Culture

HoustonArtCarParadeHoustonisamulticulturalcitywithalargeandgrowinginternationalcommunity.Themetropolitanareaishometoanestimatedmillionpercent)residentsthatwerebornoutsidetheUnitedStates,withnearlytwo-thirdsofthearea'sforeign-bornpopulationarefromsouthoftheUnitedStates–Mexicoborder.Additionally,morethanoneinfiveforeignbornHoustoniansarefromAsia.Thecityishometothenation’sthirdlargestconcentrationofconsularofficesrepresenting86nations.

Houstonreceivedtheofficialnicknameof"SpaceCity"in1967becauseitishometoNASA'sLyndonB.JohnsonSpaceCenter.Othernicknamesoftenusedbylocalsinclude"BayouCity,""MagnoliaCity,""ClutchCity,"and"H-Town."

Artsandtheatre

Houstonhasanactivevisualandperformingartsscene.TheTheaterDistrictislocateddowntownandishometoninemajorperformingartsorganizationsandsixperformancehalls.Itisthesecond-largestconcentrationoftheaterseatsinadowntownareaintheUnitedStates.HoustonisoneofonlyfiveUnitedStatescitieswithpermanent,professional,residentcompaniesinallmajorperformingartsdisciplines:opera(HoustonGrandOpera),ballet(HoustonBallet),music(HoustonSymphonyOrchestra),andtheater(TheAlleyTheatre).Houstonisalsohometomanylocalfolkartists,artgroupsandvarioussmallerprogressiveartsorganizations.HoustonattractsmanytouringBroadwayacts,concerts,shows,andexhibitionsforavarietyofinterests.

HoustonishometotheBayouCityArtFestival,whichisconsideredtobeoneofthetopfiveartfestivalsintheUnitedStates.

TheMuseumDistrictishometomanypopularculturalinstitutionsandexhibits,attractingmorethan7millionvisitorsayear.NotablefacilitieslocatedinthedistrictincludeTheMuseumofFineArts,HoustonMuseumofNaturalScience,theContemporaryArtsMuseumHouston,HolocaustMuseumHouston,andtheHoustonZoo.LocatedinthenearbyMontroseareaareTheMenilCollectionandRothkoChapel.

HobbyCenterforthePerformingArtsManyvenuesscatteredacrossHoustonregularlyhostlocalandtouringrock,blues,country,hiphopandTejanomusicalacts.Unfortunately,therehasneverbeenawidelyrenownedmusicsceneinHouston.ArtistsseemtorelocatetootherpartsoftheUnitedStatesonceattainingsomelevelofsuccess.AnotableexceptiontotheruleisHoustonhip-hop,whichcelebratestheuniquesouthernflavorandattitudeofitsroots.Thishasgivenrisetoastrong,independenthip-hopmusicscene,influencingandinfluencedbythelargerSouthernhiphopandgangstarapcommunities.ManyHoustonianhip-hopartistshaveattainedcommercialsuccess.

Events

ManyannualeventscelebratethediverseculturesofHouston.ThelargestandlongestrunningistheannualHoustonLivestockShowandRodeo,heldover20daysfromlateFebruarytoearlyMarch.Anotherlargecelebrationistheannualnight-timeHoustonPrideParade,heldattheendofJune.OtherannualeventsincludetheHoustonGreekFestival,ArtCarParade,theHoustonAutoShowandtheHoustonInternationalFestival.

Tourismandrecreation

SpaceCenterHoustonistheofficialvisitors’centerofNASA'sLyndonB.JohnsonSpaceCenter.Hereonewillfindmanyinteractiveexhibitsincludingmoonrocks,ashuttlesimulator,andpresentationsaboutthehistoryofNASA'smannedspaceflightprogram.

TheTheaterDistrictisa17-blockareainthecenterofdowntownHoustonthatishometotheBayouPlaceentertainmentcomplex,restaurants,movies,plazas,andparks.BayouPlaceisalargemultilevelbuildingcontainingfull-servicerestaurants,bars,livemusic,billiards,andarthousefilms.TheHoustonVerizonWirelessTheaterstagesliveconcerts,stageplays,andstand-upcomedy;andtheAngelikaFilmCenterpresentsthelatestinartandforeignandindependentfilms.

HoustonishometomanyparksincludingHermannPark,whichhousestheHoustonZooandtheHoustonMuseumofNaturalScience,LakeHoustonPark,MemorialPark,TranquilityPark,SesquicentennialParkandSamHoustonParkwhichcontainsrestoredandreconstructedhomeswhichwereoriginallybuiltbetween1823and1905).Thecityhas337cityparksandover200greenspaces—totalingover19,600acres(79km2)thataremanagedbythecity—includingtheHoustonArboretumandNatureCenter.TheHoustonCivicCenterwasreplacedbytheGeorgeR.BrownConventionCenter—oneofthenation'slargest—andtheJesseH.JonesHallforthePerformingArts,homeoftheHoustonSymphonyOrchestraandSocietyforthePerformingArts.TheSamHoustonColiseumandMusicHallhavebeenreplacedbytheHobbyCenterforthePerformingArts.

OthertouristattractionsincludetheGalleria(Texas'slargestshoppingmalllocatedintheUptownDistrict),OldMarketSquare,theDowntownAquarium,SplashTownandSamHoustonRacePark.TheSanJacintoBattlegroundStateHistoricSitewherethedecisivebattleoftheTexasRevolutionwasfoughtislocatedontheHoustonShipchanneleastofthecity;theparkisalsothelocationofthemuseumbattleshipUSSTexas(BB-35).

Sports

MinuteMaidParkHoustonhasteamsfornearlyeverymajorprofessionalsport.TheHoustonAstros(MLB),HoustonTexans(NFL),HoustonRockets(NBA),HoustonComets(WNBA),HoustonDynamo(MLS),HoustonAeros(AHL),HoustonWranglers(WTT),HoustonTakers(ABA),andtheHoustonEnergy(WPFL)allcallHoustonhome.

MinuteMaidPark(homeoftheAstros)andToyotaCenter(homeoftheRockets,Comets,andAeros)arelocatedinarevivedareaofdowntown.ThecityhastheReliantAstrodome,thefirstdomedstadiumintheworld;italsoholdstheNFL'sfirstretractable-roofstadium,ReliantStadium.OthersportsfacilitiesinHoustonincludeHofheinzPavilionandRobertsonStadium(bothusedforUniversityofHoustoncollegiatesports,thelatteralsofortheHoustonDynamo),andRiceStadium(homeoftheRiceUniversityOwlsfootballteam).TheinfrequentlyusedReliantAstrodomehostedWorldWrestlingEntertainment'sWrestleManiaX-SevenonApril1,2001,whereanattendancerecordof67,925wasset.

Houstonhashostedmajorrecentsportingevents,includingthe2004MajorLeagueBaseballAll-StarGame,the2000IHLAll-StarGame,the2005WorldSeries,the2005Big12Conferencefootballchampionshipgame,the2006NBAAll-StarGame,the.Men'sClayCourtChampionshipsfrom2001–2006,andtheTennisMastersCupin2003and2004,aswellastheannualShellHoustonOpengolftournament.ThecityhoststheannualNCAACollegeBaseballMinuteMaidClassiceveryFebruaryandNCAAfootball'sTexasBowlinDecember.HoustonhashostedtheSuperBowlchampionshipgametwice.SuperBowlVIIIwasplayedatRiceStadiumin1974andSuperBowlXXXVIIIwasplayedatReliantStadiumin2004.Inearly2006,theChampCarautoracingseriesreturnedtoHoustonforayearlyrace,heldonthestreetsoftheReliantParkcomplex.

Media

Furtherinformation:ListofnewspapersinHouston,ListoftelevisionstationsinHouston,Listofradiostationsi