ready for some football

College Football Championship weekend kicks off in Houston with free concerts and more

America's eyes will be on Texas on Monday, January 8, as Hosts hosts the College Football Playoff National Championship game at NRG Stadium, broadcast live on ESPN.

The game sees No. 1-ranked Michigan Wolverines — who bested Alabama in the Rose Bowl — face off with the No. 2-ranked Washington Huskies, who just broke UT fans' hearts after beating the Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl.

Swarms of Wolverines and Huskies fans will hit Houston for Monday's championship game, and it's preceded by a jam-packed weekend of events — most of which are free.

Downtown Houston has been dubbed Championship Campus for the big weekend activities: Playoff Fan Central, AT&T Playoff Playlist Live!, the Trophy Trot 5K and 10K, Taste of the Championship, and the Allstate Championship Tailgate.

Note: CultureMap readers who use rideshare service Alto can score $10 off two rides through Monday night. Use code CHAMPIONSHIP when booking an Alto trip online.

Here's the playbook for all the fun starting Friday, January 5:

Playoff Fan Central: Friday-Sunday, January 5-7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center
The free, three-day, family-friendly activities kick off at noon on Friday. Expect games, serious athletic drills, autograph signings, cool activations, youth sports clinics, pep rallies, photo opps, and special exhibits celebrating all things college football.

Arrive early (9 am) on Saturday for Media Day. Fans get free access as Michigan and Washington coaches and players are interviewed; fans can listen in with mini radios supplied at the program.

It's not just the football teams facing off: The Michigan and Washington bands will perform on Sunday at 2 pm and 3 pm, respectively, for what promises to be a super sonic showdown.

AT&T Playoff Playlist Live!: Friday-Sunday, January 5-7 at Shell Energy Stadium
Event organizers have secured musical talent that demands top-dollar tickets — for free. These AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! free concerts get the energy pumping, starting with Kidz Bop on Friday.

Rap and hip-hop fans should be ready to line up for rap stars Jack Harlow, the pride of Kentucky rap who's making waves with his new VR concert experience. Two-time Grammy nominee Latto (many remember her as the star of The Rap Game reality show) also takes the stage on Saturday. They'll be joined by towering (he's 6'5) Georgia rapper 2 Chainz, a former college athlete himself who hooped for Alabama State University.

Sunday gets country with Grand Ole Opry member/crooner Jon Pardi, who just revealed he's sober and is a refreshing country throwback. Handsome star singer-songwriter (and passionate golfer) Jake Owen is also on the bill, as is multi-platinum country artist-songwriter Megan Moroney, a rising, charismatic star.

Fans must register for concert tickets online in advance, show the QR code via the CFBPlayoff mobile app at the convention center, and secure a wristband for entry to all shows except Kidz Bop on Friday.

Trophy Trot: Sunday, January 7 downtown
Get that pre-game cardio in with a family-friendly run/walk starting at 9 am. New this year, participants can compete in both 5K and 10K distances. Each Trophy Trot participant receives a T-shirt and medal, with numerous chances to win tickets to the CFP National Championship game the next day. Registration is open now. All proceeds benefit Extra Yard for Teachers, the College Football Playoff Foundation's nonprofit that inspires and empowers quality teachers.

Taste of the Championship: Sunday, January 7 at Union Station in Minute Maid Park
This premium dining experience and fundraising event boasts a veritable gourmet feast from an all-star roster of chefs and more than 30 restaurants. Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd will host, backed up by Louisiana-based party band The Phunky Monkeys. All proceeds benefit the CFP Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers platform. Find tickets here.

Allstate Championship Tailgate: Monday, January 8 at NRG Stadium
What's a big-time football game without a tailgate? Fans with a ticket to Monday's showdown should head to Blue Lots 16, 17, and 18 starting at 11 am. This tailgate features interactive games, activations, concessions, award-winning musical acts, live performances by each team’s marching band, and a chance to watch the live ESPN broadcasts.

Again: Fans must present a national championship game ticket for entry to the Allstate Championship Tailgate.

Stay on top of all the action and updates at Championship Campus online and follow @CFBPlayoff on social media.

Photo via Jack Harlow/Instagram

Rapper Jack Harlow hits the stage on Saturday.

celebrities chefs free colleges sports

Fashion on display

Rare Halston fashion exhibition now on display in unlikely Texas city

Halston: Inventing American Fashion exhibit Ellen Noël Art Museum

Photo courtesy of Ellen Noël Art Museum

An colorful eveningwear grouping takes advantage of Ellen Noël Art Museum's curved walls.

A rare exhibition honoring fashion pioneer Halston has popped up in an unexpected place: West Texas. Dallas fashionistas who are fans of the designer can make a five-hour pilgrimage to Odessa’s newly revamped Ellen Noël Art Museum to view "Halston: Inventing American Fashion."

Halston’s minimalistic fashions are rarely the subjects of retrospectives, although the designer’s dramatic life story recently had a pop-cultural resurgence through a 2021 Ryan Murphy miniseries. "Halston: Inventing American Fashion" assesses the talent that made him a household name.

Known now for outfitting 1970s icons like Liza Minelli and Bianca Jagger, Halston changed the international reputation of American sportswear as part of the famous 1973 “Battle of Versailles” fashion show, holding his own against Paris’ most lauded couturiers. His uniquely louche style still influences contemporary brands like Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, and Tom Ford, who was briefly the creative director for a revised Halston label.

The mannequins in the Odessa display are outfitted with 75 ensembles from flowing Ultrasuede daywear to more dramatic draped gowns. The pieces “illustrate how Halston revolutionized fashion by prioritizing comfort, confidence, and modern femininity,” according to a release.

Although Odessa may seem an odd choice for the show, Halston had deep Texas connections. After he moved on from hat making, Amarillo millionaire Estelle Marsh was his sole backer willing to fund his first Madison Avenue boutique.

$Ellen No\u00ebl Art Museum, Odessa, new facade.$ The new facade at Ellen Noël Art MuseumPhoto courtesy of Ellen Noël Art Museum

$Halston: Inventing American Fashion exhibit Ellen No\u00ebl Art Museum$

Photo courtesy of Ellen Noël Art Museum

An colorful eveningwear grouping takes advantage of Ellen Noël Art Museum's curved walls.

And the recently completed renovation of Odessa's Ellen Noël Art Museum has some of the designer’s signature sleek. Designed by architect R.J. Lopez, the renovation includes new galleries and improved circulation, but the centerpiece is a striking transparent façade, replacing the original brick of the 1985 building.

“The renovation project has been over 10 years in the making and in the construction phase for the past two years,” says the museum’s buildings manager, Steve Patton, via a release. “The completion of the project has resulted in an incredible facility that is a shining star in West Texas, offering programs and exhibits that will be a destination point for people all over the world!”

"Halston: Inventing American Fashion" will run through March 22. Admission to the Ellen Noël Art Museum is free.

exhibits odessa fashion west texas museums designer texas