Things to Do in Stafford

Diving behind a stack of paint-splattered tires on the speedball field, the player catches his breath before unleashing fire on an opponent, who peeks out from behind a wooden spool. Next, they weave through brush-lined trails and take aim from lean-tos on the castle course or crawl through the tubes that throng the hyperball field. Before they commence these bouts on one of Brazos Splat Games' five fields, however, guests shield themselves in protective goggles and ready their semiautomatic markers in the netted staging area. Trained referees oversee 15- to 30-minute games that rotate through a variety of scenarios including Capture the Flag, Elimination, and Name That Rembrandt.

Each year, the Houston Beer Festival attracts fans of libations, music, and merriment with an extensive lineup of breweries, food vendors, and bands. In years past, the gathering has attracted craft brewers such as Stone and New Belgium alongside such worldwide heavyweights as Anheuser-Busch and Guinness, whose creations flow from kegs into a variety of vessels, from 2-ounce samplers to 24-ounce glasses. On multiple stages, bands from Houston and abroad lay down a live festival soundtrack, as karaoke singers replace classic hits with lyrics from the Cheers theme song.

Houston's skyline looms over Urban Warzone’s downtown field, which recently grew in size due to a land purchase, framing a detritus-strewn paintball arena where players skulk and snipe gear-clad combatants. Under the watchful eyes of referees and sentient corporate executives in skyscraping offices, players can paint the entire town or a single disliked opponent with semi-automated sprays of paintballs. As battlers duck behind corrugated tubes and wooden bunkers, paintballs zip through the air, splattering the ramparts or leaving Rorschach blots on players' armor.

To create a personalized experience, each game has a dedicated host catering to the needs of private parties or scheduled events. Elsewhere, a covered picnic area shields onlookers from elements and provides an excellent venue for spectating or snacking.