Dallas Area Festivals by Month

It’s 2010  and another fun-filled year is upon us, packed with events, festivals and more.  If you’re looking for some fun and excitement in the Dallas Fort Worth area, we have put together a list of some (of the many) festivals and shows that the Dallas Fort Worth area has to offer. What will your family do in 2010?

JANUARY

Southwestern Exposition and Stock Show & Rodeo: This popular event attracts nearly one million people from around the world to the Will Rogers Memorial Center for the nation’s oldest livestock show and daily performances of the world’s original indoor rodeo. For affordability and good family fun the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo can’t be beat. www.fwssr.com

FEBRUARY

Black History Month: Although it’s not a festival in the usual sense, you would be hard-pressed to find a better description for this monthlong collection of activities, events and exhibits honoring ethnic history and culture.  One example is the The Texas Black Film Festival, which will host three full days of entertaining and insightful films, workshops, and events. Programmed for family entertainment and inspired by the African-American experience, this festival will provide film makers an opportunity to reach audiences with films seldom recognized through major theatrical release.  www.texasblackfilmfestival.com

Cowtown Marathon: The Cowtown is a non-profit organization promoting community health and wellness to North Texans of all fitness levels by providing enjoyable, accredited races for young and old, skilled athlete and novice. Events include a marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K and 5K races. The Cowtown was started in 1979 and continues to thrive and grow each year; in 2010 they will be celebrating their 32nd year of running. www.cowtownmarathon.org

MARCH

North Texas Irish Festival: Largest Celtic festival in the Southwest features bagpipes aplenty, with traditional, contemporary and pop music; traditional dancing; cultural booths; wandering musicians; Scottish clan village; and Urchin Street Faire. Fair Park, Dallas. 214-821-4173. www.ntif.org

APRIL

CJ+K Hickory Street Mud Bug Boil & Gumbo Cook-Off: Daylong crawfish boil, street party and all-you-can-eat charity fund-raiser, which also includes fried fish and deep-fried turkey, gumbo competition and sampling, and live entertainment. 1211 W. Hickory St., Denton. 940-565-0770. www.mudbugboil.org

Prairie Dog Chili Cook-Off and World Championship of Pickled Quail Egg Eating: “Granddaddy” of North Texas chili cook-offs after nearly three decades, this two-day event includes more than 100 chili teams, pinto bean cooking contest, quail egg eating and tortilla tossing contests, “Lemon Roll” and anvil toss. Alas, no prairie dogs. Traders Village, 2602 Mayfield Road, Grand Prairie. 972-647-2331. www.tradersvillage.com

MAY

Asian Festival: Largest Asian heritage celebration in North Texas, this event features local dance and music groups performing traditional routines, martial arts, sumo demonstrations, kids activities and, of course, Asian food. Annette Strauss Artist Square, Flora at Leonard, Dallas. 972-241-8250. www.gdaacc.com

Cinco de Mayo Festival: Parade, live bands and dancers, soccer tournament, children’s crafts and food. Civic Center Park, 321 E. McKinney, Denton. 940-349-8509. www.dentoncinco.org

Texas Stadium Festival: A quarter-century tradition, event celebrates Hispanic culture and Cinco de Mayo with live entertainment, exhibits, games, carnival rides and food. State Highway 114 at Loop 12, Irving. 972-785-0400

National Polka Festival: Three-day event, around for nearly 40 years, celebrates Czech and Slovak heritage with parade, polka bands and dancing, traditional costumes, arts and crafts booths and ethnic food. Memorial Day weekend. In Ennis. 972-878-4748 or 1-888-366-4748. www.nationalpolkafestival.com

JUNE

Denton Juneteenth Celebration: Three-decade-old tradition marking the emancipation of Texas slaves, the festival includes live entertainment, food vendors, basketball “shoot-out,” barbecue cook-off and children’s games. Fred Moore Park, Bradshaw and East Prairie. 940-349-7275 or 940-349-8275. www.dentonparks.com

Fort Worth Juneteenth Freedom Celebration: Another long-standing event, with several days of activities, including a parade, music festival, pageant, dance competition, art and history exhibits, religious observances and 3-on-3 basketball tournament. In and around the Tarrant County Convention Center. 817-335-1866

JULY

Old-Fashioned Fourth: Old City Park in Dallas takes visitors back to a turn-of-the-century Independence Day with a parade, the swearing-in of new U.S. citizens, live entertainment, a pie-eating contest and stick horse rodeo. 1717 Gano St. 214-421-5141. www.oldcitypark.org/fourth.htm

Gran Fiesta de Fort Worth: Three evenings of Latino culture, including folkloric dance; mariachi, merengue and salsa bands; outdoor arts and crafts mercado; children’s activities; and food reflecting Hispanic and Latin cultural influences on Texas and the Southwest. 214-855-1881 or 817-488-2336. www.meifestivals.com

AUGUST

North Texas State Fair: OK, this is a fair, not a festival. But it has been around for three-quarters of a century, which, in the shadow of the State Fair of Texas, should count for something. Includes championship rodeo, carnival rides and games, live entertainment, barbecue cook-offs, fiddling contest and petting zoos. North Texas Fairgrounds, 2217 N. Carroll Blvd., Denton. 940-387-2632. www.northtexasstatefair.com

SEPTEMBER

The Corndog Festival: Timed to the opening of the State Fair of Texas, this annual benefit features corn dogs in costumes and oddball dioramas. Includes live music and all-you-can-eat corn dogs and tater tots. Ozona Grill & Bar, 4615 Greenville Ave., Dallas. 214-749-3901. www.corndogfestival.com

Greek Food Festival: One of Dallas’ oldest food fests (nearly five decades), featuring all-you-can-eat buffets with Greek favorites such as gyros, dolmas and spanakopita; a marketplace; cooking demos; and entertainment. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 13555 Hillcrest Road at Alpha. 972-991-1166. www.greekfestivalofdallas.com

National Championship Indian Pow Wow: Salute to American Indian heritage attracts dance participants from dozens of tribes, artisans and crafts people. Event includes tepee contest, Indian food booths and exhibits. Traders Village, 2602 Mayfield Road, Grand Prairie. 972-647-2331. www.tradersvillage.com

Addison Oktoberfest: Munich-style harvest festival features four days of German foods – including sausage, sauerkraut, strudel and giant pretzels – plus authentic beer, wine tastings, live music and dancing, carnival and children’s activities. Addison Circle Drive. 1-800-233-4766. www.addisontexas.net

OCTOBER

Country Day on the Hill: Cedar Hill event harks back to an era when farm families came to town after the harvest to trade goods in the town square. Sixty-six years old and counting, the festival includes settlers reunion, traditional food, arts and crafts, horseshoe tournament, street dance, music, chili cook-off and pie auction. 972-293-4740

Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering & Western Swing Festival: Three-day commemoration of Texas’ cowboy culture opens with arrival of wagon train and includes ranch rodeo, ranch cutting horse and chuck wagon competitions, cowboy poetry recitations, music, trading post and food. Fort Worth Stockyards, Main Street at Exchange Avenue. 817-444-5502 or 1-888-269-8696. www.theredsteagallcowboygathering.com

Lebanese Food Festival: Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church festival features three days of homemade Middle Eastern food such as tabbouleh, hummus and baklava, plus performances including Lebanese folk dancers and belly dancers, and children’s activities. 719 University Place, Lewisville. 972-436-7617. www.ourladylebanon.com

DECEMBER

Candlelight at Old City Park: Holiday celebration includes a parade, horse-drawn carriages, carolers, arts and crafts, children’s crafts and storytelling. 1717 Gano St., Dallas. 214-421-5141. www.oldcitypark.org

KwanzaaFest: Features live entertainment, including musical performances and African dancers, children and family activities, vendors and food. Fair Park, Dallas. 214-653-6671. www.johnwileyprice.com/pages/kwanzaa.html

If we happened to leave out a festival that you know our other readers would love to know about, please leave the information in the comments below!