To celebrate the Summer of Sculpture exhibition opening with the return of ZimSculpt, a display of Zimbabwean sculpture, the Dallas Arboretum hosts its first ever Black Heritage Celebration on Saturday, May 1^st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The event is free with paid garden admission.

According to Linda Todd, Dallas Arboretum board member and Black Heritage Celebration committee chair, said, “The Black Heritage Celebration at the Arboretum honors and celebrates diversity by showcasing the work of Black designers, artists, entertainers and vendors as they proudly display, engage with and educate the community of the beauty and inspiration of Black culture.”

She added, “This family friendly day also kicks off the opening weekend of the internationally acclaimed ZimSculpt exhibit that promotes the work of more than 100 Zimbabwean sculptures installed throughout the garden.”

Tying into events surrounding ZimSculpt, the Black Heritage Celebration Day is packed with cooking demonstrations, music, dance and a vendor fair of more than 20 Black-owned businesses showcasing and selling their handiwork.

Schedule:

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Black Owned Businesses Vendor Fair: Visitors are welcome to shop and support these businesses, many of which are small businesses. Vendors include jewelry, clothing, food and more. See below for a complete vendor list.*  (A Tasteful Place, Entry Plaza and Paseo de Flores)

9:30 a.m.–Noon – Various performances by local groups including St. Luke Community United Methodist Church, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Carter High School Alumni Chorus and Dallas Black Dance Theatre ENCORE (Martin Rutchik Concert Stage and Lawn and DeGolyer Pergola)

Noon – Cooking Demonstration with local teen sensation, Kevin the Pie Dude, demonstrating how to make a Key Lime pie. He also sells pies; quantities limited. (A Tasteful Place)

1 p.m. – Crown Jewel Fashion Experience showcases Black designers under the direction of Anita Hawkins, hosted by LeTitia Owens along with Willie Johnson, model fashion guru. (Jonsson Color Garden) 

2-4 p.m. – Don Diego Band plays jazz and R&B (Martin Rutchik Concert Stage and Lawn)

*Vendors:

Avery’s Savory Popcorn – Gourmet popcorn

Bishop Arts Theatre Center

The Butter Fairy – Baked Goods 

Cajukiku – Cajun Japanese fusion food

Dawn Franklin Designs – Jewelry 

Design By Society – African-made baskets

Energy Gardens Living Décor – Plants/Terrariums

Froot Kraves – Lemonade

The Good Water – Fruit infused water

Granny’s Scratch Kitchen – Baked goods  

Gyasi Designs – Handcrafted Ghana-inspired bracelets

Honie’s Jewels – Jewelry

ITS Cookies – Cookies

Jamaica Cabana – Jamaican food

Just Good Cajun – Cajun food

KCs Experience - Food

Konjo Beauty – Face masks and beauty  

Milestone Ladies Boutique – Clothing

New Growth Plants – House plants

Parkland Health and Hospital System

Paul Quinn College

The Patio Chic – Lifestyle and patio designer

Pie Crush Bakery – Mini pies

Recipe Oak Cliff – Food

Savhera – Essential oils and jewelry that support human trafficking victims

Antoinette Whittington-Stanton - Mary Kay products

Yatab Mandazi – African beignets

A special thanks to the Black Heritage Committee Members: Linda Todd, Chairperson, Annette Anderson, Dr. Joan Hill, Dr. Jennifer Hills, Ed.D., Marissa Horne, Janet Jack, Katrina Keyes, Willow Sanchez, Kimberly Singleton, Celia Walker, Maurice West.

Honorary Council: Arun Agarwal, Crystal Alexander, Barbara Barbee, Lew Blackburn, Paula Blackmon, Stephanie Calhoun, Calvert Collins-Bratton, Lane Conner, Cherron Covington, Zenetta Drew, The Hon. Dr. Elba Garcia, Gwen and Art George, The Hon. Helen Giddings, Valerie Harris, Maria Hasbany, Anita Hawkins, Dr. Frederick Douglas Haynes III, Michael Horne, Darren James, Debra Hunter Johnson, Tammy Johnson, The Hon. Ron Kirk and Matrice Ellis-Kirk, Jeff Kitner, J.J. Koch, Donovan Lewis, Terrence Maiden, Dr. Susan McElroy, Adam Medrano, Sherri Mixon, Fonya Naomi Mondell, Cynthia Nevels, Tara L. Paige, DeMetris Sampson, Amanda Schulz, Bo Slaughter, Frances Smith-Dean, Robb Stewart, Danielle Taylor, Michelle Thomas, Jade Tinner, Clarice Tinsley, Taylor Toynes, Lorena Tule-Romain, Akwete Tyehimba, Patrick Washington, Cheryl Wattley, Carol West, The Hon. Royce West, Dr. Charles and Mitzi Willis, Daniel Wood.

Sponsors: Helena L. Banks, Capital One, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce,  Dallas Weekly, Dr. Cristi Fletcher and Dr. Flaxie Fletcher, DeMetris Sampson, The Dallas Chapter of The Links, Inc. and the Dallas Links STEAM Academy, Mary Kay Global Design Studio, Texas Metro News, VisitDallas.

About ZimSculpt:

Running from May 1 to August 8 at the Dallas Arboretum as the Summer of Sculpture exhibition, ZimSculpt, features the talent of several contemporary Zimbabwean artists with more than 100 hand-selected, exquisite sculptures artfully displayed throughout the garden. These contemporary pieces, created by the Shona people of Zimbabwe, are carved from various types of serpentine and semi-precious stone, often weighing tons, and can be as large as seven feet tall.

ZimSculpt is passionate about promoting the work of some of the finest Zimbabwean sculptors. Therefore, as part of the exhibit, guests are welcome to watch artists and sculptors Passmore Mupindiko and Brighton Layson demonstrate their artistry daily as they carve statues with chisels, hammers, files and sandpaper.

Visitors may purchase any of the sculptures on display in the garden, as well as the ones created by the onsite artists in The Marketplace, which is located in the Dallas Arboretum’s Pecan Grove. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the sculptures and items in The Marketplace supports the Dallas Arboretum.

ZimSculpt is supported in part by the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District.

Tickets must be pre-purchased online or by calling 214-515-6615. Wearing a face covering is required for all guests 5 years of age while visiting the Dallas Arboretum, unless medically unable to do so.

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 Arboretum is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. General admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for children 2-12 and free for Arboretum members and children two and under. There is an additional cost of $3 per person for entrance into the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden. Parking is $10. 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. For more information, call 214.515.6500 or visit www.dallasarboretum.org.

PHOTOS: https://bit.ly/3jmq4nv

VIDEO: https://fb.watch/3p7T7nImJF/

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden hosted its third annual Groundhog Day celebration today with 125 people in attendance to see if  Arboretum Annie would see her shadow or not. According to folklore, if a groundhog comes out of hiding and sees her shadow, she is scared and runs back inside, meaning six more weeks of winter. If she doesn't see her shadow, spring arrives early. Arboretum Annie saw her shadow, so it’s another stretch of winter, according to WFAA meteorologist Kalee Dionne who served as guest emcee.  

According to Dave Forehand, Dallas Arboretum vice president of gardens, “This last winter blast gives additional time for our tulips and other spring bulbs to remain cold before they bloom later this spring. A longer winter means Dallas Blooms will last a little longer this spring, so even more people will be able to enjoy the largest floral festival in the Southwest.”

Themed “America the Beautiful,” Dallas Blooms, presented by IBERIABANK/First Horizon, opens on February 20 and runs through April 11, 2021. The spring festival showcases an explosion of color from 100 varieties of spring bulbs and more than 500,000 spring-blooming blossoms, thousands of azaleas and hundreds of Japanese cherry trees. Each week, Dallas Blooms focuses on one of the six regions in the United States with food, music, flowers and special events. For the latest information, visit www.dallasarboretum.org/blooms.

About the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden:

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218. The Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden is closed through February 19 for preventative maintenance. On-site parking is $15, or $10 if purchased in advance online. It is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 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.  

At its annual conference in Galveston in late October, the Texas Society of Architects announced its 2019 Honor Award recipients, including Mary Brinegar, Dallas Arboretum president and CEO, who was presented with an Honorary AIA Membership. This membership is the highest award that the organization bestows on an individual for outstanding achievements in support of the profession of architecture, the built environment and quality of life in Texas.

According to 2019 Texas Society of Architects President Mike Hellinghausen, AIA, “Mary has served as president and CEO of the Dallas Arboretum for more than 20 years. In her time there, she has transformed the park from an underfunded local attraction into an internationally acclaimed public garden. Working with architects and designers, she’s restored historic structures in the park and create new environments to elevate the public’s experience. The park now draws more than one million guests each year. For her stewardship of the Dallas Arboretum, and for her appreciation for the enduring value of good design to Dallas and Texas, we are pleased to present Honorary Membership to Mary Brinegar.”

J. Mark Wolf, AIA, former Dallas Arboretum chairman, who was involved in the nomination submittal, added, “Mary has devoted her career to growing and managing nonprofits at a high level of excellence.  She has done so with careful attention to detail and an ability to create new structures while preserving historic ones. Mary is first and without fail a diligent steward of the organization’s resources as well as an outstanding ambassador for its mission. Her attitude and commitment enables the organization’s goals and successes to be paramount.”

At the Dallas Arboretum, Brinegar is responsible for the management of a full time staff of 170 and for the annual operating budget of $24.6 million. She has won many awards for her fundraising leadership and accomplishments while at the garden. Since she joined the botanic garden, the board and staff have raised more than $100 million dollars for capital improvements including new buildings, gardens and the renovation of onsite historic homes.

Two notable accomplishments include award-winning gardens dedicated to teaching and growing plants and children’s minds:

The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden: This eight-acre garden set the gold standard for children’s outdoor educational facilities when it opened in fall 2013. This garden provides an innovative place for preschool through middle school children to learn about life and earth sciences.

A Tasteful Place:  Opened in 2017, A Tasteful Place, designed to mirror an ornamental kitchen garden or "potager" as it is called by the French, is an edible display garden, complete with a lagoon and meandering walkways. The 3.5-acre garden, comprised of artfully arranged features, includes a pavilion with event space, a teaching kitchen, an orchard, beds of ornamental display vegetables, herbs and flowers, as well as shaded porches and walkways. 

Every year, the Dallas Arboretum has received accolades from national and local media outlets noting the garden’s superlative work – from its festival design to permanent garden developments and outstanding buildings.

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218 and 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. 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. For more information, call 214.515.6500 or visit www.dallasarboretum.org.

The public is invited to blast off on July 20 and 21 at the Dallas Arboretum's Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden as the garden celebrates 50 years since Apollo 11 landed on the moon and paved the way for space exploration. Tour the solar system in our OmniGlobe Theater, blast off with our Egg-stronauts Adventure Program, and watch Apollo 11 videos in the OmniGlobe Theater. The first 200 families will receive official NASA goody bags (based on availability).

Schedule:

12:00-12:30pm
Adventure Program: Constellation Creation: Located in the OmniGlobe Theatre

For a long time, people have seen pictures among the stars and created dazzling stories! Learn all about the constellations using our OmniGlobe.

10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Creativity Corner located in the Entry Plaza of the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden from
Three, Two, One! Blast Off! Let’s celebrate the 50th year of the first moon landing with your very own spaceship!

4:00-4:30 p.m.

Egg-Stronauts from in Moody Oasis

The astronauts need your help building their next space craft. Create a safe landing with your expertise skills.

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens 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 Arboretum is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. General admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65 and older, and $10 for children 2-12 and free for Arboretum members and children under two. On-site parking is $15 or $9, if purchased in advance online. 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. 

Recent rains helped water the 200 rose bushes that were given to the Dallas Arboretum and transplanted this past fall in the Boswell Family Garden. The Dallas Arboretum on May 29^th held a rose ceremony to honor the gift, donated by Nancy and Robert Pierce and their sons Chip and Jack Pierce. This rose collection enhanced the already established Rose Mary Haggar Rose Garden, and as all the roses are now blooming with magnificent colors and scents.

The permanent plaque reads, “Donated by Nancy and Robert Pierce in honor of her mother Cherrie Perkins Wells.” Wells encouraged Nancy to start this collection decades ago, and it fueled her passion for roses. When the Pierces recently moved to a home with limited space for her roses, she called Mary Brinegar, Dallas Arboretum president and CEO, to see if the garden would like to have them, and she accepted.  

Brinegar welcomed everyone to the ceremony and thanked the Pierces for their donation, which enhances an already lovely garden that overlooks White Rock Lake. “This area was developed because a wonderful man named George Boswell wanted to make a major contribution honoring his wife and daughters, so we call this the Boswell Family Garden.” The family was represented by Veta Boswell and her daughter Kama Koudelka.

Dave Forehand, Dallas Arboretum’s vice president of gardens, spoke about the particular garden’s vision. He met Dr. George Boswell and Warren Hill Johnson, a landscape architect, who served on the Gardens and Grounds Committee. “Warren was very good at coming up with interesting names, so one day he called Dr. Boswell and said, ‘I think we should call the garden El Inesperado,’ and Dr. Boswell hung up on him. When Dr. Boswell called Warren back, he said the name of the ranch where he grew up was called El Inesperado, which means the ‘unexpected.’ So that was how the garden was named.”

As more than one million visitors come to the Dallas Arboretum annually, they can enjoy

this ‘unexpected’ garden with clipped topiary bushes, landscaping by Warren Johnson and a curving stacked stone wall along where more than 200 new rose bushes make their home.