Tuesday, August 11th, 2026

Howdy Frisco -

It's back-to-school week. Frisco ISD's roughly 62,000 students head back Wednesday, and there's a genuinely odd reason this year's calendar looks different from every other year.

Here's your week ahead.

If you're new to Frisco, get ready for one of the most predictable annual rituals here: back-to-school traffic. Frisco ISD, one of the fastest-growing districts in Texas with about 62,000 students across 77 campuses, heads back Wednesday, Aug. 12, the first day of the 2026-27 school year.

Here's the part that surprises people: this year's calendar is genuinely different, and it's because of golf. The district is ending the school year a full week early, on May 14, 2027, to avoid a collision with the PGA Championship, expected to bring 30,000 people a day to Frisco next May. To make up the lost instructional time, the district added five extra minutes to the end of every school day, for every grade.

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The Grapevine bakery, an organic European-style spot known since 1996 for naturally leavened bread, German pretzels and more European baking goodness, is opening its second DFW location this month - in Frisco. Handmade with organic flour and without commercial yeast, preservatives, or artificial additives.
1606 FM 423, Suite 400, Frisco - opening end of August (date to be confirmed).

This is also the first full school year under Dr. Todd Fouche, who took over as superintendent in April after more than 20 years working his way up through Frisco ISD, from science teacher to principal to deputy superintendent. He replaces Mike Waldrip, who retired after 44 years in public education. Fouche says his focus is simple: knowing every student by name and need.

☕ Mayor Mark Hill is holding office hours over coffee. His first "Coffee with the Mayor" is Friday, Aug. 14 at 8 a.m. in the Community Event Room at Frisco Public Library — bring questions, grab a cup, and hear what's going on around the city. It's set to become a standing second-Friday-of-the-month thing, though the topic and location may shift each time.

🚐 GoZone rides are still free through Sept. 4. The on-demand shared-ride van service normally runs $3-5 a trip, but it's free for anyone booking within the Frisco zone through Labor Day, no promo code needed. Book through the GoZone app (iOS or Android).

New signal at Eldorado Parkway and Granbury Drive goes fully live Tuesday, Aug. 11, no more stop signs. Elsewhere: fresh pavement work starting at Lovers Ln. and Clearstream Ln., plus ongoing repaving on Alstone Dr., Brunswick Isles Way, and Preston Trace Rd. Most jobs wrap in about two weeks, weather permitting.

🀄 Mahjong Night at Rollertown
Free weekly mahjong night at Rollertown's taproom - beginners get a quick rundown of the rules, regulars just pull up a table.
Rollertown Beerworks, 6450 Main St, 6-8PM (Free)

✍️ Write Club
A monthly meetup for local writers of any genre to discuss the writing and publishing process and critique each other's work.
Frisco Public Library, 8000 Dallas Pkwy, 6:30-8:30PM (Free)

🍝 Live Music at Palato
Weekly Thursday dinner music at Palato Italian Kitchen and Lounge - settle in with Italian dishes and local musicians for a low-key night out.
Palato Italian Kitchen and Lounge, 3220 Internet Blvd, 5-8PM (Free, reservations recommended)

🇪🇸 Spanish Conversation Club for Adults
Practice real-life Spanish conversation in a relaxed, beginner-friendly group setting - the last session of this run, hosted by Bilingual Bright Minds.
Frisco Public Library, 8000 Dallas Pkwy, 6:30-7:30PM ($40)

🎨 Create AI Images with Adobe Firefly
A hands-on library class on generating and editing images with Adobe's AI tool - no design experience needed.
Frisco Public Library, 8000 Dallas Pkwy, 7-8:30PM (Free)

🍺 Thursday Night Trivia at Three Empires Brewery
Free-to-play team trivia with prizes for the top two teams - family-friendly and dog-friendly, with pizza and drinks to keep you fueled.
Three Empires Brewery, 6990 Main St Suite 200, Frisco, 7:30-9:30PM (Free)

Wed: ☀️ Sunny, high 101°F
Thu: ☀️ Sunny, high 102°F

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That's it for now. See you Thursday with the weekend picks!

Cheers,

Sebastian

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