From crafts festivals and plant conferences to local markets and book sales, here are seven events in the Bellaire and West University areas to attend in April. This list is not comprehensive, and details are subject to change. 

Trolley Run
Held at Bellaire Town Square, the 30th Annual Bellaire Trolley Run will include a wheelchair division, stroller race and 1-mile youth race. 

• April 11, 7:30 a.m.

• $28-$40 (entry fee)

• Bellaire Town Square, 7008 S. Rice Ave., Bellaire

Spring Fling Festival
The family event includes outdoor nature activities such as prairie and pond explorations, as well as interactions with the nature center’s ambassador animals.

• April 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 

• Free (admission)

• 7112 Newcastle St., Bellaire

Shake Shack opened its latest Houston location in Meyerland on April 2.

The details: The burger chain is known for its menu of classic items like the Shack Burger, a classic double cheeseburger, to unique items like the Shack Stack, a cheeseburger topped with its vegetarian portobello mushroom filled with cheese.

It is also known for its milkshakes with unique flavors, including:

• Black and white

• Tiramisu

• Spicy caramel

• Chocolate blackout pudding

This newest location is part of the Meyerland Crossing Shopping Center and is the fifth location in the Houston area.

Giving back: On opening day, Shake Shack donated $1 from every burger and chicken sandwich purchase to the Houston Food Bank.

• 8815 W. Loop S., Houston

The American Heart Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to heart and brain health, in March announced two leadership appointments for the Greater Houston and Gulf Coast markets.

Key players: Kellie Armstrong was named senior executive director for the Greater Houston market, and Lisa Fenley was appointed executive director for the Gulf Coast, according to a news release.

More details: With more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Fenley will oversee initiatives to expand heart health education, CPR awareness, women’s health programming and community partnerships focused on improving cardiovascular outcomes, according to the release.

From April 9-12, Houston residents can expect the city’s streets to be filled with over 250 uniquely designed art cars.

The gist: Presented by The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, the 39th Annual Houston Art Car Parade is one of Houston’s largest free public events, drawing hundreds of thousands annually to the downtown area, according to an April 2 news release from company representatives. 

“Every year brings a completely new wave of ideas, with artists finding inventive ways to transform everyday materials into something unexpected," said Jack Massing, executive director of The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. "It’s a celebration of creativity in its most accessible and joyful form, and one that truly belongs to the city.”

What you need to know: Throughout the week, residents and visitors can expect multiple pop-up events, including mini parades, family-friendly events and the main car parade.

Student homelessness increased across many Greater Houston-area school districts over the last five school years, while foster care numbers showed a more uneven pattern from district to district, according to Texas Education Agency data released March 6.

The overview: Community Impact reviewed TEA data for 28 Greater Houston-area school districts to compare the number of enrolled students identified as experiencing homelessness or living in foster care in 2025-26 versus 2021-22. In the foster care data, Fort Bend ISD and Aldine ISD had the highest counts in 2025-26. 

In the homelessness data, Houston ISD stood above the rest of the districts shown, nearing 6,000 students in 2025-26. Other districts, including Alief ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Conroe ISD and Fort Bend ISD, all showed higher homeless student counts in 2025-26 than in 2021-22, while several others were flat or down.