.m. December 21, Insomnia Gallery, 708 Telephone, 713-242-8154, theinsomniagallery.com, $3 to $5 (cash).
In a love letter to his wife, Carolyn Casey Figueroa, GONZO247 is celebrating her freshly minted Master's Degree from UH with this Saturday's She Rawks Houston Art + Dance Party, featuring some of the fiercest female artists, performers and art leaders in H-Town. DJ Gracie Chavez is teaming up with Bombón to get the tropical dance party started with their digital Latin sound, and the all female art showcase will include Houston Poet Laureate Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton. Carolyn Figueroa is a force to be reckoned with, managing Aerosol Warfare and GONZO247, co-directing the HUE Mural Festival, and co-founding GASAM Texas, the first graffiti art museum in the country. Watch out world. Dress fiercely fashionable — cocktail attire is recommended — and enjoy the finest from Saint Arnold Brewing Company. It's a family-friendly event, bring your favorite beverage if you want something different and consider Uber or Lyft if imbibing.
8-11 p.m. December 22, Aerosol Warfare, 2110 Jefferson, Suite 111, 713-570-6594, facebook.com/events/206477373598375, free.
This might be the first Dog Yoga with K-9 Angels Rescue Pups over at Brittany Pires Yoga, but we're sure it won't be the last. If you're stressed about traffic, holiday shopping or the thought of those in-laws coming to visit, then get centered with an hour-long session of yoga with the adoptable furbabies from K-9 Angels. It's an all-levels class and guests are invited to stay after for puppy kisses, photos and a chance to fall in love with their next pet. All dogs are up-to-date on their vaccinations and ready to go to their forever home if the volunteers at K-9 Angels give the thumbs up. Instructor Pires first found yoga in 2009 and, a few years ago, discovered a passion for acro yoga. Just bring a mat, towel, water bottle and an open mind.
6:30-7:30 p.m. December 22, K-9 Angels Rescue, 1215 West 19th, 832-788-5992, brittanypires.com, facebook.com/events/554263345045114, or k-9angelsrescue.org, $20.
And, if you're super stressed out, there are even more yoga sessions this week and next, courtesy of Goat Yoga Houston. They're bringing those simply adorable, cuddly goats over to NettBar and — get this — they'll be dressed in Christmas sweaters, reindeer outfits and as Christmas elves. Expect a mix of about 45 minutes of instructed yoga followed by 30 minutes of goat play. It's an interactive beginner class taught by Rachel Henson, so bring your own yoga mat or beach towel (or rent a mat for $5), and find your happy place with baby goats. No kidding!
10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m., December 22 and 29, NettBar, 4504 Nett, 713-578-0058, goatyogahouston.com, $35.
The holidays are a time for being with family, but what happens when mom or dad is in jail? It's scary enough to be separated from a parent but — when the rest of the world seems to be happy and joyful and full of Christmas cheer — it's hard to keep a smile on your face under those circumstances. Michael Allen, who founded and organized Christmas at the Jail back in 2013, has found a way to give these kids one magical day that celebrates Christmas with Santa Claus, elves and piles of toys. For Allen, it's a special way to honor the memory of his son, who died in a county jail at the age of 17 and, for the children, it's a chance to feel like a normal kid for one glorious, special afternoon. If this is a subject that touches your heart, start a toy drive at work, send a financial donation to the Houston Peace and Justice Center (HPJC), or contact Allen if you think you'd make a good elf. This event is co-presented by End Mass Incarceration Houston, HPJC and Bering United Methodist Church.
4-6 p.m. December 23, Harris County Adult Detention Center, 1200 Baker. For information, call 281-714-8278 or visit hpjc.org/event/christmas-at-the-jail-6, free. Toys can be delivered during business hours to Bering United, 1440 Harold. Donations can be sent to HPJC, P.O. Box 66234, Houston, TX 77006 (Christmas event on the memo line) or at HPJC.org.
Parents, if your children are climbing the walls this holiday break with cries of "there's nothing to do" or "I'm bored," then don them in one of those hideous sweaters they got during Christmases past and turn that unfortunate fashion choice into a $3 discount off admission. Children's Museum Houston will be celebrating Lights, Snow & Ugly Sweaters through January 6, with ginormous new lights to chase, a block-long neighborhood of houses that celebrate holidays around the world in Seasons of Sharing and screenings of Frozen. But the days of December 22-24 are extra special because there's a 100 percent chance of real snow in the Allen Family Courtyard.
Lights, Snow & Ugly Sweaters and Seasons of Sharing continue through January 6, Snow Days are December 22-24, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays, noon-6 p.m. Sundays, closed December 25 and 31, Children's Museum of Houston, 1500 Binz, 713-522-1138, cmhouston.org, $10 to $12.