Totally Texas -- Spring into flowers and fests

Forget those news feeds of blizzards and ice. Come see what’s out that’s sunny and nice, in this brief summary of spring outdoor festivals in North Texas.

February 22-April 6 -- Dallas Blooms, Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, Dallas. After a few days of warm weather, the first cherry trees have burst into bloom, as shown by the picture illustrating this post. Daffodils are coming on strong, with hyacinths, tulips, azaleas and more not far behind. The theme is “Birds in Paradise," with those playhouse-sized birdhouses and giant peacock topiaries. Special events during the festival include Hanami cherry blossom viewing March 16. Tickets $15 for adults, $10 for kids. Discounted tickets available at area Tom Thumb stores. For more information and online parking discounts, see www.dallasarboretum.org/.

February - mid-March -- Mrs. Lee’s Daffodil Garden, Smith County Road 3104 near junction of CR 3103, Gladewater. Miles of trails wind through nearly thirty acres and millions of daffodils. It’s wonderful, uncrowded and free, but very weather dependent. When I called this morning (February 21), daffodils had not yet bloomed. Check for updates at the daffodil hotline, 903-845-5780, or
www.daffodilgarden.com/.

March 21-April 6 -- Azalea & Spring Flower Trail, Tyler. Eight miles of trails with incredible displays of azaleas, dogwoods, and other spring flowers. Follow signs south from Smith County Courthouse on North Broadway, downtown Tyler. For scheduled events, see www.tylertexas.com/cvb/visitors/.

April 1-30 -- Ennis Bluebonnet Trails, Ennis, I-45 south from Dallas. Bloom updates available starting the first week of April, with peak bloom usually in third week, depending on weather. This is THE place to see bluebonnets in North Texas. The associated Bluebonnet Trails Festival runs April 12-13 in Ennis, with arts and crafts, music, children’s activities, and vintage automobile show. Free. See
www.visitennis.org/.

April 5-May 26 -- Scarborough Renaissance Festival, 2511 FM 66, Waxahachie. Jousting, juggling, swordplay, and all things medieval, music, and food. Saturdays, Sundays, and Memorial Day Monday. Adult single day tickets $24, but numerous discounts available. See www.srf.com/.

April 26-27 -- Artscape in the Arboretum. Nearly a hundred artists fill the Arboretum’s Pecan Grove. Free with Arboretum admission. See www.dallasarboretum.org/.

April 26-27 -- Japanese Garden Spring Festival, Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, 3220 Botanic Garden Boulevard, Fort Worth. (Parking behind Montgomery Street Antiques Mall on I-30 access road). Traditional Japanese arts, music and cultural traditions amid hills, ponds and gardens, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Ticket prices not yet available. For information, see http://fwbg.org/.
 
May 3-4 -- Cottonwood Festival of the Arts, Cottonwood Park, 1321 West Beltline Road, Richardson. More than two hundred forty juried artists, music, food, children’s activities. Free parking and admission. Open 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. May 3, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. May 4. See
www.cottonwoodartfestival.com/.

　
May 16-18 -- Wildflower! Art & Music Festival, Richardson. Cottonwood’s more about art, Wildflower! more about music. At Galatyn Park Urban Center, U.S. 75 and Galatyn Parkway. Six stages, children’s activities, food, vendors. Single day adult tickets $20, on sale starting April 14. Numerous discounts, including half-price entry for Richardson residents. See www.wildflowerfestival.com/.

Totally Texas -- Barking up the right tree

Tyler State Park

FM 14 (about 2 miles north of I-20)

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Henderson High School classmate Paula posted pictures of East Texas dogwoods in bloom on her Facebook page, making me homesick for the little trees so hard to grow in Dallas. My brochure from Tyler’s Azalea Trails contained a mention of Tyler State Park’s Dogwood Days Tour, so I headed east on Interstate 20, in search of the fluttering white flowers I remembered.

About ninety minutes east of Dallas, the roadside prairie changed to woodlands spangled with snowy flowers.

But I wanted to see the dogwoods up close, not just give them a quick wave through the exhaust fumes of passing semis. I pulled into Tyler State Park. It was quiet on a weekday afternoon, quiet enough for the ranger at the entry to advise me on the best places to find dogwoods and find me a better map than the one I’d downloaded from the internet.

The tour is a self-guided drive along the park’s main drag, two-lane Park Road 16, looping around the park’s central sixty-four (some sources say sixty-five) acre lake. I drove slowly, wondering every hundred yards or so if I should chance stopping right now to jump out and trek up and down the hills covered with oak, pine, and of course, dogwoods. Although I saw fewer than half a dozen other vehicles, the park is more crowded on weekends, when its four campgrounds fill quickly. So I’ll save you from causing traffic jams by assuring you that the best dogwood viewing site has pull-out areas for vehicles.

Aptly named Dogwood Ridge is a camping area with paved parking and picnic areas on the lake’s south shore. The ground beneath the many dogwood trees is covered with a second delight for flower lovers -- colonies of native mayapples, known in the Middle Ages as mandrakes. Look for the single white flowers beneath the two umbrella-like leaves. A cautionary note -- poison ivy also likes it there. Keep both eyes open for the pest with its three-lobed leaflets.

Tyler State Park is open daily, year round, although the dogwoods are only in bloom midspring. Camping fees range from $14 to $26 per night, in addition to a $5 day charge for those ages 13 and older. Or just get a day pass and bring a picnic lunch. See www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/tyler/.

(Although the azalea festival in Tyler officially ends this Sunday, April 7, the cool weather and rain this week look likely to extend the flowers, which are now in full bloom. See www.tylerazaleatrail.com/.)

Totally Texas -- Fling into spring!

From the many spring festivals in North Texas, I’ve picked a sampling to help plan your season. As always, I favor outdoor events, preferably free. This post lists annual or semi-annual festivals. A selection of recurring events follows next week.

March:

Currently through April 7 -- Dallas Blooms, at Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road. Sixty-six acres of gardens decked out for spring, on the shores of White Rock Lake. Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. For ticket information and discounts, see www.dallasarboretum.org/.

Currently through April 7 -- Tyler Azalea and Spring Flowers Trails. Miles of self-guided driving trails begin at the Tyler Convention and Visitors Bureau, 315 N. Broadway. Related events include walking tours and arts and crafts exhibits, many free. For map and schedules, see www.tylerazaleatrail.com/.

April:

April 6 -- The Celebrate Nature Festival, Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature Place, McKinney, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Includes interactive animal presentations, music, nature-inspired arts and crafts, and more. The Heard’s spring sale of native plants also returns April 5-7. Free for members. For schedule and nonmember ticket prices, see www.heardmuseum.org/.

April 6 - May 27 -- Scarborough Renaissance Festival, Waxahachie at 2511 FM 66. Thirty-five acre “village” with events drawn from the reign of England’s King Henry VIII. Saturdays, Sundays and Memorial Day, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Adult admission $24, but numerous discounts available. See www.srfestival.com/.

April 20-21 -- Spring Festival in the Japanese Garden, Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Boulevard, Fort Worth. Traditional Japanese dance, music, martial arts, and more. Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. April 20, noon - 5 p.m. April 21. Tickets $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 4-12. See
http://fwbg.org/.

April 20-21 -- Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival, Ennis, various locations. Arts and crafts, food, entertainment, and of course, bluebonnets. The bloom season usually starts the first week of April. Free. For information and to check on bloom, see www.visitennis.org.

April 20-21 -- April in Edom, downtown Edom (at the crossing of FM 279, 314 and 2339, southeast of Canton. Old-fashioned street fair with children’s activities, music, car show and pet parade. Free. Hours 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., with April 20 street dance until 8 p.m. See www.aprilinedom.net/.

May:

May 4-5 -- Cottonwood Art Festival, Richardson, at Cottonwood Park, 1321 W. Belt Line Road, one block east of Coit Road. A juried art fair with food, music, and children’s activities. Free. Open 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. May 4 (music until 8 p.m.) and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. May 5. See www.cottonwoodartfestival.com/.

May 17-19 -- Wildflower! arts and music festival. Richardson’s Galatyn Park Urban Center, at U.S. 75 and Galatyn Parkway. Art, music, food, and kids’ activities. Ticket sales start April 15. Adult one-day pass $20, children 5-12 $3. Discounts for multi-day passes and for Richardson residents. See
www.wildflowerfestival.com/.