The New Year has arrived! Start filling up your 2009 calendar now in order to make the most of Houston’s warm winter season. Plenty of yearly and specialty events exist for people of all ages. Winter can be just as fun as summer! Check out this list of upcoming events.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to spend more time outdoors or to become more active? Head to the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center or to Water Wall, Houston’s two National Parks. Looking to meet new people at social events? Join Bayou City Outdoors, where events are occurring year-round! January events include Farmers Markets, social dances and slalom racing on the river!

Enjoy a night out at Alley Theatre while viewing the January or February production. In January, be swept away with the story of a mother and daughter’s journey through life as they deal with issues of love, money, sex and morality. Mrs. Warren’s Profession will take you by surprise with its unexpected twists and revelations.

From Jan. 22 to 25, broaden your horizons at the Tango Festival! Rice University creates the ideal atmosphere for this event with the overall theme being love. Express it however you choose on the dance floor! Classes are available for beginners and for the more advanced. Yoga classes are also offered that are geared specially for tango dancers!

In February, experience a bundle of emotions while watching Eurydice at Alley Theatre. The ancient Greek myth is brought back during this contemporary twist that the New York Time’s referred to as “a love letter to the world.” As Eurydice is about to marry Orpheus, she suddenly embarks on an adventure to the Underworld and must then decide where she’d rather reside.

On Feb. 7, visit the Museum of Natural Science for free! Learn about the evolution of the human body from anthropologists, invest how insects have adapted to changes through the years and discover what animals haven’t changed their biology for hundreds of years! Heard of the Galapagos Islands? Whether you have or not, you can help the museum look for clues of what Charles Darwin may have found there. Also, on Feb. 12, celebrate the special birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin. Eat birthday cake while learning more about Darwin’s findings on genetics and evolution.

The Houston Zoo is celebrating President’s Day on Feb. 16 by offering a free day at the zoo! Come by to learn about and appreciate all of nature’s wild animals without spending a dime. The zoo provides numerous special activities and events throughout the upcoming season.

The famous Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at Houston’s Reliant Stadium doesn’t begin until March, but plan ahead by buying your tickets today! A show is offered almost everyday in March. Some days even include special concerts, such as the Jonas Brothers on March 8, Taylor Swift on March 20 and many more!

Don’t forget to root for Houston’s professional sports teams! This time of year requires wrapping up the Houston Texans football season while supporting the Houston Aeros hockey team and the Houston Rockets basketball teams! Visit the individual team websites for game schedules and ticket information.

Are you looking for an activity that reminds you its winter? Grab a coat or sweatshirt and test your skills on ice skates! The Memorial City Mall and the Galleria Mall both contain ice skating rinks that you can enjoy during shopping breaks!

Shopping & Dining

You will find luxury purchases and must-need items all inside The Galleria Mall! Nestled in one of the largest business districts in the country, this shopping center has everything you could need or want! It also happens to be the largest mall in the entire state, and it is sometimes referred to as the Houston Galleria to distinguish it from other destinations that boast a similar name. However, this mall is anything but ordinary! It is also the seventh largest mall in the country! All the shops and restaurants are in a completely enclosed building that is always expanding. New stores pop up, brand-new dining areas open and customers are always satisfied with their shopping and dining experiences at The Galleria.

One of the premier restaurants in Houston, Vargos combines the senses! Your mouth will water for the delectable meals, your eyes will gaze at beautiful gardens and your nose will take in the aromas of the flourishing flowers and the fabulous foods. Enjoy casual dining or host your next big event at this luxurious dining facility. Vargos can accommodate both an extravagant and an intimate affair. Its legendary storybook setting is pleasing to the eye, and its exquisite menu will leave you wanting more.

The Arts

• Museum Exhibitions

Museum of Texas History: The Heritage Society @ Sam Houston Park

– June 10 – July 27, The Road to the Promised Land: Martin Luther King Jr. & the Civil Rights Movement
– June 10 – September 28, Interwoven Traditions: The Spiritual Journey from African to African American
– August 5 – September 28, Snapshots of Houston History from the Bob Bailey Studios Collection

Museum of Printing History

– Friday, June 20, Comic Books: A Visual History, 6 – 8 p.m.
– Through July 19, Houston Architectural Trilogy: Photography of Valentin Gertsman

• Music & Theatre

Woodlands Pavilion

– Friday, June 13, Houston Symphony, 8 p.m.
– Saturday, June 14, Chicago & Doobie Brothers, 7:30 p.m.
– Saturday, June 28, Stone Temple Pilots, 8 p.m.
– Friday, July 25, Foreigner & Bryan Adams, 7:30 p.m.
– Saturday, August 2, John Mayer, 7 p.m.
– Friday, August 15, Dave Matthews Band, 7 p.m.

Hobby Center

– Tuesday – Saturday, June 3 – 14, Sweeney Todd, varying times

Verizon Wireless Theatre

– Tuesday, June 10, Lifehouse, 7 p.m.
– Saturday, June 28, Bob Saget, 8 p.m.
– Thursday, June 17, Cinderella, 8 p.m.
– Sunday, June 29, Stone Temple Pilots, 7 p.m.

• Sporting Events

Astros MLB Baseball

Tuesday, June 10, against the Milwaukee Brewers, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday, June 11, against the Milwaukee Brewers, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday, June 12, against the Milwaukee Brewers, 1:05 p.m.
Friday, June 13, against the New York Yankees, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, June 14, against the New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.
Sunday, June 15, against the New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.

——– ROAD TRIP——–

Tuesday, June 24, against the Texas Rangers, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday, June 25, against the Texas Rangers, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday, June 26, against the Texas Rangers, 1:05 p.m.
Friday, June 27, against the Boston Red Sox, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, June 28, against the Boston Red Sox, 6:05 p.m.
Sunday, June 29, against the Boston Red Sox, 1:05 p.m.
Monday, June 30, against Los Angeles Dodgers,

Comets WNBA Basketball

Saturday, June 14, against the Seattle Storm, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, June 16, against the Atlanta Dream, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 18, against the Washington Mystics, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 26 against the San Antonio Silver Stars, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 28, against the Indiana Fever, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 5, against the Sacramento Monarchs, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 17 against the Minnesota Lynx, 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, July 19, against the Los Angeles Sparks, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 22, against the Phoenix Mercury, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 24, against the Detroit Shock, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 26, Chicago Sky, 7:30 p.m.

Dynamo MLS Soccer

Sunday, June 8, against the Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 12, against the New England Revolution, 8 p.m.
Thursday, June 26, against the FC Dallas, 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 2, against the Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 16, against the Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, August 20, against Chivas USA., 8 p.m.
Sunday, August 31, against the Chicago Fire, 6 p.m.