Fest Fun

Two artsy, beloved festivals take the stage this month in Richardson

The artsiest fests on the block are back this spring in Richardson, blooming brightly with a creative wonderland of artistic works, mainstage-worthy music, culinary treats, and so much more.

It’s the 54^th year for Cottonwood Art Festival (May 6-7) and the 31st for Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival (May 19-21). Here’s what you need to know about both:

What to expect: No matter your art personality type, you’ll find something to love amid more than 200 global artists’ juried work, spanning paintings and sculpture to ceramics, jewelry, fiber art, fine glass, woodwork, mixed media, and photography.

Make sure to look for Artist of the Year Karina Llergo, who studied with famed Mexican artist Roberto Cortazar and portraitist Enrique Estrada.

There’s also live music across two stages along with an arts-and-crafts area for the kiddos and plenty of food and drink for all on tap.

Where: Cottonwood Park, 1321 W. Belt Line Rd.

When: Saturday, May 6, 10 am-7 pm; Sunday, May 7, 10 am-5 pm.

Tickets: Admission and parking are both free, with shuttles running continuously between the park and the Richardson High School football stadium lot.

History lesson: Celebrating 54 years, the award-winning Cottonwood Art Festival is a twice-yearly juried show that has become a signature art event in the community and beyond. The festival also provides innovative outreach programs for students, with the goal of broadening interest in visual arts and bringing the art world into classrooms.

More details:CottonwoodArtFestival.com

Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival

What to expect: With five stages and 100-plus performers, including Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Jimmie Vaughan & The Tilt-A-Whirl Band, X Ambassadors, The Romantics, Little River Band, Judah & The Lion, and more, your listening schedule will be packed at this fest.

Beyond the stages, the Wildflower! Marketplace is a one-stop-shop for local and regional accessories, art, home decor, apparel, and more.

There’s also an art guitar auction, songwriter competition, and a Performance Row that features street performers, acrobats, and magicians. Plus, look for Wildflower! Kids, a family-fun zone with art, games, informative activities, and kid-friendly tunes.

Where: Galatyn Park Urban Center, located at Galatyn Parkway and U.S. 75.

When: Friday, May 19, 6 pm-midnight; Saturday, May 20, 11 am-midnight; Sunday, May 21, 11 am-6 pm.

Tickets: Friday and Saturday are $35, Sunday is $20, and kids 12 and under are free. A three-day pass is $75. Richardson residents can score tickets for only $15.

History lesson: Wildflower! began as a small community gathering in 1993 and has since become one of the most popular cultural events in North Texas, with tens of thousands of fans showing up for their favorite artists.

More details:WildflowerFestival.com

Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Art Festival

It's the 54th year for Cottonwood Art Festival.

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This week's hot headlines

Venerable sub shop's closure tops this week's 5 most popular Dallas stories

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Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here. Top Fourth of July events and fireworks are here.

1. Dallas sub shop saved by new owners closes at new location after 6 months. A ballyhooed sub shop has met its untimely end: Great American Hero, a onetime institution on Lemmon Avenue that had been around for nearly 50 years before undergoing a change in ownership in 2022, has shuttered its relocated location at 6216 Retail Rd. after six months.

2. Dallas-Fort Worth could be biggest metro in U.S. by year 2100, new report says. Start spreading the news: Dallas-Fort Worth will eclipse New York City as the biggest metro area by the year 2100, a new report predicts. An analysis by moving services site moveBuddha published June 22 says the Metroplex's population could swell to 33.91 million people in the next 77 years.

3. Frisco steakhouse with German beer garden closes after two years. Dallas sees one new steakhouse after another but this is the rare steak-related closure: Hoff's Steaks & Steins, a restaurant and beer garden that opened in Frisco in 2021, has now closed.

4. Dallas wins No. 1 top honor on list of hottest cities in U.S. this week. Texas won this week with three cities earning top slots on a list of the hottest cities in the U.S. for June 27. According toThe Washington Post, Dallas was the No. 1 most hottest city for the day, followed by Fort Worth and Austin. San Antonio and Houston came in on the list at No. 5 and No. 6.

5. Only one Texas bagel shop makes new Bon Appetit list and it's in Dallas. Bagels are abuzz not just here in Dallas but across the U.S. — and there's a new list from Bon Appetit that highlights the best, including one shop from Texas: Starship Bagel, the Dallas-based concept founded by bagel artisan Oren Salomon.

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