Shirley F Hartley, DPM

Bask in the sweet sounds of jazz music at the Houston International Jazz Festival, which makes its annual return by celebrating a remarkable run of music, artists, education, and history. The festival, benefitting Jazz Education, Inc., a nonprofit organization, starts the summer with live music and a host of musicians and bands worldwide. The focus of the festival always seeks to honor the legends, the music, and the standards of tradition, shaping young minds and educating them for the future.

Go Fly, Go High, Go Long at Geronimo Park, where friends, families, teams, and groups can unplug from electronics, participate in thrilling outdoor activities, and enjoy each other's company in a natural environment. Feel the thrill of ziplining as you glide through the treetops across five zip lines and three bridges. Work your way up and across a 42 ft platform as you choose between the exhilarating rush of a simulated free fall experience or a slow, controlled rappel descent. Trek through and take an optional detour through nine aerial challenges, grab a friend, and soar across the park side by side on the longest, fastest zipline at 555 feet.

Catch one of your favorite musicians or bands at the Arena Theater, a legend in Houston's music scene. As one of Houston's oldest concert venues, the Arena Theatre is notable for its arena-in-the-round style and excellent acoustics that have showcased such legendary and notable performers as Willie Nelson, BB King, Tom Jones, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Clint Black, and Huey Lewis and the News. The intimate setting feels more like a private event than a concert venue. All seats are less than 60 feet from the stage, giving you the feeling that you are part of the show, not just a spectator. The stage revolves, too, so every seat in the house is an excellent one.