The weekend is almost here! What are your plans? Here is a snapshot of a few free events and activities to enjoy with family and friends:

Watch a movie under the stars — Friday Night Films is back, by popular demand, thanks to Whole Foods Market (Montrose) and Alamo Drafthouse. The evening kicks off Friday, May 24, with Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. Food and fun start at 6 pm with the movie kicking off at 8 pm. Bring your own lawn chairs! Located at 701 Waugh.

Enjoy Latin funk — Head downtown for a Concert at the Square Friday, May 24, 8pm with Grupo Fantasma. This 11-piece Grammy Award winning Latin funk orchestra will delight audiences as the new generation of Latin groove music. The Austin-based group will perform at Market Square Park, 301 Milam.

Be patriotic – The Woodlands Waterway Square celebrates Memorial Day weekend with live music, kid fun, and fireworks Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26. Don’t miss the nightly live music kicking off at 6 pm featuring Leannasaurus Rex, the Rock-a-Fellas, Josh Fuller and Dirt & Diesel, and Nobody’s Fool with Kelley Peters. Plenty of kid-friendly fun including strolling entertainers, face painting, balloon artist and more. A special fireworks show begins at 8:55 pm each night. Limited, free parking is available  curbside near Lake Robbins Drive, Waterway Avenue, Waterway Square Place, and Timberloch Place. Garage parking fees vary.

Be soulful at Miller — Four nights of Dancin’ in the Street: Motown & More Revue! This unique annual show, May 23-26, features timeless classics of Motown artists. This year’s show pays tribute to Chaka Khan and James Brown. Show begins at 8:15 pm each night. Free covered seat tickets are available at 10:30 a.m. on performance day while they last. Four per person.  Miller Outdoor Theatre is located at 6000 Hermann Park Drive.

Watch a free classic movie — Alamo Kids Camp returns this weekend with the free movie Karate Kid from 1984. Show dates are May 24 (11:30 am), May 25 (10:30 am) and May 26 (10:15 am) at Alamo Drafthouse Vintage Park. Seats are first-come, first-serve. Get a reserved seat by pre-purchasing a $5 food and beverage voucher online.

Sample some chili — The Memorial Day Chili Challenge hits downtown Tomball May 25 to benefit veterans. Enjoy live classic rock from the Grateful Geezers plus a kids’ play area. Pro cookers from Texas and local businesses will battle it out for “Best Chili in Tomball.” Located at 201 S. Elm in Tomball.

Explore at Bass Pro Shops — The outdoor retail store is having lots of inside fun Memorial Day weekend for kids. Families can check out the new BB gun shooting range, explore with the metal detector treasure hunt, and find conservation items throughout the store in the Adventure Scavenger Hunt. Bass Pro Shops is located in Katy and Pearland.

Celebrate 80 years of oil — The Tomball Oiltown USA Jamboree celebrates 80 years since the first oil discovery in Tomball, May 27, 1933. This Memorial Day 1930-style celebration from 11 am – 6 pm features nickel hotdogs and sodas, games, period music, a mobile oilfield museum with 24 stations for kids, and more. Don’t miss the crazy contests like watermelon seed spitting, pie eating, and greased pig contest! Lots of antique cars and antique fire truck to ogle at, too. The Klein family will display antique pieces from the feed store and grocery store. Free admission and parking, to boot! Located around the historic railroad depot in Tomball at 102 S. Elm.

Here is a snapshot of a few of today’s daily deals in Houston. Don’t miss the new Houston Daily Deals page for a complete round-up of daily deals.

Cody Simpson — $18.75 for general admission ticket to Cody Simpson at Bayou Music Center on June 6 at 7 p.m. (up to $53 value)

Pradaria Steaks & Churrascaria — $38 for Brazilian Churrasco Dinner for Two at Pradaria Steaks & Churrascaria ($78 value)

LEGO Camp — $79 for Week of LEGO Summer Camp for Ages 5-8 or 8-12 at Wow Camps ($165 Value)

Yoga and Screening — $35 for Five Yoga Classes and Screening of “Change: The LifeParticle Effect” on June 23 at Dahn Yoga ($130 value)

Handyman Services — $60 for Two Hours of Handyman Service by B Handy ($120 Value). Use promo code SHARE5 to save $5 on Living Social deals through 5/31/13.

Sweeney Todd – $10.00 for “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” ($25.00 value). July 4-28 at Rice Univ.

Tracy Morgan Live — $25 for general admission ticket to Tracy Morgan: Excuse My French at House of Blues Houston May 30, 8 p.m. ($46 value)

Yoga Heart Studio — $39 for Five or Ten Hatha Yoga Classes at Yoga Heart Studio ($85 Value). Use promo code SHARE5 to save $5 on Living Social deals through 5/31/13.

Texas Kayak Guide — $59 for Two-Hour Kayak Nature Tour with Equipment at Texas Kayak Guide ($120 Value)

Riverboat Cruise — Luncheon or Drinks Cruise on a Riverboat for Two from Southern Empress Cruises (Up to 51% Off)

Gina’s Italian Kitchen –$17 for Prix Fixe Italian Dinner for Two Sunday-Thursday or Friday-Saturday at Gina’s Italian Kitchen ($37 value)

Vein Treatment — $60 for Initial Screening and One 30-Minute Sclerotherapy Treatments at The Vein Treatment Center ($150 value)

I am an affiliate partner with several of the daily deal sites — meaning they thank me with credit/compensation for sending folks to their sites.

It may not be the end of school today for you, but it doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate National End of School Day with Sonic. The fast-food retailer is offering 50¢ corn dogs today, May 23, all day in honor of National End of School Day. My daughters still have two weeks left… It’s OK! We’ll take a deal however we can get it.

Active military personnel can browse and explore more than 2,000 U.S. national parks for free, thanks to America the Beautiful — The National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass. This free pass ($80 value) includes U.S. military members and their dependents in Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and most U.S. Reserve and National Guard members. Military veterans or retirees are not included in this free pass.

The pass is available at any national park or wildlife refuge that charges a fee when military show their military ID. The pass includes the active military member and up to three accompanying adults in the vehicle or three people at sites that charge per person.

Some new events have hit the half-price tickets at Goldstar. Check out these upcoming theater opportunities:

Blue Man Group — The Blue Man Group returns to Houston to amaze audiences with their unique entertainment of music, comedy, and multimedia theatrics. I am curious about this show, because I have never seen them perform live.

June 4
$26 ($42 reg.)
Jones Hall

The Addams Family – This Broadway musical hits Galveston with its national touring company. The musical comedy features the quirky family from the TV and movie series.

June 21-22
$13.80 – $33 ($46-$66 reg.)
The Grand in Galveston

Scooby Doo Live Musical Mysteries – This new interactive live event, Scooby Doo Live, features professional actors, spooky special effects and cartoonish capers that will have young audiences on the edge of their seats!

June 1
$15 – $18 ($27 – $33 reg.)
Jones Hall

Glamourous Glee by Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston — This annual pride show by Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston is a tribute to the tradition of glee club choruses. This group has been delighting audiences for 33 years, when they first started as Montrose Singers Inc.

June 4
$10 – $25 ($20 – $50 reg.)
Wortham Theater

Head to Goldstar Houston and search these titles. You’ll need to sign up at Goldstar with an email (it’s free) to take advantage of these deals. A service fee is added per ticket as with all online ticket purchases.

Goldstar partners with Houston on the Cheap. I get a little something for sharing these great deals with my readers.

Several Houston-area restaurants are donating a percent of sales May 22 to help folks affected by the Oklahoma tornado.

Houston-area Luby’s and Fuddruckers will donate 15% of sales May 22, between 4pm – 8pm. Money will be given to the American Red Cross to help the citizens in Moore, Oklahoma. The restaurants are partnering with CBS Radio for Houston Helps: Money for Moore.

Chili’s will give 10% of sales all day May 22 to help with Oklahoma disaster relief. Print the voucher in link and show to server.  The restaurants also are collecting items during normal business hours for Red Cross: bottled water, diapers, heavy duty gloves, shovels, toiletries, and sunscreen.