Dallas Events and Festivals

(Dallas, Texas - TX, USA)

Dallas, Texas, has an amazing variety of events and festivals throughout the year to entice and entertain visitors from across the globe. From traditional Texan activities to modern day ballets and concerts, tourists will not be left short of things to see and do during their stay. Highlights include the State Fair of Texas held in September and October, Mardi Gras carnival held in February, and the North Texas Irish Fest. in March.

The lively atmosphere of the city's many expositions and showcase events warrants Dallas with the well earned reputation of being host to some of the country's best calendar events. Helpful tourist information offices in Dallas are always a useful source for current events and festivals in Dallas. Many of the events and festivals in Dallas draw large crowds, offering tourists a range of things to see and do whilst staying in the vibrant city of Dallas.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Day
• 12th February - Lincoln's Birthday
• Third Monday in February - Washington's Birthday
• Last Monday in May - Memorial Day
• 4th July - Independence Day
• First Monday in September - Labor Day
• Second Monday in October - Columbus Day
• 11th November - Veterans Day
• 4th Thursday in November - Thanksgiving
• 25th December - Christmas Day

Dallas Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo - mid-January to early February, this is the nation's oldest stock show that attracts thousands of visitors each year to this family orientated event featuring rodeo competitions and cowboy performances

February

• Dallas Opera, Madame Butterfly - early February, this wonderful performance based on the love story of a geisha wife for her American husband can be seen at the Music Hall at Fair Park
• Dallas Winter Boat Show - early February, held at Market Hall, this event showcases luxury yachts along with all sorts of other watercraft and boating equipment
• Dallas Autorama - mid-February, not to be missed by car lovers, this exposition displays hundreds of vehicles, ranging from vintage to up-to-the-minute cars
• Savor Dallas - mid-February, an international experience of wine, food, spirits, and the arts, a chance to experience and sample some of the best wining and dining that Dallas has to offer
• West End's Mardi Gras Parade - late February, held in the West End Historic District, this parade has some impressive floats, costumes and performers
• World Golf Expo - late February, this annual exposition held at Market Hall is the largest consumer golf show in Texas

March

• Out of the Loop Festival - early March, held at the Water Tower Theater, the festival offers musical, dramatic performances, as well as dance and art
• North Texas Irish Fest - early March, the largest Celtic festival in Southwest featuring over 50 Irish and Scottish bands, dancers and storytellers
• Dallas Spring Home and Garden Show - early March, held at Market Hall, this event displays some of the latest trends and designs in home and garden
• Dallas Quilt Celebration - mid-March, here you can view beautiful handmade quilts from around the world that are judged for cash prizes at one of the largest quilt shows in the US
• Greenville Avenue St. Patrick's Day Parade - mid-March, the parade runs southbound on Greenville avenue from Blackwell street to Yale boulevard featuring floats, performers, costumes and animals
• Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal - mid-March, part of the Titas Dance Series and held at McFarlin Auditorium, this contemporary dance performance combines many styles with classical technique to create an electrifying piece

April

• Dallas Auto Show - mid-April, car lovers can admire the latest styles and compare prices at this annual event held at the Dallas Convention Center
• New Vintage Wine Festival - mid-April, held in the Grapevine Historic District, this outdoor festival celebrates the local wineries with food and music
• USA Film Festival - late April, featuring a variety of independent new releases from the USA and around the world
• EarthDay Concert at Fair Park - late April, a free family orientated event with ecological activities aimed at raising awareness on conservation of natural resources

May

• EDS Byron Nelson Championship - mid-May, PGA golfers compete on the fairways of the Four Seasons Resort and Club for this coveted golf trophy

June

• CityArts Celebration - mid-June, art, music and dance performances all feature in this weekend long festival that also celebrates the city's culinary delights, as well as many activities for children

July

• Fourth of July celebrations - early July, in the Old City Park, Dallas, with old fashioned family fun in the form of brass bands, barbecues, pony rides and a parade
• Dallas Summer Boat Show - early July, held indoors at Market Hall, this event exhibits a range of boats along with up-to-the-minute boating equipment
• Dollar Day at the Zoo - mid-July, in return for continuing public support for the zoo, visitors will be charged one dollar only for entry admission on this day as a thank you to the public

August

• Reptile Weekend - early August, this family festival held at the Dallas Museum of Natural History offers the chance for visitors to get up close and personal with a variety of snakes, lizards and other reptiles
• Viva Dallas - mid-August, this Hispanic exposition held at the Dallas Market Hall showcases a number of attractions, including various forms of entertainment, health services and products designed to appeal to Hispanic consumers
• Visions: Women's Expo - late August, this fun and informative exposition held at the Dallas Market Hall is especially for women, offering advice on finance, career, health and much more

September

• Grapefest - early September, appropriately held in the Grapeville Historic District, this festival features live entertainment, wine tasting of regional and local wines, food sampling, as well as arts and crafts displays
• Great American Trucking Show - late September, held at the Dallas Convention Center, this show features a huge range of trucks and trucking accessories, as well as entertainment and informative seminars
• State Fair of Texas - late September to mid-October, held at Fair Park, this action packed fair is excellent fun for all the family offering pig racing, live music, a parade, cow milking exhibition, and auto show among many other Texas traditions

October

• Pioneer Harvest - mid-October, held at Old City Park, this event celebrates many traditional Texas activities that are carried out in preparation for the long winter ahead, including pumpkin carving, pie eating competitions and many other crafts and activities
• Boo at the Dallas Zoo - late October, in celebration of Halloween, this two day event is designed for families with children from three to 12 years old

December

• Candlelight - early to mid-December, held at Old City Park, this recreated historic village demonstrates how Texans lived at the turn-of-the-century