The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden held a Kwanzaa dinner on December 1st where attendees heard about the holiday and toured the historic DeGolyer House. New this year at Holiday at the Arboretum, presented by Reliant, is a brand new exhibit in the DeGolyer House called The Artistry of Faith & Culture that features the three world holidays celebrated during the season—Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa—along with Diwali celebrated in the fall. The exhibit runs now through Dec. 31 and is part of the seasonal celebration.
Mary Brinegar, president and CEO of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, welcomed everyone including elected officials and board members.
“This collaborative community-sourced exhibit showcases these diverse cultural traditions throughout the house. Special thanks to the community partners that helped with this special exhibit: Interfaith Council of The Thanks-Giving Foundation, DFW Indian Cultural Society, Texas Jewish Arts Association, thinkIndia Foundation and Pan African Connection & Friends.”
Harrison Blair, president and CEO of the Dallas Black Chamber and Park Board Member, District 4, told about Kwanzaa. “The celebration includes these seven principles with the first word in Swahili:
- Umoja (Unity) To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
- Nia (Purpose)
- Kuumba (Creativity)
- Imani (Faith).”
Janet Jack, Dallas Arboretum board member and Black Heritage Celebration chair, wrapped up the program by inviting people to enjoy the DeGolyer House’s unique exhibit and wished everyone a happy holiday.
Holiday at the Arboretum:
Holiday at the Arboretum also includes The Christmas Village, The 12 Days of Christmas and the 50-foot-tall Dazzling Musical Tree. These three large-scale outdoor displays are perfectly designed for the 66-acre garden and are open to the public both in the daytime and evening.
Tickets, which range from $10-$35, are required for entry for the garden, so guests are encouraged to reserve preferred dates early. For more information, visit https://www.dallasarboretum.org/events-activities/holiday-at-the-arboretum/
In addition to Reliant as the presenting sponsor, other sponsors include Pegasus Bank, Kirkland & Ellis, Movestar, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, GFF Architects, Century Glass.
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218. The Dallas Arboretum is also the home of the internationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden. The garden is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Festival daytime admission is $20 for adults, $16 for seniors 65 and older, and $12 for children 2-12, and free for Arboretum members and children under two. On-site parking is $11. Evening tickets range from $10-$35. The Dallas Morning News is the principal partner of the Dallas Arboretum. The Arboretum is supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department. WFAA is an official media sponsor for the Dallas Arboretum.