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It’s the second coming of surrealism at Ivester Contemporary. Josias Figueirido aptly updates the legacy of Dalí and Chagall with his vivid dreamscapes. His exhibit presents spirit guides Piri the Dreamer and Flying Coyote in increasingly absurd settings, smoothly bubbled characters possessing hypnotic shininess. Paintings of them hang in eerily vivid flashe paint, existing harmoniously beside their animated counterpoints in an immersive, interactive reality. It’s the wondrous love child of Cartoon Network and modernism. You don’t want to miss it.: – Cat McCarrey

Beat the summer blues and treat yourself to tasty delights with Emmer & Rye’s Breaking Bread series. Over the summer, the restaurant will host four incredible guest chefs, who will each craft a one-night-only epicurean adventure. On Thursday, June 20, épicerie’s Sarah McIntosh takes over the kitchen with her simple-but-savored French-tinged fare. I know what you’re thinking: But what about the bread? Yes, every chef will have bread for you to break, with a special course inspired by the venue. Here’s hoping for croissants in your future. – Cat McCarrey

Cloud Tree Gallery has become one of the funnest listening rooms on the Eastside and now there are two of them – the original gallery and the gallery’s Quonset hut twin, the Cloud Tree Auxiliary. The new space is perfect for this month’s Summer Salon series with its wall of Mondrianesque stained glass and its curving domelike ceiling. Austin Cantorum kicked off the series on June 6 with a stunningly lovely choir performance as audience members relaxed on blankets on the floor. Colin McIntyre presents his meditative sound bath this Thursday. – Brant Bingamon

The Drive-By Truckers’ 2001 double-disc opus Southern Rock Opera arguably serves as the apex of alt.country. The band’s seminal third LP muscles Southern rock guitar and deeply literate narratives into the first true realization of Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley’s vision of what DBT could be: troubadours wrangling the Southern experience in all its contradictions as complex, celebratory, critical, and conflicted. Hood and Cooley remain the powerhouse quintet’s fulcrum as they reissue Southern Rock Opera and perform the entire album alongside other hits, continuing nearly 30 years in to reimagine what the South can be. – Doug Freeman

There’s not a single situation on Earth that can’t be made better by puppets. Avenue Q and Team America: World Police prove my point. For some more family-friendly puppet improvements, check out the all-ages production of La Maleta de Maebelle, Glass Half Full’s creative telling of Tricia Tusa’s picture book Maebelle’s Suitcase. It tells the story of a young girl and her bird friend, both of whom yearn to return home to Colombia. With Colombian music by Kiko Villamizar and incredible puppets, made and handled by master puppeteers, Glass Half Full offers a perfect production for all. – Cat McCarrey

I have nothing but respect for my sovereign ruler of Texas, H-E-B. Setting a play there sounds like a stroke of genius. A few lucky souls may have been inducted into the tale of turbulent grocery visits at FronteraFest, where playwright Raul Garza debuted this as a short play to great acclaim. But the extended version is now on the market, getting deeper into the nitty-gritty lives of three different grocery store people. Who knows what will happen, but whatever does, I’m sure H-E-B will take good care of any physical or emotional needs. – Cat McCarrey

For years Breslow traveled around the world (literally from the South Pole to the Amazon) for NPR’s All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. Now, he’s traveling to Austin’s Downtown library to discuss his new book, Outtakes: Stumbling Around the World for NPR. The stories prove that journalism, even at its highest levels, is equal parts harrowing and hilarious. Leading the discussion is his public radio compatriot, retired Texas correspondent John Burnett. – James Renovitch

Who doesn’t want to build up their CV in these trying times? Or perhaps you just want to fill your free time with something other than TikTok? Or maybe you want a behind-the-scenes, hands-on tour of Austin’s best place for sustainable craft supplies? Whatever reason you’ve got, it’s a good time to volunteer for Austin Creative Reuse’s Summer of Service program. Opportunities are abundant, with group projects like fabric rolling, dog toy making, or Funky Fabric Friday – that’s when they process all the weird stuff like purple faux fur or bright yellow vinyl. Sign up on austincreativereuse.org, complete 30 volunteering hours, and earn your Summer of Service certificate. Beats losing eight hours to ASMR slime-scoop videos, I’ll tell you what. – James Scott

We Are Blood – who are definitely NOT vampires in disguise – have totally cracked the case on how to make giving blood even more of a good deed. See, for this month only, whenever you take your juicy veins to a WAB donor center or mobile unit, they’ll donate $5 to your choice of one of three partnering nonprofits. That’s right: Donate blood, and you can give Central Texas Food Bank, Austin Humane Society, or TreeFolks a fiver to do with what they please. And usually what they please is helping our Austin community in various positive ways like keeping peeps fed, nurturing puppies and kitties, and growing big beautiful trees whose shade is sorely needed during this cruel summer. – James Scott

Hoo-wee! Does anything feel better than a dip in the pool during a hot Texas summer? While some among us may be privileged to own private watering holes, most of us get to enjoy the great Austin PARD’s work at the 44 public aquatic facilities to choose from this summer. You’ve got regional, neighborhood, and community pools; a wading pool; splash pads; and the crown jewel: Barton Springs. Check austintexas.gov/pools-splashpads for up-to-date info on which pools are open, what their entry fee is, and whether you have what it takes to be a public pool lifeguard. Now, outta the way if you don’t wanna get wet: I’m gonna do a cannonball! – James Scott

Thanks to Seventies funk band War, the word “lowrider” often calls to mind the unforgettable sax riff of the band’s 1975 No. 1 single. But lowrider can mean a snazzy customized car with hydraulics or a person who works on such a vehicle, and the culture around these cars has strengthened Mexican American communities in the Southwest since the Forties. Learn more about them at this exhibit featuring an interactive touchscreen mural, cars and bikes on display, and stories about the people who make lowriding a community. A member reception takes place May 18. – Kat McNevins

Summer seems a natural time for lightness, airiness. There’s a freedom the soul craves. Diana Greenberg’s latest exhibit, on display at Wally Workman, utterly fits those summer vibes. Inspired by nature, her art evokes the breeziness of a hammock in the sun, a picnic in a meadow, the possibilities of a bright sunny day. That’s perfectly complemented by the art’s pastel palette, pearly pinks and hazy yellows adding to the seasonal feeling. Welcome nostalgia and hope of longer days with Greenberg’s impressions of the world around us. – Cat McCarrey

The impeccably named MuthaGoose is the collective brainchild of artists Jill Garcia and Kim Phu. They are two of the baddest muthas around, debuting their collaborative creativity with the sly, wry, “Luster Woo” exhibit at the Butridge Gallery in the Dougherty Arts Center. Both are well-versed in playing around with mediums, crafting sculptures and paintings created from all manner of found or upcycled items. For “Luster Woo,” MuthaGoose present their nostalgic-but-modern takes on women’s issues. On Wednesday, Jill Garcia will be present for the artist reception, answering questions about the duo’s process. Check out these indelible visuals highlighting how the more things change, the more things stay the same. – Cat McCarrey

That's right: Cap City Comedy Club, the longtime cornerstone of Austin's comedy scene for nearly four decades is at a new venue in the Domain. And here's Valerie Lopez with a closer look at what's in store for the scene via the venue. Click for details!

Traveling in Mexico, you frequently encounter changarritos – portable food carts or tienditas run by hardworking entrepreneurs. The carts usually operate outside of any formal regulation and, in that way, mirror the resilience and creativity of Mexican culture. In 2005, artist Máximo González appropriated the concept of the changarrito as a way for artists to take their work directly to the people. The idea came to Austin’s venerable Mexic-Arte Museum in 2012, with dozens of artists displaying art and interacting with the public outside the Downtown gallery. The concept is back and will run through August. – Brant Bingamon

Art and … math? Not as improbable as it may seem, especially when seen through the veil of fantasy. And that’s exactly what artist/gallerist/therapist Deanna Miesch does. Compiling works inspired by 1800s mathematician Edwin A. Abbott’s imaginary world of Flatland (with touches of fellow mathematician Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, of course), Miesch presents reality with a fanciful twist. Her visuals show our world, blurred or tilted a little askew. It’s easy to see portals to another world in every line and angle. What dimensions will you discover? – Cat McCarrey