By Lisbet Newton | Houston City Beat
A holiday gift can tell someone you know them well. It might be an ornament that reminds them of home, something special for the table where everyone gathers, or a piece of sports memorabilia that brings back a game they still talk about.
Finding that gift is part of what brings Houston shoppers back to the Nutcracker Market each November. This year, Rick Owens will be among the merchants welcoming them, returning for his seventh year as a vendor with RGO Sports.
The Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market returns November 12–15, 2026, at Reliant Center, formerly known as NRG Center. More than 280 merchants will fill the market with holiday décor, clothing, gourmet foods and gifts, continuing a tradition that began with one person’s idea for helping Houston Ballet.
In 1981, longtime ballet supporter Preston Frazier approached the Houston Ballet Guild with a proposal: create a holiday market that would raise money for the company, its Academy and scholarship programs. Drawing inspiration from European and Latin American street markets, he imagined an event where shopping and giving could happen together.
What began in a church-bazaar setting gradually grew into the four-day gathering Houston knows today. For many families and friends, a trip to the Nutcracker Market has become part of the holiday season itself: a chance to spend a day together, discover something new and perhaps cross a few names off the gift list.
The purpose reaches beyond the gifts shoppers carry home. Proceeds from admission and special-event tickets, along with 11 percent of merchandise sales, benefit Houston Ballet, its Academy and scholarship programs. Houston Ballet reports that the market has raised more than $100 million over the years.
This year’s festivities begin before the regular shopping days with the Wells Fargo Preview Party on Wednesday, November 11, featuring early shopping, live music, food and drinks. Thursday brings the Snow Queen’s Fashion Show and Luncheon, with fashions from Saks Fifth Avenue, followed Friday by the Sugar Plum’s Fashion Show and Luncheon featuring Macy’s.
Among the merchants will be RGO Sports at Booth 1524. For Rick, this year marks his seventh time participating in a market that has become part of the holiday calendar for so many Houstonians.
RGO Sports gives shoppers a place to look for the sports fan on their list, with items that include lighted 3D stadiums, championship rings and sports memorabilia. The business carries collectibles ranging from replica stadiums and rings to framed pieces, jerseys and video frames.
Sports gifts come with their own kind of history. A stadium can bring back memories of a first game with a parent. A championship keepsake can recall where someone was when their team finally won. The item becomes a way to hold on to a moment, or to share that moment with someone else.
For someone visiting the market for the first time, the variety offers plenty of places to begin. For returning shoppers and merchants like Rick, another November adds another chapter to an experience they already know. And through the market, the idea Preston Frazier brought to the Guild in 1981 continues bringing people together while supporting the arts in Houston.
Decades after its beginning, that purpose remains behind the holiday displays and shopping bags. A gift chosen for someone you love can also help support the dancers and artists who bring Houston Ballet to life. That is a Houston tradition worth carrying forward.
For tickets and visitor information, visit Houston Ballet’s Nutcracker Market website. Find RGO Sports at Booth 1524 during the November 12–15 market, or visit rgosports.com.
