From festivals to sip and strolls, here are eight events to add to your calendar in April. 

Katy Easter Exchange: Families can celebrate Easter with a day of local shopping, sweet treats, springtime activities as well as an Easter egg hunt and photos with the Easter Bunny.

• April 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 
• Free (admission)
• 904 Ave. C., Katy

Houston Kids Triathlon: The triathlon is one of the largest youth triathlons in the world and includes assisted and adaptive courses.

• April 11-12
• $60-$110 (registration)
• Typhoon Texas Waterpark, 555 Katy Fort Bend Road, Katy

Sip N Stroll: Stroll through more than 35 tasting stations and taste culinary creations from top Katy-area restaurants at the biannual event supporting the local nonprofit Christ Clinic.

• April 25, 6-9 p.m.
• $65 (general admission)
• 21402 Merchants Way, Katy

Paris Banh Mi, a Vietnamese sandwich shop and bakery, will close its doors in Katy on March 31, with officials citing “high rental costs and slow sales."

What you need to know: The Katy location, which opened in 2024, specializes in its namesake sandwich, pho noodles, tea and croissants, according to its website.

Zooming out: The franchise has 50 locations all over the country, with another Greater Houston location in Pearland.

• 2004 S. Mason Road, Katy

With a partial federal government shutdown ongoing, officials with the Houston Airport System said on March 23 that passengers could continue to see growing wait times at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), including in some cases exceeding four hours at IAH.

As a result, federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have begun supporting TSA operations at airports nationwide, including in Houston, Houston Airport System officials announced in a March 23 news release.

Some context: Due to the partial federal government shutdown, which began Feb. 14, TSA officers are working without pay, which is creating staffing shortages that have led to longer than typical wait times at airports nationwide.

Diving in deeper: Per the release, with the addition of ICE agents at Houston airports, screening procedures for passengers remain unchanged. Additionally, officials noted the number of available TSA screening lanes can vary by airport and shift, depending on staffing levels.

After months of standby, Harris County moved forward with a multimillion-dollar initiative to develop long lasting solar energy in low-income and underserved communities countywide.

What happened: Commissioners Court on March 19 authorized $88.3 million to fund projects for the Solar for All plan despite the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempted termination of grants associated with the program. Harris County filed a lawsuit against the EPA in October to reclaim the promised funds, and officials said a decision is expected later this year.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey voted against in the 3-1 decision.

More details: The initiative aims to ease the financial burden of rising energy costs in vulnerable communities and enhance grid resilience during extreme weather events, according to county documents. County officials said exact sites are being evaluated, with a focus on locations that would "generate the most economic benefit."

Some context: The EPA awarded Harris County $54 million for Solar for All projects in April 2024 but has since tried to cut the program entirely, triggering legal pushback from the county attorney's office.

Beginning April 1, Texans can no longer use food stamps to purchase sweetened beverages and candy.

How we got here: During the 2025 legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 379, which prohibits Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from being used to purchase candy and sweetened drinks. In August, the federal government approved a waiver allowing Texas to implement the prohibition beginning April 1.

Texas will be the ninth state to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used on sugary items, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

How it works: Under SB 379, Texans will not be allowed to use their SNAP benefits to buy sweetened drinks containing any artificial sweeteners or at least 5 grams of added sugar, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. SB 379 also bans the purchase of candy with Lone Star Cards.

It is up to Texas businesses to determine which items are no longer SNAP-eligible, update their store purchase systems and train staff to recognize the newly restricted items, according to the HHSC.