Entertainment

As Fort Bend County continues to grow and welcome families from across cultures and generations, the stories people carry with them are becoming an increasingly important part of the county’s history.

That idea will take center stage Sept. 19 when the Fort Bend Museum in Richmond hosts its 4th Annual ¡Tiempo de Celebrar! Sunset Concert, a free public event celebrating Hispanic heritage, culture, family and community.

The celebration begins at 6 p.m. at the Fort Bend Museum, 410 Jackson Street in Richmond, with live music, community booths and a collection of personal pieces and stories contributed by local families through the museum’s recent community art call.

For residents looking for free family events in Fort Bend County, Hispanic Heritage Month events near Richmond, Texas, or simply an evening that brings neighbors together, the event offers something a little deeper than a typical outdoor concert: an opportunity for local families to help tell the story of the community themselves.

Jane Schulz, director of development at the Fort Bend History Association, invited residents to see the evening as both a celebration and a chance to connect with one another.

“Join us at the Fort Bend Museum for our 4th Annual ¡Tiempo de Celebrar! Sunset Concert as we come together for an evening celebrating Hispanic heritage, culture, family, and community!” Schulz said.

Local families help tell Fort Bend County’s story

Along with the music and community booths, visitors will be able to see special pieces and stories shared by Fort Bend-area families.

That community-created element fits closely with the larger mission of the Fort Bend Museum and the Fort Bend History Association, which has spent nearly six decades preserving and sharing Fort Bend County history. The nonprofit organization describes its work as an effort to preserve, educate and inspire while helping residents connect with the county’s past and with one another. 

The association operates the Fort Bend Museum and other local history resources and offers museum tours, historic-home experiences, school field trips, family activities and community events throughout the year. 

“We’re honored to create a space where members of our community can share pieces of their own heritage and help us celebrate the traditions and stories that continue to shape Fort Bend County,” Schulz said.

That feels especially fitting in Fort Bend County, where so many families bring different traditions, backgrounds and experiences to the community. By making room for those stories, the museum is helping preserve a fuller picture of what Fort Bend looks like today — and how its residents continue to shape the county’s identity.

A museum rooted in more than 50 years of Fort Bend history

The Fort Bend Museum itself has been part of Richmond’s cultural landscape since 1972. It is owned and operated by the Fort Bend History Association, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing the county’s stories, artifacts and cultural milestones. 

Today, the museum combines exhibits and educational programming with historic properties, community gatherings and hands-on experiences designed to make local history feel connected to everyday life rather than confined to a display case.

Historic resources associated with the museum include the 1883 Moore Home and the Long-Smith Cottage, an 1855 house tied to families whose stories stretch back into the era of the Texas Revolution. 

Holding ¡Tiempo de Celebrar! at the Fort Bend Museum makes the evening feel especially connected to the community. Families are not just visiting a place that tells Fort Bend’s history — they are bringing in their own traditions, memories and stories, adding to the story of what the county is today.

¡Tiempo de Celebrar! is free and open to the public

The Sept. 19 Sunset Concert is free and open to the public, making it an accessible option for families looking for things to do in Richmond and Fort Bend County.

Residents are encouraged to bring family members and friends and spend the evening enjoying the museum grounds, music and community activities.

“And the best part? It’s FREE and open to the public!” Schulz said.

This year’s celebration is sponsored by H-E-B, which the Fort Bend History Association credited with helping make the community event possible.

The museum regularly hosts events designed to pair Fort Bend history with community experiences, from educational programs and tours to seasonal celebrations. Its stated mission centers on cultivating curiosity and connections by sharing the stories of Fort Bend County and its people. 

Another unusual night is coming to the museum on Halloween

Residents who enjoy seeing historic places used in unexpected ways will not have to wait long for another Fort Bend Museum event.

On Saturday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 11 p.m., the museum will host Echos of Enchantment Fantasy Ball, part of its “Lit at the Museum” programming.

The ticketed, 18-and-older Halloween event is being promoted under the theme “Dress for the Realm. Dance through the Story.”

Guests are invited to arrive dressed in attire inspired by enchanted forests, legendary castles, magical creatures, fairy tales and fantasy worlds. The evening is expected to include dinner, an opportunity to learn ballroom dancing and themed experiences throughout the museum property.

The historic Moore House will be decorated with a Harry Potter-inspired theme, while the surrounding grounds are planned around a Lord of the Rings concept. Inside the museum gallery, organizers are planning a design inspired by A Court of Thorns and Roses.

For a property ordinarily devoted to interpreting Fort Bend County history, the fantasy ball offers a different kind of storytelling experience — one that uses the museum’s historic buildings and grounds as the backdrop for a night built around literature, imagination and costume.

Tickets are being sold in advance through the Fort Bend Museum.

A fall season built around stories — old and new

Taken together, the two events show how the Fort Bend Museum is broadening the ways residents can interact with a place dedicated to preserving the past.

¡Tiempo de Celebrar! focuses on real families, cultural traditions and the heritage that continues to shape Fort Bend County today. Echos of Enchantment, meanwhile, turns the historic site into a setting where fictional worlds and familiar stories can come to life for an evening.

Both reflect the museum’s broader effort to function not only as a repository for artifacts, but also as a gathering place where the community can learn, celebrate and create new memories.

“Bring your family, invite your friends, and come spend the evening with us. We’d love to see you there!” Schulz said.

For Fort Bend residents, that may be the most important part of the Sept. 19 celebration: history is not only something that happened generations ago. It is also being made by the families, traditions and stories across the county today.

Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more Fort Bend County events, museum programs and community updates.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.