For over 13 years, Alodia Basketball Academy has been providing basketball programs which help fulfill their mission of Developing the Next Generation of Leaders through Sports, and teaching life lessons on and off the court, and we're fortunate to have them right here in The Woodlands area!

Their five-star rated, year-round, co-ed programs, Kindergarten through 8^th grade are offered at Creekside Park Junior High.

Alodia’s coaches are the some of the best in the area with years of experience. They do all they can to elevate player’s confidence and skills while helping them meet new friends and have fun. And while no guarantees, Alodia programs have been instrumental in preparing players for school teams in future years.

Families can read what others say about Alodia, their programs, and coaches by  CLICKING HERE.

Whether it is year-round competitive youth league seasons, skills training, camps during school breaks, training in person or online with world renown trainer Ganon Baker…there is always something for everyone at Alodia Basketball Academy.

Visit website to learn more: alodiasports.com.

Walking through Lightscape at Houston Botanic Garden felt like a dream! The  internationally acclaimed experience wasn’t a crazy, over-the-top sensory overload for my family, but rather an elegant, magical, and beautiful trail of well-planned, thoughtful installations that kept us delighted with every step. The light displays are set along a beautifully illuminated path winding through the Garden. My favorite installation at the event was the Fire Garden, but I won’t be sharing my photos and video here because I need you to get there and be as much in awe at this installation as I was! In a word, it was captivating!

Click here to see the original news update and photos we published a while back.

When visiting Lightscape, you can even stop along the trail and purchase refreshments such as hot cocoa and snacks. (We had just finished our Thanksgiving dinner, so we did not indulge.) Roasting smore’s was also an option. Parking was easy and the parking lot is safe and well attended. Lightscape is accessible for strollers, wheelchairs, and mobility assistant devices. (Wheelchairs are not provided and cannot be rented on-site.)

And OK, yes, Houston Botanic Garden, located at 1 Botanic Ln in zip code 77017, is a bit further south in Houston than you would typically drive, but visiting Lightscape event pairs well with your next trip to the city for dinner or a show. Or add it to your itinerary if you’re doing Galveston or Kemah evens for the holidays. Lightscape will be absolutely the cherry on top!

For the record, I believe it’s worth the drive even if you’re not already in the area, but be advised that it takes less than an hour to walk through the grounds, so take your time, take plenty of photos, and enjoy the journey!

Lightscape is open to the public and runs on select dates through Sunday, January 2, 2022. For more information, CLICK HERE to visit the webiste.

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.