The month of May might have ended but the jazz concert series at The Shops at Highland Village continue in June. With more live jazz performances by UNT faculty, alumni and students Jazz at the Fountain brings a lovely musical retreat to North Texas every Tuesday evening. The concerts are Free and open to the entire public. Each Tuesday from 7 to 9pm, the courtyard located between Chico’s and Patrizio’s hosts Jazz at the Fountain. Attendees are welcome to bring their lawn chairs and blankets and settle in for a night of jazz right in the midst of south Denton county’s luxurious open air shopping centers. Boxed picnic dinners are available from Potbellys and Corner Bakery or enjoy a delicious Italian meal from Patrizio right next door. The music will follow you no matter where you go.
The Shops at Highland Village are located at the Northwest corner of FM 2499 and FM 407.
(EVERY Tuesday, weather permitting)
Check out the JUNE 2012 LINEUP!
June 7: James Riggs Quartet
June 12: Luke Brimhall Quartet
June 19: Adam Huteson
June 26: Pete Clagett Quartet
The Shops at Highland Village 1701 Shoal Creek
Suite 245
Highland Village, TX 75077
Just when you thought The Shops at Parks Lane couldn’t get any better, they bring on a Free exclusive summer event! “Movies Under the Moon” starts in June 2012! Every Friday evening during the month of June, The Shops at Park Lane will feature a free outdoor family-friendly film. The movie series will start off June 1st with Secretariat and more will follow each week. Just check the 2012 schedule listed below.
Dallas’ new outdoor shopping complex is providing a snazzy shopping scene for free flicks that are viewable for all ages. Head over to the park near Bailey’s Prime Plus for the actual viewing area. Families can pack up a picnic bag, unfold the lawn chairs or lay out a blanket to enjoy Movies Under the Moon every Friday. Whole Foods will supply arts and crafts giveaways for children before the movies begin while Gordon Biersch will provide both edibles & quenchables for sale. Popcorn will be available for $1/bag.
Movie Times:
7:00PM – 10:00PM
Schedule:
June 1: Secretariat
June 8: Toy Story
June 15: Remember the Titans
June 22: Happy Feet
Location:
The park near Bailey’s Prime Plus and Fresh Berry
The Shops at Park Lane are at the Southeast Corner of Park Lane and Central Expwy, across from North Park Mall
Be a part of The Shops at Park Lane’s outdoor summer movie series!
The Shops at Park Lane
8070 Park Lane
Dallas, TX 75231
Things are heating up at Fair Park with the 2012 City Arts Festival this Memorial Day weekend! For three days in a row North Texans will enjoy one of the largest outdoor art exhibits in Dallas, along with tons of family activities, food truck treats and music. The festival is FREE to get in with Fair Park parking about $10. May 25 – May 27 are the select dates for CityArts 2012. Also, included at the CityArts Festival is ArtFest, a showcase of original pieces by nearly 150 renowned national and Texan artists. The popular juried art show is put on by The 500 Inc., who for over 40 years has used ArtFest to help raise funding for cultural arts organizations in Dallas.
Some of you might remember when the festival was held downtown in the arts district, but big the large outdoor event that it is, two years ago CityArts was moved to the more spacious Home of our State Fair to provide ample space and help place emphasis on some of the city’s coolest museums.
The 2012 CityArts Festival is presented by Big City Crushed Concrete, which is a company that helps reduce landfilled concrete waste by usting crushed concrete products. They have provided the construction industry significant economic and environmental benefits by recycling clean concrete rubble into TXDOT Grade rock materials for over 23 years.
The City Arts Festival of Dallas is FREE and open to the entire public. Check out the main features of this artsy fartsy fest:
Come Memorial Day weekend the fairgrounds will be drenched in color with so much to offer visitors. Anyone attending the festival will receive reduced admission to the museums of Fair Park at select times. The Magnolia Art Lounge will offer art classes for adults and teens. “Cartists” display some of their best work and creativity on automobiles. See how creative they can get using vehicles as a “canvas”. A mix of both musical and dance acts will take stage while food trucks roll up offering some of Dallas’ best meals on wheels. Keep on eye on the Esplanade Fountain for “dancing water” shows throughout the weekend!
Art will be jumping out at North Texans from all areas in all aspects, whether it’s the culinary arts, dance, paint, music, graphic design, architecture, sketch, street arts and whatever else you can think of. If it’s art-related, it’s at CityArts. Don’t bother looking for tickets because this festival is FREE!
2012 CITYARTS FESTIVAL DATES/HOURS
Friday 5/25
6PM – 10PM
SATURDAY 5/26
11AM – 10PM
SUNDAY 5/27
11AM – 6PM
Fair Park
1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd.
Dallas 75210
The Main Street Arts Festival is back with street performances, a variety of art and music! Every Spring downtown Fort Worth fills up with North Texans looking for outdoor free fun. Browse the many pieces of Main Street and enjoy some food and beverage vendors with the Main Street coupons which can be purchased at booths throughout the area. Admission to the 2012 Main Street Arts Festival is Free!
Start your weekend on Thursday and head to Sundance Square for great artistic energy that Fort Worth has to offer. The dates for Main Street Art Festival are April 19-22. When considering available Parking for the festival check HERE for street closures before you leave the house. Other transportation options include riding your bike (free parking for cyclists at Biek Corral at 4th and Houston St), Park and Ride Bus service from Billy Bobs, or the TRE. Again, be sure to plan ahead because there will be streets closed off downtown.
Explore a wide variety of diverse art in all just about all forms (i.e. ceramics, graphics, print, paint, photography, metalwork.). Artists close down at 8:00pm every night Thursday through Saturday, and at 6:00pm on Sunday. There will be two whole blocks of kids creative and interactive artistic activities for all ages.
There will be three stages along downtown Fort Worth streets featuring some of the best entertainment from the local community and around the country as well.
Get out of the house this Spring and head to lively downtown Fort Worth for one of the city’s largest music festivals held April 19 – 22. You have four days to choose form and it’s FREE to attend. Experience the vibrancy of Funk Town at the largest festival in the Southwest.
North Texas has a full weekend ahead celebrating the planet and raising eco-friendly awareness at a 2-day Fair Park festival. Earth Day Dallas 2012 is April 21-22. The purpose of this outdoor festival is to increase environmental awareness in all aspects of North Texas daily life. Admission is FREE for EDD 2012, as advocates and environmentally friendly citizes strive to unite and promote the ideas of how green lifestyle choices can not only, lower costs of living but also improve our health and help to save lives. The very first large scale Earth Day Dallas was actually held just last Aapril, and EDD was founded the year prior in 2010.
Anyone else noticing this Fair Park trend? It seems to be becoming a more popular venue for our large North Texas events, or at least a few more than the typical ones. With 600,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor space, Fair Park is a great location for Earth Day 2012, the same way it was for events like: Reggae Festival, Taste of Dallas, Fair Park Holiday, NTIF, KwanzaaFest and of course the world renowned State Fair of Texas.
A full weekend schedule of all these special activities can be found HERE!! So you can be sure to plan ahead.
Food
Concessions at EDD will include organic food, vegan food and some of your favorite festival treats.
Parking
Attendees can park in the general Fair Park lots which are typically about $10. There is also bike parking provided inside the park or you could “Go Green” by using DART’s Green line right up to the front steps of Fair Park, right between Gates 3 and 4.
Pets Allowed Earth Day 2012 is a pet-friendly event, but be sure to keep your pal on a leash and bring the necessary pet-waste disposal bags. Remember, it’s still “Earth Day” so let’s keep it clean.
Volunteer Opportunities
-Must be at least 18 years old
-Register on Signupgenius and include a valid e-mail and phone number
-Positions available for Pre-Event Setup on Thursday, Friday Saturday
-Positions available for Volunteer Assignments Saturday and Sunday
Once upon a time (about two decades ago) an aspiring entrepreneur dreamed up a place where people could eat healthy, get tasty food, let the kids run free and be able to let their hair down while doing so. It would be a safe haven for adults and children alike that allowed them the freedom to be themselves and let their imaginations run wild. This place came into existence in the DFW metroplex, and the owners were so pleased with themselves that they opened a second location. Both provided a relaxing patio atmosphere, occasional classic movie nights, easy going ambiance and an eclectic family friendly menu. “Let’s call it The DREAM Café!” they said. Then, a couple years later, another idea popped into their heads. “Let’s set aside special nights where customers can not only eat and drink, but hear live music outside on the patio at the same time. We’ll do it in the springtime, since this IS Texas.”
This spring explore your dreams and find a place of evening refuge in Uptown Dallas at The Dream Café’sJazz Nightsevery Monday and Wednesday from 7 to 9pm. Local artist Melanie Skybell, a regular performing artist at The Dream Café, along withThe Brehms Duo will alternate nights giving live shows on location. In fact, Melani Skybell will be having her Album Release Party on Wednesday, April 11th at the Uptown Location. Help her celebrate her newest CD with Pete Brewer on sax, Jaelun Washington on drums and Jonathan Fisher on bass at her second home – The Dream Café. (outside on patio, weather permitting)
*While you’re at Jazz Nights on Wednesdays, those who like to sip after a long day’s work, can enjoy ½ priced bottles of wine, every Winey Wednesday.*
Check out the full 2012 Spring Jazz Nights Schedule:
Mon. Mar 19: The Brehms Duo Wed. Mar 21: Melani Skybell Mon. Mar 26: The Brehms Duo Wed. Mar 28: Melani Skybell Mon. Apr 2: The Brehms Duo Wed. Apr 4: Melani Skybell Mon. Apr 9: The Brehms Duo Wed. Apr 11: Melani Skybell (CD Release Party!) Mon. Apr 16: The Brehms Duo Wed. Apr 18: Melani Skybell Mon. Apr 23: The Brehms Duo Wed. Apr 25: Melani Skybell Mon. Apr 30: The Brehms Duo Wed. May 2: Melani Skybell Mon. May 7:The Brehms Duo
The Brehms Duo
The Dream Café is very casual restaurant (with vegetarian friendly items offered on their menu) found right in the heart of Uptown Dallas located at the Quadrangle off Routh Street. Parking is Free either in the Quadrangle lot or the nearby garage. Although The Dream Café is also in Addison, Jazz Nights will just be taking place in Uptown for now, as the Addison location is typically closed during the evenings – but perfect for Brunch. This hidden treasure is no longer remaining a ‘secret’. (I personally came across it a couple of summers ago when looking for new things to do.) So For the next 2-3 months, don’t just dream about Free Jazz Nights, but make it a reality. By the end of the evening -between the wine and the soothing sax sounds- you may be walking on clouds.
Now if we could just get those Classic Movie Nights back up and running! 😉
Uptown Location 2800 Routh Street
Dallas, TX 75201
Come to Richard Green Linear Park March 23-25, 2012, for Art on the Greene Arts Festival. The Free three-day festival features some of the finest artists and live local entertainment. The inaugural event will take place all between The Ballpark in Arlington and the Cowboys Stadium. Home of the Caelum Moor Sculptures by artist Norm Hines, Richard Greene Linear Park will host artists of all different categories: painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry, glass, mixed media, sculpture, wood and metal.
Here are some of the groups/bands confirmed for 2012 Arts On the Greene:
– UTA Jazz Orchestra
– Soul Sacrafice
– Ming Fishtrap
– Andrea Dawson
– Nightbird
– Ray Tarantino
– Jace Bersin Trio
– Ray Tarantino
Click here for a schedule of the musical performances.
Jon Dillon and 92.5 KZPS will be Live on location at Art on the Greene Friday from 3-7pm to bring in the Weekend Party.
If you’re in the Arlington area and looking for something fun and free to do this weekend, stop by Richard Greene Linear Park for some great music and art. Spring is upon us so the weather is good for this type of event.
Feel free to bring lawn chairs and blankets to Art on the Greene festival. While coolers and ice chests aren’t allowed in the park, food vendors will be on site offering drinks and eats for sale.
Both parking and admission are free for this Event!
Art on the Greene Schedule
Friday, 3/23………..3pm-11pm
Saturday 3/24……..11am – 11pm
Sunday 3/25………..11am – 5pm
Richard Greene Linear Park
1601 E. Randol Mill Road
Arlington, TX 76011
Finally a Free Concert series is coming to Mockingbird Station! This is their first time doing it and it’s bound to go well. The location is just right and the weather is warming up so why not bring some live music to Mockingbird Lane? The 2012 Spring Outdoor Concert Series kicks off March 1st and will be every 1st and 3rd Thursday until July 5th. Sounds of a variety of local artists will ring throughout the hip shopping spot found right off Hwy 75 (North Central Expressway). It’ll all be coming from the Mezzanine Level in front of the Angelika Dallas Film Center.
Dates:Every 3rd Thursday of the Month in Spring (Mar 1, Mar 15, April 5, April 19, May 3, May 17, June 7, June 21, July 5)
Time:6pm – 9pm
Location:Mockingbird Station in front of the Angelika Theatre
(5307 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas)
The Concerts will be held right in front of the Angelika
Check out the Lineup!
March 1: Club Wood
March 15: Devin Leigh
April 5: Greg Reichel
April 19: The O’s
May 3: Aaron Woods Band
May 17: Mockingbyrd Station
June 7: SouthWestern Playboys
June 21: Achachay!
July 5: The Carters
Although this is a “Spring” concert series, the shows will go well into early summer. Plus spring is short-lived in North Texas, if it occurs at all, so bring a lawn chair and cool drink or find something to cool off with from a nearby eatery (i.e. Vapianos, Cold Stone Creamery, Rockfish, Café Express, Urban Taco or Starbucks). You’ve sat in traffic most of the evening anyways so why not ring in the weekend (on Thursday nights) with Mockingbird Station’s Free spring concerts? The DART stops right there at Mockingbird Lane too!
Keep an eye on Mockingbird Station this year. They seem to be adding a nice list of fun activities and events to their calendar. If you don’t hear it from us first, you’ll hear it from them.
*Parking is Free around the stores, and the garage is also be available for complimentary parking.
It’s finally time for a march that doesn’t include the word “Occupy” in it. The 30th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will kick off with an awards banquet dinner, silent auction and VIP reception, but on Saturday morning, January 14, the MLK Jr. Parade takes place in Dallas. The Martin Luther King Jr. Parade begins at 10:00am starting at Dallas City Hall and ending at the entrance to Fair Park. Parade participants, as well as attendees, will begin lining up between 8:00am and 9:45am. Line up is in the horseshoe parking area of City Hall. The parade is expected to last until about 1:00pm.
Parade Route: The MLK Parade participants will proceed down Ervay Street; turn Left on MLK Blvd and end at Fair Park. Click here to view a map.
If you’re interested in participating in the 2012 MLK Parade, click here for a Parade Application/Entry Form or visit: http://www.mlkcelebrationdallas.org. Forms can be faxed to 214-670-8501 or sent/delivered to 2922 MLK Blvd., Suite 147, Dallas, TX 75215. Make sure your form is submitted by 5:00pm, Friday, Jan 6th!! Only band/drill team members will be allowed to perform their routine at the band stand located in front of the MLK Center.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. MLK is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world. He made major progress in equality in our society by using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. King was the youngest person to have received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work to end racial segregation and discrimination through nonviolent means and civil disobedience. His birthday is on January 15th so each year in Dallas we celebrate Dr. King around that time. In 1986 (the year after I was born) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday. In January 1982 the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center had their first annual Awards Banquet and parade.
Tune in or go downtown and celebrate the King’s efforts January 14th at the City of Dallas’ Martin Luther King Jr. March/Parade in Dallas.
Start of the Parade Address: Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street
Dallas 75201
~SCHEDULE FOR THE ENTIRE MLK JR. CELEBRATION WEEKEND~
FRIDAY – JAN 13
Silent Auction: 6:00 p.m.
Omni Hotel
555 S. Lamar Street
Dallas, Texas 75202
FRIDAY – JAN 13
Awards Banquet: 7:30 p.m.
Omni Hotel
555 S. Lamar Street
Dallas, Texas 75202
SATURDAY – JAN 14
March and Parade: 10:00 a.m.
Start: Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Stage: Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
SATURDAY – JAN 14
Candle Lighting Ceremony: 7:00 p.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center
2901 Pennsylvania Ave.
Dallas, Texas 75215
In only matter of days we will be jumping or rather cupid shuffling into 2012! But the question is are you ready?? How exactly do you plan on bringing in the new year? Are you as ready as she is?…..
I sure hope so.
To help make things a little easier, Dallas has created our own version of a “Time Square” where there’s “dancing in the streets!” (in my best Martha & the Vandellas voice). Yep, it’s FREE too! The Big D NYE is back for its 4th year at Victory Park, Saturday night, Dec 31st. Victory Park must have some good luck to it. We’ve celebrated so many different things right here. The Stars own Brett Hull, Ed Belfour and Joe Nieuwendyk were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame; we’ve watched great movies under the stars; even Santa stopped by a few days ago to wish the Mavs well on the upcoming season; speaking of which who threw one of the greatest celebration parties with hundreds of fans here at the Championship Parade back in June…even Lady Gaga, Michale Buble, NKOTB and Beyonce have swung thru Victory Ave. Between Blood drives, marathons, marching bands, WFAA studio happenings and tours on those “Minority Report”-type 2-wheelers, Victory Park has become a place of celebration and new beginnings. Hence the word: Victory. Now it’s time to celebrate another phase of coming events and the coming of a new year!
I’ve included a few pictures from my past experience at The Big D NYE. In fact, I think I was at the very first one they had (in 2008) with fireworks, live music and a countdown. My friends and I even got the crowd started on the electric slide and a few other line dances.
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Here’s the rundown on who will be performing on stage this year..
7:45pm – 8:30pm…….Prophets & Outlaws
(Big D NYE Stage) 9:00pm – 9:45pm …..Good Shive Low
(Big D NYE Stage) 9:45pm – 10:40pm…..Sleeperstar
(Chevy Music Stage) 10:55pm – 11:09pm….Good Shive Low
(Big D NYE Stage) 11:25pm – 12:30am……Good Question Band
(Chevy Music Stage)
Good Shive Low is the winner of WFAA and AAC’s 2nd Annual Fast Track to Fame Competition and they will help take us into the new year with their near toxic level of energy.
Good Shive Low
If you’d like to try and win a 2012 Chevy Sonic to zoom into the new year with, click here and enter the contest. Five finalists will be announced that night at Big D NYE. Hurry, because the sweepstakes ends at 11:59pm on Thursday (Dec 22nd).
If you don’t have the money for “Lights All Night” music fest down the street at the Convention Center & Omni Hotel, find your way over to Victory Park where the streets may be crowded but the outdoor festivities are free. If you use public transportation (aka the DART) you’ll probably be in even better shape. Celebrate the dawning of 2012 at a Texas-sized party with fireworks, live concerts, countdowns, contests, fresh food and Big D Fun. Who knows, we may just do the “Wobble” this year!
dfwhappenings 