Denton Music

               Every Thursday over the summer Dentonites gather on the Square for Twilight Tunes.  A grassroots music event that oozes everything it is to be a Dentonite.  The event is really incredible, from 6:30pm to 8pm hundreds and hundreds of people gather to hear a band give all they’ve got.  There are no stages, no big billboards, nothing that says big concert; it’s more of a picnic on dangerous amounts of steroids!  It’s hard to describe the pride you feel when you see something so intimate, so local, so Denton, attract so much attention.  Nowhere else in the world are you going to find something like Twilight Tunes!

                This week (6/13) we (DentonRadio.com) are sponsoring Twilight Tunes, and we are bringing Gravity Feed.  Who, by the way, is one of my FAVORITE bands right now!  The best way I know how to describe Gravity Feed is to say that they are “Funky Jazz.”  Or I guess I could say this: Gravity Feed is like cheese, they just go with everything!  Old, young, excitable, boring, everybody likes Gravity Feed!  Any time someone asks me what DentonRadio.com is (and if the music is any good) I just play Gravity Feed for them; it is rare to find a band that can make ANYBODY turn their heads.

                I guess you can take my word for how good Gravity Feed is, or you can just come to Twilight Tunes tomorrow and hear them for yourself!  Also, since DentonRadio.com is sponsoring, we are going to be bringing some special surprises for everyone there!  So, grab your lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and family June 13^th and make your way to the Square!  We can’t wait to see you!!!

This Saturday, June 8^th, visit Downtown Denton to get the local flavor of artists and artisans.  The Denton Community Market (9AM-1PM) will feature vendors with locally-made crafts and art items. The Market prides itself on fostering the local creative community as well as promoting start-up businesses.  There are many success stories of artisans that get their start with Community Market.  Here is a list of many of our local vendors:

The market is open every Saturday, 9 am – 1 pm from April to November at the Denton County Historical Park at Carroll Boulevard and Mulberry Street. First Saturdays at the market feature live music and every Third Saturday we feature music artists  from DentonRadio.com.

Did we mention success stories? The Dime Store’s Annual Summer Bazaar will also take place this Saturday and will feature 40 local artists at the Center for Visual Arts in Denton (10AM-4PM).   We are proud to see the success and growth of one of our early vendors. Through hard work, their business evolved into a store now located at 510 S. Locust St. in Denton (not far from El Guapo’s).

Get a taste of local creativity and stop by both events.  You’ll find that special gift and maybe a little something for yourself.

Denton has a little bit of everything to offer its residents and visitors to keep us from running out of new things to try. There’s never a dull day in Denton, with art to be admired, live music to be heard, great shopping to enjoy and more. Whether you’re a longtime Denton resident or even if you’re just visiting, we’ve compiled a list of all the best places in Denton you won’t want to miss out on. Without further ado, here’s a sneak peak of things to do in Denton. See the full list here.

DIME store- Denton Independent Maker Exchange (DIME Store) opened its doors in downtown Denton April 2013, offering the people of Denton a chance to pick up unique handmade items made by local artists. DIME is like an in-store version of Etsy (a website that lets artists sell their handmade goods online). This charming little shop is perfect for Denton, a city full of people who love one-of-a-kind items made by people who took the time and care to make everything high quality. Items you can find at DIME- purses, jewelry, home décor, clothing, and more! Make sure to check out the DIME Summer Bazaar Saturday June 8^th at the Center for Visual Arts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This will be free to attend, but make sure you get there early for a free goodie bag before they run out. Shop ‘till you drop and make it a fun girls’ day downtown!

A Creative Art Studio- Get in touch with your artsy side here. Choose from one of their many classes, and learn from dedicated instructors how to make all sorts of creative things like stained glass or personal shrines. Or if you just want a cool place with art, music, and fun, stop by here for First Fridays, to get your month started out in the right direction. Next one is Friday June 7^th from 7 to 10 p.m. The mix of the sounds of local music, and artwork while you relax and mingle make for a perfect evening.

Bayless-Selby House Museum- This beautiful Victorian home-turned-museum is restored to its original 1908 beauty, giving Denton residents and visitors a glance back into Denton history. Located on the corner of Carroll and Mulberry in the Historic Park of Denton County, the Bayless-Selby House Museum is a noble building and icon for Denton. Complete with a wraparound front porch, this home is true example of Southern Charm. With the Denton Community Market and Denton County Farmer’s Market rockin’ and rollin’ right along right in front of the Bayless-Selby House Museum, you’ll have one more thing to look forward to seeing next time you go to pick up your fresh local produce.

Banter- Only a few steps away from the square, this cozy little coffee shop has a little of everything to lure people in. Their menu is comprised of gourmet, organic food with tasty offerings like the Capresi Panini loaded with mozzarella, garlic basil pesto, and tomato. In addition to their hearty and healthy food menu, they also have a bevy of beverages to choose from- everything from cappuccinos and hot teas to microbrews and local wines. Mix all that together and take it all in with the live music that Banter has to entertain its patrons on a regular basis, and you’ve got yourself a comfortable place to relax with a vibrant and chill atmosphere. Check their event calendar on their website for a list of upcoming performances. Chances are your next new favorite singer-songwriter or band is playing at Banter soon, so head downtown to get an earful of some soul-soothing local tunes.

Ghosts of Denton Haunted History Tour- Think you know Denton? Get ready to learn a whole new side of Denton you never knew existed. The tour meets up every Friday and Saturday night at Jupiter House Coffee on the Square. Professional storyteller and local history buff Shelly Tucker guides the tour groups around downtown Denton, telling you stories that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. These unique tours are great for longtime Denton residents and first-time visitors alike. With the weather so beautiful right now, a walking tour of Denton sounds like a perfect idea to us!

Keep in mind this is only just a taste of the full list of things to do in Denton. What unique Denton places and happenings make your list?

Denton lost a great lady last week.  Charlye Heggins was a doer.  She had great ideas, and she invested her life in doing something with them.  She made an impact on the life of our city and every person who knew her.  For us here at the Convention & Visitors Bureau, she served on our Advisory Board for four years and gave her thought and time toward our every effort.  She invested 100% in what she believed.  She dreamed, worked, and connected people.  She lived well and true.  Her absence will be a forever hole in Denton’s heart, but her legacy will never end, because she left an indelible mark on so many people and in so many places.

Yesterday, Charlye was laid to rest, and in the celebration of her life yesterday afternoon, Dentoning took on a whole other layer of meaning for me and I am confident for the 400 or so other folks who participated in the quite un-funeral-like event to pay our respects.

One of the things I treasure most about Denton is our diversity.  And not just that we have diversity, either.  It’s how we embrace it.  Even gone from this earth, Charlye roused our individual and communal Original, Independent spirits and the manifestation of it all coming together in one place honoring one life was amazing.  Charlye was not a respecter of difference; she brought people together.  The evidence was there yesterday as black, white, Hispanic, Asian from every walk of life celebrated her in our own ways – together.  Churched and unchurched, family and not, leaders and laypersons, young and old – there we were for one purpose.  It’s almost hard to put into words.  You know those stories that end with “I guess you had to be there?”  Maybe this is one of them.  But I hope you can at least imagine it and perhaps even experience a little of it vicariously through this blog, because it really was that important.

The African American community has the beautiful gift of visible, tangible passion.  I’m not saying others don’t; I’m just saying that when celebrating a life well lived, there are no holds barred.  The music was Dentoning at its finest.  It was unbridled, coming from deep inside rattling the deep inside of everyone there.  Incredibly talented musicians followed singers’ organic heart bursts like a practiced concert.  Genius superstars the likes of Whitney Houston and Jennifer Hudson came to mind.  They would have been impressed with these Dentonites easily in their league.  As an authentic Dentoning experience always does, their music engulfed, demanding a response that was surprising in its intensity, inclusive, impossible to ignore.  Some people added their own voices, raw and uninhibited.  Many clapped, tapped, some even danced.  There were shouts of joy, groans of sorrow, tears of many kinds.  Regardless of the outward response, no person could be in that place and feel nothing.  As Charlye lived, so she moved on without a life in that room left untouched.

For those who experienced yesterday’s event alongside me, we connected in a different place.  Whether we ever actually talk about it out loud is irrelevant.  It happened.  We were there, and we were together, and we were marked by the experience itself, a Dentoning peak and most appropriate finish to our common bond of association to Charlye.  

I am certain Charlye was smiling.


 

Poly Maynard received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Classical Guitar Performance from the University of North Texas.  Her love for music and children resonate through the kiddie tunes performed by her band, Miss Poly & Her Big Band.  But that’s not Polly’ as only passion.  It seems that theatre receives just as much love as her music.

What first inspired you to become active in the theatre?  

I auditioned for a show in High School, and was hooked.   That teacher was the “one that made a difference” in my life.  Theatre teaches you so much: self-discipline, time-management, how to take care of yourself, how to behave in a professional manner, empathy, how to take criticism, etc.  And learning lines?? Whew!! It keeps your brain active.

Is this a hobby or something you are pursuing full time? Why or why not?

I do not pursue theater professionally. I have done paid shows/industrials in the past, but generally found it unfulfilling.  Plus, the competition is too great.  Music is my first love, but as it is my vocation, that takes a good deal of the fun out of it.  I don’t want that pressure with theatre. 

How long have you been with Community Theatre?/How did you get involved? 

I auditioned for a show c. 1993 and got cast!  They’ve been stuck with me ever since.

Were you nervous at auditions for Sly Fox? Why/why not

I used to be terrified of auditions, but now I just try to have fun.  My thought process is:  “This may be the only chance I will ever have to say these lines on stage, so I’m just going to go for it, and have a good time”  It can be a very nerve-racking experience.  You want to be prepared, yet if you over-prepare, then it becomes difficult to be flexible.  For example: if you spend too much time studying the script, you may develop such firm opinions about the characters that when you read with another actor their approach may differ considerably from yours, and it can throw you.  Or the director may ask you to do something that conflicts with your idea of the character or scene, and you may have difficulty doing it.  And if you can’t demonstrate your ability to be directed, it’s unlikely you’ll get cast.  Balance is key.  First impressions are rarely correct – in life, or in theatre.  So – I read a script a few times,   mull over the relationships, situations, goals of each of the characters, style of the show, etc.  Then I just try to do my best.  Sometimes I get cast, sometimes not.  It IS difficult to handle the rejection when I don’t get a role, especially one I’ve really fallen for.   

If you could describe Sly Fox in one word it would be:  Manipulation.

What do you like about your character?/What is your character like? 

My character is a scheming, self-centered, morally vacant floozy.  Sadly, there are probably lots of people who would say it was type-cast!!  But Miss Fancy has unlimited confidence in herself, something I do not possess at all and am envious of. She doesn’t care about others. I really do.  She doesn’t care what others think of her.  I very much do. She is all business, all the time.  I’m too unfocused to be that way!

Have you guys had fun putting this production together? Any good stories?  

Oh my gosh – YES!!!   I love, love, love, this cast and crew. But if you want the scoop, you’ll have to buy me a “Sly Fox”.  

What would you tell someone thinking about attending one of the Sly Fox productions? 

Go to Dan’s Silverleaf, Oak Street Drafthouse, Hickory Street Lounge and the Greenhouse.  Order a “Sly Fox” (drink) at each place, and you will receive a poker chip.  (Each bar has a different color.)  Take your chips to the theatre, purchase 2 tickets for the price of 1 AND use the chips to vote for the bar that you think invented the best “Sly Fox” drink.  Then get yourself to the theatre and be prepared to laugh.  After the show, use your ticket stub to get a discount at any of the above mentioned establishments.

What brought you to Denton?

UNT Music School, where I earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Guitar Performance.

Where are your favorite places to do some #Dentoning?  

Dan’s Silverleaf, Oak Street Drafthouse, Hickory Street Lounge, and the Greenhouse. 

Favorite thing that makes Denton quirky? 

The entire artistic community here makes it such a vibrant, inspirational, exciting,  colorful place to be.  The music scene is insanely good.  People here have no idea how spoiled they are.   

If the Mayan Apocalypse happened tomorrow and you got to eat at one last restaurant in Denton… where would you go?   Mr. Chopstix

Would you rather get free coffee drinks at all your favorite spots in Denton for a lifetime or have free access to any concert in Denton forever?   Free access to music concerts.

The mission of the Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is “to market Denton, attract individual visitors, tour groups, convention and meeting groups, and sporting events to Denton, and provide management toward ensuring a positive visitor experience.”  The primary way in which the CVB staff achieves this mission is to promote Denton’s attributes as “products” that address specific interest audiences – such as music-lovers.

Recognition that Denton’s music scene and the massive local talent pool that fuels it are something uniquely special. The CVB set out three years ago to try to build a vehicle for delivering the Denton music scene to the world, thereby enhancing awareness of Denton as a viable visitor destination unlike anywhere else in the world.  Online radio the chosen route, the project concept just couldn’t find its legs until young entrepreneur and musician Jake Laughlin arrived on the scene with his fledgling new DentonRadio.com station in tow.  He needed credibility behind his dream and his many local artists and the CVB needed his expertise.  That is how the DentonRadio.com of today was born.

The online radio format has proven to be an imperative tool in promoting Denton – especially our music scene.   But DentonRadio.com also promotes local businesses and up-and-coming attractions like the Denton Community Market.  DentonRadio.com has multiple benefits for our local economy.  For starters, the station has no geographical boundaries and can be enjoyed by anyone in the world with an Internet connection!  Thinking in terms of keeping our vibrant creative community vibrant, DentonRadio.com introduces local musicians to new audiences thus promoting their success in the music world and keeping Denton’s music industry healthy and fruitful.  On the flip-side, audiences are discovering new music and new artists they would never have known if not for DentonRadio.com.  Together, great Denton talent combined with audiences hungry for new, original artists, the CVB has an incredibly unique and powerful tool that is drawing more and more attention by the day.  Since January 2013, DentonRadio.com has increased daily listeners by almost 1,000% and Denton tourism is up by 11%.   The market is out there and DentonRadio.com is the tool that is reaching them.

Today’s rapid-fire information, technology-driven society depends on content more than any other resource:  immediate, fresh, complete, relevant content.  DentonRadio.com is connecting new artists with original content and fresh sounds to the society demanding “new every minute” – and we are doing it with our Denton Original Independent brand.  This is the ultimate brand identity, promise, and most importantly – delivery.

Original.  Independent.  Denton.  Hear for yourself at www.DentonRadio.com.

In the past couple of blog posts we’ve highlighted  sustainability efforts  of people and their businesses. We will shift to the larger scale efforts of the City of Denton. Since the City of Denton initiated a more participatroy role in 2009, the local community can see that the city has a clear vision and direction .

Per the city’s 2012 Strategic Plan on Sustainability, “The City of Denton will be a sustainable community that will engage our employees, businesses, institutions, organizations, and citizens in more sustainable practices. We will work in a leadership role to improve our environment and utilize our resources in ways that are fiscally and socially responsible. We do all of this to protect and restore our environment, create economic value, and support and strengthen our community”.

The eleven sections of this impressive document detail how the city plans to reach its sustainability goals. The eight main focus areas the city has identified are key to reaching sustainablitly goals.  

1. Water

2. Air Quality

3. Energy Efficiency and Conservation

4. Land Use and Open Natural Space

5. Transportation

6. Education, Communication, and Community Involvement

7. Material Resources Management

8. LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION (our favorite)

Chapter 10 in the document goes over the goals for local food production.   By 2020, the goal is a 5% increase in Denton Community Market memberships. The use of backyard chicken production is another increase that is just as exciting.  This would allow many families the opportunity to feed themselves through ethically raised meat product free of cruel caging practices used at some large scale chicken farms.

As a segway to helping attain these goals, the city offers "Sustainablitly 101," a regular community education course.  The topic at the past course was “Low Impact Lawn Care”.  “ The class offered tips on minimizing watershed and environmental impacts from your landscape and garden. Earth-friendly amendments and efficient landscape irrigation were also discussed. Call (940) 349-8152 for information about upcoming workshops.

Remember, the major key to the city reaching these goals is YOU. Your input, your involvement, your choices. Visit the city’s website and facebook frequently for updates and information about town hall meetings and surveys that you can take.

In the meantime, stop by our Community Market every Saturday from 9 am to 1pm through November for fresh produce and local art.  DentonRadio.com also provides LIVE music every third Saturday of the month.  The lineup for this upcoming weekend are:

Jess Dixon 9-10

Rance Parrott 10-11

Caleb Coonrod 11-12

Brian Lambert of "My Kickdrum Heart" 12-1

Do your Dentoning at Community Market and keep Denton Sustainable!

Travel and tourism are vital to Denton and to all of Texas!  In honor of Texas Travel and Tourism Week, the Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) will be celebrating by highlighting our great city.  The week kicks off with the I Am Denton Video Awards on Tuesday May 7^th at the Campus Theatre. The I Am Denton video contest has been going strong with submissions from both the general public and DISD students. Voting for the People’s Choice Award ended April 30^th, and the winning general public and student videos will be announced at this red carpet affair. The CVB believes that the best way to show people what Denton is all about is through the characters of this town who embody the spirit of Denton the most.

Texas Travel and Tourism Week celebrations will continue through Friday May 10, as the Denton CVB joins neighboring communities at the Texas Travel Information Center (TTIC) in Gainesville. Visitors traveling to Texas from Oklahoma and all points north will be greeted in Gainesville with a little more than just Texas charm.  To really entice visitors to discover Denton, the CVB and DentonRadio.com have partnered up to provide the event with Denton local music. Denton is known for its outstanding music scene, and no one highlights it better than DentonRadio.com, providing a source to listen to all-Denton music for free on its online radio station. DentonRadio.com has a variety of local singer-songwriters and bands on their website, and at the event in Gainesville, they will have four musical talents on the lineup: Caleb Coonrod, Ellee Morris, Ellie Meyer, and (caruvana).

Here’s video telling the story of the importance of the travel industry to the Texas economy. Happy Texas Travel and Tourism Week, y’all!

Twilight Tunes is gearing up for its 20^th season of free music on the square. Every Thursday evening May 2- July 4, the Denton Main Street Association puts on a show for Dentonites to enjoy. With the weather so perfect for lounging around, grab a blanket and pick up dinner to-go at one of the many great restaurants around the square. You could always just skip straight to dessert and grab a cold treat to beat the heat from Beth Marie’s Old-Fashioned Ice Cream. Banana split, anyone? Once you’re picnic-ready, claim your spot on the Courthouse-on-the-Square lawn and enjoy a nice evening in the sunshine (or under the shade of a tree) with music playing in the background to set the mood. Since these shows are free, you can kick the weekend off early. No matter what your taste in music, you’ll find something to enjoy at Twilight Tunes with everything from Classic Rock to Jazz/Funk/Pop.

Keep these fun Thursday evening concerts in mind when you’re looking for something fun to do around the square with your friends, significant other, or family.  Rain or shine, Twilight Tunes will go on. In the chance of rain, Twilight Tunes will be held at Sweetwater Grill, Dan's Silverleaf or Abbey Inn. Check Downtown Denton-Denton Main Street Association’s Facebook page for updates in the event of rain. See below for a full list of who will be performing at Twilight Tunes.


Playing on West side lawn
May 2- Los Patos Poderosos (Chicha)
May 9- The Poor Kings (Singer/Songwriter/Pop)
May 16- Jeff Glover, Joe Pat Hennen & Brian Houser (Texas Singers/Songwriters)
May 23- A Taste of Herb (Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass Tribute Band)
May 30- Chris Watson (Texas Blues Rock)

Playing on East side lawn
June 6- Charlie Shafter Band (American Roots/Acoustic Rock)
June 13- Gravity Feed (Jazz/Funk/Pop)
June 20- The Fun-Addix (70’s & 80’s Classic Rock)
June 27- Bonnie & Nick Norris Band (Country/Acoustic/Multi-Styles)
July 4- Sol Tax (Folk/Rock) *12:30—2 p.m.

Denton has several annual events which help define it's soul. We recently  experienced 35 Denton, the Redbud Festival just occurred, the Blues Festival was a while back, but this weekend brings the pivotal event of Denton culture......the (23rd Annual) Denton Arts and Jazz Festival.

JazzFest revolves around, and exists because of, music. I look at the music of JazzFest to be the means to an end though........the end being PEOPLE. It's like the music is just background ear candy for seeing, conversing with and being with our fellow Dentonuts.

I guess I should mention that, although I like jazz, a little of it goes a long way. It's in rotation in my music library, yet doesn't take up a lot of space there. BUT, Denton is known for jazz, and JazzFest is the annual Woodstock for jazz aficionados from around North Texas. This year's line-up was pretty impressive. In addition to incredible local artists such as Bonnie and Nick, bass-player  laureate Drew Phelps, Gale and Mario Cruz, Bubba Hernandez, Little Jack Melody & The Young Turks, Le Not So Hot Klub du Denton (Not France), Chris Watson, and the annual JazzFest finale, Brave Combo......Denton was gifted (JF is FREE!!) with performances by David Sanborn and the Original Blues Brothers Band.

All great stuff and worldclass talents, but I'm not a music critic (well, except for ABBA, I don't think what they did/do is music) so, as I said, I consider JazzFest to be more of a people event with awesome music as a backdrop. There are multiple stages at JF, so it is not conducive to being a "plant one's self solely in one place for the weekend" kind of event. It is a good idea to establish a home base and then roam from there. That is what my friends ((yes)) and I do every year. The ideal plan is to find a shady place close to the stage where most of the music you want to hear is being played. From this base, the various members of the group can venture off to the performances of their choice.

JazzFest is populated primarily by Dentonites, although it is a huge draw for people from all over the Texas, and really, the Southern U.S.  With so many Denton residents in such a small area, JF is like a compression of time and space. Wherever you go, you see someone you know and more than likely, someone you haven't seen in X # of years. Mornings and early afternoons are the best time for this pursuit due to the ever-growing crowd throughout the day. The sidewalks and pathways through Quakertown Park are always crowded, and at times, all but impassible. The real crowds converge nightly for the daily feature acts.

For the sake of authenticity, this blog is being written from the semi-comfort of my lawnchair near the main stage at the Denton Arts & Jazz Fest. I have the perfect place to people -watch and Brave Combo will close the Festival before long. The weekend has been perfect in every way, especially weather-wise. With JF occurring in the Spring, weather has been an issue in past years, but the Jazz Gods smiled on Denton this weekend! The NEXT JazzFest is always something to look forward to and it never seems to last long enough. It is what it is and it's always great. I never feel a let down after JazzFest ends, because there's always something else that's just about to happen in Denton. For instance........Twilight Tunes on the Square starts THIS Thursday, May 2 (how good is THAT for timing?) Twilight Tunes happens every Thursday and runs through July 4. It's like a mini-JazzFest, yet features any and all types of music.  Just bring a blanket or lawnchair, food and/or drink if you want and enjoy the people and music of Denton.

Denton is a music town, but it's the people of Denton who both make and listen to the music. In my book, that makes people the most important ingredient. Fortunately, we have lots of great people and lots of great music in the town we call home. We are blessed.......

Festival goers are encouraged to take Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) when attending the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival on April 26 and 27. Passengers who ride transit on Saturday, April 27 can also take advantage of the new Family Fun Pass promotion which allows the family to travel on just one regular Day Pass.

Make plans to attend Denton’s 2013 Annual Arts & Jazz Festival for great music, good food, beautiful art and many activities that are open to anyone. The festival will be held April 26-28 at Denton Quakertown Park located at 321 E. McKinney, Denton TX 76201. Quakertown Park is conveniently located just two blocks NE of the Historical Downtown Denton Square and is also just a short walk or bus ride from the Downtown Denton Transit Center (DDTC). The festival is open 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. For more event information, please visit the festival website http://www.dentonjazzfest.com.

To avoid traffic and parking congestion for this highly attended festival, DCTA encourages festival goers to take the A-train and Denton Connect bus service. Denton residents can park at the MedPark Station, take the A-train to Downtown Denton and avoid downtown traffic and parking hassles.

For those traveling from the Dallas area, passengers can ride Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Green Line and transfer to the A-train at DART’s Trinity Mills station. Visitors from the Fort Worth area can also make the trip by taking the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), transferring to DART Green Line at Victory Station and then riding the A-train to Downtown Denton. A-train passengers can make a free transfer to Connect bus routes 4 and 5 or walk a few blocks for easy access to the festival from the Downtown Denton Transit Center (DDTC).

Those planning to incorporate transit into their Saturday outing can also take advantage of the Saturday Family Fun Pass promotion. With this promotion, two adults and four children can ride all day on the DCTA local system (A-train and Connect buses) with just one Local System Day Pass for $6.

For regional travelers, a Regional Day Pass can be purchased for $10 from DART, TRE or Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and a family of two adults and four children under the age of 14 can ride all day and all the way to Downtown Denton for the festival.

When using DCTA services to access this weekend’s special event in Denton, passengers should plan their trip using DCTA’s online trip planner and have an understanding of Connect and A-train weekend service hours. Bus service ends earlier than A-train service on Fridays and Saturdays. Those wishing to take later A-train departures should expect a five minute walk from the festival to the Downtown Denton Transit Center to catch the A-train. There are no DCTA services on Sunday.

Visit DCTA.net for detailed route and schedule information or call DCTA Customer Service at 940-243-0077.

Denton is the Redbud capital of Texas. That means this time of year, you can expect to see lots of beautiful pink blooms on the many Redbud trees around town, signaling that spring is here. To celebrate, Keep Denton Beautiful holds the Denton Redbud Festival as Denton’s official Arbor Day event. In its 20^th year now, the Redbud Festival will be this Saturday, April 20^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m in the Civic Center.

Whether you’re a master gardener, a first-time home-owner looking to start your garden, or even if you just want to enjoy the gorgeous whether at a fun festival, you’ll want to come by the Civic Center this weekend. There will be lots of vendor booths for all of your home and gardening needs, so pick up some plants and give them a good home.

It’s going to be my first time to go to the Redbud Festival, and I can’t wait for it to get here already! My fiancé and I are getting our first house next month, and we can’t wait to start growing some vegetables in our new yard. In the meantime, he’s been very busy tending to the plants on our apartment balcony. So we’re looking forward to the Redbud Festival to sit in some workshops to learn about gardening and have those burning questions answered. And while we’re there, of course, we’ll go ahead and pick up what we need from the variety of vendor booths.

Like us, if you’re still in an apartment and don’t have a yard to garden in, you may want to stop by the Community Room from 2 to 4 to learn about container gardening. Plus, if you pre-register for this workshop, you get to take home a FREE container gardening kit. (They had me at “free”). To pre-register, call (940) 349-8737 or send an email to lauren@kdb.org to reserve your spot.

This Saturday will be full of something for everyone, including the kids. The Kid Zone will be complete with a bounce house, face painting, and family-friendly environmental education activities. And of course, there will be festival food, so bring your appetite! While you browse the landscaping and home improvement items around the vendor booths, you’ll also get to enjoy the sound of live music- something we can never get enough of in Denton.

To celebrate Earth Day, there will also be a TRASHion Fashion Show at noon featuring clothing and accessories made from recycled materials- how very green! Clothes, accessories, AND it's good for the environment? Sounds good to me!

Here’s a full list of activities for the Redbud Festival. All-in-all, sounds like the makings of a terrific Saturday downtown. Catch you guys there!



 

The promising forecast for the weekend will help overcome the “blah’s” caused by the dreary weather earlier this week. You know what they say about North Texas’s weather, if you don’t like it wait a minute.  Saturday’s high temperature should be around 77 degrees; perfect weather for market!

Opening week for Denton Community Market saw over twenty vendors selling everything from fresh greens, to jewelry, to quality handmade soaps. There were about 1500 visitors, three musical groups, a bounce house, and plenty of socializing. The Pickled Carrot (a food truck), Denton Juice Co., and the Denton Vegan Cooperative had streams of customers sampling their food.

Patio umbrellas will be up over some of the benches this weekend, where you can sit and casually take in the scene. The market atmosphere serves as a venue for all types to meet and clash in a harmonious symphony. The crowd at opening day was consistent and very diverse. Families, students, and community elders all in one place and enjoying the market up to the very last minute.

Don't worry If you missed last week's opening day. We plan to have lots more fun every Saturday from now until November. For those that want to be involved in a deeper way, we’re still looking for volunteers. Our volunteers help set up and take down the market, count the number of market goers every hour, help staff the official Market booth and sell merchandise, as well as post signage around the market area. If you want to help out by volunteering you can connect with us via email: volunteer@dentonmarket.org.

Be on the look out for our next blog! We will highlight some of our vendor members and how they got involved with their craft and trade. We will also look into the driving force between their respective passions, careers, and crafts. In the meantime, do your "dentoning" at the Denton Community Market!

Spring is here, and in Denton, that means it’s time for one of our favorite festivals- Denton Arts & Jazz Festival. In its 33^rd year now, the three-day-long festival will kick off on Friday April 26^th and run strong through Sunday April 28^th. It’s full of fun for people of all ages, and it’s free to attend. The festival can easily move from high-energy to relaxing. Which is why more than 250,000 people attend Denton Arts & Jazz Festival every year.  For some, it's an annual tradition.

With more than 2,700 artists performing on seven stages around the festival grounds, music-lovers will get to hear all different types of music- jazz, blues, cross-cultural music, and more. In fact, from one band alone you can hear the stylings of salsa, meringue, rock, cumbia, conjunto, polka, zydeco, classical, cha cha, the blues and more. Those would be the Grammy Award-Winning sounds of Denton’s own Brave Combo, who rocks it at Denton Arts & Jazz year after year. Catch this must-see performance Sunday night at 7 p.m. at the Wells Fargo/Budweiser Stage. Headlining Friday night at 9 p.m. will be the David Sanborn Trio, and at 9 p.m. Saturday night headliners will be the "Original" Blues Brother Band.

While you’re moseying around Quakertown Park, catching great music and moving to the beat all the while, check out the vendor booths for some great handmade items (perhaps you’ll find a nice gift for your mom there for Mother’s Day?). With so many booths both indoor and outside at the festival, you can find all kinds of goodies- anything from handmade and eye-catching jewelry and beautiful artwork to cufflinks made from antique watch pieces and personalized golf tees.

If you’re bringing the kiddos along with you, be sure to stop by the Children’s Art Tent where they’ll get some great hands-on experience learning how to mold, draw, sculpt, and create their own artwork they can be proud of. And if your little ones have been enjoying all the great music, bopping around and creating their own dance moves, they’ll enjoy the Percussion Tent. It’s like a petting zoo but with musical instruments instead of furry friends.

The whole experience at Denton Arts & Jazz will have you wanting to come back every year. When you’re there, you’ll find yourself wanting to spend the entire day, soaking it all in… But don’t forget to eat! The festival has six food courts with all the delicious and fattening fair food you could ever want- decadent funnel cake, refreshing frozen lemonade, mouth-watering corn-on-the-cob… Mmm!

It's sunny days ahead.  You'll feel like your "spring has sprung" after an awesome weekend at Denton Arts & Jazz Festival April 26-28^th.

The Denton Community Market is a weekly Saturday event from April to November, composed of farmers, artisans, food vendors and other local businesses. It's become a gathering place and an incubator for local business and sustainability efforts. With significant growth over the past three years, the market is expanding season after season, poised to conduct fundraising and obtain grants to create permanent space and infrastructure for its operations.

Denton Community Market’s reason for existence is to strengthen the Denton community by providing economic opportunities for local artists, businesses, food vendors, and food producers to contribute to the vitality and livability of Denton.  We are all about local.  That is why we provide a setting in which community members can purchase local products from local producers. We also want to make sure we provide education opportunities where community members can learn about the products their neighbors have made and grown and discover other resources for community involvement. By connecting food producers and consumers we can promote the local food economy.

We also promote sustainable farming practices and environmental stewardship and are forward thinking in helping to reduce barriers for new entrepreneurs and local small businesses.  We believe this will strengthen ties between community members by creating a sense of place.

Every season, more vendors apply and the market continues to grow. There are 18 accepted businesses so far, with more pending. Vendors can join the market for a one-time $90 membership fee and are able to set up shop however many Saturdays they choose at $11 each market day.

New this year:
The market will be open an additional two months from the original six. Ultimately, the Denton Community Market wants to be a year-round staple.

Every first Saturday of the summer months we will have giant inflatable water slides to help us cool off.  

During the winter months we will offer a harvest and holiday market.

We have added LIVE music performances to EVERY first Saturday.

Opening Day 2013:
We look forward to our Opening Day which is April 6^th from 9:00AM to 1:00PM at the Historic Park of Denton County located at Carroll Blvd and Mulberry Street.  If you are out shopping during Denton Main Street’s Open House or attending Denton County’s 167 Birthday Celebration be sure to stop by and check us out!  For event updates, be sure to follow us on our Facebook page www.Facebook.com/DentonCommunityMarket.

"WOW!  DentonRadio.com has broken ground on the Square! Not literally of course, but we had our first event there on a weekend that sampled pretty much all the seasons. Although I am not sure if “event” completely captures it; we had forty-one local Denton acts play over the course of four days!!! DentonRadio.com, along with the Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau, Denton County Historical Commission, and the Denton Office of History and Culture teamed up to create the event called “Denton Radio on the Square.”

I get it.  Thoroughly and completely, I get it. 

My friend Scott Campbell has earned  himself a quasi-celebrity status with his blog, which he calls "Dentoning."  Dentoning is a term he coined himself and to which he ascribed this formal definition:

DENTONING: dentuning (intransitive verb)

1: the experience of enjoying/discovering/exploring all that the great City of Denton, TX has to offer  <we spent all weekend Dentoning>

2: the discussion of pertinent/impertinent/fun/serious/political subjects involving the great City of Denton (or anything else this blogger wants to discuss)  <during a cerebral round of Dentoning, they discovered the meaning of life>

3: an event/occurrence /incident happening in the great City of Denton  <there is a weekly Dentoning, Saturdays on the courthouse lawn called the “Acoustic Lawn Jam”>

My Dentoning epiphany was definition number one.  I talk about Denton all the time.  And I passionately love Denton:  her essence,  people, sense of place.  More than a decade ago, fate shined on me, and my profession since then has been to taut the aura and amenities of this place that is like no other.  Believe me when I say these attributes make our jobs at the Denton CVB incredibly fun and satisfying work.  

But, until last week, my understanding of Dentoning was quite surface-level:  head knowledge, dabbling, and superficial experience.  What I discovered is that Dentoning has depth.  I plunged in and realized Dentoning is more than a moment.  It's kind of intense and, at least for me, a  dawning that has forever changed the "how" of personal experience.  In other words, I have a new standard and it's all about being a part and leaving the status of mere observer to someone else.

Here's my story: Giant indie music festival 35 Denton opened in Downtown Denton March 7-10 calling fans and music media from around the globe.  Knowing this visiting mass was headed our way, our CVB team joined with our friends and partners at DentonRadio.com to "turn on the stereo" in the living room of our community, the Courthouse lawn.  The Denton County Office of History and Culture and the Denton Historical Commission thought this was such a great idea that they all got behind the effort, too, and we set up the ultimate central hangout with 100% Denton, original and independent singers, songwriters, musicians, and bands showcasing to the world what's going on in Denton day in and day out year-round.  It was awesome!  We worked super hard (I think I slept about 18 hours straight and suffered rather severely from "foggy brain" a couple of days after) and introduced some incredible Denton organic up-and-coming talent to the world.  The media coverage since then hit the mark plus some, so we accomplished exactly what we set out to do.

Here's the personally way cool part of it all - I Dentoned all weekend!  I discovered music and talented Dentonites I hadn't known before like Sol Tax, Kelsey Henry, Backwater Opera, Seth Weaver, among many others.  And I listened, really listened to these and many of my favorites like Bone Doggie and Zach Balch and Karyna Micaela and Ellie Meyer and so many others - 41 total in 3 days.  I was immersed in the experience and lived it at a soul level.

Sounds oddly spiritual, doesn't it?  It gets better.  A few days later and I Dentoned even deeper.  Check out my friend Scott's blog.  He tells the story of a firepit and storytelling under the stars and this magical, completely unscripted gathering of random musicians who decided to join their typically polar-different personal styles in an acoustic jam session that was the most amazing impromptu concert I've ever seen.  One in an audience of six, maybe seven, we were the audience only because we are talented listeners.  Every one with musical gifting was playing and singing.   Me?  I, along with Scott and a handful of friends at this undisclosed location (someone's backyard), were deeply Dentoning. 

I totally get it now. Dentoning is a very real, meaningful pursuit. It's not a cutesy tourism term for doing things in Denton. Dentoning is an experience that changes a person and indelibly marks, like a spiritual tatoo, with permanence.

Scott, well done! I'm not sure I could articulate the lasting impact of the first days of March on my heart were it not for your creative vocabulary. Thank you. And now, I close this blog post with haste as, even now, I feel the call: I've got some Dentoning to do.

It's not often you get to hear a record played in public for the first time. The very first time. Before radio stations hear it, before iTunes gets it, before it's even released. But we live in Denton and that presents opportunities available in few other places. The Baptist Generals is a Denton band which has lain fallow for almost 10 years. Their last record was released ten years ago and the band has played live just a handful of times since. The BG's new record is due to be released in May and has been a long time coming. Written primarily by BG founder, Chris Flemmons, the record is a work of love, anger, frustration and perseverance.

The Baptist Generals began working on the record shortly after the release of their critically acclaimed record, "No Gold/No Silver", a first effort. That record brought recognition, a fan base, a tour through the States and parts of Europe.......and some money. "Jackleg Devotional to the Heart" began with surplus material from "No Gold/No Silver" and evolved, grew and matured during the next couple of years. As with any group of people working as a single entity, over time, the Baptist Generals began to drift, shift and lift off into day jobs, families, careers and reality. Sub Pop, the band's label pushed them for material, but a lull had set in that would not be broken until early in 2012. 

In 2008, Flemmons founded the music festival which is now called 35 Denton. 35 Denton, has become a monster Denton event, bringing nationally-known bands, music lovers from all over the world and millions of dollars into Denton. The festival soon consumed Flemmons and further slowed the work of the Baptist Generals. As the creative genius and lead vocalist for the band, Flemmons is the defacto leader. Last year, with the push from Sub Pop to jump start the band's creative juices, work began in ernest to finally complete the record. The responsibilities of the real world threw a new set of complications into the production. What had been a heady, booze-fueled, free flow of creation during the production of "No Gold/No Silver" became another labor of love surrounded by the more complicated lives of 6 individuals with "Jackleg Devotional to the Heart". 

This past weekend brought 35 Denton to Denton, and what better time to debut a record? And other than a live Baptist Generals concert, what better way to hear the record than listening to an original vinyl press of "Jackleg Devotional to the Heart"?  Dan Mojica, owner of Dan's Silverleaf had asked Flemmons if he'd play the record at his place first, and that's what happened at 2 pm on March 8th. The event began with the drop of a needle onto the spinning vinyl on stage. The music many in the packed venue had waited 10 years to hear filled the room. There were back-slaps, rounds bought, dancing danced and tears shed. The entire band was present and submitted to a forum about making the album once the first side was played. After the forum, with questions from the media and the audience, the band was given a standing ovation. The hard work and slippage of time had paid off in an incredible collection of tracks. The music flows with emotion and feeling.

Music is Denton's lifeblood, and being at the premiere of an album of one of her greatest talents was an honor.  The album is due to be released May 21st.

Alright, Denton. Are you ready? We’ve got a big weekend ahead of us. March 7-10 will be full of great events right here in Denton. Right at the top of the list, of course, is 35 Denton (previously known as North by 35 and 35 Confederate). This four-day-long music festival will take place in Downtown Denton, closing down Hickory Street from Locust to Industrial to make way for their two main stages. As people mill around the downtown area, they’ll be able to stop by Square for some tasty bites, enticing drinks, great shopping, and while all this is going on, DentonRadio.com will also be providing everyone with live music by local artists Thursday through Sunday on the Courthouse-on-the-Square lawn. Denton Radio on the Square will enhance all the great music that is already going on during 35 Denton. Denton Radio on the Square will be an all-ages event, so feel free to bring the whole family to see all the great talent that’s here in Denton, any given day of the week. Plus you can catch these awesome Denton artists 24/7 for free at DentonRadio.com.

Hungry for more good old-fashioned family-friendly fun this weekend in Denton? Be sure to check out the 28th annual Tejas Storytelling Festival at the Denton Civic Center. The kids are sure to love this event. The storytelling will start Thursday night and go on all weekend long, ending on Sunday. Nothing captures the attention and imagination of a child quite like the age-old art of storytelling. With stories from the world, highlighting the folklore of Japan (with storyteller Motoko) and Africa (with DeCee Cornish) and more, the Tejas Storytelling Festival has a variety of tales to offer the ears of the curious.

There’s a little bit for everyone at the storytelling festival. Kids and adults alike will want to catch the Liars Contest to watch the best liars compete in a verbal slap down for a chance to win cash, and most importantly, some serious bragging rights. And adults wanting to learn a trick or two from the best should check out the workshops and master class being held this weekend. And there will be plenty of activities for the kids to participate in as well like meeting with the storytellers, and a family concert as well as storytelling workshops for the kids. Make sure to pick up your tickets on their website, and enjoy the family-friendly fun this weekend!