Get Ready for Parktoberfest

Top 5 reasons no Dallasite should miss Parktoberfest

This could be you at Parktoberfest.

Photo courtesy of The Shops at Park Lane

By now you might have heard a little something about a live music and craft beer festival that's happening at The Shops at Park Lane on October 15.

But in case you haven't, here are five excellent reasons why you should buy a ticket, bring a picnic blanket, and plan on enjoying this gorgeous fall weather all day long.

1. Parktoberfest is back and better than ever
The festival has been revamped with even more food, drinks, and entertainment for the whole family. Presented by The Shops at Park Lane and Bowl & Barrel, the event features some of Texas' finest craft brews, as well as tasty brats and pretzels from Rudolph's Market & Sausage Factory and Slow Dough Bread Co. There will be live music and giveaways galore, along with a photo booth (sponsored by CultureMap) to help you capture the memories. And hey, kids 12 and under are free.

2. You're supporting a great cause
A portion of ticket proceeds benefit the Wilkinson Center, an organization that helps Dallas citizens stabilize financial crises through a food pantry, benefit screening, and temporary rent and utility assistance. The group also helps prepare them for the future with GED and ESL education, financial coaching, and job training and placement. So have fun, and feel good doing it.

3. It'll be craft beer heaven
Several local breweries are on tap for Parktoberfest: Franconia Brewing, Texas Ale Project, Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Community Beer Co., Oak Highlands Brewery, Peticolas, and Karbach Brewing Company. That last one is from Houston, but the more the merrier, right?

4. Your ears will be pretty happy too
There's a jam-packed lineup of musicians, from Vincent Neil Emerson to Kirk Thurmond, Dan Rocha to the Texas Gentlemen. Closing it all out is hometown boy Charley Crockett, who'll be singing a little of the soul and blues music for which he's quickly becoming known.

5. We have a discount for you
VIP tickets are $30 and can be purchased in advance, though you must be 21 and up. This special ticket gets you admission, three 8-ounce beers, one brat, and one pretzel. Admission-only tickets are $10 at the door and are open to all ages. Use promo code CULTUREMAP and get 10 percent off the VIP ticket. You're welcome.

parks promoted festivals music craft-beer

Dallas Cowboys News

Metal roof piece at Cowboys' AT&T Stadium in Arlington falls on field

AT&T Stadium Facebook

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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A piece of the roof at the home of the Dallas Cowboys fell to the field while the retractable portion of it was being opened at least three hours before a 34-10 loss to Houston on Monday night, officials said.

AT&T Stadium was mostly empty when the incident occurred, and team officials said nobody was injured. The roof was closed without incident about an hour later.

Officials said winds gusting to 30 mph during the day contributed to the incident, which was being reviewed to ensure the roof can be opened safely at some point in the future. The roof hasn’t been opened for a Cowboys game in their $1.2 billion stadium since the 2022 season.

“I know we opened it long before any fans or anybody is in there,” owner Jerry Jones said after the game. “The reason they do that is to make sure everything is working to avoid those kinds of risks if there’s any fans or anybody in here.”

Jones said there wasn’t any risk in going on with the game, which meant a delay or postponement wasn’t a consideration.

“They wouldn’t have done this game, or started this game, had there been any risk at all,” Jones said. “Not only the NFL wouldn’t, but I wouldn’t if there was any risk at all. And there was no risk at all when we started the game.”

The arches that support the roof are nearly 300 feet above the field at their highest point. The 80,000-seat venue opened in 2009.The falling debris came a little more than a week after Dallas receiver CeeDee Lamb said the sun was in his eyes on a throw he didn’t react to in the end zone in a 34-6 loss to Philadelphia.

AT&T Stadium has an unusual east-west alignment from end zone to end zone, as opposed to most venues being north-south. On clear days, the sun shines through the large glass windows on the west side during the first half of games that kick off in the afternoon.

There is usually a call for curtains on the west side of the stadium when the sun becomes an issue, but Jones says he won’t put up curtains. He says both teams have to deal with the sun.

When AT&T Stadium hosted the Super Bowl in 2011, six workers were injured when ice and snow fell from the roof. The event was plagued by a historic ice storm that gripped the Dallas area for days.

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