Festival News

Surf's up at 2-day festival at Grand Prairie water park Epic Waters

Things are splashy at the Epic Waters Waterpark in Grand Prairie.

Photo courtesy of Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark

Surf's up at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark In Grand Prairie with the return of FlowaPalooza, taking place at the Epic, considered to be one of the splashiest, most very best indoor waterparks in the U.S.

The festival, which takes place September 23-24, centers on a surf competition on the FlowRider, the world’s first and most famous surf simulating machine. This competition is open to multiple age groups and abilities. Those who don't want to compete can buy a ticket to watch the action; here's a snapshot from the 2022 event.

The first Flowapalooza at Epic Waters took place in June 2019 after Flowrider added the Grand Prairie facility to the list of stops on its FLOW Tour competition.

In subsequent years, Epic Waters repositioned the date of the festival from June to the fall. It has grown larger every year, although this year, it's just two nights instead of three, as in prior years.

Flow Tour's goal is to help keep the sport of flowboarding alive, and also keep FlowRiders around the world connected. There are more than 220 FlowRiders installed at water parks around the world, as well as on cruise chips. Epic Waters is home to a FlowRider Double, a two-lane attraction, making it the largest FlowRider in North Texas. (Other FlowRiders are in Plano, Arlington, Little Elm, and Dallas, at the State Fair of Texas.)

Free activities throughout the weekend will include live music on The Grand Lawn at EpicCentral, with six bands on Saturday, headlined by David Lee Garza Y Los Musicales, and four more bands on Sunday.

Also performing will be The Flying Cortes family, a five-generation troupe that takes the traditional flying trapeze to a new level by showcasing classic flying maneuvers over 30 feet in the air.

There will also be multiple food trucks available on-site, as well as a Family Village featuring free games like Robo Surfing, Zorb Ball Racing, carnival games, rock climbing, and more.

“We are passionate about providing entertainment for all ages and FlowaPalooza helps us deliver on this while offering a free event to our community,” said Lisa Miller of Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark in a statement. “This epic festival is full of live music, entertainment for all, delicious food, and a range of activities.”

The festival will take place from 12-10 pm on Saturday and 12-6 pm on Sunday.

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Fun in the Trees

Go Ape Adventure Park to bring ziplining and treetop thrills to Cedar Hill

Rendering of Go Ape Adventure Park in Cedar Hill

Image courtesy of City of Cedar Hill

The new Go Ape Adventure Park in Cedar Hill brings ziplining and more to the treetops of the Dallas suburb.

A new Go Ape Adventure Park is swinging into the Midtown district of Dallas suburb Cedar Hill. The Cedar Hill City Council approved the new park during its meeting Tuesday, August 25 meeting, according to a release.

The adventure experience, known for its ziplines, rope bridges, tree houses, and canopy walks, currently has one other DFW park, in Arlington (a Plano location is closed for repairs this season). There's also one location in the Houston area and locations in eight other states.

Designed to offer a range of experiences for people of all ages, the Cedar Hill location will pair Go Ape’s most popular attractions with new, site-specific adventures inspired by the city’s unique terrain and natural landscape, the release says.

While many details of the Cedar Hill location are still TBA, if it's anything like the Arlington park, guests can expect a Treetop Adventure, a three-hour, high-ropes course with eagle-eye views of the terrain below; and a one-hour version called Treetop Journey. The Arlington park also has a range for outdoor axe-throwing.

People at Go Ape Walk among the treetops at Go Ape!. Photo courtesy of Go Ape!

Construction is expected to begin before the end of 2026, with the goal of opening in spring 2027.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Cedar Hill to bring these new aerial amenities to life," said Tony Holt, CEO of Go Ape, in a statement. "From design and installation through ongoing operations, our goal is to create exceptional experiences that residents and visitors can enjoy for years to come, while adding a new dimension to the city’s recreation and visitor experience."

Midtown is an emerging district in Cedar Hill, designed to be a connected, walkable destination for retail, dining, entertainment, office, hospitality, and mixed-use development.

Go Ape will join the already-existing Library in a Park, Government Center, and Cinemark movie theater in the Midtown district.

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