Leading up to New Year's Eve, there are several activities and events happening in The Woodlands area, including a festival for songwriters that extends over several days and an event for kids during the day Dec. 31.

The Woodlands Songwriter Festival
The Woodlands Songwriter Festival includes an experience with resort accommodations, food and beverages throughout the festival and access to performances featuring 24 acclaimed songwriters and headline performances.

• Dec. 29-Jan. 1
• $160-$1,160 (tickets)
• The Woodlands Resort, 2301 N. Millbend Drive, The Woodlands

• Dec. 31, 9:30-11 a.m., 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., 2-3:30 p.m.
• $10 (adult), $25 (child)
• The Woodlands Children’s Museum, 4775 W. Panther Creek Drive, Ste. 280, The Woodlands

The new office for Harpers Kids’ Dentistry and Orthodontics offers services including children’s pediatric dentistry with sedation.

At a glance: The facility also offers orthodontics for children and adults and other services, including emergency dentistry, the operations manager said.

• Opened Nov. 4
• 10350 Hwy. 242, Ste. 500, Conroe

From DJ sets to jazz performances, the following parties each offer unique ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Houston. 

Doc’s Houston: The jazz club is kicking off New Year’s Eve with back-to-back performances led by Tianna Hall and The Houston Jazz Band at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Guests can also enjoy a festive four-course prix fixe menu, beginning with a cozy black-eyed pea soup, followed by a grape-arugula salad with walnuts, ricotta and pomegranate molasses.

• Dec. 31, 7 p.m.
• $75-$125 (per ticket)
• 1201 Westheimer Road, Ste. A, Houston

Moon: Enjoy New Year’s Eve at the newly opened Post Oak cocktail bar. Guests can start the night with regular service before a DJ brings in curated sounds to celebrate the hour. 

• Dec. 31, 5 p.m.-Jan. 1, 2 a.m.
• Prices vary
• 1800 Post Oak Blvd., Ste. 6110, Houston

Catch up on Community Impact’s coverage this week with five trending Greater Houston-area stories from Dec. 19-26:

1. Coastal Texas Project moves forward with two new design contracts

2. $81M Greenhouse Road underpass set for 2026 construction

3. 8 businesses coming soon to Sugar Land-Missouri City

4. Vevor to open at former Big Lots location on Jones Road

5. Singas Famous Pizza coming to Sugar Land
 

2026 is a big election year in Texas. Voters will see 18 statewide races, all congressional seats, most state legislative seats and a variety of local positions on the ballot.

The overview: The Republican and Democratic primary elections will be held March 3, and the midterm election is set for Nov. 3.

Texas holds primaries for all partisan elected positions, such as state officials; state and federal lawmakers; and county judges, commissioners and justices of the peace. Third-party candidates, including independents, Libertarian Party candidates and Green Party candidates, have separate election processes will not be listed on the primary ballots in March. Eligible candidates representing various parties will appear on the November ballot.

Looking back: All statewide offices on the ballot are currently held by Republicans, although some are not running for reelection. No Democrat or third-party candidate has won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, election records show.

Check out the full article for more details on election processes and an overview of state-level races.