white night, big city

Houston's guide to White Linen Night in the Heights: hot parties, Alto rideshare deals, and more

Partiers pack 19th Street in front of Manready Mercantile.

One of the hottest events in the hottest month of the year — in one of Houston's hottest neighborhoods — is back. White Linen Night, the annual outdoor bash that brings tens of thousands to main drags in the Heights — 19th Street and White Oak Drive — returns Saturday, August 5.

Heights-area officials tells us they expect 20,000 to even 30,000 revelers this year, which could eclipse the pre-pandemic era days.

Consider 19th Street the central gathering spot for most revelers; the street will be closed to vehicle traffic from the 200 to 300 block. Partiers on 19th street can stroll and check out white tents filled with local artisanal offerings, alongside food trucks an live music stages.

Skip driving and Alto FTW

Parking, is, well, insane, and as plenty will be driving in and getting tipsy, we recommend using a rideshare service. Fortunately, upscale rideshare service ALTO is a title sponsor and is offering a generous promo code. Enter code WLN2023 for $10 off two rides.

While things officially kick off at 6 pm, this is still August in Houston. Stay hydrated (plenty of free drinks will be on hand) with plenty of water before sipping cocktails, which should make for more liberal spending at all the participating Heights stores.

The totally pedestrian event takes visitors along 19th Street and White Oak Drive, where nearly every shop, bar, and restaurant will throw a themed party or event. Be sure to bring cash and get ready to tap and swipe those cards for food, drink, and discounted finds.

Dress hot

What to wear? Just look to the name of the event, which is a nod to the original celebration that started in New Orleans as locals donned white linen (perfect for the hot, humid NOLA weather) and celebrated the city's vibrant cultural and arts scenes. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the thousands of transplants who relocated to our area launched a Heights version of their beloved festival in 2006 as a way to toast the eclectic Heights neighborhood charm and support local small businesses.

So, think thin white tops, tanks, or T-shirts and light linen pants or shorts, and shoes or sandals made for serious walking — and the occasional dancing. This is a party, after all.

Where to go

We've rounded up a list of participating bars, restaurants, and stores along 19th Street and White Oak Drive, but much of the charm — just like a visit to the Heights — is in strolling and discovering.

Heights & Co. will be serving up live music alongside delicious cocktails and a to-die-for summer dining menu. Enjoy spritzes, martinis, and refreshing seasonal cocktails. Noon.

Christian’s Tailgate will feature a food truck, a margarita truck, several local vendor pop-up tents, a DJ on the patio, a photo booth and, of course, free swag. 4 pm.

Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina will include live music, limited-time street tacos of either barbacoa or pork carnitas and pint sized to-go margaritas, palomas, and Ranch Waters. 4 pm.

I Know the Owner will celebrate White Linen Night for the first time. They will have DJs, drink specials, giveaways, and a lot of fun. The kitchen will be open until 2 am. 4 pm.

M-K-T will have a White Linen Market. Get ready for a pet-friendly, outdoor family event filled with amazing local makers, growers, and sellers. 4 pm.

Casa Ramirez FOLKART Gallery will have art from Lizbeth Ortiz, music from BOSSA ll, Jesus and Maria Lozano & percussionist Stephen Araujo, and light refreshments, 5 pm.

Little Woodrow’s Heights will get in the spirit with a White Linen Glow Party. They will have DJ sets all night (starting at 6 pm), drink specials and more. 5 pm.

EZ’s Liquor Lounge will have live music from Western Jelly. There will also be drink specials, and the Tacos Tierras Calientes food truck will be in the parking lot. 6 pm.

Feges BBQ will get all smoky and meaty on this White Linen occasion. They will be serving bbq sandwiches, housemade sausage and more on 19th Street. 6 pm.

Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Terrace will have a DJ spinning the hottest tracks. There will also be a photo booth to capture the fun-filled moments. 6 pm.

The Heights Theater will have a White Linen shindig, with music from DJ Aidan Kennedy. Enjoy local shopping, live music, great local eateries, and more along 19th Street. 6 pm.

Manready Mercantile, a Heights favorite, will let visitors make their own limited-edition White Linen Night leather coasters via a letter press from Manready Mercantile's production facility. The store will give away prizes and host a raffle for a year’s supply of soy wax candles, two tickets to a candle making class or a specially curated Whiskey Kits. 6 pm.

Moonshine Deck is gearing up to throw the biggest, White Linen party of the year, complete with an air-conditioned tent that will take over the entire lot. 6 pm.

Openair Company will get its White Linen on over at 19th and Ashland. More than 30 vendors will be on the premises, while C4 Energy Drink and Topo Chico will have free drinks. 6 pm.

The Whimsy Artisan Boutique is planning to have a “whimsy” White Linen shindig. Head over there for some of the best local art/music/drinks/fun Houston has to offer. 6 pm.

Eight Row Flint will have great drink and shot specials, as well as an outdoor disco bar with a DJ and a little to-go station set up so you can take the party home. 8 pm.

Onion Creek Cafe will have its annual White Linen Trash Disco. Denverado’s Movers & Shakers and DJ Melodic are scheduled to bring the noise. 8:30 pm.

Movie Review

Over-the-top thriller The Housemaid revels in camp, chaos, and excess

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney in The Housemaid.

Both Amanda Seyfried (the upcoming The Testament of Ann Lee) and Sydney Sweeney (Christy) are starring in movies with Oscar ambitions this year. By sheer coincidence, the two actors are also co-starring in The Housemaid, a thriller coming out within weeks of their more ambitious works, one that is likely to be seen by many more people than those prestige plays.

Sweeney is given top billing as Millie, a down-on-her-luck ex-convict looking to land any type of job so as not to break her parole. She finds a too-good-to-be-true lifeboat with Nina (Seyfried), who hires her to be a housemaid for her large house on Long Island, where she lives with her husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and daughter, Cecilia (Indiana Elle).

After a warm interview, Nina almost immediately becomes highly erratic, whipping back-and-forth between happy-go-lucky and rageful. It seems clear that Nina is suffering from mental health issues, as she’ll often accuse Millie of misplacing or stealing items that she didn’t take. Andrew, apparently used to Nina’s tirades, tries to protect Millie from the worst, something that grows increasingly difficult as Nina ups the ante.

Directed by Paul Feig (A Simple Favor) and adapted by Rebecca Sonnenshine from the bestselling book by Freida McFadden, the film is likely the trashiest mainstream movie to come out in 2025. The first half of the movie relies not on story but on moments as Nina embodies the word “hysterical” to an unbelievable extent. The resigned acceptance of the abuse by Millie, as well as the saintly patience of Andrew, make almost every scene laughable, as nobody seems to be acting anywhere close to how a person would normally react to such extreme situations.

The scenes and the performance of Seyfried are so over-the-top, in fact, that it’s clear that the filmmakers are in on the joke. It’s next to impossible not to have a little bit of fun while watching the actors react to outrageous incidents as if nothing is out of the ordinary. The worse Nina acts, the more Millie and Andrew retreat into their chosen roles, and the funnier the film becomes.

Fans of the book will know that the story changes course, eventually turning into a more stereotypical thriller that also has some relatively gnarly visuals to offer. But the trashiness continues, with Sweeney’s, um, assets repeatedly on display in both clothed and unclothed ways. The sex appeal of the R-rated movie makes it an outlier, as recent studio films have shied away from asking their big stars to disrobe completely.

Both Seyfried and Sweeney are far from their Oscar hopeful roles here. Seyfried is given free rein to act as brazenly as she pleases, and she takes full advantage of that ability. Sweeney seems to have been told to be much more reserved, and unfortunately that results in too many wooden line readings. Sklenar continues his breakout streak (It Ends with Us, Drop) with a role that allows him to show more range than either Seyfried or Sweeney.

The Housemaid is an unusual type of movie to be released at a time of year when most films are either those aiming for awards or more family-friendly fare. Despite its many flaws, it’s still an enjoyable watch that features a variety of crazy scenarios not typically seen in movies nowadays.

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The Housemaid is now playing in theaters.

movies film

white night, big city

Houston's guide to White Linen Night in the Heights: hot parties, Alto rideshare deals, and more​

Movie Review

Over-the-top thriller The Housemaid revels in camp, chaos, and excess

Houston's guide to White Linen Night in the Heights: hot parties, Alto rideshare deals, and more