In a Pickle Festival, Taste of the Town: 8 Lake Houston-area events to attend in September
Looking for something to do in the Lake Houston area? Here are a few events going on throughout September.
In a Pickle Festival The annual In a Pickle Festival features over 100 vendors with pickled-themed items, an array of free pickle samples from vendors, pickle-themed contests, live music and a pet parade.
Sept. 6-7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Free (admission)
Town Center Park, 8 N. Main St., Kingwood
Taste of the Town Lake Houston Sample food from local restaurants, bakeries and breweries at the Lake Houston food expo. All proceeds benefit Inspire ND and the work it does to support young adults and families with neurodiversity.
Sept. 11, 5-8 p.m.
$30 (advanced tickets), $40 (at the door)
Humble Civic Center & Arena Complex, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway, Humble
QDOBA Mexican Eats to open 1st Greater Houston-area location in Humble
QDOBA Mexican Eats will open in Humble this fall, company officials announced via a news release Aug. 26.
On the menu: QDOBA offers signature and customizable burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, nachos and salads. Premium toppings—such as queso and guacamole—can be added at no extra charge.
What to expect: Per the release, the Humble restaurant will span 3,000 square feet and employ 20 staff members. The restaurant will mark QDOBA's first location in the Greater Houston area.
What's next: The Humble restaurant is owned by franchisee Chad Owaida, who has plans to open 14 additional locations across the Greater Houston area through his franchisee network, Q Eats LLC.
Harris County authorities to crack down on DUIs during Labor Day weekend
An interagency crackdown on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs in the Houston area began Aug. 28 for the extended Labor Day weekend, Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen announced.
The gist: Constable Precinct 1 deputies and officers from other law enforcement agencies will be out across Harris County to find and arrest drivers under the influence, according to a news release.
Notable quote: “The number of people killed or injured by drunk or drugged drivers remains at a scandalously high level in Harris and surrounding counties,” Rosen said. “On this last of this year’s extended summer weekends, due to Labor Day observances, I urge everyone to refrain from this deadly kind of driving, for their own sake and the public’s.”
Frontier Airlines announces 8 new routes from IAH airport
Starting in late November, Houston travelers flying on Frontier Airlines will have new routes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The framework: Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design, said in an Aug. 26 news release that the company is thrilled to add new routes from Houston as part of its aim to expand low-fare carrier options in the top 20 metros in the country.
“With new nonstop routes to exciting domestic and international destinations, now is a better time than ever for Houston-area travelers to fly with Frontier and enjoy the convenience, comfort and signature affordability we offer,” Flyr said.
What you need to know: The Denver-based airline company announced the following new IAH domestic and international routes launching in late 2025 through early 2026:
'Where would the money come from?': Harris County commissioners weigh year-long hiring freeze across county departments
Harris County commissioners and department leaders are considering implementing a yearlong hiring freeze to save at least $25 million in costs to address a projected $200 million-plus shortfall in fiscal year 2025-26. Budget Director Daniel Ramos presented the personnel freeze proposal during the Aug. 26 commissioners court meeting, which stretched until 10 p.m. as nearly 200 residents signed up to address agenda items.
Explained: Ramos said three of the county’s bigger departments—the engineering office, information technology services and public health—would be the most affected. The freeze would exclude positions in several departments identified as critical by county officials, including law enforcement, elections, the county clerk and park maintenance offices.
Quote of note: “It's definitely inconvenient for the departments,” Ramos said, "but the crossroads that we're at ... is, do we want to go back and identify $25 million worth of departmental cuts at this point or do we want to do something more blanket, like a hiring freeze?"
FOODIE FRIDAY Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the Houston area.
According to an Aug. 21 release, Local Public Eatery opened a new location at Market Street in The Woodlands, marking the concept’s first Houston location and second Texas location. The 5,140-square-foot space features curated artwork, vintage lighting and cozy area rugs, according to the release. The space also offers a screen at the bar for sports and a wrap-around patio with a retractable roof, intimate dining spaces and a central deck bar.
At the bar, customers can find a large selection of beer, wine and hand-crafted cocktails like the Spicy Guava Margarita. Local Public Eatery offers comfort food classics including fried chicken ramen, loaded potatoes and barbecue rice bowls.
🧇 The Waffle Bus now serving waffle sandwiches in Bridgeland (Read more)
😋 2 new restaurants coming to The Woodlands from chefs Austin Simmons and Aaron Bludorn (Read more)
🍖 Fire Craft BBQ brings Texas-style eats to Kingwood (Read more)
🆕 Amanecer Mexican Cafe to add authentic comfort meals to Heights palate (Read more)
The coastal eatery has two locations in Memorial City and River Oaks, with plans for a third restaurant to open in Rice Village this fall. Known for its raw bar selection and seafood, Liberty Kitchen recently announced the opening of its third location off Morningside Drive in an Aug. 6 social media post. A few customer favorites on the menu include the Chesapeake crab balls, buttermilk lobster bites and char-grilled Gulf oysters. The restaurant also offers sushi and sashimi cuts such as tuna poke, citrus chili salmon Scottish sashimi and black truffle hamachi.
