The temperature isn’t the only thing heating up–from exciting events and restaurant openings to new art installations and everything in between, we’ve rounded up the hottest things happening around Downtown this summer.
Slather on the Sunscreen
Space City gathers together on July 20 at Discovery Green to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Moon landing. The family-friendly event will feature space-themed exhibitions and discussions, stargazing, interactive photo opportunities, a film screening, an artisan market and more. There’s nothing more “Houston” you could possibly find to do.
Bring some friendly competition, an impressive picnic spread and your good-luck charm (especially if they’re the four-legged, furry kind) for Blanket Bingo. Now in its sixth season, Blanket Bingo is a mainstay in Historic Market Square every third Thursday evening of the month from May–October. John Mills-McCoin is your emcee, and Fistful of Soul will bring the music. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit Market Square Park and Buffalo Bayou Park to make sure we’re keeping Houston’s parks beautiful while keeping you entertained!
Picking a good meetup spot in the summer can be hard, but Saint Arnold's Beer Garden has something for everyone. With cold beer, delicious food, local art, a big screen TV, lawn games and breathtaking views of the Houston skyline—what else do you need? Their picnic tables outside are big enough for your whole crew, but if you are looking to escape the triple digit temps, they also have indoor seating with the A/C cranked high. You may come for a beer, but we guarantee you’ll stay for the “Best French Fries in Houston”.
Art Cooler than a Popsicle
Downtown has more to look at than skyscrapers—it’s an art lover's dream, with more than 65 pieces of public art (with new art popping up all the time). Take a minute out of your commute to visit some of the incredible pieces by famed artists of various movements. Art Blocks, the temporary public art initiative in Downtown Houston, has a new piece of artwork out on the Main Street Marquee! Commute, by local artist Sarah Welch, is rendered in a comic book style as a nod to everyday life in Houston and a metaphor for the power of books to transport readers through time and space. Stop by and check it out before it’s gone!
Who said you have to be a kid to play? New to Avenida Houston this summer is Impulse, an interactive work comprised of a series of 30 glowing seesaws with audio that shift and change when in motion. The seesaws form dynamic units of light and sound that can be activated by the public to create an ever-changing composition. It’s fun for the whole family, as they say, and who doesn’t love art you can sit on?
What Cookout?
There are few things hotter than Downtown Houston’s food scene right now, and we’ve got three new restaurants for your bucket list. Understory is a new food hall inside Bank of America Tower which will house Houston favorites like Boomtown Coffee, Mama Ninfa’s Tacos Y Tortas, Mona Fresh Italian Food, East Hampton Sandwich Co., Flip ‘n Patties and Seaside Poké. It’s the perfect spot to shake up your lunch routine or grab a quick bite before heading to a show in the Theater District.
For the last year or so, if you were craving Shake Shack in Downtown Houston, that meant you had to have a ticket to the Astros game. Not anymore! The New York-based burger chain has found another home in the heart of the city. The centrally located outpost at the corner of Main and Capitol means those oh-so-delicious burgers and crinkle-cut fries will be close to various neighborhoods around Downtown, giving you that much more reason to indulge (and bike) a little harder this weekend.
Hang on, we’re not done yet! Opening this summer is Bravery Chef Hall, a nine-thousand-square-foot space with five curated, chef-driven and chef-run restaurant concepts under one roof. The impressive lineup includes The Cherry Block Craft Butcher and Kitchen, BOH Pasta, Kokoro, The Blind Goat and Atlas Diner. At each, guests have the opportunity to sit bar-side and interact with the chefs. Bravery will also have a wine bar, a cocktail bar and a patio bar.