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10 Great Things to Do in Houston This Summer: Your Get Out and Live Guide

BY Promoted Series Correspondent // 06.22.17

Summer in Houston sometimes seems like a time for hunkering down and turning into a Netflix zombie. It’s often oppressively hot and humid — and cocooning in your own home definitely has its appeal. Especially if you can take complete, easy control of your environment with the new Hive smart home plans .

But having a true smart home, which means possessing the ability to control everything remotely on your smartphone with something like the Hive app, is not just great for staying inside. It makes getting out there and living much easier also.

It is summer after all — and you need to get outside. Just because you’re in one of the hottest summer spots in America doesn’t mean you should let all those Californians and East Coasters have all the fun. When you know that you can turn that air conditioning on and off, and the temperature up and down, from your phone, it’s even easier to enjoy that time out. Decide to extend that night at the city’s coolest new cocktail bar? No worries, a few taps on your smartphone let you turn that air conditioner temperature setting back up so you’re not wasting energy (and money). If your night gets more interesting, your home should be able to adjust.

Summer’s a time for lingering after all — and Houston’s a great city for that. The summer calendar’s chock full of events that are worth getting out of the house to enjoy. Here are some of our favorites:

1). Potter Mania

Experience Harry Potter like you’ve never seen before with the Houston Symphony on Friday, July 21 at 7:30 pm. Hogwarts fanatics don’t just get to relive Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as it’s played in high definition on a giant screen. The film’s dramatic score is also performed live by the orchestra. For tickets, click here.

2). Posh Music

Head to Four Seasons Houston for its Summer Music Festival series where you’ll experience electric live performances on the hotel’s posh pool deck. Indulge in the music, or partake in poolside games while downing $5 beers. Catch Austin-based recording artist Libby Koch on Friday, July 21 and Indie singer Sherita Perez on Friday, August 21. Shows run from 7 to 10 pm each night.

Added bonus: The event is free with complimentary valet parking.

3). Texas Home and Garden Show

Saturday June 24, and Sunday June 25, 10 am to 5 pm

NRG Center

This home bonanza’s been part of the Houston scene for nearly 40 years, but it’s certainly kept up with the times and you can see the best and the brightest home innovations here as well. If you’re a nester, there’s nothing like a good home show to give you ideas.

Hive will be set up in the center hall of NRG and you’ll have a chance to check out the latest state-of-the-art home products, including the Hive Active Thermostat and Hive Active Lights (which allow you to match your home’s lighting to your mood). You’ll also have a chance to win a Hive Welcome Home Standard Plan, which includes all the products you need to easily get your smart home started.

4). Barbecue Masters

Texas Monthly hosts its inaugural Meat Up event on Saturday, June 24 at Silver Street Studios from 6 to 9 pm. Brace yourself for a bevy of meat-inspired dishes from some of Texas’ best pitmasters and chefs. Get more info here.

5). Hanging with the Animals

Dodge the summer heat at the Houston Zoo’s Cool Nights: Coolest Backyard Bash on Friday, June 30. Explore the zoo after hours, before indulging in music and a bevy of outdoor games. You can also catch additional installments of Cool Nights every Friday through August 11.

6). Cool Drinks

Whisky icehouse Eight Row Flint’s signature Outdoor Cooking Series serves its last meal with chef Jason White on Tuesday, June 27. White — who will serve as chef de cuisine of James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu’s future restaurant Theodore Rex — flexes his culinary chops with coal-grilled chicken with green garlic broth and chicken fat rice served on Eight Row’s patio.

7). Get Arty

Art, music, and summer cocktails collide for The Silos on Sawyer’s Summer Series Art Stroll and Sale. Browse and shop the work of hundreds of artists, then end the night at the grounds’ featured food trucks. Catch the last installments of the summer on Friday June 30 and July 28.

8). A Broadway Workout

Theatre Under the Stars partners with boutique fitness studio DEFINE body & mind to bring a special Body by Broadway class to Market Square Park on Tuesday, June 27 from 6 to 7 pm. The Broadway-themed workout session, which has gained momentum all across the country, features everything from dancing and singing to planking and squatting — all to a bevy of show tunes, of course.

9). Get Your Chef On

Channel your inner chef at the Houston Arboretum’s food, beer, and wine summer classes where you’ll experience everything from popsicle and ice cream making to beer and wine tasting. Classes begin Saturday, June 24 and lasts through August 19. Click here for the full schedule.

10). Groove Under the Stars 

Want to experience the wonder of the Houston Symphony for free? Miller Outdoor Theater hosts Summer Symphony nights where you can enjoy classical masterpieces from outstanding soloist and conductors. Simply visit the MOT box office between 10:30 am and 1 pm on the day of the performance to secure your free show ticket.

On the schedule: Beethoven’s Eroica, Friday, June 23, 8:30 pm; Mozart & Dvoràk, Saturday, June 24, 8:30 pm; Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn, Friday, June 30, 8:30 pm; Brahm’s Symphony No. 4, Saturday, July 1, 8:30 pm; and Star-Spangled Satlue!, Tuesday, July 4, 8:30 pm.

Part of the Special Series:

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