September brings a resurgence in the number of festivals around Dallas. The days are still warm, but not fiercely hot anymore, making outdoor festivals much more fun. Wine, beer, hot air balloons, and music are just some of the things celebrated this month. Oh, and don't forget the Texas State Fair!
Sep 4-7, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., except for Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visitors will get to walk among hundreds of Texas butterflies enclosed in a mesh tent in Southlake Town Square. Seminars on the life cycles of some of those butterflies will be led by butterfly experts. At 5 p.m. on Sunday, the butterflies will be released. Proceeds benefit local children's charities. Admission costs $6 for adults and $3 for children. The butterfly festival is being held at 100 State Street in Southlake.
Sep 5-7. Tribal dance competitions, cultural heritage exhibits, food, and arts and crafts will be at Traders Village in Grand Prairie. Admission is free. Parking is $3 per vehicle. Traders Village is located at 2602 Mayfield Road in Grand Prairie.
Sep 6, noon. Bluegrass is a uniquely American music genre with roots in traditional Irish, Scottish, and English music. The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation was formed to promote and preserve bluegrass music in America. Enjoy an afternoon of live bluegrass, informal jam sessions, and workshops at South Oaks Baptist Church in Arlington (5925 US Highway 287). Tickets cost $20 for those over 12. Twelve and under get in free with a parent.
Sep 11-14. The 21st annual Grapefest celebrates the Texas wine industry. Enter the GrapeStomp competition to see which team can produce the most grape juice in an hour. Sample the best of Texas wines in the People's Choice Wine Tasting Classic. Compete in the USTA-sanctioned Grapefest Tennis Classic. A carnival, kidzone, and food and wine tents will be centered around Main Street in Grapevine.
Sep 18-21. Four days celebrating German beer, food, and folk dancing includes dachshund races, the world's largest simultaneous yodel, and a Fun Run in Addison Circle Park. Admission is $5 for ages 4 and up.
Sep 19-21. Fri, 5 p.m.-11 p.m.; Sat, noon-11 p.m.; Sun, 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Live jazz plays outside the Will Rogers Coliseum along Camp Bowie Boulevard. Art, food, beverage, and a kids' area with a petting zoo, library book walk, and free craft activities make this a festival to enjoy. Admission is free. Take the
TRE to the ITC station and catch one of the free trolleys to the festival.
Sep 19-21. Dozens of hot air balloons take off from Oak Point Park in Plano. Live music, including an Elvis impersonator on Friday night, kids' activities, fireworks on Saturday night, a balloon glow on Friday and Saturday nights, and the ReMax skydivers at 5 p.m. each afternoon will keep the whole family entertained. Admission costs $5 for a one-time admission or $8 for an "all-day" admission (one re-entry). $1 discount for seniors and $4 general admission for everyone 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Kids under 36 inches tall get in free. To get there, take DART's Red Line to the Parker Road station and hop on the free (with DART ticket) "Balloon Flyer" shuttle. Shuttles run continuously during the festival.
Sep 21, noon-8 p.m. The Pride Festival has live music, featuring Anton Shaw and her Band, performers, food, and trophies, awards, and prizes. The parade starts at 2 p.m. at the corner of Cedar Springs Road and Douglas Avenue and continues down Cedar Springs Road to the festival at Lee Park, at the intersection of Turtle Creek Boulevard and Hall Street.
Sep 26-28. The 52nd annual Greek Food Festival of Dallas celebrates Greek culture through food, dancing, music, and shopping. A children's area includes face painting, sand art, and candlemaking. Admission for those over 12 is $5; ages 5-12, $3; and under 5, free. Lunch or dinner tickets include festival admission. Lunch tickets for over 12 cost $10; 0-12, $7. Dinner tickets for over 12 cost $15; 0-12, $11. The festival is located at 13555 Hillcrest Road in Dallas, near the intersection of Hillcrest and Alpha Road. A free park and ride shuttle runs from the Brinker International Headquarters parking lot. Take 635 to the Hillcrest exit and go south on Hillcrest. Make a right at Hillcrest Plaza and Brinker will be on your right.
Sep 26-Oct 19. The Texas State Fair returns this year with the 2008 Auto Show, livestock competitions, arts competitions, live music, exhibits, and the midway. The State Fair is located at Fair Park in Dallas. Admission is $14 for adults, $10 for kids under 48" and seniors. Seniors have free admission every Thursday and children under two always get in free.
Sep 27, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Postponed from Sep 13, due to Ike. Discover Uptown Dallas during the All About Uptown Festival. Enjoy live music all day, food and drink from Uptown's best chefs, cooking demonstrations, art, historic tours, and a kids' corner with face painting and crafts. The All About Uptown Festival will be held on Fairmount Street between McKinney Ave and Howell. Admission and parking in designated festival parking areas are free.
Music and Magic on Main
Sep 27, 3 p.m.-8 p.m. The Irving Heritage District will be host to a car show, magic show, live music, art, food, and kids' activities. Main Street in Irving is only two blocks away from the South Irving station on the
TRE rail line. To drive there, take 183 to Irving, go south on O'Connor Road, then take a left on 2nd Street. Main Street is the third light from O'Connor.
