Festival Fun

5 ways to rock out at the wildest music festival in North Texas

Wildflower Arts and Music Festival in Richardson

Wildflower! is turning 25, and you get to help celebrate.

Photo by David Downs

When a beloved Texas festival turns 25, it's time to party. Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival is bringing in big-name bands, lots of locally made goodies, and plenty of food for its silver anniversary, happening May 19-21 at Richardson's Galatyn Park.

With more than 80 musical acts on six stages, 20 or so food vendors, and lots of kid-friendly activities — not to mention about 62,000 fans milling about during the weekend — it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Don't be. We're here to help plan out your ideal Wildflower! weekend.

Listen
This year's headliner is Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd, playing May 20 at 10 pm on the Methodist Richardson Amphitheater Stage. But they're not the only group you should check out. The B-52s, Guster, John Fullbright, Night Ranger, The All-American Rejects, Bowling for Soup, and A Hard Night's Day are just a few of the acts you can catch, along with dozens more national, regional, and local performers. The Queen tribute band Almost Queen even plays daily. Check the full lineup for times.

Eat
WF! Eats food vendors are dishing up an array of local cuisine and traditional festival treats. Stroll the grounds for everything from Conway's Corndogs to i Fratelli pizza, with a Maui Wowi snocone or Marble Slab ice cream to help cool off. There's also a craft beer and wine garden this year, complete with shaded seating and lawn games to make sipping that beverage truly relaxing.

Shop
Accessories, art, home decor, unique clothing — if you feel like shopping, you're bound to find something amazing at the WF! Marketplace, where local, handmade goods are the focus.

Play
If you have little ones, the WF! Kids area is a welcome escape from the festival chaos. From the hands-on activities to a contest for budding artists, Rock Star Karaoke to free face painting, there's plenty to keep everyone occupied. Be sure to swing by the Texas Native Butterfly Tent, which features over 250 native Texas butterflies and a display of the monarch butterfly metamorphosis. Eagle-eyed kids can spot different butterfly species and take their very own milkseed home to plant.

Watch
Performance Row is where you can see acrobats, magicians, dancers, and other street performers show off their remarkable skills. Times vary, but you're bound to see something cool no matter when you wander by.

Single-day adult tickets to Wildflower! are $30 ($40 at the gate), with kids' tickets only $5. A three-day pass is $65, and the VIP package — which includes two three-day passes, two VIP access wristbands, complimentary food and drink, and one commemorative poster — is $375. All are available here.

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Rivers wild

Ethan Hawke narrates new documentary that deep-dives into Texas rivers

Cropped still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The Rio Grande is one of the stunning subjects of Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers.

One Texas film icon passes the torch to another for a deep dive on Texas' river ecosystems in the upcoming documentary Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers. Matthew McConaughey narrated the original 2022 film, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story. Now Ethan Hawke narrates the follow-up, which will be in theaters September 25.

Deep in the Heart 2 is directed by Ben Masters, a nature-obsessed Texan who was born and raised in Amarillo and has followed wildlife around the state and beyond. Working with his crew at Fin & Fur Films, Masters explores the Rio Grande, the Sabine River, and the Neches River, a press release says, coming across otters, turkeys, alligator snapping turtles, and more.

This underwater shot was taken in San Marcos.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The original Deep in the Heart took a broad view of Texas — both its landscapes and their inhabitants — while the "sequel," as the release calls it, specifically highlights water. Conservation is an important angle, and viewers will get a chance to consider how they could connect with and protect the ecosystems on their screens.

"Most of my favorite memories are on Texas Rivers," said Masters in the release. "I grew up on the Canadian, fell in love on the Brazos, got married on the Guadalupe, found adventure on the Rio Grande, and am raising my kids on the Colorado."

The filmmaker says that spending three years filming his natural subjects gave him "a newfound appreciation" for rivers and how distinct they are from one another.

Amazing cinematography was a hallmark of the original film, and the sequel offers more beautiful shots.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

"We spent months filming mountain lions on the Pecos, snapping turtles on the Neches, otters on the Sabine, fatmuckets on the Llano, and whooping cranes in the Guadalupe's Estuary," Masters said. "Editing the majesty of Texas Rivers into 80 minutes was a huge challenge, and I'm just incredibly grateful to work with such a talented team of cinematographers, editors, producers, and musicians."

Hawke, born in Austin and raised in Fort Worth, is known for acting in the Dead Poets Society, Gattaca, the Richard Linklater films Boyhood and Blue Moon, and more. He has taken up causes in environmental advocacy for years and appeared in other ecology-focused films, including the intense fictional First Reformed (2018) and a goofy anti-littering PSA with TxDOT (2023).

Some unexpected guests in the Rio Grande.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The film was made in association with H-E-B, a regular supporter of ecological documentaries and initiatives, and conservation organization Texan by Nature. Other collaborators include producer Josh Winkler, editor Sam Klatt, assistant editor Chet Stefan, and composer Noah Sorota. The musical score is performed by Dallas Chamber Symphony.

animals documentaries ecology ethan hawke film matthew mcconaughey movies nature texas wildlife