Veronica Maldonado's Blog

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.

Long before we shared stories online, there was a time when stories were passed from generation to generation as a form of entertainment, cultural preservation or as part of a religious ritual.  Each spring Storytellers from around the nation gather to celebrate the art of telling a good story and Denton and its visitors enjoy the fruits of their performances at the Texas Storytelling Festival.

Featured story tellers
The Texas Storytelling Festival will captivate its audience at the Denton Civic Center on March 8-11, 2012 with some key nationally known storytellers.

Performance artist Mary Ann Blue will entertain the crowds with stories of her childhood growing up in Tulsa at her father's drive-in movie theater or of Mexico’s language and customs through her bilingual stories.

Patrick Ball will bring alive an Irish oral tradition with his Celtic harp. He uses Irish words, music, and history to retell medieval legends such as The Romance of Tristan and Iseult.

Kevin Kling, playwright and regular commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered, will present by adding humor to ordinary life or even objects.

Spiritual and whimsical is what best describes Kim Lehman’s storytelling style who is also on the roster of Touring Artists for the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Become a master storyteller
Workshops will be available to foster or master the art of storytelling.  They cover a large spectrum from how to begin to tell your story, effective use of voice, bilingual storytelling and how to collect Oral history.  All of the featured storytellers will shed light on their secrets.  The conference also includes a Master Class writing workshop lead by Kevin Kling. 

Performance Highlights
Along with the Featured Tellers Stories, keep an “ear” out for many additional entertaining stories and concerts.

Opening night’s Ghost Stories get scarier as the evening progresses.  Will you be slipping out right before the spine tingling, hair raising stories?

Saturday’s Fringe performances are unique presentations which always surprise with originality. Take for example George Kett’s A Pastor Uncorked: Stories of the Parish You Won’t Hear from the Pulpit.  You may even start to recognize some of the parishioners from Pastor Kett’s story.

If your liar radar is pretty accurate, you may want to put your skills to practice at the Liars Contest.  This is one of the family friendly contests that make up the Kids’ Day Schedule.  Also included in the Kids’ Day Schedule are workshops for those children that are already entertaining with their own stories. Be sure to visit the Story Store to stock up on books, CDs, puppets and musical instruments to help your young storyteller along.

If the Texas Story Telling Festival evokes memories of stories you heard around a camp fire or even on grandpa’s knee, go ahead and plan your road trip.  Mention Texas Story Telling Festival to the festival’s host hotel, Hampton Inn and Suites-Denton, to receive the special festival rate.  Or visit Discover Denton for additional hotel options.

Denton CVB eNewsletter Giveaway:
Fill in the blank from the Texas Storytelling Festival schedule “I want to attend ________ at the Texas Story Telling Festival”.  Be the first to post this in the comments section and win a Complimentary FULL Weekend Pass valued at $130.00.

Excitement rippled across the social media world and through the streets of Denton the moment the January-June 2012 issue of Denton Live Magazine came off the press.  The Music Mecca of Texas is raring to rock and jazz at Denton’s Arts and Jazz Festival April 27-29, 2012, in Quakertown Park.  Lee Ritenour will take the stage Friday night to the delight of jazz fans everywhere, more than a mere nod to the festival’s true jazz roots.  A master Jazz guitarist, Ritenour’s skill on the strings has earned him the moniker "Captain Fingers.”  He is also an acclaimed composer and producer with countless awards under his including a Grammy and 17 more Grammy nominations. Ritenour expertly fuses funk, pop, rock, blues, Brazilian and classical music with jazz.  It’s his own perfect mix that attracts the likes of other guitar gurus like Eric Clapton and Joni Mitchel, just to name a few, to join audiences at sold out performances. 

Saturday’s performance on the Jazz Stage will be a hot bed for Tex-Mex Rock loving fans when Los Lonely Boys crank out the faves from their most recent record, Rockpango.  The new CD title refers to a rock style that combines Latin celebration with the Latin rhythm of the huapango.  Just as the CD title does, Los Lonely Boys mix rock, blues, a little funky neo-bohemian, and even rock-pop accompanied by a string quartet.  It makes sense that they’ll play Denton, Texas where the vibe is always eclectic, fresh and new.  And, Fans, rest assured:  Los Lonely Boys #1 hit “Heaven” is guaranteed.

The party isn’t over until after Brave Combo takes the stage on Sunday night.  The Denton band has traveled the world and introduced millions to their original nuclear polka dance jam.  The A&J crowd is nowhere near jazzed out as the energy rises, everyone signs and spontaneous dancing breaks out to beats of salsa, meringue, rock, cumbia, conjunto, polka, zydeco, classical, cha cha, the blues… and more.  It’s been said that the famous slogan “Fun is the Thing and Jazz is King” was born during a Brave Combo show.  See for yourself; it’s probably quite true!

Pack your lawn chair or blanket, head to Denton and pick your spot – sunny or not!  There’s plenty of both among the 7 different stages and more 2,200 performers.  The bonus?  All the concerts are FREE.

Don’t leave the family at home, either.  Kids 12 and under can mold, sculpt and create in the Children’s Art Tent. 

You don’t have to go home empty handed.  You can peruse among more than 175 juried artists and crafters for that special piece that speaks to you.  And souvenirs are abundant, as well. 

Want to go it easy?  Leave coolers behind and enjoy seven food courts of all kinds of foods plus wine and beer!

The Denton Arts & Jazz Festival is a music-lover’s heaven.  It’s fun and music and art - a complete experience.  And it’s all in that special Denton, Texas style:  Original; Independent.

  Brave Combo’s sound electrifies the crowds during Arts & Jazz.  
 

Watch Arts & Jazz video to see a glimpse of the festivities in action. Visit www.DentonJazzFest.com for a complete schedule of events.

Denton’s culture is ideal for supporting our moniker as a music mecca thanks to the intelligent and creative infusion of two universities, a thriving arts community, and a music scene that is making headlines around the world. Combine these essentials with downtown merchants catering to bustling shoppers whose love of art and music draw them to the heart of the city in the first place: Denton’s vibrant and historic Downtown Square.

It is in such a place that 35 Denton has grown into a thriving festival where the music world comes to experience new sounds.  This March 8-11, 35 Denton will fill Downtown’s live music venues with fans of every age plus music industry professionals, talent scouts, and recording labels.

35 Denton’s creative team recently launched a festival video to summarize for 35 Denton newbies exactly what it’s all about. Check it out now and secure your chance to win complimentary access wristbands.  And, you’ll get an inside look at how Denton’s Downtown Square transforms into an electric music mecca.

While the video gives you a feel for what 35 Denton is like, the way to savor the music and dive in for the full experience is to own a 35 Denton wristband.  Sample what’s coming at www.35Denton.com.  Stay current about shows and artists via their Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest pages.  Don’t miss the Podcast link on the website to listen to some intriguing conversations with artists and even a Denton City Council Member.

Are you planning a 35 Denton road trip? Think about the A-train as an option and come for the night or even the whole weekend! In fact, Amtrak is offering a rate between Austin and Dallas for under $50 per roundtrip. And it’s an easy 45 minute ride from Dallas to Denton via the DART’s Green Line. Request the 35 Denton rate at the Days Inn for $45, the Comfort Suites @ UNT for $70 or at the Courtyard by Marriott for $89.  

Dining around the Denton Square is diverse. Many restaurants offer deals and special hours during 35 Denton, like Chestnut Tree located right on the Square. “We want to make sure that music lovers visiting during 35 Denton have the opportunity to try our unique cuisine. So we’re opening our doors for dinner Thursday through Saturday, beginning the first of March,” says owner Valeree Clegg.

What’s all the 35 Denton hype? Denton City Council member Kevin Roden summed it up best in the 35 Denton Podcast interview. ”35 Denton is trying to make a world-class festival, and we have all the ingredients, all packaged in a small town. It’s really helped to raise the Denton flag,” Roden said. “The festival obviously had a level of success before but it’s great to see where it is now. We have world-renowned artists talking about Denton.” 

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 Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau is excited to announce that the North Texas Horse County Tours are back and (is it even possible?) better! in 2012 with six tour dates instead of just four! The new tour dates will take advantage of our moderate spring and fall weather plus provide more opportunities to see Horse Country’s major attraction:  the babies!  Sweet little colts and their mammas frolic all over North Texas’ spring.

With the largest concentration of horse farms in the US, North Texas is the premier place to breed, raise, and train horses in the United States.  More than 350 farms and ranches with a population of 40,000+ horses make the equine industry vital to North Texas’ economy.

The impact of Horse Country reaches the tourism industry, too.  More than 2,000 visitors come to North Texas every year specifically to tour the famous Horse Country.  Groups come from as far as Scandinavia and as close as the next door neighbor, every one eager to get behind-the-scenes at very modern-day and quite elite working ranches. 

2012 kicks off with a very special group visiting in DFW during January.  More than 3,300 attendees representing motorcoach operators, tour operators, suppliers, hotel companies and other travel professionals across North America will attend the American Bus Association’s Marketplace in Grapevine.  Taking advantage of the tremendous opportunity to showcase Horse Country to them, the Denton CVB will host a Familiarization Tour to showcase Horse Country and make sure it stays at the top of their lists as they plan future group travel programs.

The North Texas Horse Country’s 2012 are:   March 3, April 7, May 5 and then September 8, October 6, and November 3. The tours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and depart from Denton Historical Park at 317 W. Mulberry St., Denton, TX 76201. Tickets are available in advance from the Denton CVB for $40 or on-site-day-of for $45 and include snacks, lunch, and drinks.

Contact the Denton CVB at 940-382-7895 or 1-888-381-1818 and make your reservations today or visit www.HorseCountryTours.com.

It’s not a Best Kept Secret any longer.  If you’re looking for the hottest music scene in Texas, Denton’s got it:  independent, original, organic, energetic  sound.   So, it only makes sense that Denton would celebrate that sound with a festival featuring her local music scene in tandem with nationally and internationally known bands.  35 Denton will rock March 8-11, 2012.

What began as North by 35 and a way to showcase Denton’s homegrown music in the midst of SXSW Music Conference in Austin has become its own dynamic music generator.   Not only does 35 Denton’s following not hesitate to purchase tickets well in advance but they don’t even require the list of bands scheduled to play.  Well before bands were announced, much less contracted, wristbands sold out in one day during a blind presale.  When fans clamored for more, festival organizers obliged.

According to Denton festivals’ economic impact report, 35 Denton is credited for bringing in $2 million to the local economy in 2010.  During the 2011 festival, attendance averaged 4,000 to 6,000 per day.  Since the festival is hosted in music venues around Denton’s Historic Square and those thousands also enjoy dining and shopping, it’s is no wonder 35 Denton caught Texas Downtown Association’s (TDA) attention. 

This past November, during the TDA’s President’s Awards program, 35 Denton was recognized as a “Best Promotional Event.”  35 Denton organizers collaborate with city officials, downtown merchants, and artists to offer extraordinary, unique programming each year.  They do an astonishing job promoting the event, too.  Last October, one presale event was on location at local music venue Hailey’s while another was on-site at the same time in Norman, Oklahoma at a Music Exchange. 

But it was their part in downtown revitalization that put them at the top of TDA’s list. “We are becoming more well-known,” said Julie Glover, economic development program administrator for the City of Denton. “This is good publicity for the city.”

This year, 35 Denton is more promising than ever.  A record number of bands applied to play so far; more than 30 bands across several genres have already been confirmed; and more bands are added daily.  A few of 2012’s confirmed artists include Bun B, Built to Spill, Mountain Goats, The Raincoats, John Vanderslice, Thee Oh Sees, and Light Asylum.

Visit www.35Denton.com for a complete listing of artist and venues for March 8-11.  

HINT:  The best way to experience 35 Denton is purchase a wristband.  Wristbands can be ordered at www.35Denton.com.  Don’t mind the Sold Out sign.  According to 35 Denton’s Facebook Page, they will be available again starting January 10. 

The Food Network’s show Heat Seekers will be featuring Rooster’s Roadhouse in Denton when their new episode of the season airs this month. Heat Seekers features spicy foods, while testing to see if Hosts Aarón Sanchez and Roger Mooking can take the heat.  In the season opener, the hosts decided to take on the heat at Rooster’s by trying out the Hell Burger.

Featuring the nether-worldly ghost pepper in its sauce, the Rooster’s Hell Burger is so hot that anyone who wants to take on the challenge must be 18 years or older and sign a waiver.  The Bhut Jolokia, or ghost pepper in the U.S., was once considered the hottest pepper in the world, and still easily ranks within the top 5. With that added kick, the Hell Burger can make grown men cry for mercy.

Sanchez and Mooking visited Dallas in October during the State Fair of Texas.  Wanting to test their mettle against Rooster’s famed Hell Burger, the two chefs each teamed up with a bull rider from the State Fair.  Rooster’s manager, Johnny Law, found the visit “was quite entertaining,” since the loser of the challenge ended up looking like a clown. 

Watch the Food Network Channel to find out which host could take the heat in Denton when the show premiers its new season on January 16, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. CST or at 2:00 a.m. CST January 17.  Or stop by Rooster’s in Denton’s dining and entertainment district at 113 Industrial Street and find out if you can handle the heat.

It’s like a Christmas present:  the December arrival of the Spring/Summer 2012 issue of the Denton Live magazine! This newest issue delivers excitement for what’s coming up in the Spring; and this year, the Spring/Summer edition will also drop a little piece of “Heaven” in your stocking with a very special festival announcement.

At the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester, journalism students at The Mayborn Graduate School of Journalism at UNT prepare themselves for more than just a passing-end-of-semester-grade. This coveted class offers the opportunity each semester for a select group of up-and-coming journalists to taste life in the real publication world including the demands of a publisher, editor, design director and oh yes, that looming deadline to meet.   In less than 3 months, the mostly graduate students, dive into the hands-on production project and put their education into action in the arenas of design, storytelling, interviewing and photography, all of which meet a curriculum goal and measurable outcomes.      

 “We’re training the next generation of journalists in a real-world crucible, requiring lively writing to attract readers, fact-checking for accuracy, and a deadline that meant we’d face financial consequences if we failed to meet it,” says Cathy Thomas, adjunct professor for The Mayborn Graduate School of Journalism at UNT and editor for Denton Live and MAYBORN.

The Denton Live Magazine is available at the Denton Chamber office, local hotels, Denton museums, and retail stores around the Courthouse Square, Golden Triangle Mall, and the City of Denton. Visitors planning a trip to Denton can request a copy or pick one up at any Texas Visitor Center. 

The magazine is also global. All new stories can be found online at the magazine’s companion website www.DentonLive.com. The site includes an online calendar that serves as the official calendar of events for the City of Denton. With the various search features for events and past articles, the website is architected to help visitors plan their daily itineraries in Denton.

Keep in mind as you read about 35 Denton, Thin Line Film Fest and the Arts & Jazz Festival, it’s always a fresh take on an annual festival from the vast creative and intellectual talent that soundly sets Denton apart from the rest of world.