Things to Do in Denton

In honor of Texas Travel and Tourism Week, Denton CVB staff will join neighboring communities at the Texas Travel Information Center in Gainesville to welcome visitors coming into Texas from Oklahoma and points north all day on Friday, May 11.  The CVB and Beth Marie’s Ice Cream have partnered up to create a mobile Beth Marie’s at the Texas Travel Information Center with several uniquely Denton flavors that sweeten the CVB’s message about things to see and do in our city.  CVB staff will distribute coupons for scooping up future fun in Denton – on visitors’ way along I-35 or as a destination for their next trip to Texas.

Ever wondered who the people are that make the Arts & Jazz Festival Denton’s jazziest event? Top Hands, that’s who!  Top Hands work behind the scenes making sure the festival machine runs so smoothly the massive event is a seamless success to everyone including festival-goers, performers, artists, and vendors.  They are the feet on the ground; they are the heart and the soul.  Their dedication is, in fact, the magic ingredient that has garnered international recognition for the Denton Arts and Jazz Festival.

The Denton Festival Foundation works year-round to secure top-billing musicians and artists, funded in large part by Foundation membership contributions.  These same members are also the ones who roll up their sleeves to cook, sell food and drinks, peddle the coveted Jazz Festival collectible souvenirs, and help visitors maneuver the festival grounds.

Top Hands Chair Carrell Ann Simmons knows well every step of the road to the Jazz Festival’s well-deserved fame.   Vice President and Branch Manager for Meridian Bank of Texas in Denton, Carrell Ann has called Denton home for the past 26 years.  A 10-year volunteer veteran of the Denton Festival Foundation, Carrell Ann and her leadership team of six of the toppest of the Top Hands head up the entire volunteer force from recruiting to assignment.   With this year’s grounds expansion, that volunteer force will fill about 700 individual slots in the vast schedule of events and tasks.  “It’s a lot of work for sure; but we work as a team and have a blast doing it.  Really, Top Hands are the best recruiters because friends, family and coworkers see just how much fun Top Hands are having and they want to get in on it,” Carrell Ann exclaimed.   Local businesses have even anted up for booth space at the festival just because of the eager involvement by their employees. 

Higginbotham and Associates is an example of one such business that has already confirmed with Arts & Jazz organizers that they will staff a booth with 12 employees.  Ed Coker, Managing Director of the Higginbotham Denton office, is looking forward to their Top Hand membership experience.  “It is Higginbotham’s corporate philosophy to give back to the community.  Volunteering to work a booth at the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival not only helps achieve this goal but is a great team building opportunity for the office.  Most of all, we have a great time!”

While membership is only $15 per person per year, Top Hands take pride in the knowledge that their memberships, combined with sponsorships, help bring Lou Ritenour, Los Lonely Boys and Brave Combo to the Jazz Stage at the Arts & Jazz Festival.  “Top Hands are the backbone of the festival,” says Carrell Ann, adding that their membership dues are significant because collectively, they are a major festival sponsor.   

Top Hands Headquarters (the Denton Women’s Building) provides a place to sit, rest, cool off and make new friends.  Creating memories and being with friends is a top motivator for Top Hands returning year after year.  Families like father and son team Larry and Andy Whitlock have made volunteering at the festival a tradition for the past 13 years.

After retiring from the Air Force, Mr. Whitlock moved his family to Denton.   At the recommendation of church friend Jackie Jackson, Mr. Whitlock and then 18 year old Andy signed up as Top Hands to meet and make new friends.  “We like the music, the people we work with and we love seeing the smiles on attendees’ faces” says Whitlock.  “You don’t have to be a business person or college professor to volunteer.  It’s just the general public doing what they can to bring visitors to town.  As for requirements,” he adds, “you do have to be a people person and you have to smile.  You can’t sell your town without a smile.”

It takes time and energy to be a Top Hand and it’s no secret that time is a highly-valued commodity.  Carrell Ann’s reminder really hits home. “If you enjoy free and fun events and don’t invest some of your own time to keep them going, then eventually they’ll go away.   Just one 3-hour shift can make a huge difference!  And the work is fun because festival organizers make sure Arts & Jazz is organized and well run at every level.” 

The rewards are fulfilling.  According to Carrell Ann, the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival is one of the happiest things that happen in Denton.  “It’s not just one sound you hear; it’s a mix.  Very much like Denton herself.  And people walk up to booths all weekend long just to thank Top Hands for another awesome Arts & Jazz Festival.  That’s when we realize the impact we really make.  You can’t help but smile!”   

Top Hand Membership is open to individuals with an interest in the arts and available to volunteer for at least one three hour shift at one of the various booths at the festival.  Members receive RESERVED PARKING for Arts & Jazz, discounts on festival T-shirts, complimentary food and beverage coupons, media recognition and are the first to know who headliners are via the Festival Foundation’s newsletters.

International documentary film festival brings an array of talent and entertainment to Denton
February 10^th-20^th, 2012

One of the “World’s Coolest Film Festivals” according to Movie Maker Magazine is reeling in some amazing material for this year.  Last year, The New York Times dubbed Thin Line Film Fest as “one of the things to do” that week.  TLFF did not disappoint, premiering films such as “Troubadours”, fresh from the Sundance Film Festival, and the Oscar-nominated, “Restrepo”.   

The 2012 festival promises to be bigger, better, and more revered – already having received nearly twice the number of films submitted to be considered than in the previous year.  This year more than 75 stellar films from around the globe will be screened at the historic Campus Theatre in downtown Denton, February 10th-20th, 2012.  This year also marks a few firsts for Thin Line.

“Ever since the beginning of the Thin Line concept, we have wanted a two-weekend festival and in 2012 this becomes a reality.” Butler is excited about 11 days of documentaries. “I know, it's crazy! These two weekends in February will be the new calendar home to Texas' International Documentary Film Festival. And as a bonus, instead of ending on the traditional Sunday, Thin Line will now take advantage of the Presidents Day holiday and offer a lineup of festival winners and crowd favorites.”

Another innovative idea added to the festival line up is a documentary race.  Filmmaking teams are invited to register starting January 16 in order to participate in the Docu-Denton 7K.  Each team will have 7,000 minutes to create a short documentary.  Not sure if your skills are up to par? Festival organizers have invited Dallas-based documentary filmmaker, Mark Birnbaum to present a Docu-Intensive Workshop on February 10.  The race begins at the end of the all-day Friday workshop and teams will have until the following Wednesday to turn in their completed work.  Screenings of the completed films will take place Saturday, February 18.  

Not destined to film?  Maybe you’re a writer?  Thin Line is inviting the public to become a part of Docu-Denton 7K by pitching a topic for the documentary race.  Topic ideas are being accepted through February 3 by submitting an idea in 300 words or less to topics@thinlinefilmfest.com.  If selected, your topic could be a filmmaking team’s short documentary on the Thin Line screen February 18.  (Visit www.thinlinefilmfest.com for complete details.)

Although the film line up has not quite been announced, we have an inside scoop on a few that have an “original” and “independent” Denton fit. 

• Southwest Premiere of The Love of Beer: Produced and Directed by Alison Grayson.  This film is a documentary devoted to the stories and passion of the women at the forefront of the Pacific Northwest beer community. The beer industry is exploding, but out of the approximately 50,000 craft beer workers, only 598 currently belong to the Pink Boots Society, an organization for women in the industry.  The documentary follows the struggles and accomplishments of women in the industry as they open door for females everywhere for the love of beer.
• Down: Indie rocke in the PRC: Produced and Directed by Andrew Field. 
  Down documents the indie rock music scene in China today.  From underground clubs to outdoor concerts and festivals, Down features some of the hottest bands in the PRC.  Filmed and narrated by Andrew David Field, Down includes interviews with band members, music promoters, and club owners, who are deeply invested in building up China's indie rock music scene.  Set in the context of modern China, Down highlights the disenchantment of youths resisting mainstream society.  It touches on universal themes of youthful alienation and freedom of expression, while also highlighting the power of music to bring people together.
  
  
• World Premier of Pure Fruit: Produced and Directed by Emile Bokaer. 
  Everybody has heard of vegetarianism. Many people know vegans. Practically no one has met (or seen) a fruitarian, someone whose diet consists of 100% fruit.  Pure Fruit, the first documentary film on fruitarianism, is a whimsical road movie that chronicles two fruitarian lovers' 3,000 kilometer journey from a Sydney, Australia housing project to tropical North Queensland, where they hope to settle in a climate of perpetual summer that will allow them to grow and eat copious amounts of nutritious, hearty tropical fruit. The fruitarians, desperate to escape suburban Sydney, hope to find a home among like-minded eaters.  Once they reach their destination in the tropics, they encounter a paradise stranger than they ever could have imagined.

The A-train’s arrival in Downtown Denton has ushered in a streak of new visitors from across the DFW area, many reporting they are visiting Denton for the first time. The Denton CVB and the City of Denton are partnering with the Cities of Highland Village and Lewisville to create a Visitor Center in the Downtown Denton Transit Center, the only manned and climate-controlled station between Denton and Union Station in Dallas. Information kiosks will open in August showcasing attractions, restaurants, shopping opportunities, festivals, and all kinds of things to see and do along the A-train’s route.

“We are seeing new customers, especially on weekends, that have ridden the train and then walked to the Square,” says Bob Moses of Beth Marie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream. “The walkability of our downtown really gives us an edge, I think.”

Of course, Dentonites are also using the train to access the rest of the Metroplex. Everyday, the Chamber / CVB’s Information Assistants get walk-in visitors and phone inquiries seeking counsel about train routes and A-train connections to the DART. Our mission is offering guests the best and most accurate information. And, since experience is the best teacher, the CVB organized a familiarization tour retreat for all CVB and Chamber staff, some board members, and representatives from the Denton Main Street Association.

Vanessa Helvey has served guests in the Chamber/CVB lobby for the past three years. “It is much easier to talk about something when you’ve seen it yourself,” she said. “A lot of people are nervous about riding the train the first time. Now that I’ve done it, changed trains, ridden the DART – well, I feel confident helping visitors overcome their fears.”

Dee Leggett, Vice President of Communications and Planning for the Denton County Transportation Authority, led the tour of 17 from Denton to Downtown Dallas and then to various stations along different DART routes. She even made sure the group experienced Union Station where transit customers can access the Trinity Railway Express to Fort Worth.

“The tour proved so valuable to us that we are organizing another familiarization tour at the end of August for our hotels, especially front desk staff who end up fielding questions from guests,” said Kim Phillips, CVB Vice President. “The A-train is a great asset to our city. People are finding us for the first time and if we are equipped to make their Denton experience fun, friendly, and seamless, they’ll be back again and again.”

Every bride has a vision of their magical wedding day just as any event planner has a vision for how their company's gala will impress would be clients. It's hard to imagine that one facility could really cater to groups with such entirely different tastes and needs, but The Milestone in Denton promises to do that and make the event memorable and hassle free.

Valarie Maier, Wedding and Event Coordinator for The Milestone, ensures that she understands what every bride or planner expects and then makes it happen. While she is not Jennifer Lopez in the Wedding Planner, she does meet with each client repeatedly to ensure that the fine details are taken care of. Each client begins the process with a grand tour of Denton's newest hot spot for events.

Just a few minutes from a busy interstate, and a short drive through a country road, you turn into a long driveway and arrive at the grand mansion fit for the most elegant event of the year. You immediately envision guest arriving and entering the grand foyer to mingle under a beautiful crystal chandelier.

It is not only the country side view that makes this venue a treasure for brides and local Denton events, but the amenities it can offer both is unbeatable. Brides can enjoy a beautifully decorated ceremony room that overlooks hundreds of green acreage. While event planners will enjoy that the banquet room can accommodate up to 500 guests in a conference setting.

Finding the right place for an important event could be a little overwhelming for some brides or event planners, but The Milestone in Denton offers a new opportunity to make a few dreams come true or get the praise of a very impressed boss.

FINDING THE RIGHT VENUE FOR YOU

Valerie Mair, Wedding and Event Coordinator for The Milestone, offers some guidance to prepare you as you look for your perfect event location. There are a few questions you should keep in mind to help you find the right place for you:

When planning a Wedding:

• Find out what you are renting. Is it just the building and are you responsible for?
• Is there a coordinator involved? If so, find out what time the coordinator is there. Get a start and end time. Is the coordinator there during your entire event or will you be left to fend for yourself if something should go wrong? Who is the person in charge if something should go wrong?
• What's included in your package? What are the do's and don'ts? Is there anything that you are not allowed to do or bring in from the outside?

When planning Events:

• How many people does the facility hold?
• What is your different set up options?
•  If there are certain things needed for your event, you need to know if those things are provided or if you have to go to an outside vendor to obtain them.