Main Street Arts Festival

When most people of think of Fort Worth, they think cowboys and country music. But there is so much more to this eclectic city! The Main Street Arts Festival is one of my favorite activities that Fort Worth hosts. There is something for everyone and for all ages. By the way, it is FREE admission; You can experience most of the festival without paying a dime!

Since 1986, the Downtown Fort Worth Initiative nonprofit organization has been actively improving the downtown area by sponsoring this event. And this year, the festival is better than ever! This 4 day festival is loaded with activities everyone will enjoy. Want to cultivate your artistic side? Wander through over 200 artists booths, representing various mediums. You'll find ceramics, glass, leather, photography, paintings, and much more. There are even ways for you to jump into the action: The Texas Pottery & Sculpture Guild will offer demos of hand building and wheel throwing in the activity tent on 4th St. Every hour on the hour, you can test your pottery making skills with the clay they provide. 

If you just want to sit back and be entertained, there will be musicians preforming on 3 stages starting at 11 AM each day. There will be music of all genres; Blues, Texas Country, Jazz, Folk, Alternative, Rock, etc.
Thursday you can see the Inner City All Stars, a fun brass band that will make you want to dance! Friday don't miss the amazing guitarist Carolyn Wonderland. Saturday is packed with many artists, from Sister Hazel to the Poo Live Crew and Robert Randolph and the Family Band. The Texas Gypsies will be preforming Sunday along with many more great musicians.

This arts festival isn't limited to musical entertainment. There are also comedians and dancers including the Ballet Folklorico de Fort Worth, The Checkerboard Guy, and Leapin' Louie the Ropin' Fool. Click here to find the schedule of artists so you don't miss out.

Need something for the kiddos? Stroll over to the Main Street Createz where kids can design ceramic tiles, play with clay, face paint, climb a rock wall to burn off energy, create sand art, and many other arts and crafts. Most of the activities are free; however, there are some booths that will require coupons so be aware of this. 

With all these activities you are bound to get hungry. There are many food vendors who will be present, and unfortunately it's not free (but worth it!). Coupons can be purchased from various coupon booths on site (TIP: If  buy in bulk the coupons are cheaper, so if you're meeting a group of friends or family there, figure out how many tickets you may want and split the cost later). In the 2013 Main St. Program Guide on page 16, you can see how much each vendor charges. There will be Bar B Q, corn dogs, and of course delicious Mexican food!

There are also Wine Tastings and Brew Sessions. The Brew Session is hosted by the Flying Saucer and has session times on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. See the Guide for details. The Wine Tasting is hosted by Fort Worth's only full production winery, Times Ten Cellars. There are limited seats each session so go by their tent, located on Main between 3rd and 4th Street, to sign up for a seat. The Brew Session is $25 which includes 5 samples and a keepsake to bring home. The wine tasting is $35 per person which also includes a etched wine glass, and you select a bottle of your favorite tasting to bring home. Of course, you can always drop by and just order wine by the glass as well. 

How to get there: You can ride the train or park and ride for $1 each way from Billy Bob's Texas located in the Stockyards. The Dart Bus is another eco-friendly option into downtown. Check out the Trinity Railway Express or the Dart bus schedule. For more information on getting to the festival click here.

Fort Worth does a wonderful job of encouraging "green" living. They offer a Bike Corral where you can valet your bike safely, located at 4th and Commerce. They also offer FREE water stations. Bring your own water bottle and fill it up for free at one of the many stations.

If you need to drive and park, click here for parking information.

For our animal lovers, at this time: No pets are allowed. Sorry!!

Need information while you are at the Festival? There will be an Festival Information Booth set up on Main St. between 3rd and 4th Street, OR go ahead and download the 2013 APP now! It's called the 2013 FW MAIN ST APP. 

Below are the hours and a few more tips. I hope you are able to make it out to the festival this year, it will be worth your time and hopefully it will become a tradition for you every April!  

Dates: Thursday April 18th - Sunday April 21st. 

Hours

Thursday: 10am- 10pm

Friday and Saturday: 10Am-11pm

Sunday: 10am -8pm

As always, check out the website for more information: http://www.mainstreetartsfest.org/festival-guide/

Arlington, A Baseball Town

This weekend the Texas Rangers had their first home games for the 2013 season. Fans could not have asked for  more beautiful weather on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday which made enjoyable games for every age group. What's more, the Rangers won the series against their rival, the Los Angeles Angels. This home opener was especially exciting with ex-Texas Ranger, Josh Hamilton, batting for the Angels. Many fans have been upset by Josh's comments regarding Texas' fans. He stated that this was not a true "baseball town" which I believe the fans proved him wrong all weekend since every time Josh came to bat, the disapproving boo's could be heard throughout the whole ballpark. Even Hamilton commented that he had never heard the stadium so explosive.

The ballpark was packed with fans all weekend and the excitement was contagious. There are few things in life that are more fun than being in the Rangers Ballpark when a home run is hit! Fireworks explode in the air, fans scream, and friendly high-five's are shared with strangers who become friends during the game. Belltre, Kinsler, Moreland, Cruz, Murphy, and Berkman hit the first home runs of the Ranger home games.

 If you are ever in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area, a Texas Rangers game is a must! The Rangers Ballpark is located in a convenient location, Arlington, Texas. Smack in the middle of Dallas and Fort Worth. Also, Arlington is home to Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor. Tailgaters can enjoy multiple parking lots to cook out, play games, and enjoy the beautiful Texas weather. There are multiple restaurants in walking distance that will allow you to park in their parking lots for $5-10 dollars per car. Sherlock's Pub & Grill allows you to park in their parking lot for free if you buy a drink or grab a delicious burger (or any other menu item). They offer a shuttle to and from the ballpark if you prefer not to make the 2 mile walk with other Ranger's fans.

The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington offers seating in and out of the shade. During the hot summer months the shaded seats are more expensive, but for many they are worth the extra cost. Keep in mind though, the evening games are only in the sun for a short time, so if you can stand a little heat for the first few innings, you can save some cash. The ballpark also has delicious food with the menu constantly evolving. You can find all the typical ballpark, but they also feature Nolan Ryan beef, the Boomstick Hot Dog, a 2 foot long hot dog, and new this year waffle cheese fries! (One of my friends, was literally licking the bowl when she tried these!) A little tip: if you are wanting to keep within a budget, you can bring a collapsible cooler with water bottles and other non-alcoholic drinks in plastic bottles. I also bring in my own peanuts and healthy snacks when I don't feel like splurging on tempting ballpark food.

There are over 75 home games left in the season, with ticket prices ranging from $11- $100+, there is a seat for everyone at the Rangers Ballpark. When you go, explore the park and enjoy playing in the Central Field Plaza. Kids of all ages enjoy the Ballpark in Arlington!