Katy Home & Outdoor Living Show and Community Expo Return to Merrell Center Aug. 22–23 With Local Exhibitors, Family Fun
For Katy homeowners with a project list, families looking for something different to do before summer winds down and residents who simply want to discover more of what their community has to offer, one upcoming weekend brings all of those interests under the same roof.
The fall edition of the Katy Home & Outdoor Living Show and the Katy Community Expo will return to the Merrell Center, located at 6301 S. Stadium Lane in Katy, on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.The combined event is expected to feature more than 150 exhibitors, bringing home improvement professionals, local businesses, artisans, community organizations, food vendors and family activities together for two days.
Admission is free with advance registration and $5 at the door, giving Katy-area families a relatively low-cost way to spend several hours browsing, asking questions and discovering businesses they may otherwise never encounter.
Two Shows Bring Home Projects and Katy Community Connections Together
The partnership between the Katy Home & Outdoor Living Show and Katy Community Expo gives the weekend a broader purpose than a traditional home show.
On one side, homeowners can compare products and services for remodeling, decorating, landscaping, pools, patios and outdoor entertaining. The Katy Home & Outdoor Living Show has connected homeowners with vendors and service providers for 20 years, according to organizer RJC Event Group. Visitors can speak face-to-face with professionals, gather ideas for future renovations and learn about products ranging from smaller home updates to major improvement projects.
Organized by the Home for the Holidays Gift Market team, the Katy Community Expo expands the experience beyond the house itself, creating a marketplace where residents can find local restaurants and treats, health and wellness providers, professional services, handmade merchandise, community resources and organizations serving the Katy area.
For residents, that combination means a trip to research a backyard project could just as easily lead to discovering a new local baker, CPA, neighborhood organization, volunteer opportunity or family activity.
A Place to Find the Local Businesses You Keep Meaning to Look Up
The Community Expo is organized around a simple idea: helping people find their local “go-to” businesses and resources.
Its Home Sweet Home area focuses on remodeling, landscaping and home services, while Fun Foods brings together sweets, treats, bakers and cafes. Business Bureau is designed for residents and entrepreneurs looking for professional services such as banking, insurance and legal assistance, while Wellness Way connects visitors with businesses related to health, fitness, nutrition and medical care.
Shoppers looking for something less practical and a little more fun can explore Crafter’s Corner, featuring handmade arts and crafts, jewelry, accessories, soaps, candles and gift items. The expo also promotes deals, samples, coupons, giveaways and prizes from participating businesses.
That mix makes the event especially relevant in a growing community like Katy, where new residents arrive regularly and even longtime neighbors can find it difficult to keep up with the number of businesses, organizations and services opening across the area.
Kids Get Their Own Space Upstairs
Parents who have ever tried to browse a home improvement show with children in tow will find something specifically designed for them this year.
Families can head upstairs for a dedicated children's area with hands-on activities, LEGO brick play, face painting and interactive stations. The Katy Community Expo's children's section is intended to give younger visitors their own space to play and explore while families spend the day at the event.
The broader show is being promoted as a family-friendly experience, with live demonstrations, interactive displays and giveaways also planned throughout the weekend.
For parents, that means the show does not necessarily have to be an adults-only experience centered on flooring samples and contractor estimates. It can become part home-project research, part shopping trip and part family outing.
Shopping Small Remains Part of the Expo's Mission
The Katy Community Expo is associated with Home for the Holidays Gift Market, a mother and daughter-led company built around supporting independent businesses and artisans through temporary retail markets.
Home for the Holidays says its markets are designed to give small businesses opportunities to meet customers directly and showcase handmade goods and specialty products. Since its founding in 2008, the company reports donating more than $500,000 to Houston-area charities and nonprofit organizations, including groups assisting food pantries, women and children and people facing rehabilitation needs.
That small-business focus carries into the Katy Community Expo, where visitors can shop locally while putting faces to businesses they may have previously encountered only through social media or online searches.
The expo also encourages residents to connect with clubs, special-interest groups, recreational leagues and volunteer organizations — creating opportunities to find not just a service provider, but a place to become more involved in Katy.
Donation Station Gives Visitors Another Way to Help
Community involvement extends to the event's Donation Station, where attendees are encouraged to bring clothing, dry goods and other requested items for collection benefiting local charities.
For families already planning to attend, that creates an easy opportunity to clean out a closet or pantry beforehand and bring useful items along.
It is a relatively small part of a large event, but it reflects the broader goal behind the Community Expo: creating a place where commerce, recreation and community participation overlap.
What Katy Residents Should Know Before Going
The fall edition of the Katy Home & Outdoor Living Show + Katy Community Expo will be held at the Merrell Center, 6301 S. Stadium Lane, Katy, TX 77494.
The show runs Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free for guests who register in advance; admission without advance registration is $5 at the door.
With more than 150 exhibitors expected, families may want to allow plenty of time to walk the show floor, especially if they are researching several home projects or hoping to browse both the home show and community marketplace.
More than individual vendors or promotions, the weekend serves as a broader community gathering for Katy residents. It is an opportunity for Katy residents to compare home improvement ideas, discover businesses close to home, support entrepreneurs, connect with community groups and give children something of their own to enjoy along the way.
For a rapidly changing area where it can sometimes feel impossible to know everything happening nearby, the Katy Home & Outdoor Living Show and Katy Community Expo offer a chance to discover a little more of the community in one place.
Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more upcoming Katy events, family activities, local business news and community updates.
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.
