April is a great month to get out and enjoy the many festivals Dallas has to offer. If you have younger kids, you might prefer the kid-friendly festivals. While most of these festivals welcome children, the kids might not find them interesting.
Mar 30-Apr 6. Enjoy four days of food, parades, talks, and shopping to learn about world cultures at the University of North Texas, I-35E at North Texas Boulevard in Denton. Most events are free. Call (940) 369-8625 for more information.
Apr 3-5. Deep Ellum's annual arts festival features more than sixty-five bands performing on four stages. A complete list of musicians is available on their
MySpace site. The Petropolitan Pooch Parade starts on Sunday at noon at Main Street and Malcolm X. Admission is free.
Apr 4-May 25 (Saturdays and Sundays and Memorial Day Monday), 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Step back into the past at this sixteenth century recreational festival. Watch knights on horseback joust, birds of prey hunt, swordplay, drama and comedy, music, and lots and lots of shopping and food. Scarborough Renaissance Festival is located at 2511 FM 66 (Take I-35E to Waxahachie). Discount tickets can be
purchased online. One-day admission costs $21.99 for adults and $8.50 for kids ages 5-12 and a season pass costs $75 for adults and $20 for kids ages 5-12. Children four and under get in free.
Apr 16-18. Over sixty jazz groups will perform during the three-day festival. The North Texas Jazz Festival will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Addison.
Apr 17-18. Grapevine wineries team up to bring a weekend of wine tastings and entertainment. The jazz train travels both Friday and Saturday evenings, leaving the station at 6:40 p.m. and returning at 9:30 p.m. Tickets for the jazz train are $55 per person and
require reservations. The Blessing of the Vines lasts from 11 a.m. until noon at Delaney Vineyards and is free. The New Vintage Wine Trail stops at each of Grapevine's tasting rooms with a complementary shuttle.
Apr 22-26. Five days of fine wine and great food in which the winners of the Rising Stars Chefs' Competition show off their recipes, local winemakers and cheesemakers display their wares, and live music and fun movies entertain.
Apr 24-26. The Southlake Womens Club sponsors this three-day weekend with artists exhibiting and selling their creations in the Southlake Town Square at Southlake Boulevard and Carroll Avenue. Admission is free.
Apr 24-26. Fri 5 p.m.-11 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-9 p.m. What could be better than a lovely April weekend, live jazz, and art? If it's all free -- and it is. The festival in being held in Quakertown Park, 321 E. McKinney Street in Denton. Admission is free.
Apr 25 and 26, with a Tour Party on Fri, Apr 24. The Tour Party starts with a Candlelight Tour of Homes, followed by a party at the Dallas Arboretum featuring live music, dinner, drinks, and auctions.
Apr 29-May 3. The annual USA Film Festival features the best in American and foreign film. Filmmakers and actors attend along with their films. The National Short Film and Video Competition is held during the week. Various venues host the individual movies.
