HTX-COM: Impact 10/8/2025

There are several events taking place around the Conroe and Montgomery area between Oct. 10-12. Check them out below. This list is not comprehensive, and events are subject to change. 

Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival
The Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival invites attendees out to enjoy a range of offerings, including live music, festival food, shopping and a carnival. 

• Oct. 10, 6 p.m.-midnight; Oct. 11, 11 a.m.-midnight; Oct. 12, noon-11 p.m.
• $33 (advance single-day general admission), $35 (at the gate single-day general admission), Free (children 12 and under)
• Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 9333 Airport Road, Conroe

• Oct. 10-11, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 12, 2 p.m.
• $21-$30
• Owen Theatre, 225 Metcalf St., Conroe

• Oct. 11, noon-10 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• 3525 N. Frazier St., Conroe

Opening in 1955, Cartwright's Western Wear & Conroe Shoe Shop, a family-owned business in Conroe, is celebrating its 70th anniversary.

Quote of note: "We believe in shopping small and supporting our community. Our goal is to make you feel and look your best while giving you a great experience along the way," the company states on its website.

More details: Cartwright's Western Wear sells western wear from brands such as Cinch and Rock & Roll while also offering in-house boot and shoe repair, according to its website.

• 1111 League Line Road, Ste. 191, Conroe

The University of Houston is launching UH Next, a new transfer program designed to help community college students more easily and affordably complete their bachelor’s degrees, starting in spring 2026.

The details: Housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the pilot will streamline transfers after students complete associate degrees at one of five Houston-area community colleges, reducing the cost of a four-year degree.

UH Next is part of UH’s broader effort to improve affordability, alongside programs like Cougar Promise and various scholarships and financial aid options.

How it works: Enrolled students will follow four-year degree maps, co-created by advisors at both UH and the partner college to ensure they take the right courses in the right order, minimizing credit loss and keeping them on track for graduation, although the program is only available for select majors within each partner community college. 

Next steps: While there is no timeline for expansion to other colleges, officials said several are assessing opportunities to create a UH Next pathway.

Odyssey, a New York-based tech company, has been selected to manage Texas’ $1 billion education savings account program, the state comptroller’s office announced Oct. 6.

The overview: Odyssey will work with the comptroller to launch the program, deemed “Texas Education Freedom Accounts,” ahead of the 2026-27 school year. Families can begin applying for the program early next year, and those accepted will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to private school or homeschool them.

Zooming in: Odyssey will develop and manage an online platform to administer Texas’ education savings account program. State law also tasks the company with:

• Collecting applications and determining which families are accepted to the program
• Approving vendors for education-related materials and services, such as textbooks, transportation and tutoring
• Reviewing inquiries and complaints about the program
• Advertising the program and communicating with interested families