Correction: The Jan. 30 performance of the Houston Civic Jazz Orchestra will be led by longtime conductor Sam Jackson.

From the 46th Annual MLK Day Parade in Downtown Houston to the debut of a rare art collection at the Holocaust Museum, there are a number of events set for January in the Bellaire, Meyerland, West University and surrounding areas.

Oshogatsu 2024

The second annual Japan Junction Oshogatsu event celebrates the start of the new year. The family-friendly event, hosted by the Japan American Society of Houston, features live performances, traditional Japanese games, omikuji fortune telling, craft stations and food concessions. Crafts will include decorating hagoita/battledores, making daruma woodblock prints and folding origami dragons.Group Therapy Session by The Black Man Project/The Black Woman Project

January’s therapy session presented by The Black Man Project and The Black Woman Project is centered around the work of Kehinde Wiley, whose ‘Archeology of Silence’ collection is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. This ongoing series is led by a licensed therapist and provides a safe space for people to connect and share their experiences.
  • Jan. 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
  • Free, RSVP in advance
  • 5601 Main St., Houston
  • www.mfah.org
Kinsey African American Art & History Collection debut


More than 100 works of art, photographs and rare documents are coming to Holocaust Museum Houston when the Kinsey African American Art & History Collection exhibition opens Jan. 12. The exhibition, which runs through June 23, celebrates the achievements and contributions of Black Americans from 1595 to the present.
  • Jan. 12-June 23, exhibit open during museum hours
  • $22 for museum admission ($16 for seniors ages 65 and older)
  • 5401 Caroline St., Houston
  • www.hmh.org/kinsey
46th Annual Original MLK Day Parade

The Black Heritage Society hosts the weekend celebration in Downtown Houston with civil rights attorney Ben Crump serving as grand marshal. Immediately following the parade, event organizers will host a Children's Day of Service festival in Hermann Square Park featuring multicultural music performances, family-friendly activities, craft vendors and food.
  • Jan. 15, 10 a.m.
  • Free (donations accepted)
  • Reflection Pool at Houston City Hall, 900 Smith St., Houston (parade start)
  • www.blackheritagesociety.net
'Katie: the Strongest of the Strong'

As part of its Opera To Go! series, the Houston Grand Opera comes to the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center for a performance of "Katie: The Strongest of the Strong." The sensory-friendly show by composer Faye Chiao and librettist Anton Dudley celebrates women's strength and confidence through the true story of Katie Sandwina, a circus strongwoman.​​​​​​​'An Evening of Jazz' with Houston Civic Jazz Orchestra

As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the University of Houston-Downtown, the UHD Civic Jazz Orchestra will bring "An Evening of Jazz" to the Wilhelmina Cullen Robertson Auditorium. The band was founded by the late Robert Wilson, a UHD English professor and professional jazz trumpet player, in 1991. During the Jan. 30 event, the band will be led by longtime conductor Sam Jackson.