Free Houston Weekend Fun December 4-6

Posted by: Vicki Powers on Friday, December 4th, 2009

AS ALWAYS, there are lots of options in Houston for free weekend fun. Here are a few around town:

Catch the downtown tree lighting — It might be snowing for the Mayor’s Holiday Celebration tonight, December 4! The annual event features music, fireworks, and the official lighting of the downtown tree near City Hall. The event is from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at 901 Bagby at City Hall.

Design a clay ornament — Grab your kids for this cool free craft activity at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft’s “Hands on Houston” on Saturday, December 5, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Kids can design their own holiday ornaments using Art Clay Copper Clay, which is made from real copper. All materials are provided free of charge. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is located in the museum district at 4848 Main, 713.529.4848.

Tell me a story — The theme, “Tell Me A Story,” runs throughout all the activities at the Museum of Fine Arts’ Target Free First Sunday, December 6, from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Family flicks for this month are short-story favorites Stregna Nona, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Lon Po Po. Show times are at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Other activities feature art activities, banjo music, opera singers, and sketch time in the museum galleries. Museum of Fine Arts, at the Caroline Weiss Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet, 713.639.7300.

Eat, drink, shop, and be merry — Shop to your heart’s content at “Mistletoe Madness” in the Heights this Saturday, December 5 from noon to 6 p.m. The festivities include holiday shopping, home tours, restaurants, caroling contest, live music, boutiques, and more! Check out the map of activities here.

Tour a free museum — Bank of America cardholders can take advantage of free admission this weekend, December 5-6. Its national program provides free admission the first full weekend of every month. In Houston area, that free museum equals the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 1 Hermann Circle Drive. It also includes the San Jacinto Museum of History in La Porte, Texas, at One Monument Circle.

Build a wagon — Take your kids to the Home Depot Kid’s Workshop tomorrow, December 5, to build a wooden wagon. Kids will come home with their handmade constructed wagon, kid-sized orange apron and a completion certificate. The workshop lasts from 9 a.m. to noon.