Leave the wallet at home

The free days of summer: Where to have fun from Houston to Galveston when youdon't want to pay

Sand castle-building time at the AIA Sandcastle Competition
Kemah Boardwalk "Rock the Dock" is a great event for the whole family
Live (and free) performances at Discovery Green
Photo by Jeff Fitlow
The soulful Yvonne Washington performs at Sugar Land Town Square

Memorial Day weekend is here and summer is kicking into high gear as people evaluate how they’re going to fill their vacation time — in town and out.Whether planning a trip abroad or a relaxing staycation it’s helpful to know what can be done around town that’s FREE. That helps with anyone's budget — whether you live in a River Oaks mansion or a EaDo studio.

To help guide you on this mission of gratis fun, here’s the definitive guide to the top free events around Houston for the summer:

Kemah Boardwalk “Rock the Dock” — Every Thursday night through August 26

Far enough from Houston to find the ocean, but close enough to make it an easy day trip, Kemah Boardwalk hosts live bands on Thursday nights throughout the summer. The bands come from around Texas and include Vertigo, Ezra Charles and the Texas Blues Band and Rat Ranch.

A complete schedule can be found here.

Steel Lounge at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston — Today, June 25, July 30 and August 27

Musical artists from a variety of genres perform at The CAMH while guests peruse exhibits on display. While there is no charge for entrance, there is a cash bar and the Fusion Taco Truck to add some relatively low-cost kick. The series kicks off today.

Discovery Green — June 1 through August 31

Discovery Green offers regular programs throughout the week from Pilates to Recycling Saturdays. They have a number of special events as well this summer as including:

June 17 — Sara Hickman concert

June 18 — Supers screening

July 2-4 — Dock Dogs (Big Air Dog Competition, think David Letterman's Stupid Pet Tricks with a lake)

Sugar Land Town Square — June 3-25

For the month of June, Sugar Land’s Town Square hosts a variety of concerts, performances and even dance lessons free to the public. The highlights include:

June 3 — 7-9 p.m.: Jazz singer Yvonne Washington

June 11 — 7:30-9 p.m: Free tango and rumba lessons

June 25 — 7-9 p.m.: The nine-piece band Fried Ice Cream

A complete schedule can be found here.

Miller Outdoor Theatre — June 4 – August 19

Miller is the king of free events in the city with the glorious hillside seating, perfect for summer nights. A complete listing of Miller events can be found on CultureMap's extensive Events Calendar but highlights include:

June 17, 18, 25, 26, 30 — Summer Symphony Nights

July 4 — Summer Symphony Nights: Independence Day (includes firework presentation)

July 20 — Colombian Bicentennial Celebration Concert

July 30-August 8 — Shakespeare Festival (Alternates between A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing)

July 17-19 — Screening of the original Indiana Jones movies (you know before they got ridiculous with Shia LeBeouf)

AIA Sandcastle Competition — June 5, Galveston

Considered one of the world’s largest sandcastle competitions, over 80 teams compete to win the Golden Bucket Award. Teams begin months in advance generating ideas and developing designs.The event takes place on Galveston East Beach and starts at 10 a.m. with the Awards Ceremony at 4:30.

If you’re ever curious about free events around town in any season, search for "free" in our Events Calendar. Having fun on budget can be difficult, but in Houston, all it usually takes is a little research. There are plenty of places willing to give away fun.

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Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”