Whether it's live entertainment, family-friendly fun, outdoor markets or unique cultural experiences, there's no shortage of ways to make the most of late summer.

From the Heights to River Oaks and Montrose, these six events taking place in August and early September offer plenty of opportunities to explore some of Houston's most vibrant neighborhoods before the season begins to change. This list is not comprehensive, and details are subject to change.

WILD: A Collaboration Exhibition
Women in the Visual and Literary Arts will present “Wild," a collaboration between writers and artists of the program. The concept speaks to what is untamed, instinctive and uncontained. Pieces will include painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media

Mariachi Festival
Residents can celebrate talent rising in the community as the energy of Houston’s own collegiate and high school stars takes the stage to kick off the 2026 festival. Performances include the UH Mariachi Pumas, High School All-Star Mariachi Group and Danzas Folkloricas de Solei.

PopUp Bagels, an infamous shop known nationwide for its baked-fresh bagels and flavorful schmears, is slated to construct a new location along North Shepherd Drive, Houston, starting Sept. 1, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing.

Did you know: This marks PopUp Bagels’s second location in the city and first location inside the inner loop.

Main course: According to its website, PopUp Bagels bakes its products in small batches throughout the day to ensure that at the time of ordering, the bread remains fresh for customers to enjoy. The shop also features a rotating menu of spreads such as plain cream cheese, scallion cream cheese and Mike’s hot honey butter.

One more thing: The 1,240-square-foot storefront will cost approximately $350,000 to build, according to filing details. As of early August, construction is anticipated to be completed by Oct. 22.

• 600 N. Shepherd Dr., Ste. 117 & 120, Houston

Houston City College received a $1 million grant from the Lowe’s Foundation to support high-demand skilled trade careers in the Greater Houston area, officials announced in a July 29 news release.

The gist: The grant—which is expected to prepare 400 new HCC students for high-demand trades—comes as the nation faces a growing shortage of skilled trade workers with an estimated 2.1 million vacant jobs by 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The unfilled roles could result in an annual $1 trillion economic loss.

The program, which will be based at the HCC Southeast campus, will enhance the college’s training programs in electrical, carpentry, construction, HVAC and plumbing as well as student scholarships, per the release.

In their own words: “This investment removes barriers that too often stand between students and the workforce training they need to succeed,” HCC Southeast President Frances Villagran-Glover said. “It will also extend the reach of our Mobile Go Unit, allowing us to connect more residents with training opportunities that lead to in-demand careers.”

Harris County commissioners are set to discuss the county's minority- and women-owned businesses equity program over a week after a federal court issued a decision that the city of Houston's version of the program was unconstitutional.

The big picture: Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey added the item to the agenda after U.S. District Judge David Hittner, the ruling judge on the case, said the city of Houston's program violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Run by the Harris County Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity, the program was established in November 2020 by commissioners to provide equity among women- and minority-owned businesses for county contracts. 

Also on the agenda: Commissioners will receive an update on third-quarter projections for the Harris County fiscal year 2026-27 budget. During the presentation, the budget office will also look at identifying "high-value, underutilized county real estate assets to sell or lease to generate general fund revenue for the FY27 budget."