Ring in the New Year with church bells, flying rice, and beaming newlyweds at the Bridal Extravaganza Show. Or find a four-wheeled beauty at the Houston Auto Show. A new year means a new calendar: grab a pen and get to marking! 

Bridal Extravaganza Show

The Bridal Extravaganza Show, now in its 30th year, will showcase 700 displays from 400 vendors. Whether the wedding is large or small, formal or informal, you can rest assured the exhibition has something for every couple’s wedding. There are even home goods to make it easy to settle down. Oh, and don’t forget to enter to win over 750 prizes including all-expenses-paid honeymoons and shopping sprees.
Jan 11 10–5 & Jan 12 11–5. $15. George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida De Las Americas. bridalextravaganzashow.com

Houston Auto Show

So your significant other has a mistress. But it’s okay: she has four wheels, a shiny coat, leather seats, and was made in a factory. You might even like her yourself. If not, the Houston Auto Show will have 500 more of the latest beauties from Audi, Porsche, BMW, and the like. If you want to support the American auto industry, you can also whip around in the latest Cadillacs, Jeeps, and Fords. The show is kid-friendly, too, with a Kids Fun Zone and a bounce house.
Jan 22 – 26. Wed–Fri noon–9:30; Sat 10–9:30; Sun 10-7. $10; children 6-12 $5. Reliant Center, One Reliant Park. houstonautoshow.com

Tet Festival Houston 2014

This year, Houston’s large Vietnamese community will celebrate the Lunar New Year with an all-day event featuring traditional food, music, and dances. The HGOco will even perform an excerpt from the opera Bound, about a troubled Vietnamese high school student. Plus, it ain’t a party without a pho eating contest.
Jan 25 from 10-9. Free. Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St. tetfesthouston.org

Festival of New Spanish Cinema

The sixth annual Festival of New Spanish Cinema kicks off at Rice University with six premieres. The festival starts with the controversial documentary Operation E, about the kidnappings of Clara Rojas and Ingrid Betancourt, who spent nearly seven years in captivity with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The festival will be a mix of documentaries, dramas, thrillers, as well as comedies like the box office hit A Gun in Each Hand.
Jan 17–26. All films start at 7. $6; $5 for non-Rice students and seniors; free for Rice students. Rice Cinema, 6100 Main St. pragda.com

Texas Yoga Conference

Many of you probably made New Year’s resolutions to cultivate some good habits, and we haven’t forgotten about you. What better way to start the year off right than by checking out the fifth Texas Yoga Conference, which includes workshops with names like “Redefining S&M” and “Pimp Your Ride: Yoga Therapeutics.” In addition to workshops and sessions, there will be sportswear and health food vendors.
Jan 31–Feb 2. Fri 10–7; Sat 9-10:30; Sun 9–7:30. $10-325. Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards St. texasyogaconference.com

20th Annual MLK Grande Parade Houston

Houston once more celebrates the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. with dueling parades, both of which will commence at the same hour in different parts of downtown. The MLK Grande Parade will feature 15 parade floats and 30 marching bands and expects to attract 300,000 spectators.
Jan 20 starting at 10. Free. Starts at San Jacinto St. & Elgin St. in Midtown. mlkgrandeparade.org

36th Annual “Original” MLK Parade and Holiday Celebration

Sponsored by the Black Heritage Society, this parade, first held in 1978, will celebrate the placement of a new MLK statue in MacGregor Park. The statue will be officially unveiled on Jan 18 at 4 p.m.
Jan 20 at 10. Free. Starts at Jackson St and Texas Ave. 713-236-1700. originalmlkparade.org