Bayou Bend Is About to Get All Hipster This August

Perhaps it’s the soaps and Ceramics sold in the gift shop, the numerous antiques inside Ima Hogg’s mansion, the roses and azaleas and statues that cover the estate, and the jazz bands that take over during the holidays, but Bayou Bend—an early American art collection and immaculate garden belonging to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston—has always come across as a stately affair, the type of place where we dress our best, act our best, and have to bring mother along. 

Which is why a brand new series, Rad on the Bend, is bound to be such a breath of fresh air this August. The MFAH has teamed up with everybody’s favorite beer garden, Axelrad, and cutting-edge restaurant incubator Decatur Bar & Pop-Up Factory to throw a carefree little bash in the garden every Saturday next month. It’s a happy hour, but there’s a hitch—there won’t be flocks of boozehounds abounding. This is a mocktail happy hour. 

Rad on the Bend kicks off on Saturday, August 3, from 4 to 7 p.m. with discounted admission ($10), live music, aguas frecas, cucumber mint spritzers, refreshing nonalcoholic drinks from Axelrad’s new menu, sunset-inspired popsicles created by Popston, and lots of time to explore the gorgeous 14-acre estate. There will be other refreshments for purchase, too.

The series will continue every Saturday through August 31 with the last admission across the bridge into the gardens at 6:15 p.m.   

Honestly, we can’t think of a better way to take in a Houston sunset this summer. To whatever geniuses thought this one up: Thank you! And, fine, we’ll still wear our summer best, and maybe bring along our mother.