The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, one of community’s premier attractions, is among the best juried fine art and fine craft fairs in the country. Featuring 200 juried artists from 35 states and 2 countries, the event attracts people from throughout the U.S., so expect to see a huge crowd arriving soon.

Scheduled for Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14, from 10 am to 6 pm along The Woodlands Waterway and in Town Green Park, the Festival presented by The Woodlands Waterway Arts Council also features live entertainment and local visual and performing art, along with food, wine and beer.

Headlining the musical entertainment is Texas native Ruthie Foster, a multiple Grammy nominee and Blues Music awards winner, among other awards including Best Female Vocals at the 2013 Austin Music Awards. Foster is scheduled to perform on the Palette Café Stage near The Woodlands Waterway at 3pm on Sunday.

Sunday’s other featured performers on the Palette Café Stage are the legendary Texas Johnny Brown featuring Milton Hopkins, plus Texas Johnny Boy, an old school rhythm and blues band. Saturday’s featured performers include the award-winning Step Rideau and the Zydeco Outlaws, The Level One Band, The Grace Wright Jazz Quartet, The Emily Elbert Band, and The Cavalier Orchestra.

The Festival also features the Artopoly area with hands-on, interactive workshops kids will love, as well as the Art of Food stage with 16 demonstrations by local chefs.

Festivals tickets can be purchased at the gate or online. Cost at the gate is $10 for an adult day pass or $15 for a two-day pass. Children under 12 get free admission. No pets allowed.

To learn about other events in The Woodlands, include the free “Live at Night” concert series, visit The Woodlands e-neighbor.

MW Cleaners is a high-quality dry cleaner with 35 Houston area locations, including three in The Woodlands. Like The Millennium Uptown, MW Cleaners is also environmentally friendly. Read about its green dry cleaning efforts.

MW Cleaners is installing a DropBox and resident lockers onsite at The Millennium Uptown. Residents signing up for free pickup and delivery can leave their garments in the DropBox at their convenience. MW Cleaners will return the freshly cleaned garments to the assigned locker system.

As an added bonus, MW Cleaners is offering residents who sign up now a $40 instant credit applied to their accounts.

Here’s how it works: go to MW Cleaners online and register for complimentary pickup and delivery. MW Cleaners will provide you with a Black Tie Bag to drop off your garments in. Leave your bag filled with clothing for cleaning in the onsite DropBox at any time, day or night. Personal valets will pick up the bag the next morning and return your garments to the locker system. You will then receive an email with the locker number for pickup. It’s that simple.

To learn more about MW Cleaners and services offered, visit the company’s website at www.mwcleaners.com.

Multihousing Pro Magazine is also featuring our community in its Sept/Oct issue under the awards section. Watch for it!

Who:  All employees and family members.

What: Join us for a 5K walk.

When: Saturday, October 6th – Opening ceremonies start at 7:45 a.m. & the 5K walk starts at 8:40 a.m.

Where: Race starts downtown and is predominantly located on the inbound and outbound lanes of Allen Parkway.

On the day of the race make sure to:

• Get enough rest the night before and eat a healthy breakfast
• Wear comfortable walking shoes and clothing
• Wear your Race t-shirt and bib number
• Strollers are encouraged for the Family Walk/Kids K
• Water will be provided along the Race route and post-Race party/sponsor expo.

Walk with us on October 6^th for this great cause; Race for the Cure. We hope to see you there!

Last year, Cecelia Linayao of San Diego took Best of Show honors for her rendering of Elizabeth Taylor. The striking work was largely black and white, accenting the violet eyes of Taylor. The Street Painting Festival artists selected the Best in Show mural. In all, over 500 works were created and displayed over the weekend. Check out highlights from last year’s show here.

In addition to painting, watch artists mix chalk and pastels with water, sprayed, and brushed paint. The

Old Town Temecula event lasts two days at Main Street and Town Square. The event combines fine art with family, friends, and the outdoors. Festivities begin Friday June 22 at 5 p.m. with black and white night painting under lights. Live music will also be featured. The festival also coincides with the Plein Air Festival. Visit the event Facebook page.

The Street Painting Festival is free to the public. Visit the City of Temecula website or email kathi.syers@cityoftemecula.org for more information on the festival. Hope to see you there!

The critically acclaimed film leads the audience through the tantalizing drama of a murder investigation in the Turkish steppes. A policeman, doctor, prosecutor and murder suspect work out the confusion of an investigation in the countryside.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston will have showtimes on Friday June 22 at 7 p.m., Saturday June 23 at 6 p.m., and Sunday June 24 at 3 p.m. The museum is a short drive away from our apartments in downtown Houston. To purchase tickets or learn more about the show, call the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston information line at (713) 639 – 7300.

Other events in the Museum District

There are many other events like this weekly in the area. Visit the Houston Museum District’s website to discover more events like these.

The farmer’s market is open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Saturday. The selection includes seasonal vegetables, honey, homemade bread, and even homemade scented soaps. The local honey sold at the market is purely Texan, meant to ease the effects of allergies. Visit The Woodlands Commentary Blog to see some goods from last year’s market.

The Farmer’s Market is free and open to the public, located at Buckthorne Place and Grogan’s Mill Road. It is a short drive or 2 mile bike ride for our residents of apartments in The Woodlands. Are you interested in being a vendor? Visit the Grogan’s Mill Village Association website to download a vendor application

Other activities in The Woodlands

There are many more free, open to the public events like these every week. To discover nearby fun things to do with your friends and family, see the The Woodlands Events website.

Celebrating its 29th year, the festival kicks off the summer of 2012 with flair, and this is one event you do not want to miss. Spectacular sunrise balloon launches and evening balloon glows, live music on two stages, hot air balloon rides, food and wine pairing, freestyle motocross show, hundreds of vendors, arts and crafts, kids faire and more.

Lifehouse, Phil Vassar, Soul Asylum, John Waite, Chris Cagle, Gloriana, and Tonic headline the concert events.  The extreme sports freestyle motocross show features FX Game champions, members of the Metal Mulisha and an international cast of daredevil riders.

Festival gates open Friday, June 1, at 3 pm. Hours are Friday 3pm- 10pm, Saturday 6am-10pm, and Sunday 6am-5pm. Ticket prices at the gate, which includes general admission to concerts, are $22.00 on Friday, $25.00 on Saturday, and $17.00 on Sunday for adults; $5 for juniors 7-12. Children 6 and under get in free.  You can buy a weekend combo ticket for $50, which covers admission for all three days, or save $2 per adult general admission ticket by purchasing online. Special reserve concert seating and other packages are also available. Active military can buy a general admission discounted ticket Sunday for $10 with a military ID. Click here for additional ticket information.

A few things to know:

• Balloon glows begin at sunset on Friday and Saturday evenings; balloon launches are Saturday and Sunday at 6:30am.
• Food, wine and beer are sold at the event. No coolers or outside food and drinks allowed.
• Leave your four-legged friends at home. Pets are not allowed on festival grounds.
• Parking is $5 per vehicle; buses and RVs $10. No overnight parking.

Get full details, including the concert schedule, and buy tickets online at www.tvbwf.com.

Hope to see you there!