Tickets for the 2026 Texas Renaissance Festival will go on sale April 15, according to an April 2 news release. There will be a 20% discount from April 15-30.

Quote of note: “April 15 marks the beginning of the journey towards this year’s festival, and we’re excited to offer this special discount to our guests to celebrate the season ahead,” TRF Marketing Director Tyler Moyer said via news release. “We can’t wait to open the gates of the Texas Renaissance Festival once again and create magical memories for every visitor.”

More details: The Texas Renaissance Festival’s 52nd season is scheduled to take place from Oct. 10 through Nov. 29, and will feature over 70 acres of activities, entertainment and markets for attendees, according to the news release.

Ross Dress For Less is bringing a location to Hwy. 249, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. All information, including costs and timelines, is subject to change.

More details: The store is estimated to cost $2.24 million, with construction estimated to begin in June and wrap up next January, per the filing.

• 25565 Hwy. 249, Tomball

Tomball officials discussed a $1.55 million agreement April 6 for tree growing and planting tied to the city’s Main Street/FM 2920 streetscape improvement project.

The details: The item was presented during workshop discussion and is included in the city’s fiscal year 2025-26 capital improvement budget.

The agreement with Environmental Designs Inc. would cover large replacement trees along Main Street from Elm to Hicks streets, as well as additional trees planned in other parts of the corridor, per agenda documents. 

Public Works Director Drew Huffsman said about 45-50 large trees are expected to be planted downtown, along with about 10 extra trees grown as backups.

Huffsman said the large trees planned for Main Street would be 10-12 inches in diameter, making them larger than the existing large trees still standing.

Smaller trees ranging from 6-8 inches in caliber are planned for other sections, including from Concordia Lutheran High School to Four Corners. He said those trees would be planted in engineered areas designed to avoid damaging roads or nearby property as they grow.

Montgomery County Commissioners Court voted April 9 to leave the county’s 40-foot minimum suburban lot width in place after hearing pushback from builders, real estate agents and residents during a public hearing on proposed development regulation changes. 

The court removed the proposed 50-foot minimum lot width requirement and approved the rest of the update, which county engineering staff had described as a set of clerical corrections and clarifications.

What happened? County documents show staff had proposed changing the minimum average lot width for suburban lots from 40 feet to 50 feet in the county development regulations. Other proposed changes included updates to traffic study requirements, as-built drawing language and clerical changes like the acknowledgment pages and the Commissioners Court signature block.

Speakers who addressed the court largely argued the 50-foot change would raise housing costs and further squeeze first-time buyers already facing higher taxes, utility costs and insurance expenses. 

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority announced April 8 that the home of the Houston Rockets will receive $180 million in upgrades through fall 2027.

Mapping it out: During a presentation to the HCHSA board of directors, Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations with the Rockets, announced significant interior and exterior changes coming to the Toyota Center, which opened in 2003.

“When you look at what has happened in those 23 years, and you think about what will happen in the next 23 years, we’re really excited about it,” Sheirr said.

Those upgrades include:

• 3,100 square feet extended main entrance with a glass facade
• New atrium upon entering the main entrance, with space for gathering
• Members lounge over the new entrance
• Expanded team store with an additional set of doors
• Standing room and general admission space for events
• Heightened suites that will raise ceilings about 18 inches for more space