This should have been up hours ago, as it stands, I found few events worth posting for tonight so I’ll just start with tomorrow night.

But yes, we are back, this is the grand re-opening of Quinn’s Big City. My goal now is to keep the blog going through the end of 2015 October. I’m not going to be able to do that without the support of you, my loyal readers and fans. The primary form of that support is simple: spread the word, tell your friends, tell the strangers you talk to at the local events I advertise, tell anyone who will listen.

I’m going to make a few more minor cosmetic changes to the theme in the coming weeks. I may or may not time them to go into effect as of New Year’s Day 2011, but that is my goal.

Friday 11-05 and Saturday 11-06

Selkie, A Sea Tale, Obsidian Arts Space, 3522 White Oak Drive, 8pm, $20 (suggested). Divergence Vocal Theater presents a dreamy love tale inspired by Selkie mythology. The selkie is a half-seal, half-human creature which sheds its skin to become human for a while. Part of Opera America’s National Opera Week celebration. 10-M11-1

Saturday 11-06

Life is Living Festival, Emancipation Park, 3018 Dowling St, 11am-5pm. A hip-hop-based environmental justice festival. Featuring Change Sounds Like This, Contemporary Dance and B-Boys, Emancipation Exchange (vintage clothing exchange for recycling/repurposing), and other demonstrations and activities. 10-M11-2

GoGirlsMusicFest Houston, The Concert Pub, 5636 Richmond Ave., 7:30pm-1am, $7, 21+. Featuring music by Sherree Bacarisse, The Snake Charmers, Sheila Swift, Heidi Massin, August 83/Spare Parts, Staci’s Edge, and 3 Kisses. Benefiting the Music Therapy Center of Houston. 10-M11-3

Saturday 11-20

D.R.U.M., Potbelly, and Kozzmik Steel, The Continental Club, 3700 Main. Time and ticket price not posted; will update when available. 10-M11-4

Saturday 11-20 and Sunday 11-21

Via Colori, downtown Houston near Sam Houston Park, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm. Free admission. A two-day street painting festival with food, live music, a scavenger hunt, facepainting and more. Benefiting the Center for Hearing and Speech. Join me, it’s going to be a blast! 10-M11-6

Spacetaker’s Winter Holiday Art Market, Winter Street Studios, 2101 Winter Street, Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Several local artists will be selling unique, hand-made holiday gifts. Other attractions include live music, DJs, artist demonstrations, and (on Saturday) children’s art activities. 10-M11-7

Thursday 11-25

HEB Holiday Parade, downtown (see website for exact parade route), 9am, free on-street viewing or $12/$19+fees for reserved seating. See the recap of last year’s event. 10-M11-5

Beginning Thursday 11-25

The Ice At Discovery Green, $10+tax including skate rental per person, see website for hours and details. Back again for the 2010-11 winter, an outdoor ice rink in Houston! The model boat basin portion of Kinder Lake (the part directly behind the Anheuser-Busch stage) will be frozen over using renewable energy and transformed into an ice skating rink. Great if you miss outdoor ice skating in your northern US or Canadian hometown, or if you just don’t feel like battling Galleria traffic to go ice skating. 10/11-IADG