12:30 – 01:15 | Orange Show World HQ classroom

Archivists of the Houston Area “Round Robin”

Representatives from various partner repositories characterize their work in a “round robin” style series of fast-faced, timed presentations. Five minutes only!​

01:30 – 02:15 | Orange Show World HQ classroom

Lecture: Michelle Verret Johnson: The Lithographic Stones of Clarke & Courts

Michelle Verret Johnson is the project manager of the William J. Hill Texas Artisans and Artists Archive at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens in Houston. Since joining the Hill Archive in 2014, she has engaged in numerous partnerships at museums, libraries, and with private collectors across Texas to develop this freely accessible online database that documents the lives and work of craftspeople working in Texas before 1900. This talk will focus on the recently (re)discovered sample inventory of lithographic stones used by Clarke & Courts of Galveston and Houston, the most prolific lithographic company along the gulf coast in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A visual treasure trove of job printing work, this inventory contains roughly two thousand, double-sided stone impressions that feature decorative typography and flourishes, business logos, printing directives, and other visual information for clients throughout the south and southwest United States, Canada, the Caribbean islands, Mexico, and Latin America.

02:30 – 03:15 | Orange Show World HQ Classroom

Lecture: Kirk Farris: Tales of Old Frost Town

Kirk Farris is an artist, activist, performer, poet, historian, preservationist, and a former investigator for the Harris County Pollution Department. Over more than forty years, he has meticulously researched and single-handedly revitalized the area around the McKee Street Bridge near Daikin Park, once an enclave of German immigrants known as Frost Town. What started as a series of bridge drawings led to a grant to paint the McKee Street Bridge in its now-iconic colors in 1985. That momentum sparked the creation of Art & Environmental Architecture, Inc., the nonprofit that went on to acquire and steward the land surrounding the bridge, now known as James Bute Park, including the historic Frost Town site. In this presentation, Kirk traces more than 400 years of history—from the area’s Indigenous roots to the vibrant waves of German, African-American, and Hispanic communities who shaped Frost Town. He will also share how today’s partners, including Harris County Precinct 2, are advancing a new Master Plan vision to honor the past while building a resilient and inclusive future.

​03:30 – 04:15 | Orange Show World HQ classroom

Screening: Walt Zipprian’s “Wendy Chicago”

Walt Zipprian is a Houston based actor, writer, and director who has been a mainstay in the local theater scene for over three decades. “Wendy Chicago” is a short-form, lo-fi documentary film that follows a 72-year-old drag queen’s afternoon, shot on location at Mary’s Lounge and EJ’s. 

03:45 – 04:15 | Orange Show monument

Orange Show conservation tour

Orange Show staff and conservation team discuss the work accomplished over the past year through the support of the National Park Service’s “Save America’s Treasures” grant program and our own volunteer group the Orange Show Conservation Corps. Learn about what’s been done so far and find out how you can get involved in the ongoing effort. . 

04:30 – 05:30 | Smither Park, Lindley Fish Amphitheater 

Keynote Performance: Rock Romano

Rock Romano is a musician, producer, storyteller, and painter whose career spans decades of sonic exploration. He’s known for his distinctive voice, masterful songwriting, and deep connection to the roots of rock, blues, and folk. His songs resonate with raw emotion, heartfelt lyricism, and a timeless quality that speaks to listeners of all ages. Beyond his own recording and performing career, Rock is also renowned for production expertise through his studio work as owner and head engineer at Red Shack Recording Studio, helping hundreds, if not thousands, of local Houston-based musicians set their tunes down in pristine recording conditions. For Old Weird Houston, Romano presents a selection of songs and stories from throughout his long and storied career.