Photo: Hannibal Photography on Unsplash · Main St, Houston
Every month we round up what's going on around town: things to do, what's opening, what will slow down your commute, and what rent is doing. Here's November.
Things to do
- Veterans Day, Wed Nov 11: ceremony at City Hall at 10 a.m., then the parade through downtown at 11:30 a.m. (houstontx.gov/nov11)
- International Quilt Festival, Nov 12–15: over 1,200 quilts at the George R. Brown Convention Center. New dates this year, and there's no preview night. (quilts.com)
- Zoo Lights, from Nov 19 to Jan 3: the Houston Zoo after dark, 5:30–10:30 p.m. The zoo is closed Dec 9 and Christmas Eve. (houstonzoo.org)
- Thanksgiving morning, Thu Nov 26:
- The 77th H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade rolls through downtown at 9 a.m. (houstontx.gov)
- Run off the pie first at the Houston Methodist Turkey Trot (Uptown/Galleria) or the Houston Turkey Dash (Delmar Stadium). (houstontrot.com, houstonturkeydash.com)
- Save the date: RodeoHouston returns March 2–21, 2027, with the BBQ contest Feb 25–27. (rodeohouston.com)
What's opening
- The Fifth Table Kitchen & Bar, a Malaysian-American spot at 4015 Washington Ave, celebrates its grand opening on Oct 30. (Houston Business Journal)
- Trill Burgers opened its 4th location at 7616 Westheimer, just west of the Galleria, with a late-night drive-thru. (Click2Houston)
- The Flying Biscuit Café is set to open at 1660 S. Mason Rd in Katy in late November. (Community Impact)
Around the city
- MacGregor Park's $75 million renovation is underway, one of the biggest investments in a historic Houston park in years. (Houston First, Axios)
- 25 neighborhood parks across all 11 council districts are getting upgrades through a $60 million Houston Parks Board initiative. (Houston Parks Board)
Commute watch
- The I-10 Katy Freeway HOV connector to downtown closed Oct 9. TxDOT expects the eastbound connector back in fall 2027 and westbound in summer 2028. METRO routes from the US-290 and I-10 corridors are detoured, so plan for longer commutes. (ABC13, TxDOT)
- More than a dozen METRO routes are running on detours because of the I-45 (NHHIP) construction downtown. If you're thinking about moving, commute time is worth checking before you sign. (LINK Houston)
What rent is doing in Houston
From the latest MRI ApartmentData Market Line report:
- The average Houston apartment rents for $1,247 a month, down 1.9% from a year ago.
- 57% of apartments are offering a move-in special, up from 48% last November.
- At the newest, nicest (Class A) buildings, 73% have a special, worth about 11.8% of the lease on average. On a 12-month lease, that works out to roughly six weeks of rent.
- 12,722 new apartments are under construction, so competition for renters should stay strong.
In plain English: it's a good time to be a renter in Houston, especially if you want something newer. Specials change week to week, though, so the best deal goes to whoever knows where to look.
That's what we do. We do in one conversation what takes most renters weeks on their own — and the properties pay us, so it costs you nothing.
Thinking about a move? DM us "TOUR" or call (713) 357-6339.
Sources listed after each item; rent figures from MRI ApartmentData Market Line, Houston, October 2026. Event details can change, so check with organizers before you go.