for the fans

34-day free festival will celebrate World Cup with food, music, and more

With the FIFA World Cup set to kick off in only a couple of weeks, plans for ways Houstonians can enjoy the event without splurging on tickets are starting to take shape. Towards that end, the FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee has announced the food vendors and entertainers who will be part of the FIFA Fan Festival.

Taking place in an outdoor area of EaDo between Polk St. and Walker St, with entrances right next to Shell Energy Stadium and at the south end near Polk St, the FIFA Fan Festival is a free watch party that will run all 34 match days of the World Cup (June 11-July 19). It opens 90 minutes before the day’s first match and will close after the day’s matches have concluded.

Almost 20 local vendors will be selling food at the event, including:

Asian Streetness – Asian fusion dishes such as loaded fries, Viet tacos, garlic noodles, Korean fried chicken, and more
Ben’s Soft Pretzels – Salted pretzels, cinnamon pretzels, and pretzel-wrapped sausages
Chi’Lantro BBQ – Korean BBQ burrito, japchae noodle bowl, kimchi Fries, and more
Chitalian Pizzeria – Pizza, wings, and more
Elotes Bravos – Street corn, fruit Cups, and more
Fredericksburg Mini-Donut Company – Glazed and powdered sugar mini donuts
Goode Company Pop Up Restaurant - Including barbecue (two meat plates and sandwiches) , taqueria (street tacos, quesadillas, and camechana), and desserts (pecan pie, tres leches, and more)
Hot Rod Pops – Handmade ice pops
Kurbside Eatz – Asian paratha tacos and quesadillas (halal available)
Little Patagonia Empanadas – Traditional Argentinian empanadas and choripan sandwiches
Makiin Thai – Egg rolls, chicken skewers with Peanut Sauce, dumplings, and more
Munchoes Bakery – Chocolate-covered apples and cookie sandwiches
Nacho Business – Loaded nachos, tacos, and more
Paddys Gourmet Popcorn – Popcorn, caramel corn, and kettle corn
Pink’s Pizza – Cheese pizza slices and pepperoni pizza slices
Sushi Inc – Potstickers, sushi, poke bowls, and onigiri
The Burger Joint – Burgers and fries
The Waffle Bus – Chicken tenders, waffle fries, and waffles
True Dog Houston – Traditional and halal hot dogs

In between matches, local artists, musicians, and other performers will provide entertainment. Acts slated to perform include Bombón, Coffey Anderson, DJ Mei, Mike Jones, Mateo Lopez, Trae Tha Truth, and Saynt Chris. In addition, a talent search brought in local favorites such as El Big Charro, LD Dance Company, Lee’s Golden Dragon, Mariachi Las Chabelitas, Mary Sarah, and Jeffrey "Bboy Jeffro" Louis.

As part of the festival, Houston Hall will feature displays devoted to Space Center Houston, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and aspects of Houston’s culture such as slabs, murals, and art cars.

“The FIFA Fan Festival Houston is more than a place to watch matches — it’s a celebration of the people, flavors, and culture that define this city,” festival director Patti Smith said in a statement. “We’re proud to showcase Houston on a global stage and create an experience that feels authentically local while welcoming the world.”

$Bomb\u00f3n$

Courtesy of FIFA Fan Festival Houston

Bombón is one of many bands that will perform at the festival.

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Movie Review

An all-star cast delivers clever laughs in new comedy The Invite

Photo courtesy of A24

Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton in The Invite.

Once upon a time, well before scandal embroiled him, Woody Allen made great comedies aimed at adults. That type of film — which is different from the raunchy, R-rated comedies of the 21st century — has fallen out of favor in Hollywood, but as the new film The Invite proves, when done well it can be as funny as anything else out there.

Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde) are an unhappily married couple living in San Francisco. As we meet them, Joe has arrived home to Angela preparing for a visit from their upstairs neighbors, Hawk (Edward Norton) and Piña (Penélope Cruz), who have moved in relatively recently. Their impending arrival starts a new round of arguing between Joe and Angela, something they can barely contain once the other couple comes to their door.

What proceeds is a getting-to-know-you process that is mostly awkward as Joe and Angela continue sniping at each other while Hawk and Piña put in their two cents in a much calmer manner. A sticking point between the two couples — the loud sex Hawk and Piña have on an almost nightly basis — turns the film on its head with an unexpected invitation.

Directed by Wilde and written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, the film is a fast-paced chamber piece that takes place almost entirely in Joe and Angela’s apartment. Wilde, the writers, and the actors speed the story along not with action but through almost non-stop dialogue that often has the characters overlapping each other’s lines. The rapidity of the speech fuels the humor of the situation and establishes the differing personalities of each person.

Sex is very much top of mind for each of the characters for most of the film, but the filmmakers approach the topic in such a way that it never feels salacious. Each of the characters is a rational adult who can talk about sex in a mature manner while also acknowledging their unique feelings on the matter. And it’s the discoveries each of them makes along the way that brings about the most comedy.

But, like any comedy for adults, the film also has a dramatic tilt to it, and Wilde edges the story back-and-forth between the two tones extremely well. Joe and Angela fighting is played for laughs at times, but the sadness of their relationship comes through loud and clear. Hawk and Piña are much more intimate with each other, but the funniness of their openness is juxtaposed with a depth that arises through their conversations.

In the 2020s, Rogen has managed to make the transition from goofy stoner to stoner with real acting chops. In a stacked cast, he is the one who sells every moment the best. That’s not to say that Wilde, Norton, and Cruz don’t measure up, though; each of them inhabits their respective roles magnificently. The four actors play off each other as if they had been working together for years.

While The Invite will likely play better to those who have experience with long term relationships, its insights — and occasional bawdiness — make it a comedy that can be appreciated universally. With four actors at the top of their games and a razor-sharp script made even better by some well-done improv, it proves that you don’t need to go low to get great laughs.

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The Invite is now playing in theaters.

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