Is it just me or have we had somewhat of a real transition into summer? Whether you consider June 1st the start of summer, or go by the astrological calendar’s June 21st, or pretty much feel when it’s just unbearably hot outside, summer mode in Houston is turning on.

The World Cup is hovering on people’s minds and while the hype has been alive, hotels are reporting the demand for bookings have been mild against original expectations. Still, if traffic is already bad in Houston be prepared for it to get much, much worse this month.

There’s much to be excited about with a lot of big events this month! Pride Houston Parade is this weekend, Free Fishing Day is this Saturday, and the Photo Booth Museum is debuting as Photomatica’s largest one. (Catch preview night later today. Looks like it’s going to be a packed event!)

Houston Public Library kicked off its Summer Reading Program for all ages where tracking your reading progress gives you a chance to win fun prizes like Nintendo Switch Lites for kids and Kindles for adults. Later this month, ISHIDA Dance Company is premiering a new performance, waiting / REX, that “unfolds a haunting, surreal dreamscape following a young man’s search for identity, power, and truth.” And in true summer fashion, Miller Outdoor Theatre is kicking off its season with Juneteenth Culture Fest.

Let us know what you’re looking forward to this summer in Houston! Hit reply.

— Kathrina Maribao

This week’s coffee is on us! That means 3 readers will receive a $10 gift card to Verbena Coffee. All you have to do to enter is open today’s issue. (If you’re reading this you just did—nice!!)

Winners will be randomly selected and emailed tomorrow morning.

Want to collab on a future issue and treat readers to coffee on you? Hit reply.

LATELY IN HOUSTON

The World Cup has landed in Space City. Houstonia's mega-guide covers all seven NRG matches, the 39-day EaDo fan fest with Trae Tha Truth headlining, where to eat near the stadium, where to watch if you missed tickets, a soccer-newbie crash course, and the superfan clubs who were repping their teams long before Houston got the call. Houstonia Magazine

New park, new me. Sunnyside just got its first new park in 50 years and it's a stunner! The Hill at Sims, a $30M, 100-acre greenspace at 11808 Scott St., opened May 30 with five miles of trails, a fishing pier, murals, and a 60-foot hilltop pavilion boasting the best skyline view in flat-as-a-pancake Houston. Forward Times

Houston, we have a renovation. Johnson Space Center is getting a $300M facelift courtesy of the Trump admin's "big, beautiful bill" funding new manufacturing buildings (including a 38,000-sq-ft Applied Spaceflight Fabrication Facility) and overdue infrastructure repairs. Seven contractors are in the running. The glow-up lands as NASA preps to name its Artemis III crew on June 9. Chron

WEEKEND EVENTS

All weekend:

• Art League Summer Classes announced. General registration begins June 8th.

• John Akomfrah: The Hour Of The Dog on view at Menil

• Mario Ayala: Seven Vans at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston on view til June 21st.

• Petite Lucie now open downtown

Thursday, 6/4

5:30pm-8pm, Art | Cup of Cups: Ceramic Throwdown at HCCC. “A high-energy, wheel-throwing and elimination-round competition celebrating the skill, speed, and creativity of artists working in clay!⁠”

6pm-10pm, Art | Photo Booth Museum Houston Preview Night. Free, but RSVP.

6:30pm-8pm, Live Music | The Nameless Sound Ensemble: How to Listen and Be Influenced performance at CAMH. “Join us for the performance of an original score inspired by, and in response to, the work of Mary Ellen Carroll in the exhibition Mary Ellen Carroll: How To Talk Dirty and Influence People.” Free, but RSVP.

7pm, Concert | Yellowcard at 713 Music Hall. $53 and up.

Friday, 6/5

9am, Community | A Pastry Pop-up by Un Caffe.

6pm, Games | Loteria y Plantitas at Gazpacho’s Levy Park.

7pm, Film | Watch Bending It Like Beckham (2002) outdoors at Discovery Green.

Saturday, 6/6

10am-2pm, Thrifting | Coffee & Records by Good Junk Vintage at Cooldog. “Vintage Record Digging, Coffee Sipping, Buddy Tattoo, Haircutting Hang.”

10:30am-1:30pm, Day Party | Casa Nomad Coffee Rave at Galindo’s Coffee.

11am-1pm, Workshop | Imprint Writing Workout at Menil Drawing Institute. Workshop has reached capacity but there’ll be a stand-by line. 

11am-1pm, Community | Houston Heights Silent Book Club at Slowpokes.

11am-2pm, Community | Pride Tailgayte at Las Perras Cafe.

11am-10pm, Community | Pride Houston Parade at City Hall.

12pm-5pm, Community | I Love 11th Neighborhood Festival. “Discover the best of 11th Street—from morning coffee to late-night bites. Support local, meet your neighbors, and join the movement to keep our streets vibrant.” Free.

1pm-7pm, Culture | Juneteenth Houston’s 5th Annual Celebrate Freedom Fest.

6pm-9pm, Art | Night at the MFAH: Kaleidoscope of Color. “Celebrate the richly hued masterworks of European modernism in Picasso–Klee–Matisse: Masterpieces from the Museum Berggruen and take in the immersive Ernesto Neto: SunForceOceanLife.” $40, free for members. Includes complimentary drink.

7pm-8pm, Art | Origami Night at Tadaima.

8pm-12am, Art | Frágil II, curated by Curator-in-Residence Luis Manuel Perea presented by RUBY Projects Opening Day Evening Reception.

Sunday, 6/7

2pm-6pm, Art | Houston Drink and Draw at Betelgeuse Betelgeuse.

7pm, Live Music | Lovers, Haters, and Everyone Else attic concert at Axelrad. $12.

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