Houston city officials announced May 4 that country artist Keith Urban will headline this year's signature Fourth of July celebration, along with artist groups Collective Soul and Los Lonely Boys.

The celebration: Freedom Over Texas is one of the largest Fourth of July celebrations across the region and includes festivities such as the Dr. Pepper Flavor Zone and the Budweiser Bayou beer garden, which are both set to make a reappearance this year, city officials said. Additional activities include:

• All American Kid Zone: free games, face painting and interactive educational activities
• Liberty Park: a tribute to the Armed Forces and first responders
• Fútbol Park: a dedicated space to enjoy soccer-themed games, activities, food and outdoor screens

Army Sadeghi and Brandon Duliakas, owners of the cocktail bar Melrose, partnered with Michelin-starred Chef Emmanuel Chavez to open a new modern cocktail bar in Montrose.

The overview: Open daily from 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., Eleven Eleven is a new internationally inspired dining concept and cocktail bar in the heart of Montrose. The menu features a mix of smaller bites, larger dishes and tapas-style presentations such as empanadas, tuna tostada and guacamole, according to an April 30 news release from company representatives. 

More details: Eleven Eleven also includes custom furnishings, booths and lighting that feature “layers of texture and movement in a modern, organic palette of warm neutrals.”

• 1111 Westheimer Road, Houston

Wagyu House Houston opened inside The Galleria on May 1. The restaurant serves all-you-can-eat Wagyu dishes from Japan, Australia and the United States.

What's special about it: Wagyu House was born from a vision to redefine Japanese dining in America, according to the restaurant's website, through a "perfect blend of culinary authenticity, premium ingredients and immersive atmospheres."

The new spot specializes in all-you-can-eat yakiniku and shabu-shabu, Japanese dining styles that involve cooking bite-sized meats on a shared tabletop grill or in a pot.

Meat options include American and Australian full-blood Wagyu, as well as Japanese A5 Wagyu. Each type of Wagyu includes a certificate of authenticity to certify that the beef is 100% genuine and graded according to the standard by the Japan Meat Grading Association, which considers marbling, meat brightness, texture and quality.

How it works: The menu offers three different tiers—silver, gold and diamond. Each tier includes a variety of meats for selection, along with special dishes and cuts of Wagyu.

• 5085 Westheimer Road, Ste. 2515, Houston

A Houston ISD principal won $35,000 total at the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards on May 3.

At a glance: Ruth Peña, who leads Charles H. Milby High School, was one of two principals selected for the honor. Peña was awarded a $25,000 grant for Milby High and $10,000 for personal use.

Fourteen winners, across multiple categories, were chosen from all over Texas. H-E-B bestowed $480,000 total in grants and cash to educators and schools for the 2026 ceremony.

Notable quote: "At a time when the role of public education is more important than ever, we are proud to recognize these exceptional leaders who are strengthening not only their classrooms, but their communities and the future of our state,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B senior vice president of public affairs, diversity and environmental affairs.

Texas retailers can keep various smokable hemp products on their shelves through late July, a Travis County judge ruled May 1.

The overiew: Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle’s ruling prohibits the Texas Department of State Health Services, which regulates and licenses consumable hemp businesses, from enforcing new THC testing requirements and sharply increasing licensing fees.

The hemp industry previously argued that the DSHS was overstepping its regulatory authority by changing how Texas classifies THC content. State officials have defended the reclassification and other rules as in line with a September executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott.

What it means: DeSeta Lyttle’s temporary injunction extends an earlier pause on the DSHS rules, which was issued April 10.

The pause applies to all consumable hemp businesses in Texas, allowing them to continue producing, manufacturing and selling smokable products until at least July 27, when a final court trial is scheduled. That could change if the state appeals the ruling to a higher court.