Downtown District Gears up for Spring 2019 Programs at Market Square

Season Highlights

The Secret Walls x Houston, a global series featuring a live art battle

The inaugural Market Square Park Summer Concert featuring Tomar and the FCs along with Kalu and the Electric Joint

The return of Body by Broadway, an exercise class with the Downtown District with Theatre Under The Stars.

Need to Know Basics

Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Food, beer, and wine are available for purchase at Niko Niko’s. On-street parking is free after 6 p.m.

Bayou Bikers: Sundays, March 3, April 7

Bayou Bikers—an informal group whose purpose is to show Houstonians and visitors the beauty of Houston’s waterways—meets at Market Square Park on the first Sunday of each month for 25- to 40-mile bike rides along the bayous of Houston. Rides are open to all. Mountain bikes or bikes with fat tires are required.

Photo by Morris Malakoff

Movies at Market Square Park:

The Downtown District hosts free film screenings under the stars on the first Wednesday of each month this spring and summer. Blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged.

Mean Girls: Wednesday, March 6, 7 p.m.

New girl Cady Heron befriends the Plastics clique only to learn how her shallow group of friends earned their nickname. Don’t forget: On Wednesdays, we wear pink!

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade & Concert: Saturday, March 16 Parade, 12–1:30 p.m.

Free concert featuring Murder the Stout, 2–3 p.m.; Lepre-Con Pub Crawl, 3–6 p.m.

Find the luck of the Irish this Saint Patrick’s Day weekend at the 60th anniversary of Houston’s oldest parade in Downtown’s Historic District, where the route takes a new turn in Historic Market Square.

Continue the fun in Market Square Park with food, games and live music featuring Celtic rock music from local favorite Murder the Stout. Finish out the night with drink specials in the neighborhood’s eclectic bars and restaurants.

Secret Walls: Saturday, April 6, 6–10 p.m.

Downtown District and UP Art Studio present the third installation of Secret Walls x Houston. In this popular global series, two teams of muralists compete in a live art battle. Downtown District hosts international, national and regional artists at Market Square Park for this public art competition. Event goers can also enjoy an art market, food trucks and live music from DJ BBC.

Body by Broadway: Tuesdays, April 9 & 23; 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Downtown District partners with Theatre Under The Stars for Body by Broadway, a free exercise class that invites attendees to sing, squat and plank along to Broadway tunes.

Puppies for Breakfast: Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Downtown District, Neue Creative, Modular Dog, Kriser’s Natural Pet, Natural Pawz and Can You Spot Spirit host Puppies for Breakfast, a unique outdoor festival that brings all things dog-centric to Downtown Houston. The annual event features more than 50 dog industry vendors, artists, the world’s largest dog piñata, a costume contest, a play-area and more. The event is free, with a suggested $5 donation to help a local dog rescue.

Doomsday Wrestling LIVE: Saturday, April 27, 7–9 p.m.

Doomsday Wrestling LIVE takes over Market Square Park with an evening of headlocks and hijinks by the wackiest wrestlers in town. Event goers can enjoy music from DJ Nibu starting at 7 p.m., with the hilarious wrestling matches beginning at 8 p.m.

Details at www.marketsquarepark.com.  Parking information at www.downtownhoustonparking.org.

photos: Houston Downtown Management District