Excitement is coming to Bear Branch Park, as the replacement of the inclusive playground is underway and will be complete in April. As of Monday, November 29, 2021, the old Bear Branch playground is closed. The entire play structure and rubber surfacing will be removed and redesigned.  

The new enhanced playground further expands the concept of inclusive recreation through implementing additional elements that afford additional individuals, with and without disabilities, to be able to access the playground. Individuals with disabilities related to visual, intellectual, physical and Autism will have elements and play features that more fully embrace their needs.

Anticipated re-opening will be April 1, 2022. As the only inclusive playground in The Woodlands, this will be a focal point for residents and guests for years to come. The primary pathway between the Recreation Center/swings and the playground will remain open during construction, as to not interfere with entry to the tennis courts, skate park, multi-purpose court or pathway to the Alden Woods neighborhood. The new amenity will include:

• Poured-in-place surfacing in primary play area
• Multiple elevated play structures with ramps and transfer platform
• Accessible merry-go-round
• Multiple elements include specific designs to engage sensory systems and motor, cognitive and social skills
• Five swing options
• Playhouse for 6 - 23 months old
• Playhouse for 2 - 5 year-olds

Bear Branch Park is located at 5200 Research Forest Drive in The Woodlands, TX 77381. For more information on parks and playgrounds in The Woodlands, please visit www.thewoodlandstownship/parksandrecreation  or call 281-210-3800.

Kick off the holiday season with The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion at Holly Jolly Jingle Thursday, December 2 at 7 p.m. This festive event includes a musical celebration of the season by local student performers and fun winter activities for all ages. Tickets are not required for this free event which is sponsored by KPMG.  Gates open at 6 p.m.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year as The Pavilion Main Stage features performances of familiar holiday medleys by the student musicians of The Woodlands High School, The Woodlands College Park High School, Oak Ridge High School and Grand Oaks High School. Sing along to classic seasonal tunes with a certain jolly elf rumored to make an early appearance at his favorite holiday celebration.

Concertgoers will be walking in a winter wonderland of activities when the gates open at 6 p.m. with holiday arts and crafts, photos with Santa Claus, The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who plus pre-concert performances by local schools in the plazas. All are invited to climb aboard the Candy Cane Express train in the Gold Lot starting at 5:30 p.m.

All guests are encouraged to review The Pavilion’s bag policy – clear bags sized 12” x 12” or smaller are permitted as well as non-clear handheld clutches sized 4.5” x 6.5” or smaller. This policy is in effect to ensure the safety of guests and staff members as well as eliminate the need for close personal contact. Medically necessary bags and diaper bags are permitted but will be searched and tagged. Please visit The Pavilion’s website for more information on these restrictions.

Preferred parking is available in the on-site Town Center Garage, located along Six Pines Drive. Parking is $10 per vehicle for this and most performing arts events. Tickets for on-site parking can be purchased in advance at Ticketmaster.com and The Pavilion Box Office. Guests also may park in any of the free parking lots off Timberloch Drive on the southwest side of The Pavilion.

With the holiday season fast approaching, Junior League of The Woodlands (JLTW) is proud to present its 19th Annual Holiday Market. The shopping extravaganza will be held November 18-21, 2021 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in The Woodlands, Texas.

Junior League of The Woodlands Holiday Market will feature over 100 unique merchants from across the country, selling an array of specialty holiday items, home accessories, clothing, gourmet foods, jewelry, and much more. Tickets are $15 for a one-day general admission ticket. General admission hours are: Friday, November 19th, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday, November 20th, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday, November 21st, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Strollers are welcome Friday and Saturday after 2:00 p.m. and all-day Sunday.  The Junior League Holiday Market will preview its “Making Spirits Bright” theme with a VIP event and Preview Party on Thursday, November 18^th, 2021, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Along with shopping, the Preview Party features music, food and a cocktail party. Tickets are $100.00 per person and include a general admission ticket to Holiday Market. Holiday Market will also feature photo opportunities with Santa on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CLICK HERE for specific Santa photo times.

Junior League of The Woodlands, Inc. will follow all CDC guidelines and Marriott policies in effect at the time of the event.

The Howard Hughes Corporation® (NYSE: HHC) has announced that it will partner with Kirby Ice House, a popular Houston patio bar, to build its third  Houston region location on over four acres in The Woodlands® Town Center. Kirby Ice House is building its new location at 1700 Lake Robbins Drive, at the northeast intersection of Six Pines Drive and Lake Robbins Drive, across from The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.

The popular ice house will provide a similar format to its Upper Kirby and Memorial locations, with over 10,000 square feet of indoor bar space and over 18,000 square feet of backyard space with room for outdoor games, food trucks and events. Guests will find the same variety of draft beers, cocktails, wine, and spirits with a rustic look that features Texas signage, vintage movie posters, and plenty of seating. It will have over 70 HDTVs and 120 taps for beer—plus a 141-foot bar, claiming the distinction as the longest bar in Texas.

“As we add locations, we are looking to bring the same Kirby Ice House brand to more people by maintaining the experience and service that made our first location so popular,” said Russ Morgan, Kirby Ice House partner. “We are excited to create the ultimate gathering spot and event space in the center of The Woodlands’ vibrant community and commercial hub, to serve the area’s residents, companies and visitors.”


The Woodlands location will be the largest indoor area for Kirby Ice House, and its first indoor/outdoor bar with sliding windows, and its best AV/TV package to date.

“We are extremely excited to announce our partnership with Kirby Ice House to bring their best-in-class concept to the heart of The Woodlands Town Center,”  said Jim Carman, President - Houston Region for The Howard Hughes Corporation. “Our community has been looking for additional entertainment options, and I am looking forward to enjoying our first pre-Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion concert gathering or a big game watching event at Kirby Ice House in The Woodlands.”

“Kirby Ice House is a beloved Houston hospitality concept that is very thoughtful with their location strategy,” said Sydney Dixon with CBRE. “The proximity to greenspace, complementary retail, and corporate campuses in The Woodlands made this an ideal expansion location for their business, which hosts over 300 events a year at each location.”

The new Woodlands location is the first development outside of Houston for Kirby Ice House.

CBRE’s Sydney Dixon and Brian Ashby represented Kirby Ice House in the transaction negotiations while The Howard Hughes Corporation was represented in-house.

Main Street Theater’s holiday favorite returns this month with Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon. MST Founding Artistic Director Rebecca Greene Udden has long been a champion of Jane Austen’s work, even adapting Pride and Prejudice for the stage herself, which the company produced in 1988 and 1996. It seems only fitting, then, that Pride and Prejudice sequels would become MST’s regular holiday plays. MST has also produced The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, the Gunderson/Melcon offering of what’s happening “downstairs” while the events of Miss Bennet are happening “upstairs” at Pemberley. “It’s a pleasure to bring back Miss Bennet,” says Ms. Udden. “Many people have told us that the whole Pemberley set of plays has become a mainstay of their holiday activities, so we are glad to be able to offer it once again!”

Original cast members Chaney Moore and Lindsay Ehrhardt will reprise their roles as Mary Bennet and Anne de Bourgh, respectively. Skyler Sinclair returns as well, but this time in the role of Elizabeth Bennet. The rest of the cast includes Yemi Otulana, Alexandra Szteo-Joe, B. Connor Flynn, Gabriel Regojo, Aaron Alford, Graham Childers, and Antonia Laverde.

The production opens Saturday night, November 20 at 7:30pm and runs through December 19 at MST – Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd.  Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm.  Tickets are $36 - $55, depending on date, section, and availability. THANKSGIVING WEEK PERFORMANCES: Wednesday, Nov. 24, Friday – Sunday, Nov 26 – 28.

All tickets are on sale via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at MainStreetTheater.com. Please visit www.MainStreetTheater.com for Main Street’s COVID-19 safety protocols.  

Main Street will also be streaming the production beginning the first week in December. Visit http://www.MainStreetTheater.com for the latest details.

About Miss Bennet: Christmas as Pemberley

A sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Miss Bennet is set two years after the novel ends and continues the story, this time with bookish middle sister Mary as the unlikely heroine. Mary is growing tired of her role as the dutiful middle sister in the midst of everyone else’s romantic escapades. When the family gathers for Christmas at Pemberley, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and possibly even love.

If you're looking for Holiday camps to keep your kiddos busy during the holiday break, here are some options for you around town!

Young Chef's Academy - Christmas/Winter
2021 Winter Culinary Camp - Beat the winter blues away and warm up with delicious cooking fun at Young Chefs Academy Culinary Camp. Create irresistible recipes that melt in your mouth like a snowflake. The magic comes alive as young chefs put their culinary skills to the test to produce their own mouth-watering SWEET and SAVORY creations.
December 20 - 22, 2021, 10:00am - 1:00pm and 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Click Here for more details.

The Woodlands Township, The Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park, 6464 Creekside Forest Drive - Thanksgiving & Christmas/Winter
Sunny Dayz Camp - Give the gift of fun this holiday season at our holiday break camps! Camper will enjoy theme days full of activities, games, crafts and more! Campers will also enjoy Sunny Dayz favorites such as: special snacks, visits to the parks, Ga-Ga ball, foursquare and more!
Thanksging Break - November 22 - 24, 2021 - 7:30am - 6:00pm (unless otherwise noted)  - Ages 6-12, $50 daily, $125 3 days
Winter Break - December 20 - 23; December 27 - 31; January 3 - 4 - Ages 6-12, $50 Daily, $125 Three-Day, $175 Four-Day
Click Here for more details.

Cordovan Art School, 8000 McBeth Way - Thanksgiving & Winter
Thanskgiving & Winter Art Camps - Cordovan Art School presents Thanksgiving Art Camps and Winter Break Camps for Kids for children aged 5-12. The BEST Art Camps in the Greater The Woodlands Area!
Thanksgiving Break - November 22 - 24, 2021, 9:00am - 4:00pm or half days (Extended Care available).
Winter Break - December 20 - January 4, 2022, 9:00am  4:00pm or half days (Extended Care Available)
Click Here for more details.

The Learning Zoo, 15428 Delores Ln, Conroe - Christmas/Winter
Winter at the Zoo - A week of animal-centered activities, holiday stories, crafts, and more. Limited to a total of 8 campers, we'll break into smaller groups to: pet and hold a variety of kid-friendly animals, prepare zoo food, hand feed small and gentle animals, create enrichment games for our ambassador animals, explore conservation options for children, read holiday animal stories,  and work on related projects. Open to ages 6-8, our camp will give your animal lovers a special way to celebrate the Holidays!
December 20 - 23, 2021, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, $100
Winter Zookeeper Camp - Campers will receive personalized instruction in animal husbandry, and spend their mornings caring for our reptiles, mammals, birds, and more!
December 27 - 31, 1: For ages 9-11, $175
Click Here for more details.

Deon Blakemore Basketball - Thanksgiving & Christmas/Winter
Thanksgiving & Chritsmas Basketball Camps - Holiday Camp with Coach Deon! Our camp curriculum will consist of ball-handling, shooting mechanics, footwork, agility and conditioning and the proper fundamentals of the game.
November 22 - 24, 2021, 9:00am - 4:00pm or half days
December 20 - 22, 2021, 9:00am - 4:00pm or half days
Click Here for more details.

Ninja Warrior Camp & Maximum Athletics - Thanksgiving
Join us for FUN Ninja-Inspired Games, Obstacle Courses, Open Gym Time, and so much more! Concessions will be available though we do ask that campers pack a snack, lunch, and water. ($35 for one day, $60 for both). November 22 & November 23, 
Visit website.