On Your To-Do List
Five Things You Must Do This Weekend: June 16–18
Celebrate Emancipation Park, get chased by aliens, and jam out to the Fab Four.
The newly renovation Emancipation Park will look like this.
Edward Eberle Retrospective
June 16-Sept. 2 | Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
Dive into the alluring and dreamlike works of this critically acclaimed Pittsburgher’s work, a comprehensive exhibition of 30 years of ceramic art. Vividly dark colors, glossy blacks, and splashes of colored glazes recall the Japanese Kutani and Oribe periods, even as they draw attention to intricately interwoven figures stained on porcelain. The exhibition also features some of Eberle’s works on paper, which transform classical styles into contemporary forms, and boast fragmented, otherworldly dreamscapes and whimsical figures. —Kara Fields
Free. 4848 Main St. 713-529-4848. crafthouston.org
Sgt. Pepper’s at 50
June 17 | Discovery Green
The landmark album is now a half-century old, and the city’s favorite greenspace is celebrating bigly with a concert by the Fab 40. The Houston-based musician collective, known for its meticulous interpretations of classics from the rock era, will recreate The Beatles’ masterpiece using over 40 live instruments. Of note, local computer recycling startup Compucycle will give out VIP tickets to the first 100 guests who show up with used electronics to recycle—honoring both the Fab Four and the decade in which environmentalism was born.—Spencer Vogel
Free. 1500 McKinney St. 301-984-6644. discoverygreen.com
Image: adike/Shutterstock
Alien Chaser
Opens June 16 | Wet ‘n’ Wild SplashTown
Space: the first, but not final, frontier for this popular local park. This summer, SplashTown comes in peace, sort of, with the grand opening of its newest thrill ride. The water coaster plunges riders six stories, swallowing them into an intricate network of pitch-black tunnels before spitting them onto a series of wide, gravity-defying saucers. Remember the tagline “In space no one can hear you scream?” Well, they will this time. —Kara Fields
From $36.99. 21300 I-45 N, Spring. 281-355-3300. www.wetnwildsplashtown.com
Emancipation Park Rededication
June 17-19 | Emancipation Park
Seven score and five years ago, a group of African-American Houstonians commemorated the Juneteenth abolition of slavery in Texas by purchasing 10 acres of land which they aptly christened Emancipation Park. Now, almost a century-and-a-half later, and following a whopping $33.6 million, the park is being christened again, this time with a modern look, a brand-new recreation center, a renovated community center, and a more contemporary-style pool. The Emancipation Park Conservancy and the Houston P.A.R.D. host the festivities, which continue through Juneteenth itself (Monday). —Arman Badrei
Free. 3018 Emancipation Ave. 713-284-1911. houstontx.gov/parks
Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull
June 18 | Toyota Center
Two of the most famous names in Latino music return to the Houston spotlight, this time as co-headliners of a summer tour. This time around, the King of Latin Pop and Mr. Worldwide appear with Miami-based boyband CNCO, a group born of La Banda, Simon Cowell’s Univision reality show. —Spencer Vogel
From $39.95. 1510 Polk St. 866-446-8849. houstontoyotacenter.com
