Dinosaurs & Food Trucks

Natural Science museum set to launch last summer of Mixers & Elixirs; programwill be discontinued

It's the final season for Mixers & Elixirs, the popular summer series at the Houston Museum of Natural Science that brings patrons together beneath towering dinosaurs to drink, dine and dance among the exhibits after-hours.

After seven years running, this year's summer season — Friday nights from July 8 to August 26 — is your last chance get gussied, toast the museum and sneak off to the Smith Gem Vault for some scenic snogging, not that we'd ever do something like that.

For those who've never attended, Mixers begin Fridays at 7 p.m., and this year patrons can nosh on gourmet food truck fare that varies week-to-week. Options will include Bernie's Burger Bus, Frosted Betty, Melange Creperie, Oh My! Pocket Pies and more.

This summer season is your last chance get gussied, toast the museum and sneak off to the Smith Gem Vault for some scenic snogging.

But fear not, museum groupies. HMNS' Latha Thomas tells us that though Mixers & Elixirs may be ending, it's just the beginning for a new year of programming that will culminate with the opening of the museum's new Paleo Hall next summer.

"All good things come to an end," Thomas tells CultureMap, and assures us that regular after-hours events like VIP nights for exhibition openings, the Spirits & Skeletons Halloween mixer and other opportunities to see the museum in a different, more adult-friendly setting will continue throughout the year.

For a full schedule of bands for Mixers & Elixirs and to stay up-to-date on other museum programming, visit the HMNS website.

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Comedy legends Cheech and Chong will light up Comicpalooza 2025

Cheech & Chong/Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/cheechandchong]

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The guest list for this year’s Comicpalooza keeps on getting bigger and bigger. It’s already been announced that Hayden Christensen – Anakin Skywalker himself – will be attending the upcoming festivities next month. Add stoner comedy royalty to the roster.

Comedy legends Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong will come to Space City and reminisce about their five-decade career. They will talk about everything, from their big-screen run in the ‘70s and ‘80s to their line of gummies that keep getting advertised on X.

Christensen won’t be the only Star Wars alum in attendance. Temuera Morrison will be around to talk about his path through the Star Wars galaxy, from portraying Jango Fett and his numerous clones in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith to his role in The Mandalorian as Boba Fett and its spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett. Ming-Na Wen rounds out the group of stars from the Star Wars universe. She currently portrays the mercenary assassin Fennec Shand in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.

For all those fans of the John Hughes teen comedies of the ‘80s, Brat Pack icon Anthony Michael Hall will be talking about his days making Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club, as well as his upcoming turn in the new season of Wednesday.

And let’s not forget about the voice actors. Scheduled to appear are James Cheek, best known for voicing San Lang/Hua Cheng in Heaven Official’s Blessing; Keith Silverstein, celebrated for his work as Hisoka in Hunter × Hunter and Kimimaro in the Naruto franchise; Spike Spencer, who has voiced hundreds of anime episodes across beloved franchises; and Daisuke Tsuji, most notably known for voicing Jin Saki in the hit game Ghost of Tsushima.

Finally, for all the music nerds, award-winning composer Grant Kirkhope will talk about some of the most recognizable video game soundtracks (GoldenEye 007, Donkey Kong) he’s done.

Comicpalooza returns to the George R. Brown Convention Center Friday, June 20 through Sunday, June 22. For more information, go to the Comicpalooza website.