dome day

Diehard Dome fans, this historic Houston bash is just for you

Astrodome fans won't want to miss this event.

Photo courtesy of City of Houston

Fervent Astrodome fans now have a chance to get a glimpse inside its hallowed halls, before work begins next month to re-purpose the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Dubbed a Domecoming, the free event takes place April 9 — which happens to be the 53rd anniversary of the first game ever held at the The Astrodome. The Domecoming is jointly hosted by local group the Astrodome Conservancy, along with Harris County. Attendees will be entertained by DJ London and the original AstroNuts, and can can enjoy refreshments via food and beverage vendors at NRG Park.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and our Astrodome Conservancy chairman Phoebe Tudor will share the latest Dome development details. On February 13, the Harris County Commissioners court approved a $105 million project that would reconfigure the Astrodome into an event center. The plan involves raising the ground level up two floors, which would create a parking garage with 1,400 more parking spots.

“The Astrodome is an important landmark to Harris County and Texas and is part of our unique culture. As the first fully enclosed, domed stadium, it was once home to professional sports teams like the Houston Oilers and Astros, organizations including the Rodeo, as well as hosting countless signature events that shined a global spotlight on our area,” said Phoebe Tudor, Chair of the Astrodome Conservancy, in a statement. “Our mission is to preserve its legacy and creatively engage Houstonians at the Astrodome once again.”

Domecoming fans are encouraged to wear vintage gear from the Astros, Oilers, and other Astrodome-related events to show off their Dome pride. Supporters who donate $500 or more to the Conservancy can enjoy a special tent, and VIP, invitation-only preview event on April 9.

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Admission to Domecoming is free, but a ticket is required for entry. Ticketing begins online at 10 am Wednesday, March 21. Gates at NRG Park will open to the public at 4 pm, access to the Astrodome begins at 5 pm; the party runs through 8 pm.

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are you happy?

Houston continues sad streak as one of the 'unhappiest' U.S. cities

Photo by Damaris Martin on Unsplash

Even with a poor ranking, you still shouldn't ask us to "smile more."

A new nationwide study analyzing the happiest cities in America has determined Houston is slightly happier than it was last year, but it still appears to be one of the unhappiest U.S. cities in 2026.

Houston currently ranks as the 128th happiest U.S. city. Last year, it was No. 151.

WalletHub determined the happiest cities in America based on 29 relevant metrics based on "positive-psychology research" across three main categories: emotional and physical wellbeing, income and employment, and community and environment. As with most WalletHub studies, it compared the 182 most populous U.S. cities.

Fremont, California claimed the top spot as the happiest city nationwide for another year. Bismark, North Dakota and Scottsdale, Arizona, respectfully, rounded out the top three.

Here's how WalletHub ranked Houston across the three key dimensions:

No. 107 – Emotional and physical wellbeing
No. 148 – Income and employment
No. 158 – Community and environment

Despite its low ranking, Houstonians are working hard to improve their city's quality of life year after year, whether its through opening new restaurants, inviting Houston-born stars to perform at the rodeo, or having a strong job market. We also have some of the best museums, a diverse culinary scene, and iconic institutions like the Johnson Space Center. And considering that people keep moving here, Houston must be happier than other places.

Having a good job and a fun social life can qualify as factors that measure happiness, but WalletHub separately emphasized that making more money doesn't necessarily mean "more" happiness.

"For decades, researchers have explored the science of happiness and identified several core factors, including mental well-being, physical health, strong social ties, job satisfaction, and financial stability," the report said. "Still, income has its limits — studies show that earning more than $75,000 a year does not lead to greater happiness."

Elsewhere in Texas
The Dallas suburb Plano and its residents' happiness far outshines the rest of Texas, according to WalletHub. Plano ranked as the 16th happiest U.S. city, and the No. 1 happiest statewide. Austin was the only other Texas city to rank among the top 50, landing in the No. 39 spot.

This is how other Texas cities ranked in the report:

No. 70 – Irving
No. 92 – Garland
No. 106 – Grand Prairie
No. 111 – Dallas
No. 113 – Fort Worth
No. 119 – Arlington
No. 135 – Lubbock
No. 137 – El Paso
No. 140 – Laredo
No. 143 – Amarillo
No. 150 – Brownsville
No. 154 – San Antonio
No. 155 – Corpus Christi

reports san antonio wallethub

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are you happy?

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