Calendar
Join the Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Roundtable on Monday, March 9, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor.
Attendees will learn about the Nature and Eclectic Outdoors’ Healthy Outdoor Communities initiative and Exploration Green, an award-winning parks and natural areas project in the region. They’ll also discuss the time and date for the spring field trip.
The PNA Roundtable meets the second Monday of January, March, May, July, September and November and is open to anyone interested in participating.
Join Houston Audubon for a virtual event celebrating migratory birds!
Join Galveston Bay Foundation for a virtual event, with exhibitors providing educational videos of their exhibits.
On May 18, Kinder will offer the same great program spotlighting Stephen Klineberg and his transformational Kinder Houston Area Survey, along with insights from Rice University and community leadership. Proudly, they will also honor Rev. William A. Lawson for his many years of service to Houston and its people. All will be offered online for our entire community to enjoy freely, safely and comfortably.
Registrants will receive instructions via email on how to access the program closer to the program date.
11:30 a.m. Digital Registration
2020 Kinder Houston Area Survey and other materials made available to access online and download
12:00 p.m. Lunch-Out Program
Grab your lunch, and from the comfort of your preferred location, explore findings from Stephen Klineberg’s 39th Kinder Houston Area Survey, with insights from Rice University President David Leebron, Houston Education Research Consortium Director Ruth N. López Turley, and Kinder Institute Director Bill Fulton. The Lunch-Out will also honor Rev. William A. Lawson for his 60+ years of service to Houston and its people.
Join Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) as they highlight their plans, programs, and partners along Buffalo Bayou through its second installment of the webinar series Deeper Dive.
This series will overview the fifth anniversary of Buffalo Bayou Park and the planning that went into the park, discuss the clean-up process along the waterway, and what we are doing as an organization to be inclusive of the surrounding neighborhoods. To receive the link to the online event, please be sure to register here. Attendees will be sent the link 10 minutes prior to the start of the event.
BRINGING THE BAYOUS, THE BAYS, AND THE OYSTER (INSPIRED DISH) TO YOU.
Honoring Sharron Stewart
Founding Board Member and Texas Water Advocate
While we are unable to gather together in-person, Bayou City Waterkeeper hopes that you’ll join them to celebrate your watershed and honor Sharron Stewart – a founding member of Bayou City Waterkeeper, current board chair, and renowned Texas activist.
Join Bayou City Waterkeeper on Saturday, November 7, for their 13th annual Folks ‘N Oysters: Virtual Happy Hour!
- Join local chefs, including Chef Matt Baum of Grace’s and Chef Jared Harvey of Downhouse, as they prepare their specialty oyster dishes in a cooking demo for you to enjoy!
- Be part of the action and receive our Chef’s recipes to follow along.
- Join Bayou City Waterkeeper at Oyster Reef level or higher and receive an oyster-themed gift bag!
As always, your support is helping Bayous City Waterkeeper continue the important work of holding polluters accountable, protecting wetlands and floodplains, and making your waterways fishable, swimmable, and drinkable for generations to come.
Sip hot chocolate as you stroll through the beautiful Houston Zoo grounds and take in the sights and sounds of the season. Interact with Candy the Zoo Lights Zebra presented by H-E-B, get a selfie on a giant ice throne, and take a socially distanced photo with Santa as he prepares for the holidays in his workshop!
Stroll through a 125-foot-long, Infinity Tunnel of Light, see dragons come to life in the 4-D Enchanted Forest presented by King & Spalding LLP, and experience “snow†in Texas!Â
TXU Energy Presents Zoo Lights
November 14, 2020 – January 10, 2021
5:30-10:30 p.m., last entry at 9:30 p.m.
Buy early for the best price! Tickets will NOT be available for purchase at the gate.
GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS
Note: Ticket prices are the same for adults and children. Children ages 1 and under are free. Members save $3 per ticket when you log in to purchase.
Find additional information in our Zoo Lights FAQ section below.Â
For the safety of Houston Zoo staff, guests, and animals, visitors 10 years and older are required to wear facial coverings that cover their nose and mouth.
Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council excited to report that Sandhill Cranes have begun arriving on the Island in small flocks. Soon Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council will have hundreds of these elegant birds wintering with Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, as Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council take advantage of our milder climate and plentiful food resources.
To celebrate the  arrival of these 3-4 foot tall, red-capped visitors, Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council invite you to join Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council in what’s been dubbed by the New York Times as “one of the quirkiest events in Texas†– Holiday with the Cranes!
This year Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council crane celebration is going virtual. No matter where you are, you’ll be able to participate in a fun and engaging online presentation on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 10:00am.
Over past years many of you have joined Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council in person to learn about this amazing crane species. Each expert speaker has offered unique insights into the “Sandie’s†habitat, characteristics and behaviors. This year you can have an equally informative experience from the comfort of your own home – anywhere in the world. Holiday with the Cranes also makes a unique nature gift for friends and family.
On January 18, 2021 the Houston Black Heritage Society will celebrate its 43rd Annual “Original†MLK Day Parade and Holiday Celebration. The “Original†MLK, Jr. Parade was commissioned at the behest of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s. own father, known by many as Martin Luther “Daddy†King, Sr., on January 21st, 1978.
Not only did his father commission the organization to conduct the very first MLK Day Parade in the nation, Dr. King’s father also served as Houston Peace and Justice Center parade’s first-ever grand marshal. In addition to the annual parade, the organization host a variety of educational, community, and celebratory events all year long to honor one of our nation’s most revered civil rights leader.
Due to COVID-19 and the commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of Houston Peace and Justice Center fellow citizens in the community, the City of Houston and the Black Heritage Society’s 2021 Annual “Original†MLK Day Parade will broadcast live on virtual platforms for this year. For individuals and organizations that would like to be a part of the 2021 virtual celebration, please submit a Participation Request Form. All are encouraged to participate, including:
- Families and Individuals
- Corporate and Non-Profit Organizations
- Schools, Churches, and Civic Groups
- Colleges and Universities
- Community Members
- K-12 & University Bands, ROTC, Dance & Cheer
In support of the City of Houston and the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, the Black Heritage Society’s 43rd Annual “Original†MLK Day Parade and Holiday Celebration will launch this year’s holiday celebration in accordance with the Texas Governor’s Executive Order GA-32 and the City of Houston’s Health and Safety COVID-19 Guidelines.

Carrin Patman

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Ellen Cohen
The event will feature a discussion with Harvard Business School Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, led by METRO Chair Carrin Patman. Kanter was named one of the “50 most influential business thinkers in the world,” according to Thinkers50, the global ranking of management thinkers. She will speak about her latest book, “Think Outside the Building: How Advanced Leaders Can Change the World One Smart Innovation at a Time.”
Center for Houston’s Future will also present the Vaughan Award to Ellen Cohen, a community leader who served as a Houston City Council member and Texas state representative.