HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — When the Lyons Avenue Renaissance Festival returns on Saturday, March 28, it’ll mark a milestone for Fifth Ward as the neighborhood celebrates its 160th anniversary.
“The Fifth Ward community has a legacy of residents who have been here forever,” said Harrison Guy, director of arts and culture with the 5th Ward Cultural Arts District. “I have several people who have been here over 80 years in this community, so just thinking about it in a way that annually we can come together and see each other, a homecoming of sorts for people who want to come back.”
Guy describes the event, now in its 13th year, as a block party that celebrates all things Fifth Ward, including the wins and triumphs of the community.
“It really celebrates people,” Guy said, adding that you’ll see nods to the community’s history and the changemakers who have come from the neighborhood such as Barbara Jordan and Mickey Leland.
SEE ALSO: How Color of Coffee Collective in Fifth Ward pours history of neighborhood into every cup
Music is a big draw that contributes to the flavor of the day.
Not only is recording artist Cupid – of “Cupid Shuffle” fame – headlining, but four stages of live music featuring everything from Zydeco and bands to R&B and gospel, will highlight the talent and sounds that have helped to shape the area’s identity.
“I like to say Texas Zydeco started in Fifth Ward,” Guy explains. “Certainly the king of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, lived in Fifth Ward and this was his neighborhood, so we do have that connection, and there’s Frenchtown. Zydeco is a huge legacy, so I think it’s safe to say you’ll always hear Zydeco at the Lyons Avenue Renaissance Festival.”
“The community also has a really, really long history of R&B, blues, and jazz because of Peacock Records,” Guy continued. “Before there was a Motown, there was Peacock Records right here in Fifth Ward.”
PHOTOS: Peacock Records and founder Don Robey
Houston businessman and mogul Don Robey. Houston Chronicle photographs
“It’s a musical neighborhood. It really is, and so I would say music is the bloodline of the Fifth Ward community,” Guy said.
Festival goers will feel that in every note that floats down the block as legendary blues artist and Fifth Ward native Trudy Lynn is expected to perform.
Houston native and international recording artist Desz, Caribbean band Son D’Aché, and R&B vocalist Bryan Jack are also on the roster.
The festival regularly appeals to major music acts.
In past years, Houston’s LeToya Luckett served as headliner as did R&B singer Leela James.
Bring your dancing shoes, too.
Pat Cel and the I Love Line Dancing Meetup will host an interactive community line dance.
The Youth Stage alone will feature more than 25 performances, including dance and spoken word.
The Gospel Stage will be presented by KTSU 90.9 FM, a radio station known for delivering a powerful gospel music lineup to Houston listeners on Sunday mornings for decades.
And don’t forget to look up for the helicopter egg drop, a highlight of the annual festival that is typically held just before Easter.
“We really thought about, ‘What if you bring everybody from the youngest in the family to the oldest in the family and that too is representative of Fifth Ward,'” Guy said. “I think celebrating what this community has achieved and gone through and sustained over 160 years, it makes this festival one not to be missed.”
Festival Details
– Saturday, March 28, 2026
– Noon – 5 p.m.
– Along the 3800 – 4000 blocks of Lyons Avenue (Festival entrance is at 3700 Lyons Ave., Houston, TX 77020)
– Entrance is free
– Expect food trucks, plus 150 local vendors
Parking
– Free, including street parking
– Parking will also be free at nearby lots at the DeLUXE Theater and Lyons Unity Missionary Baptist Church. Lots are expected to be marked.
Follow Brittaney Wilmore on Twitter and Instagram.
Copyright © 2026 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.