Flower Picking

Tulipalooza flower fest in Waxahachie closes due to storm damage

Texas Tulips/Instagram

Spring in Dallas-Fort Worth is always an unpredictable time, but 2025 is a good year for tulips — just in time for the 7th Annual Tulipalooza in Waxahachie from February 28-March 16.

UPDATE 3-10-2025: Tulipalooza has been forced to close until further notice due to severe storm damage sustained over the weekend. The recent storms caused significant impact to the festival grounds, affecting the tulip fields and event infrastructure. While organizers are assessing the full extent of the damage, the safety of guests, staff, and volunteers remains the top priority.
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Tulipalooza is an annual tulip festival that has become a North Texas tradition, with over 300,000 tulips and daffodils from Holland blooming across Getzendaner Park at 400 S. Grand Ave. in Waxahachie.

Tulip bulbs and daffodils are imported from Holland and planted at Getzendaner Memorial Park in December. By March, they’re in bloom and ready for pictures and picking alike.

The weather is propitious, which helps pave the way for the festival's slightly early start; in prior years, it started in mid-March.

Tulipalooza was founded in 2018 by Waxahachie resident John Poston as an extension of his work with Daymark Living, a community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Inspired by his son Michael, Poston launched the first tulip festival in 2019 with support from local and Dutch tulip experts.

“Tulipalooza brings a touch of Holland’s tulip magic to Texas,” says the festival’s tulip expert Bill Van Houten. “Each bulb is carefully chosen and prepared to bloom here, sharing a piece of Dutch heritage with the community.”

It hasn't always gone easy for the event. Like everything else, Tulipalooza was affected by the pandemic, shutting down in the middle of their 2020 season and nearly canceling 2021 because they couldn't afford to buy bulbs. But the community rallied around to help raise funds and prop it back up.

Half of the proceeds from online ticket sales support local charities. Visitors can choose to direct their ticket proceeds to one of eight selected charity partners that include Special Olympics of Texas, Lonestar Easterseals Texas, and Waxahachie Senior Activity Center.

In addition to the tulips, the event features food vendors, live entertainment, and photo-opps.

The festival is open daily from 10 am-7 p.m. General admission is $15 for adults, $5 for 12 and under; seniors get a special $10 ticket rate on Wednesday, March 5.

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Revving up

State-of-the-art Velocity racing simulator lounge zooms into Dallas

Rendering courtesy of Velocity

Velocity Sim Racing Lounge is opening on North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill in Dallas.

A new "eatertainment" venue devoted to virtual racing is revving up for North Dallas: Called Velocity Sim Racing Lounge, the concept combines high-tech driving simulators with a full restaurant and bar.

Velocity is located at 9830 N. Central Expwy., Ste. 400, at Walnut Hill in The Hill shopping center, in the former Camp space. According to a release, it will celebrate with grand opening festivities on Saturday, July 25.

Dallas is the second location for the Texas-based Velocity, after a Houston venue opened in 2025.

Designed for everyone from first-time drivers to dedicated enthusiasts, the venue features a "Racer" - a beginner-friendly motion-enabled simulator - all the way up to an "Ultimate" - a full-throttle premium rig for the highest-intensity immersion available, the website says. It's the only "Ultimate" in Texas. There are also two-seat race cars available.

Racers can choose from a number of cars (i.e., Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport or McLaren 570S GT4) and multiple track destinations (i.e., Monza in Italy and Zandvoort in The Netherlands).

While the racing simulators are the main attraction, Velocity is designed as much for socializing as competition, with more than 30 racing rigs, a large video wall where guests can watch races in real time, and a central bar for cocktails, food, and watch parties.

“Velocity is all about building community through a shared passion for cars and racing,” founder Viet Tran says in the release. “The simulators will bring people through the doors, but it's everything around them that makes them stay. We’re creating an environment where people can connect, share a great meal, celebrate milestones and be part of something bigger than what's happening behind the wheel.”

The Dallas location also puts an emphasis on food, with a menu that includes:

Warm Feta Dip
Crispy Coconut Shrimp
Mediterranean Steak Tacos
Angus Flatiron & Frites
Crispy Avocado Tacos
Cauliflower Wings
Apple Turnovers

“Whether someone is joining us for a family outing, catching up over dinner, attending a themed event or chasing a spot on the podium, we want every visit to feel different,” Tran says. “We're proud to see that vision come to life in Dallas and excited to be a part of the community.”

Racing at the Velocity Sim Racing Lounge in Houston. Courtesy of Velocity - Sim Racing Lounge

Velocity is designed to be family-friendly, the owners say, despite the fact that it has "Lounge" in the name, and that a bar is the central design feature. The website features mostly photos of adults eating, drinking, and racing, and it does not specify recommended ages.

A spokesperson for Velocity clarifies to CultureMap: "The team generally recommends the experience for guests ages 10 and up. It's not intended as a kids-only venue. Practically speaking, the recommendation comes down to the simulators themselves. Guests need to be at least 5 feet tall to comfortably reach the pedals, and anyone under 17 must have a parent or guardian sign a waiver before racing. As a result, the experience is generally best suited for older kids and adults."

Hey, maybe they'll add that important information to the website.

The grand opening will begin at 10 am July 25 with a car meet, live DJ, and the venue's first sim racing tournament. Qualifying rounds run from 10 am-12:30 pm, with the championship race taking place from 1-1:30 pm. Entry fees for the tournament start at $25.

Guests will receive a complimentary branded keychain while supplies last, and hourly raffles will award T-shirts, hoodies, and other merchandise. Following the tournament and awards ceremony, regular service begins at 2:30 pm. Reservations are available online, and walk-ins are welcome.

Following the grand opening, hours will be 12 noon-11 pm Monday-Thursday, 12 noon-midnight Friday, 11 am-midnight Saturday, and 11 am-10 pm Sunday.

Memberships are available starting at $99 per month.

eatertainment sim lounge velocity racing simulators families bars openings