GO OUTSIDE
Photo by Ralph Lauer
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., 817-463-4160, brit.org
Programming continues to expand and evolve at the FWBG as spending time outdoors grows in popularity. Along with gardening classes on topics such as soil building, pruning, and raised beds, there are book club get-togethers and art-centric workshops, plus a few new events.
Forest Bathing In Japan, it’s known as shinrin-yoku, the practice of immersing yourself in nature using all your senses to reconnect with yourself and nature. Led by a BG volunteer who’s an avid practitioner, you’ll learn how to enjoy the solitude of the outdoors before spending some alone time in the Japanese Garden. Jan. 29; register by Jan. 26
Dog Days For anyone who has longed to take their pup to the ultimate Fort Worth park, here’s your chance. There are rules of etiquette, of course. Check the website for more information. Feb. 18-19
Butterflies in the Garden This six-week exhibit offers a look at the largest collection of live, exotic butterflies in North Texas. All tickets, available online or at the door, are timed entries. Feb. 25-April 10
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
8525 Garland Road, 214-515-6615, dallasarboretum.org
Dallas Blooms This year’s theme is Birds in Paradise as the arboretum shakes off winter with massings of color from 500,000 spring-blooming plants, including 100 varieties of bulbs, thousands of azaleas and hundreds of Japanese cherry trees. The six-week event showcases its theme with a quartet of oversize peacock topiaries trailing “tail feathers” made up of bright flowers. Programs include bird flight shows, bird talks, Easter events, book signings and speakers, live music, tasting and cooking classes, plus much more. Feb. 19-April 10
The Dallas Arboretum goes to the birds during this year’s Dallas Blooms. Look for peacock topiaries as well as the thousands of spring-blooming flowers, shrubs and trees. Photo courtesy of the Dallas Arboretum
MUSICALS
Emma Grace Freeman as Matilda. Photo by Chip Tompkins
Casa Mañana
3101 W. Lancaster Ave., 817-332-2272, casamanana.org
Matilda the Musical Celebrate the power of imagination thanks to Matilda’s smarts, courage and special powers. Feb. 4-13
Shrek the Musical The memorable green ogre and his smart-mouthed friend Donkey are just two of the lovable characters in this fairytale adventure. March 18-April 3
Music Hall at Fair Park
909 First Ave., Dallas
Disney Princess – The Concert If you’ve ever thought of yourself as a Belle, a Jasmine or a Nala, this show’s for you. A quartet of Broadway veterans brings the Disney princesses to life onstage by performing more than 30 songs from classics such as Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen and others. The immersive experience includes audience singalongs, animation, behind-the-scenes stories from each of the performers, and the chance for you to dress like royalty and proudly wear that tiara. The Broadway-style production is suitable for ages 6 and older. Feb. 5, disneyconcerts.com/princess
EVENTS
No festival would be complete without bagpipers. Or dogs in costumes. Photo by JD Luttmer
North Texas Irish Festival
The North Texas Irish Festival returns this spring for its 40th weekend-long celebration of the wearing of the green and all the fixings, from pints of Guinness and jaunty jigs to hypnotic step dancing and T-shirts begging kisses. And, yes, the pipes, the pipes are playing. First held at Nick Farrelly’s, the legendary Dallas lounge, the event was so popular out of the gates that the following year it moved to Fair Park, where it has been held for decades. Expect whiskey tastings, fencing demonstrations, horse showings, Celtic storytelling, animal rescue opportunities, kid-friendly entertainment and, to keep everyone fueled up, shepherd’s pie and Irish stew. It’s all good fun, but those in the know go because the event produced by the Southwest Celtic Music Association (formed after the very first year) remains at its roots a music festival. Dozens of musical performers include national headliners such as Celtic Aire, Piper Jones Band, Skerryvore and Úlla, along with regional favorites including The Irish Rogues and Vintage Wildflowers. Visit the website for more info and tickets. March 4-6, ntif.org
ART
Dallas Museum of Art
1717 N. Harwood St., 214-922-1200, dma.org
Last chance The “Van Gogh and the Olive Groves” show closes Feb. 6. The first exhibition of the painter’s olive grove series features works created in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence during the final year of the artist’s life. The bold and experimental works illuminate Van Gogh’s exploration of the healing power of art.
Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form A Mexican-American scholar and artist who lived in the Dallas area, Medellín’s work was instrumental in shaping the Texas art scene. This first-ever retrospective looks at the evolution of his career with more than 80 works, including 30 sculptures, on display. Medellín’s work often coincided with the climate of the times, from his experiences in post-revolutionary Mexico to the lynchings of men of color in the United States. He also created large-scale public works including mosaic murals and stained-glass windows, many of which still exist today. Feb. 6-Jan. 15, 2023
Octavio Medellín, Azurmalachite Plate, c. 1949, glazed stoneware, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase. Photo courtesy of the DMA
Rupert García, Frida Kahlo 23 (September), from Galería de la Raza’s 1975 Calendario, 1975, screenprint on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum. Images courtesy of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
3501 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 817-738-1933, cartermuseum.org
The Carter’s 2022 lineup includes a broad range of exhibitions spotlighting the history of printmaking and social activism by Chicanx artists, a major survey of contemporary Indigenous photography and site-specific installations. An experimental outdoor sculpture program that begins in May will take advantage of the Carter’s inviting outdoor spaces. Look for pieces, existing and new, by North Texas-based artists Justin Ginsberg and Darryl Lauster, and New York–based artist Jean Shin.