Spring might not arrive in Dallas for another few weeks, but the blooms came back last Saturday.
The annual Dallas Blooms festival, put on by the Dallas Arboretum and presented by Veritex Community Bank, debuted on February 25.
Visitors can come and enjoy around half a million flowers in bloom, as well as a bronze sculpture collection featuring some of the most renowned personalities of history, until April 16.
A variety of events are held daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including a what’s in bloom walk, historical tours of the DeGolyer house, and tastings of produce plucked from the onsite garden.
This year’s undeniable draw is the Great Contributors outdoor exhibit.
Sculptor Gary Lee Price is bringing back his collection of bronze sculptures to the grounds. Different prominent historical figures will sit among the Japanese cherry trees and azaleas.
Price will be debuting eight new sculptures this year representing Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, Joan of Arc, Mother Teresa, Ruby Bridges, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, and Mark Twain.
Will McDaniel, board chairman of the Dallas Arboretum, expressed his excitement about the new pieces, per Focus Daily News, saying, “Gary Lee Price’s statues have become popular with visitors because of their life-like qualities, and I look forward to seeing the new collection. We invite you to visit with your family and friends.”
As The Dallas Express reported previously about the Dallas Blooms festival, noting that Southern Living named it as one of “The Best Places to See Stunning Spring Blooms Across the South.”
This is unsurprising since azaleas, the flower of the South, appear in the thousands, alongside dozens of varieties of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils.
Another good thing about the return of the Dallas Blooms festival is that it ushers in the Cool Thursdays Concerts series.
Every Thursday from April 6 to June 29, visitors are encouraged to come and gather on the Martin Rutchik Concert Lawn for live performances. Tickets are going fast, with the first performance on April 6 already sold out.
For those looking for family-friendly activities at the Dallas Arboretum, there is plenty on offer. Mommy and Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays allow children to pet animals, play with bubbles, listen to stories, and sing songs.
If neither of those days suits you, the Children’s Adventure Garden is open all week and is both educational and fun.
Tickets for Dallas Blooms range from $12 to $20 for nonmembers.