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Did you know Austin is a Bee City? Austin City Council voted to become part of the Bee City USA network about two years ago, meaning we are part of a mission to protect pollinators and offer them support by reducing pesticide use, increasing plant abundance, and providing nest sites. Learn about the bodacious bee from Lindsay Loftin of the Parks & Rec Department, who’ll drop some knowledge you can use in the Bee-ingo game and as a “pollinator pal.” – Kat McNevins

I declare right now to be the Summer of Hobbies – we’re developing interests outside of work and YouTube video essays, I swear. Start your own hobby era with this crafty little event, thrown by the folks at allgo and Asian Family Support Services of Austin. While this artmaking meetup centers queer Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, allies are encouraged to also attend. RSVP is required, but after that you’re on your way to becoming a well-rounded human who has a creative spirit. Congrats! – James Scott

What flag do you fly, Reader? Bring your personal Pride stripes to this picnic/photoshoot where in addition to a pro photog snapping sunset Pride flag pics, there’ll be snacks, drinks, music, and games. Feel free to also BYO bevvies and food.

Since blues expresses our innermost fears and outermost desires, congratulate Randy Hill on turning his aspirations into homegrown roots history. Austin Blues Monthly’s brief mid-Nineties run saw its editor/publisher talking shop with a who’s who of the genre that helped put the state capital on the world map: Clifford Antone, T.D. Bell, Marc Benno, W.C. Clark, Kent “Omar” Dykes, Blues Boy Hubbard, Kim Wilson, and more. “What Hill managed to pull off – intentionally or not – is a wide-ranging history of Austin blues,” writes ATX historian Joe Nick Patoski of Hill’s new Q&A compendium. Practitioner Guy Forsyth co-signs with fiery live blues. – Raoul Hernandez

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

Does your grandma swear you were blessed with the voice of an angel, the gift of gab, or some other brow-raising ability? Radio Coffee & Beer invites you to show it off for their monthly talent show. Find out if those jokes you tell your waitress would actually land in a real crowd, or if that song you sing in the car sounds as good on stage as it does in your car. Sign up for a 10-minute set between 7 and 10pm by emailing [email protected]. Did we mention the winner gets a cash prize? – Camila Villarreal

Nothing gets a person more hyped about the beauty of the English language more than an excellent poetry slam. It’s impossible to slam without strong emotions and even stronger deliveries. Luckily, a fiery feast of words is coming our way this week. The Carver Museum, in association with local poetry publisher 310 Brown Street, drops a serious slam with about a dozen local wordsmiths. Hosted by master poet Christopher Michael, the competitors will duke it out for top three slammers in the city. Who will win? The audience, that’s for sure. – Cat McCarrey

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

As Amy Poehler’s character Susie advises about musical theatre in Wet Hot American Summer, “Your craft is a muscle; you have to exercise it.” If your craft is writing, consider Write Club your gym sesh. At this monthly meetup, participants are given a prompt or exercise, then everyone will write and share. Don’t be shy; this is a supportive environment filled with folks who are also writers, aka some of the most insecure people on the planet. Have a stretch, crick your neck, and get those writing muscles absolutely ripped. – Kat McNevins

“What happens when we turn toward our pain?” Over four Tuesdays and together with other men and trans masculine folks, this community-building series tackles the question of patriarchy – how it benefits men, harms them, and how we might find a way to practice mindful masculinity. Abundant Masculinities founder Kanoa Arteaga leads the four-week class in group activities, journaling, art-making, and more, with over eight years of experience in masculinities work. Tickets run on a sliding scale of $5-30, but one ticket covers all four sessions. – 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

Mamma mia: Did you know the game we call bingo originated in Italy? Descended from the Italian lotto game, bingo has been delighting young and old – okay, mostly old – since the 1500s. Enjoy boffo bingo from your friends at Bat City Bingo, who bring free “beano” to patios all over town, every Tuesday at North Loop bar & kitchen Double Trouble. Advisable drink pairings with your bingo card: for the sober, a hot choc, and for the spirited, an Aperol Spritz. Foodwise, I mean, a taco goes with everything – this writer suggests the vegan picadillo. – James Scott

Do you enjoy contemplating the deep questions that come with being human? Join conversations facilitated by Asenath Avinash based on Buddhist books from great teachers to explore these questions and meditate. Drop-ins welcome; no registration required.

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

Top off your TuezGayz with this Diamond Dior Davenport-hosted drag show featuring top-notch performances.