Autumn at the Arboretum’s Annual Fall Festival Highlights
“The Art of the Pumpkin”
Outdoor festival runs from September 19 to November 1
Purchase your tickets ahead of time!
www.dallasarboretum.org
Autumn at the Arboretum, presented by Reliant, highlights the nationally acclaimed Pumpkin Village featuring four 20-foot-tall decorated pumpkin houses and creative displays fashioned from more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash. With the theme, “The Art of the Pumpkin,” the Dallas Arboretum’s popular festival features one of “the Best Fall Festivals to Celebrate the Season” by Country Living Magazine. The event opens on September 19 and runs through November 1. People can purchase tickets early online from September 1-18 to receive $1 off per ticket; these tickets are valid for admission during the festival dates.
Autumn at the Arboretum features breathtaking colors of fall including 150,000 autumn flowers accented by pumpkins, gourds and squash from Floydada, Texas. The festival features the return of the popular Mommy and Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays, presented by Kimberly-Clark, a hay bale maze, a pumpkin patch with pumpkins for purchase, music and more.
Alan Walne, Dallas Arboretum’s board chairman, said, “We invite the community to the Dallas Arboretum to experience a familiar place, including Pumpkin Village, which has been a tradition for 15 years. The garden is a wonderful place to social distance, get some fresh air outdoors and take plenty of photos.”
Guests can also visit A Tasteful Place, a 3.5-acre food, herb and vegetable garden. Weekly activities include free Monday cooking demonstrations with Dallas College Cooks along with activities throughout the week including cooking, floral and horticulture demonstrations. Each weekend features live bands playing in the afternoon. Check the website and social media for times and schedules.
“One of nature’s most beautiful spectacles is the changing of the seasons, and there is no better place to experience that than Autumn at the Arboretum,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president, Reliant. “We’re honored to support the Dallas Arboretum, and we’re thrilled to help bring the Pumpkin Village to life this year as the perfect place to safely spend time with family and friends.”
EVENTS:
Member Mornings: Daily through October 31: 7-9 a.m.
Main Garden, Parking Gate 1 only
Members can enjoy early access into the garden. No photography is allowed.
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Twilight Thursdays Every Thursday September 24-October 29
September 24, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
The garden remains open until 8 p.m. for members and visitors to enjoy the outdoors and to visit Pumpkin Village.
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DEMONSTRATION COOKING Dallas College Cooks
Every Monday
September 21, 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26
11 a.m.-Noon
A Tasteful Place
Participate in this popular demonstration cooking class, taught by Chef Lisa Roark, from the college’s nationally recognized culinary school, formerly known as El Centro. She demonstrates two new recipes each month.
September: Grilled Eggplant Salad & Glazed Turnips
October: Veggie Stuffed Bell Peppers and Grilled Artichoke with Lemon and Herbs
November: Broccoli and Greens Soup and Roasted Fennel Bruschetta
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Chef-tastic Cooking Series
11 a.m.-Noon
A Tasteful Place
See how the pros do it, and sample a small bite of the fruits of their labor. Enjoy a demonstration from renowned chefs and restaurants as they take center stage in the demonstration kitchen.
September 19: Greenville Avenue Pizza Company and their famous pizza
September 30: Yelibelly Chocolates
October 1: One Great Vegan, one of her fabulous Vegan recipes
October 1: Terri Finazzo, demonstrates a pepper recipe
October 3: Josephine’s Cakes, Sweets Treats and More, featuring her popular Pumpkin Bread
October 8: Terri Finazzo, demonstrates a tomato recipe
October 10: Whitness Nutrition, pumpkin recipe
October 14: Kuluntu Bakery showcasing her sourdough bread
October 17: Creative Cookies and Pops, demonstrates her gorgeous decorative cookies
October 28: White Rock Ale House
October 31: Custom Café Foods and a lovely fall recipe
November 4: CiboDivino demonstrates an Italian recipe
November 7: Charlie’s Treats featuring his famous nuts
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Mommy & Me Mondays & Tiny Tot Tuesdays
Sponsored by Kimberly-Clark
Every Monday & Tuesday through October 27
September 21, 22, 28, 29, October 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Pecan Grove
Children’s activities include painted body tattoos by A Fresh Perspective, Country Critters Petting Zoo, Fit4Mom White Rock Dallas Stroller Fitness at 10 a. m. and Kindermusik at noon. New safety precautions and socially distanced rules will be in place for all of these activities.
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Walk This Way
Every Monday 10 a.m.-Noon
September 21–October 26
September 21, 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26
Get fit by joining this walking class around the garden, led by Denise and Max Davis, long- time Dallas Arboretum volunteers.
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Tasteful Tuesdays
Every Tuesday
11 a.m.-noon
A Tasteful Place
Every Tuesday, local flower store professionals show participants helpful tips and tricks for making their own floral arrangements and how to select the best grocery store flowers.
September 22: McShan Florist
September 29: Ruibal’s
October 13: Enflowerment
October 27: McShan Florist
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Daily Harvest
Every Tuesday and Thursday
10 a.m.
September 22, 24, 29, October 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29
A Tasteful Place
Horticulture Manager Joseph Farmer harvests seasonal vegetables, fruits or herbs right out of the garden in A Tasteful Place.
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Pumpkin Thursdays Scavenger Hunt
Every Thursday
September 24 through October 29
September 24, October 8, 15, 22, 29
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
At the Information Booth on Thursdays, guests are invited to pick up a map leading them on a scavenger hunt throughout the garden and finding surprises in Pumpkin Village.
Complete the hunt; turn in the card back at the Information Booth to receive a ticket to be redeemed by 4 p.m. for a brownie from the Terrace Café.
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Learn to Grow Horticulture Presentation
11 a.m.-Noon
A Tasteful Place
Presented by the North Texas Master Gardeners and the Dallas Arboretum Horticultural
Staff, speakers discuss summer and autumn gardening and tips.
October 16: Favorite Plants of the Dallas Arboretum – This class is for those new to the area, new to gardening or simply want to refresh their landscapes.
November 6: This is Texas State Arbor Day, a terrific time to plant trees all across the state. Visitors can learn the best selections for North Texas.
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Fridays with Dave
October 2, 9, and 23
11 a.m.
A Tasteful Place
Dave Forehand, Dallas Arboretum’s vice president of gardens, has kept the community informed of all the varieties of plants and floral displays during this pandemic. Garden guests are invited to meet him in person and hear his presentations on select Fridays.
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Live Music & Performances Every Weekend
Saturdays and Sundays, 2-4 p.m.
Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic or purchase food and kick up their feet every Saturday and Sunday from 2-4 p.m. with live music and special performances on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn.
September 19: Reckless Angels – Classic Rock September 20: Monkey Love Band – Party Rock Band September 26: Don Diego Band – Jazz
September 27: DJ Sullivan Trio – Electro Mix
October 3: TBA Band
October 4: Marc Touissant Combo – Jazz
October 10: Mountain Natives – Folk
October 11: The Closers – Blues
October 17: Sierra Leone along with performances by the SMU Mustang Mavericks
October 18: Missing Three Band – Classic to Current Rock
October 24: For Love of Country
October 25: The Closers – Blues
October 31: Missing Three Band- Classic to current Rock
November 1: Cool Side of Easy- Acoustic guitar duo
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Oktoberfest
September 20
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The garden celebrates Oktoberfest with complimentary beer samples, tasty local and traditional food vendors, and live music all weekend! Compete in the pretzel toss and stein-holding competition, supported by White Rock Ale House. Monkey Love Band plays a concert from 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Café on the Green’s Oktoberfest menu, which is available from September 19 to November 1, features various bratwursts, carved pastrami sandwiches, warm apple strudel, black forest cake and assorted Oktoberfest beers.
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National Coffee Day Celebration
September 29
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
A Tasteful Place
Free with Paid Garden Admission
Tastings and Products for Sale
Grab a cup of coffee from one of many of Dallas’ favorite spots, listen to live music and choose from a selection of pastries, baked goods, and other coffee flavored treats such as ice cream and popsicles.
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National Cookie Month
October is National Cookie Month, and the garden offers a variety of cookie vendors and demonstrations to celebrate.
October 7: 11 a.m. Frankly Good Vegan Cookies
October 21: 11a.m. Hey Y’all Bakery
October 24: 11 a.m. Full Circle Bakery
National Taco Day October 4: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. A Tasteful Place
Free with Paid Garden Admission
Tastings and Products for Sale
A Tasteful Place features a variety of specialty tacos for sale ranging from street to gourmet from favorite local spots as well as fresh salsa, tortillas and paletas, while festive live music plays. Stop by for a beer taste test to guess the Mexican beer brands versus domestic ones.
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All American Weekend
October 9-12
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn
Friday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. – Eddie Coker
Saturday, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Mountain Natives, a Dallas folk rock band
Sunday, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. – The Closers, a rock and variety band Saturday, Sunday and Monday activities also include body tattoo painting by A Fresh Perspective and Country Critters Petting Zoo in Pecan Grove from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
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“Owl-O-Ween” with Window to the Wild
October 24: Noon-2 p.m.
Pecan Grove’s Pumpkin Village
Join Window to the Wild for a meet and greet with their owls including Hermes, a great horned owl, and Pigwidgeon, the tiniest, Eastern screech owl. Guests can meet and take pictures with these owls as well as ask questions of their handlers. Don’t miss this unique “Owl-O-Ween” opportunity.
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Family Fun Weekend
October 31-November 1
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn
Don’t miss the annual Halloween extravaganza weekend with trick-or-treating throughout the garden, pumpkin decorating, body art tattoos and a petting zoo from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. On the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn, Saturday’s live music from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. features The Missing Three, and Cool Side of Easy on Sunday from 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Window to the Wild Bird Flight Show
November 1: 10:30 a.m.
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn
Join Window to the Wild for a 45-minute outdoor education flight training show. At the end of the show, come to the stage to meet and greet with the birds and their trainers.
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DISCOUNTS:
BOGO Wednesdays
Every Wednesday
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Buy one, get one admission every Wednesday.
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C.C. Young Senior Thursdays
Every Thursday
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Seniors 65 and older receive $1 off general garden admission on Thursdays as well as receive a 20% discount in the Hoffman Family Gift Store. Discount available at ticket booth only.
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Speakers Bureau:
For those wanting to have a representative come to their club or organization to share about Autumn at the Arboretum or another topic, contact the Dallas Arboretum speakers bureau at speakers@dallasarboretum.org. There is no charge for the speakers bureau, but donations are accepted.
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Sponsors:
In addition to presenting sponsor Reliant, other sponsors include Oncor (Pumpkin Village sponsor), Kimberly-Clark, CC Young Senior Living, Park Place Dealerships, Bank of Texas, Texas Instruments, Doyle and Associates, and Gil’s Elegant Catering.
About the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden:
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock
Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218. The Arboretum is open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. through the end of June, then 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in July and August. Festival admission is $17 for adults,
$14 for seniors 65 and older, $12 for children 2-12, and free for Arboretum members and children under two. Parking is $15 or $10 purchased online. The Dallas Morning News is the principal
partner of the Dallas Arboretum. The Arboretum is supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas
Park and Recreation Department. WFAA, Channel 8 is an official media sponsor for the Dallas
Arboretum. For more information, visit www.dallasarboretum.org.
(Article provided by the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society.)
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