We all know that April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but there’s lots of sun and lots of fun during April in Cowtown. That means there’s lots to do with family and friends! We’ve gathered some of the best family-friendly events and activities for you, so be sure to bookmark this page to refer to all month long!

Ennis Bluebonnet Trail
April 1-30
Ennis, Texas

Enjoy miles of bluebonnets in the Official Bluebonnet City of Texas. The Ennis Bluebonnet Festival runs from April 17-19 and is full of family fun!

Peter and the Wolf
April 4
Kimbell Art Museum

Join the members of the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth for a lively morning of musical storytelling as they perform the Prokofiev classic.

Easter Egg Hunts

Easter is Sunday, April 5, and there are eggs hidden all over town! Here are just a few egg hunts open to the public.

• Northwest Library Egg Hunt
• Easter Eggstravaganza at the Southwest Community Center
• Stockyards Easter Egg Hop
• House of Hope for Autism Easter Egg Hunt
• McFly’s Pub Annual Kids’ Easter Egg Hunt & Market

Pictures and Pages/Fotos y Libros: Fruit Salad
April 7
Kimbell Art Museum

Kids and their adults are invited to enjoy bilingual stories and creative play at the Kimbell.

First Tuesday: Brief Moments of Mindfulness with Kaity Stone
April 7
Stage West

Hit “pause” as Kaity Stone leads you in gentle mindfulness and meditation practices that will help you slow down and breathe for a moment.

Late Night Catechism
April 9-12
McDavid Studio at Bass Performance Hall

Head back to school in this interactive theatrical event. Don’t be tardy or you might get detention!

Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival
April 9-12
Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork

Come taste the best of Fort Worth comestibles while supporting our region’s hospitality community!

Oklahoma!
April 10-26
Stolen Shakespeare Guild

Stolen Shakespeare Guild presents the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that will have your toes tapping as you sing along with such classics as “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” and “Surrey with a Fringe.”

Madama Butterfly
April 10 & 12
Bass Performance Hall

The Fort Worth Opera presents Puccini’s heartbreaking opera about a young Japanese woman who falls in love with a dashing American with tragic results.

Zoo Run 2026
April 11
Fort Worth Zoo

Lace up your running shoes for Fort Fun’s favorite run through the Zoo and surrounding neighborhood.

Light the Trail 2026
April 11
Dutch Branch Park

Join the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation and fellow cyclists as you ride to end depression and suicide.

Spring Market & Glass Garden
April 11
SiNaCa Studios

Help support SiNaCa’s local initiatives AND local glass artists. Reservations are required so click the link above!

Sensory Explorations: Traveling Trains
April 11
Amon Carter Museum of American Art

All aboard! Children of all ages who are on the autism spectrum and their families are welcome to explore different methods of transportation with sensory-friendly activities and play.

Some Like It Hot
April 14-19
Bass Performance Hall

Get ready for a rip-roaring trip across the country in the musical adaptation of the 1959 Billy Wilder film.

Audra Scott Presents It’s Your Song to Sing
April 15
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Award-winning vocalist Audra Scott will perform on Stage, 2026, a site-specific artwork by Rashid Johnson.

2026 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships
April 16-18
Dickies Arena

The best women’s collegiate gymnasts gather to compete for National Champion.

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Fest
April 16-19
Downtown Fort Worth

Art. Music. Food. Main Street is back!

Log Cabin Village’s 60^th Birthday Party
April 18
Log Cabin Village

Celebrate 60 years of living history with a day of games, goodies, and music!

Scout-N-About: Prep Like a Pioneer
April 18
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Inspired by our pioneer forebearers who traveled light, this program features tails of pioneer daring do with hands-on help in preparing a modern go-bag.

Syndicate Smokeshow & Music Fest 2026
April 18
Fort Worth Stockyards

Where better to celebrate the best in music AND barbecue than the Historic Stockyards?

Rooted in Nature: Free Outdoor Family Adventure Day
April 19
Camp El Tesoro

Head to Camp El Tesoro for for a day of exploration, discovery, and family fun in the great outdoors!

Smartphone Photography and Composition
April 19
Conundrum Farms

This beginner-friendly workshop will teach you how to see the world around you in new ways (and take really great pictures of it!).

Rent
April 23 through May 16
Circle Theatre

Circle Theatre presents the groundbreaking, multi-award-winning musical by Jonathan Larson.

Creole Brunch
April 25
Central Market Cooking School

Head to the Big Easy for this hands-on class in which you will learn to make a brunch that would make Emeril weep over his cast iron skillet.

Cinco in the District
April 26
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Celebrate Mexican-American culture with music, dance, food, and more!

Panther City Writers
April 27
Southwest Regional Library

Join fellow writers in a safe space to write and share your words.

Monty Python’s Spamalot
April 28 through May 3
Bass Peformance Hall

Lovingly ripped off from the classic Monty Python & the Holy Grail, this award-winning musical invites you to join King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table as they search for the Holy Grail. It is a silly musical.

And finally…

Mayfest
April 30 through May 3
Trinity Park

Celebrate spring and community in Trinity Park! Whether you go for the rides, the music, the shopping, or the best darn festival food in Texas, there’s something for everyone in the family at Mayfest.

The post Spring’s A-Poppin’: April’s Fun in the Fort first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas and his son, Chef Rodrigo Cárdenas, are known for their contemporary approach to Mexican cuisine. They have shared three recipes with us that are sure to entice your family and friends’ palates.

Lamb “Doves”

In Chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas’ hometown of Saltillo, tacos made with flour tortillas are called “palomas” or “doves.” The original recipe calls for cabrito, or kid goat, but Chef Cárdenas suggests substituting lamb for kid goat, as it’s difficult to find kid goat in family-friendly amounts.

Ingredients

For the árbol chile salsa

1 tablespoon oil

8 dried árbol chiles

8 green tomatoes

¼ onion

2 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

For the cabbage salad

½ of a green cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons

½ of a red cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons

1 large tomato, cut into small cubes

¼ cup olive oil

2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

For the palomas (doves)

1 ½ cups lamb confit (see recipe below)

6 to 8 flour tortillas

sliced avocado

Directions

For the salsa

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the dried chiles until they turn from red to brown. Remove the chiles from the skillet and place in a blender with the green tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves until smooth. This will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

For the cabbage salad

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the palomas

Pour the salsa into a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the lamb confit; stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced and the mixture looks dry.

Heat the flour tortillas and fill with lamb confit in salsa. Place the tacos on a comal or griddle over medium heat, and toast lightly on each side.

Serve the palomas with the cabbage salad and sliced avocados. You are welcome to add your favorite salsa. Serves 4.

Lamb Confit

A confit is a well-seasoned piece of meat cooked slowly in its own fat. As lamb fat is hard to find, substitute lard or beef tallow. [Editor’s Note: Yes,  this sounds rich. It is. However, you don’t use a lot in the recipe, and it freezes beautifully. Additionally, I adapted Chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas’ recipe to make it more family-friendly.]

Ingredients

2.5 to 3 pounds of lamb shoulder chops

1 heaping tablespoon of kosher salt

2 cups lard or beef tallow

2 cups neutral oil, like canola

Directions

Rub the lamb all over with the salt. Place them into a resealable bag and refrigerate overnight.

Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the lard or tallow and the oil. Once the lard or tallow has melted and the mixture is shimmering, pat the lamb pieces dry and add them to the oil mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low to low, depending on your stove, and cook the lamb for 3 to 4 hours, or until the bones slide out of the meat. If you have a meat or frying thermometer, keep the oil between 190° and 199° during cooking.

Remove the lamb from the pot. [Editor’s Note: I placed the lamb on a rack that had been placed on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and allowed the lamb to drain.]

Cut the meat into small pieces or shred it. The confit will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or can be frozen for use within 6 months.

Ceviche a la Mexicana

Ingredients

6 to 8 ounces firm, white fish (such as snapper, halibut, seabass, grouper, or mahi mahi), cubed

¼ of a yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, sliced

1 Persian cucumber, diced

1 ripe tomato, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons chile sauce from palomas recipe (optional)

½ cup lime juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 scallion (green onion), sliced

¼ peeled beet, grated (garnish)

¼ peeled carrot, grated (garnish)

Directions

Mix the onion, jalapeño, tomato, and cucumber in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine the lime juice and chile sauce (if using), then add the fish so it can “cook” in the mixture. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and no longer than 4 hours.

Before serving, combine the marinated fish with the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. To serve, place on a plate or in a pasta bowl, then drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with the grated carrot, beet, and scallion. Serve with good-quality tortilla chips. Makes enough for 2 as an appetizer.

Ceviche de Coliflor (Vegan)

Ingredients

1 white cauliflower, cut into small pieces

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

½ cup lime juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ bunch cilantro leaves, chopped

1 large mango, cubed

1 Persian cucumber, grated and drained

½ peeled carrot, grated

½ cup corn kernels

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the cauliflower for 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, place in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

Once the cauliflower is chilled, add the onion, serrano, lime juice, and kosher salt and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or no longer than 4 hours.

Before serving, add the cilantro, mango, cucumber, carrot, corn, and tomato to the bowl with the marinated cauliflower, then toss to combine. Season to taste. Serve with tortillas or as a salad. Makes enough for 8 as a starter or 4 as a salad.

The post Creativity Takes Courage’s Fresh Family Recipes first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Apologies for the abrupt opening of this post, but it’s rather on my mind at the moment. However, I recognize that I probably should have put a trigger warning on this. So, here you go.

TW: Contains references to pet cancer and euthanasia.

Fido came to us as an eight-month-old stray, rescued by a family friend. She had been living in the parking lot of a business. I had (possibly naively) mentioned to this friend that our cat, Spot, got upset when I was out of town and the sprogs were with their father. Fido would obviously be a wonderful companion to Spot, thereby solving Spot’s loneliness while giving her a loving home.

Unfortunately for both Spot and Fido, Fido was, essentially, a kitten, while Spot was probably about three. Fido couldn’t understand why Spot didn’t want to play with her all day, every day. Spot couldn’t understand why this young whippersnapper wouldn’t leave him in peace.

Eventually, they established a pecking order, and peace was restored to the house, for the most part. They learned to navigate the joys of a shared household, and they would even curl up together when the weather turned cold, although they never admitted this.

When David moved in with us, Fido accepted him pretty quickly, whereas Spot still, almost a decade later, regards the other male in the house with some suspicion. Fido would curl up on his chest, purring so loudly it sounded like boulders in a cement mixer.

As some of you might know from my social media posts, Fido was not overly endowed with intelligence. There are various methods of testing a domestic animal’s intelligence, and Fido failed them all. She was dumb but sweet, and she loved nothing more than sitting on my shoulder or hip as I fell asleep, or curling up on David’s chest, and having her forehead skritched with one finger.

I’ve seen many of my friends post on social media about the death of a pet. Invariably, they apologize for being “too emotional.” Why shouldn’t they be emotional? They just lost a member of their family.

Pets give us unconditional love. (Yes, even cats do this. It just looks different to a dog’s love.) Our relationship with them is uncomplicated by messy human dynamics; they love us and rely on us for food, shelter, and care, while we love them and rely on them for emotional support, companionship, and a sense of structure.

Yet we seem to feel a sense of shame for grieving a pet. We expect to be mocked for mourning the death of an animal. So we apologize for our grief, minimizing our heartache and the effects of our loss.

Fido was diagnosed with cancer about two months ago. She lost a large amount of weight very rapidly and had a raspy, almost asthmatic cough that she couldn’t shake. However, she wasn’t in pain and was still eating and drinking.

Until yesterday.

We made the difficult choice, and the vet came to our house today.

We were able to give her the gift of a peaceful death, free from fear and pain, in return for the years of love she gave us. She was warm and surrounded by her people. It was, aside from a brief prick of the needle, painless for her. If only all our endings could be as such.

So my family and I will be in mourning for a while. Unashamedly and unhurried by society’s expectations on how long you should be sad about “only a pet’s” death.

Fido wasn’t just a cat. She was a member of our family, and we mourn her passing.

The post Heartache and Love: Dealing with the Loss of a Pet first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Madeworthy: Tell us a little about yourself. (Where you’re from, educational background, art, work prior to Art Tooth, pets, anything you really want to share!)

Shasta Haubrich: I mostly grew up in Cleburne, but we lived in Japan until I was four and I was born in Washington state. Now I have technically lived in Fort Worth longer than I have lived anywhere. I received an Associate’s Degree from TCC and then worked at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for ten years so I consider that part of my education. I have two adult (barely) children, Aurora and Apollo, a few porch cats and my son has a bearded dragon.

Amira Balmashkan, Shasta Haubrich, Jessica Beatty

MW: Your Patreon says that you create “pop-culture focused art.” Can you tell us a little more about that?

SH: Growing up in the country as an only child, I spent a lot of time watching TV. So I like researching sitcoms and tv shows and movies in various ways. For my most recent project I watched every episode of Golden Girls and tried to catalog every time they say some version of “What are you doing up?” and then I painted those scenes in three large canvases. I am also about to start selling prints of various favorite scenes from tv and movies and hopefully will start selling zines.

MW: Congrats on 10 years of Art Tooth! Can you tell us a little about the idea behind the founding of it?

SH: I started Art Tooth with six other artists from various backgrounds with a mission to create more opportunities for artists in Fort Worth. In many ways it is difficult for artists to show their work if you don’t have a relationship with a gallery. So we decided we would start creating our own art shows. Our first show was at 76102 gallery and then BRIK and we moved on to collaborating in various ways with different businesses and groups including Hotel Dryce, The Pool at Near Southside, FWSSR, Mayfest, and more.

MW: When did it become clear that Art Tooth wasn’t just a collective of artists, that it was evolving into a nonprofit with a real mission?

SH: I think we figured out pretty quickly we could make a difference as a non-profit vs a collective. We had our first gallery show in August of 2016 and we established ourselves as a nonprofit by March of 2017. Our methods have evolved so I try to work with several artists throughout the year. For example, In 2025 we worked with 70 artists and held 19 events. 25 of those artists were people I had never shown before.

MW: For those who are not aware of Art Tooth, what is your mission?

Art Tooth was founded with the intention to create more opportunities for artists in Fort Worth and to build relationships between artists, collectors, and art patrons.

By making contemporary art accessible to an increasingly broad and diverse public, we strive to continue to strengthen Dallas-Fort Worth’s reputation as an arts destination.

MW: A lot of art-based nonprofits are not run by artists. How does being artist-run make a difference in what Art Tooth does?

SH: I think it makes it easier for us because I can anticipate what makes it hard for some artists to get their work out there in the world and try to eliminate those barriers, because I have the same issues trying to show my art. I also think it’s easier for me to talk to artists directly and get their feedback on what they need.

MW: I’m not sure if Art Tooth could exist anywhere else. How does Fort Worth contribute to Art Tooth’s mission?

SH: I think there are several people who have helped us make it to ten years because people see us as a needed entity in Fort Worth. I feel like we are known for having access to several artists and we have the ability to reach out to artists easily.

MW: Conversely, how does Art Tooth contribute to Fort Worth’s role as a leading center for contemporary artists – especially new and mid-level artists?

SH: I don’t think we are reinventing the wheel by partnering with businesses to show art but I think/ hope we are trusted partners to artists and businesses and help eliminate some of the stress for artists trying to show their work for the first time or to a new audience.

MW: Art Tooth is committed to supporting artists from underrepresented communities. Why are inclusivity and equity in art representation so important?

SH: I personally think art should reflect society and we wouldn’t be reflecting society if we just showcased art from white dudes. Statistically, it is more difficult for non-white artists to get their work in galleries, so if we are truly supporting all artists we need to contribute to helping mitigate those barriers.

MW: How does Art Tooth ensure inclusivity and equity in your works?

SH: I think we have generally just tried to see who we have worked with and find a balance, but we are about to start implementing a process of surveying our past artists and getting a clearer picture of where we need to make improvements.

MW: Do you think your efforts have led to more diversity in the contemporary art scene in Fort Worth?

SH: No, I don’t think we can take any credit for that. I think we could probably be doing more.

MW: What do you think are the biggest challenges that artists face in Fort Worth today, both as an artist and as Executive Director of Art Tooth?

SH: I think that Fort Worth wants to be seen as art focused, but when you ask some businesses or leaders to actually support artists by paying them what they are worth they don’t want to contribute or they try to cut corners.

MW: How do you juggle your work as an artist with your job as Executive Director of Art Tooth?

SH: I am actually pretty bad at it. I think sometimes I sign up for stuff with my own art just so I have a deadline I have to make and then I get my art work done at the last minute.

MW: How does your career as an artist influence the way Art Tooth supports artists?

SH: I grew up in a small town and put myself through school while raising two kids so I have had my own hurdles to face trying to get my art out there including imposter syndrome and feeling like I am not educated enough. So I know what fears and hopes artists have and I know that sometimes getting that first chance is everything to keep you going.

MW: Where you see the contemporary art scene in Fort Worth going in the next five years?

SH: I hope we keep going and expanding but these rent prices are a big issue and I think there is a plateau for some artists where they have to leave or show their work in Dallas or move to Austin or Houston because we need more support once artists get to the point where they can sell high dollar pieces. If we can establish more residencies where artists get free studio space and get paid to work that will help significantly.

MW: Where do you see Art Tooth going in the next five years?

SH: We tried to have studio spaces and that didn’t work out but it would be great to have a permanent office and find funding for studios in the next five years and to expand how we work to collaborate with artists in new ways.

MW: Where do you see your art going in the next five years?

SH: I just hope it gets weirder.

Lightning Round: Fort Worth Favorites

• Coffee shop – Black Coffee and Avoca have my favorite match lattes and Cherry has my favorite drip coffee
• Breakfast/brunch place – Montgomery Street Cafe and Cafecito
• Hangout with friends – Chat Room and Boiled Owl
• Place to relax and recharge – My house
• Artist or musician (if this isn’t too political!) – Can’t pick one artist as a favorite but Son of Stan, Spring Palace and Hotel Satellite are my current fave local bands
• Yearly event or festival – Arts Goggle
• Favorite museum – The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth obs
• Thrift or consignment shop – Doc’s Records
• Best bartender, cocktail, or mocktail in town – Oh this one is definitely too political for me
• Best hamburger joint – Gusto’s
• Best barbecue – ok it’s like FW adjacent but Smoke’N Ash
• Mexican restaurant – I have done very little research in this category, but San Luis is probably the one I visit the most.

The post Community Member Spotlight: Shasta Haubrich first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Celia Álvarez Muñoz: El Limite

Through October 18

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

In a new iteration of her installation for the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, from 1991, Texas-based artist Celica Álvarez Muñoz has transformed the Carter’s sloping first-floor gallery. In El Limite, Muñoz references the works of Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada in two large-scale photographs and explores the effects of the railroad on the connections and divisions among cultures, languages, and traditions.

The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. PLAY!

Through May 24

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

While little ones might balk at spending a couple of hours looking at art, The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. PLAY! is a hands-on exhibit that encourages questioning, thinking, and problem-solving. Based on the popular children’s book series by Andrea Beaty, which includes favorites such as Rosie Revere, Engineer, and Ada Twist, Scientist, this exhibition will have your kiddos using their little gray cells while having loads of fun. (Just don’t tell them that they’re learning while they’re playing!)

Roy Lichtenstein in the Studio

Through August 16

Nasher Sculpture Center and the Dallas Museum of Art

When someone says “Pop Art,” most people automatically think of Roy Lichtenstein’s large-scale interpretations of comic book panels. However, Lichtenstein’s oeuvre is more wide-ranging, encompassing sculpture, prints, and murals. The Nasher Sculpture Center and the Dallas Museum of Art celebrate the acquisition of over 50 works from the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation in this joint exhibition of drawings, sculptures, and prints by the groundbreaking artist, shown at the neighboring institutions.

Georgia O’Keeffe and the Carter

Through September 2027

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

It’s fitting that a museum dedicated to American art has created an exhibition of works by the artist known as “the Mother of American Modernism.” For the first time, the Carter explores its ties to O’Keeffe, possibly America’s most recognized artist, showing not only her paintings and works on paper from the Museum’s collection, but also photographs, letters, and other materials from O’Keeffe and other artists such as Alfred Stieglitz, Laura Gilpin, and Eliot Porter.

Fire and Earth: Early Chinese Pottery from the MacLean Collection

Through September 27

Crow Museum of Asian Art

Architect Louis Sullivan once declared that “Form follows function.” Fire and Earth: Early Chinese Pottery from the MacLean Collection features 45 vessels spanning the Neolithic period (ca. 10,000–2000 BCE) through the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), exploring how function and technological advances shaped the development of pottery across China, from simple earthenware vessels to early glazed porcelain.

Paper Technologies: Italian Prints and Drawings

Through September 20

Dallas Museum of Art

Through the selection of works from early modern Italy, from Venice to Rome, dated from 1500 to 1750, Paper Technologies: Italian Prints and Drawings explores a complex relationship between drawings, prints, and their afterlife. The increasing availability of paper enabled advancements in drawing and printmaking, and the exhibition features works from the Dallas Museum of Art’s permanent collection as well as never-before-seen pieces from private collectors.

Waste to Wonder

Through May 24

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

We are increasing a throw-away culture. Mass-produced items have a single use and are meant to be disposed of instead of repaired and kept. In collaboration with the Tarrant County Education Foundation, Waste to Wonder explores how innovation and creativity can transform one man’s trash into another man’s treasure with hands-on exhibits that delve into what it means to be truly sustainable.

Paper Knife: Objects of Beauty in Early Modern Japan

Through September 29

Crow Museum of Asian Art

When I say the word “samurai,” what springs to mind? Sword-wielding warriors fighting for their lord’s honor, correct? That image is only a small part of what samurai were. Exploring developments in decorative and fine arts, Paper Knife: Objects of Beauty in Early Modern Japan explores how pastimes, such as calligraphy, tea ceremonies, and landscape painting, were defining features of the elite samurai class, and how craftsmanship and materials elevated the mundane to the sublime.

Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers

March 8 through September 27

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

In his first major exhibition in more than a decade, multimedia Rashid Johnson uses Black history, art history, and philosophy as a framework to explore masculinity, parenthood, self-care, and identity. Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers includes over 80 works and traces Johnson’s development through early photographic pieces, film, and sculpture to more recent paintings and assemblages.

The Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem

March 15 through June 28

Kimbell Art Museum

For centuries, European monarchs competed to demonstrate their piety and support for Christianity in the Middle East by commissioning art and religious items. Composed of more than 60 dazzling pieces gifted by kings, queens, and other rulers to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, The Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem includes reliquaries, crosses, chalices, vestments, and candlesticks created out of rich materials by the most talented craftsmen and artists of the 17^th and 18^th centuries in Europe.

Black Photojournalism

March 15 through July 5

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

The years between 1945 and the mid-1980s were a time of great change in the United States. From the post-war boom through the Civil Rights movement and beyond, Black Photojournalism explores the essential role of Black photojournalists in documenting historic events and everyday life in Black-owned media outlets during those turbulent times. These photographs create a historical record of Black life that is rich and nuanced, and that serves as a tool for empowerment and education.

Paradise on Earth: Florals in Indian Textiles

April 1 through November 29

Dallas Museum of Art

For thousands of years, Indian textile artists turned to the natural world for inspiration. Exploring the impact of plant and floral imagery in Indian textile and garment design, Paradise on Earth: Florals in Indian Textiles examines the interconnectedness of craftsmanship, art, and nature and showcases the richness of clothing, decorative arts, paintings, and textiles from the Mughal Empire (1526-1827) to the present.

The Cinematic West: The Art That Made the Movies

Through April 25

Sid Richardson Museum

The Hollywood Western wouldn’t be the Hollywood Western without the works of Western artists like Charles Russell, Frederic Remington, and many others. Their art explores the mythology of the American West– a mythology that Hollywood enthusiastically embraced and amplified. The Cinematic West: The Art That Made the Movies juxtaposes paintings, sculptures, and illustrations with movie posters, silent-movie clips, and other ephemera, revealing parallels between “fine art” and “mass media.”

The Statue of Liberty: From Bartholdi to Warhol

August 16, 2026 through January 3, 2027

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

“’I lift my lamp beside the golden door!’” In honor of the 250^th anniversary of the United States, the Carter explores the place of the Statue of Liberty in America’s visual culture and the evolution of depictions of French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s monolithic work, Liberty Enlightening the World, as well as its continuing relevance in America’s visual culture. The exhibition is anchored by a rare bronze cast of Lady Liberty, one of only five small-scale bronze casts made during Bartholdi’s lifetime.

Preservation Is the Art of the City

September 10 through September 12

Location to be determined

In its 23^rd year, Preservation Is the Art of the City showcases the work of North Texas artists while raising money for Historic Fort Worth, Inc. The event, spanning several days around Fall Gallery Night, allows art patrons to connect with local artists and their works and celebrates the talent and creativity of our city.

Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque nationale de France

October 4, 2026 through January 17, 2027

Kimbell Art Museum

Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque nationale de France is the Kimbell’s first-ever exhibition celebrating the art of photography. The Bibliothèque nationale de France holds one of the most extensive collections of photography in the world, and this exhibition uses its holdings to trace the development of the medium over its first century, from the technological breakthroughs of early photographic processes such as the Daguerreotype and calotype to the impact of war and politics between the World Wars.

Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival

April 16-19

Downtown Fort Worth

The granddaddy of all Fort Worth’s art festivals, Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival returns for its 39^th year in 2026. One of the top-rated fine arts festivals in the country and certainly the biggest in Texas, Main St. is an outdoor gallery featuring the art of more than 200 jury-selected artists in media such as sculpture, painting, photography, and more, and is one of the highlights of North Texas’s cultural year.

Grapevine Main Street Fest

May 15-17

Downtown Grapevine

Grapevine’s annual street festival, celebrating all things Grapevine, is a family-friendly festival that features food, shopping, and entertainment. It also includes the Grapevine Art Project Market, which features art from the Grapevine Art Project, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and promoting artists in the city and to providing scholarships to art students in the area.

Denton Arts & Jazz Festival

September 11-13

Downtown Denton

Not just a bedroom community for the bigger cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex or the home of the University of North Texas, Denton has established itself as a center for the arts in North Texas. Founded on the belief that all forms of art should be available to everyone free of charge, the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival offers professional and amateur artists and musicians alike a place to share their art with the public.

North Texas Art Festival

May 16 & 17

Katy Depot, Denison

Situated on the shores of Lake Texoma, Denison is a small town with a big city arts culture. Juried local, regional, and national artists come to Denison every year for the North Texas Arts Festival. Musicians from across Texas and the Southwest perform as families enjoy the kid-friendly activities and shop for art at the historic Katy Depot.

Art Worth: A Festival at Clearfork

October 23-25

The Lawn of the Shops at Clearfork

A relative newcomer among North Texas art festivals, Art Worth is a celebration of visual art and classical music with a juried exhibition of art by Texas and national artists and music from local schools and professional companies. Art Worth also affords the public the opportunity to enjoy glassblowing, pottery, and metalsmithing demonstrations and to converse with the artists.

Cottonwood Art Festival

May 2 & 3 and October 3 & 4

Cottonwood Park, Richardson

Now in its 57^th year, the Cottonwood Arts Festival has become one of the most prestigious fine arts festivals in the United States. Featuring works in all media by nearly 200 artists from across the nation, “The Cottonwood” celebrates the visual and performing arts and has become a Richardson tradition on the first weekends of May and October.

The post 2026 in Art first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Where did the schoolyear go? Summer’s coming, and your little darlings need something to keep them out of trouble this summer. Fortunately, we’ve got just the thing to help: Tanglewood Moms’ annual guide to Fort Worth summer camps. The BEST Fort Worth Summer Camp Guide!

Whether it is a sleepaway camp or a day camp close to home, summer camp can be an important part of a child’s physical and mental development. A few years ago, the American Camp Association did a study on the value of summer camp. The study showed marked growth in campers’ independence, self-confidence, and self-assuredness. Ninety-three percent of campers reported that camp allowed them to become friends with people who are from different backgrounds. Seventy-four percent of campers reported that they did things that they were afraid to do at first. Seventy percent of parents reported that their child gained self-confidence at camp.

Camp can expand a child’s horizons in ways that school, with its heavy emphasis on test results, cannot. Whether it’s doing a ballet intensive, building a robot, learning a new sport, or putting on a play, camp allows children to focus on something they love or learn something entirely new.

Perhaps most importantly, camp allows children to just be children. Yes, there are expectations placed on them at camp. They have to learn to work with strangers and resolve minor conflicts that may arise. They have to learn that their every want will not be accommodated. But without the pressure of grades and the expectations of family, teachers, and peer groups, campers are free to simply live and soak up every adventure and learning opportunity. Simply put, they can stop being students and simply enjoy being kids.

There are many wonderful possibilities for your child this summer in Fort Worth. No matter what it is that makes your kiddo smile, they can do it here. We hope that this will be a comprehensive list of summer camp options in Fort Worth for you to consult from year to year. We’ve organized our index to separate camps by age as well as theme for easy navigation. Many of our partners have generously sponsored ads with full details about the camps they offer. If you’d like to learn more about advertising with us, please email tanglewoodmoms@gmail.com.

The post Exploring, Flourishing, Thriving – 2026’s Summer Camp Guide first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

We were shown a grainy film that described the changes we could expect our bodies to manifest in the next few years as we “blossomed into womanhood.” (As an aside, the film had a male narrator. Just putting that little gem out there.) We were told that we had two options to deal with our “special friend” – pads or tampons. And the film was so old that the pads described had belts!

Fortunately, period products have gotten MUCH better!

About a week ago, a member of the Tanglewood Moms group on Facebook asked for options for period products for pre-teens. Of course, the Moms were full of good information and support. We’ve compiled their answers and added a couple of suggestions of our own.

A mother and her teenage daughter on white

“100% cotton tampons/pads!”

“Could not speak more highly of Thinx underwear.” Thinx got a lot of love in this post!

”They make ‘teen” pads.’ Pinkie is a good brand that’s organic. Also recommend getting the period underwear as well.”

“[My daughter’s] pediatrician recommended the book by American Girl Dolls: The Care and Keeping of You. There is a book for young girls and older girls. It has helped my daughter with any and all changes in her body and especially body positivity.”

”My almost 10 yr old started a year ago, I can say we absolutely hate the pads. Especially at school it’s such a struggle for her. We now use period undies, Walmart has a pack of 2 from the No Boundaries brand and those have really seemed to help!”

“My daughter uses Thinx underwear. She’s only had a few cycles and is still kind of nervous about leaking in public, so she’ll usually use a pad as well on school days. I get the Always Teen pads for her. At night she wears the Always Zzz disposable underwear.”

“I really encourage you to look into period underwear and also overnight period sleeping shorts.”

an adorable little girl relaxing with her mother on the sofa at home.

When my kiddos were tweens, I got them each a subscription from Blooming Periods. As their dad and I shared custody, I wanted them to have not only good products (all products are chemical and plastic-free) to choose from, as well as a way to get good information about their periods if they weren’t with me. There are several different companies that offer period box subscriptions for tweens and teens, all with a body-positive message and ways for your kiddo to learn about what kind of period product works best for their body!

The post Tanglewood Moms Approved: Best Preteen Period Products first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

This, in and of itself, was not earth-shaking news. After all, art exhibitions and shows frequently open in the Near Southside. It is, after all, a major artistic hub for our city.

But A Good Gathering was different than most art shows that we see in Fort Worth. It wasn’t just a collection of art hanging on walls. It was a series of events for artists, entrepreneurs, communicators, and the public to connect and engage, to learn and collaborate, as well as a collection of art (by 20 local artists, both new and established) hanging on walls.

Photo credit: Walt Burns

It’s probably not news to you, Dear Reader, that we Fort Worthians love our art. We’re justifiably proud of our museums. Most cities our size are lucky to have one decent museum. We have three world-class museums. We have theater and ballet companies that perform both traditional and avant-garde works. Look at the sheer number of art-related events and festivals in Fort Worth every year. From the Main Street Arts Festival and Spring and Fall Gallery Nights, from ArtsGoggle to Lost ‘n Sound, Fort Worth is more engaged with its artistic community than most cities of our size.

But back to this unique art experience we were talking about.

A joint exhibition between A Good Man’s Education and Art Tooth (see page 16), A Good Gathering was structured around four “pathways.” Art Tooth explained, “The Art Pathway highlights creative expressions that celebrate the joy of gathering. The Entrepreneur Pathway connects attendees with innovators shaping community engagement. The Cultural Pathway, presented with the Fort Worth Film Club, offers a curated selection of films. And the Community Pathway brings together all the elements through hands-on activities designed for all ages.”

“Art speaks to our souls,” said Dev’n Goodman, the founder and presiding genius of A Good Man’s Education. “It can facilitate conversations that need to be had, and it’s harder to put up barriers to keep people out when you’ve experienced their soul.”

In their series, “52 Faces of Community,” in which they honor “unsung heroes for making extraordinary differences every day: the people who are our neighbors and who quietly make our lives better every day,” the Fort Worth Report describes A Good Man’s Education as an “events business” and Dev’n as an “events planner.” While strictly true, these descriptions fall far short of the mark. Yes, Dev’n plans and hosts events across the city, but she is more than just an events planner. She is an entrepreneur, a cultural communicator, and an educator.

I first met Dev’n at an open house at I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM & VPA. She was my older child’s humanities teacher, and she impressed me from the get-go. My older child is very much a STEM kid, into math and computer science and at the time had little interest in anything else, and yet, Dev’n was able to get them excited about literature and history, something I had been trying to do for years. She created a safe, creative space in her classroom for her Gen Z STEM and arts kids to connect with the material and, more importantly, with each other.

In fact, longtime readers of Madeworthy may recognize Dev’n from our 2020 feature, “Top Teachers of Fort Worth.” These top teachers were voted on by members of the Tanglewood Moms Facebook group. “As a teacher who always taught outside the boundaries, I really appreciated that you all welcomed me like that,” she said.

Education and communication come honestly to Dev’n. Both of her parents are/were educators. Her father, Patrick Goodman, is the offensive coordinator for the football team and the head boys’ basketball coach at New Waverly High School in New Waverly, Texas. Her mother, Crystal Goodman, is a retired education administrator who once served as principal of Dunbar Middle School. (It’s because her parents were educators that young Dev’n did not skip from kindergarten directly to the sixth grade, no matter what the school and various tests said was possible. They recognized that her physical and emotional maturity needed time to catch up with her intellectual maturity.)

It is my firm belief that every child should have That Teacher – a teacher who sparks a fire, who expands that child’s mind in unexpected yet profound ways, who makes connections that create new understanding. Dev’n’s That Teacher was a science teacher who understood the value of the humanities. “Our science projects were also art projects,” Dev’n remembered. “Each project had to use a different medium. I loved it. My model of a cell was a cake. My DNA double helix was made out of sugar cubes.”

Not only did that science teacher combine art into the science curriculum, but she also read to her students. Dev’n said, “When we came into her class, she read to us. She had a massive rain stick for white noise, and when everyone sat down, we were expected to be quiet, and then she read for the first 15 minutes of class.”

Numerous studies have been done on the importance of reading to children. Not only does reading literature to children help with language development and important cognitive skills, but it also helps develop their imagination, emotional skills, and empathy. Dev’n absorbed far more than just scientific facts in that science class. And she took the imagination and empathy from that classroom with her into her career as a teacher.

While she was a teacher in the Fort Worth Independent School District, Dev’n started a relationship with the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, which eventually led to a series of discussions called “Listening for a Change.” For five months in 2021, participants were invited to listen to two specified podcast episodes, chosen to provoke curiosity and introspection, and then take part in a discussion.

Also in 2021, Dev’n created and produced a virtual theater show in collaboration with Fort Worth theater company, Amphibian Stage. A video anthology of music, poetry, and personal histories, This Is My Story aimed to record and amplify the voices of Black men in Fort Worth, including such figures as Fort Worth ISD’s Dr. Carlos Walker and local event coordinator/caterer Henry Wasonga Abuto.

It was during the production of “Listening for a Change” and This Is My Story that Dev’n realized that her interest in the intersection of art, education, and community could be more. She left teaching in 2022, worked for about a year as an engagement manager at TechFW, and then struck out on her own with A Good Man’s Education.

Photo credit: Chelsea Davis

Throughout 2024 and 2025, A Good Man’s Education hosted or co-hosted events centered around art, culture, and community. Whether it was a panel discussion exploring the roles of women and community or a Black art tour done in conjunction with Art Tooth, each event served to connect and educate.

“Everything I do with A Good Man’s Education is centered around art, culture, and community,” Dev’n said. “Art connects us and can provoke powerful changes.”

Dev’n is possessed of a powerful intellect, and she is a mesmerizing speaker. Our conversation in the lobby bar at the Hotel Dryce lasted for over two hours. It ranged over such diverse topics as the relationship between first cousins Richard II and Henry IV of England, the differences in the concept of “family” in white, Black, and Brown communities, and the history of the connection between hip hop and Ralph Lauren. (We might have gone down a couple of rabbit holes.)

When asked about Art Tooth’s collaboration with A Good Man’s Education in A Good Gathering, Shasta Haubrich, Executive Director of Art Tooth (see page 16), said, “Together, [we built] on years of working individually with the creative community. Bringing together more than two dozen artists—including many we’ve each admired and collaborated with—is a powerful way to celebrate Fort Worth and its art scene.”

Traditional art shows and exhibitions usually include an opening reception, where art patrons view the works and mingle while sipping warmish glasses of sparkling wine. They may listen to some remarks by the artist and/or the gallery owner, which (hopefully) will spur patrons to purchase the art.

Selling art was just one of the goals of A Good Gathering. Patrons were encouraged to engage their bodies in movement and mindfulness sessions, make their own works of art in hands-on workshops led by art educator Natalia Margarite, view films in a series of screenings curated by TCU’s Dr. Marcellus Perkins, and participate in a panel discussion led by Kaci Merriwether-Hawkins, founder of Black Girls in Art Spaces, and Dr. Stacie McCormick, professor of English, Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies, and Women and Gender Studies at TCU. There was even a door raffle in which an attendee won one of those pieces of art hanging on the walls.

Photo credit: Walt Burns

Glasstire, an online arts magazine that promotes Texas’s visual arts on a regional and national level, named A Good Gathering one of the top art shows in Texas for 2025.

After the success of A Good Gathering, Dev’n isn’t resting on her laurels. She took some time to rest at the end of last year, but she’s back. Starting in February with a screening of the 1991 film Daughters of the Dust at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, followed by a panel discussion, A Good Man’s Education’s 2026 calendar is punctuated by events incorporating music, literature, film, and art, with an emphasis on education and community.

During March (which is, of course, Women’s History Month), Dev’n is hosting a Women’s Writers Book Swap at Hotel Dryce, featuring a book talk and signing by Jeanette Settembre, author of the acclaimed debut novel Little Red Flags. (There is also going to be a silent book club for introverts who want to read the book but don’t want to attend a talk.)

In June and July, A Good Man’s Education is collaborating with Bodega South Main to produce the Vibe Music Series (exact dates were still pending at the time of publication). There is another Black art walk planned with Art Tooth, and another art show in the spirit of A Good Gathering is scheduled for October.

“I’m a Libra,” Dev’n grinned. “You know, as a Libra, I love me some art.”

Dev’n hopes to expand A Good Man’s Education. She’s looking for partners who are focused on building community and hosting events centered around art, culture, and “just having a good time.” Her long-term goal is to turn A Good Man’s Education into a brick-and-mortar venue with space for events, shows, and lectures.

“I’ve always been fascinated by salons, you know, like Parisian salons,” Dev’n said. “I love the idea of having cultural talks in interesting places. You know, having a lecture on art or music or something is a big thing in the Northeast. I’d love to get that trend started down here.”

Our conversation came to an end, not because we had run out of things to say, but because the organizers of an event later in the evening at Hotel Dryce needed the space. The event was to introduce what was described as a “local boy band.” In a full-circle kind of coincidence that only happens in books or movies, that local boy band is made up of Dev’n’s former students at I.M. Terrell.

The post Provoking Powerful Change: Dev’n Goodman on the Power of Art and the Community first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

It’s the month of the spring equinox, when the day and the night are equal, yet it’s a seesaw of a month, swinging wildly from one extreme to another. But here in Cowtown, there are things to do! We have, as we are wont to do, gathered some of the best things for families and friends to do in the Fort, so be sure to bookmark this page to refer to all month long.

Hairspray
Through March 8
Casa Mañana

The insanely popular musical comes to Cowtown! Full of dancing and singing and an important message of tolerance and self-acceptance, Hairspray will have your toes tapping.

Rising Voices Open Mic Night
March 1 & 15
Horus Hall

Calling all singers, musicians, and other creatives! Every first and third Sunday, gather your courage and take the stage. You never know who may be in the audience!

King James
March 5-28
Circle Theatre

King James examines the evolution of an unlikely friendship, set against the highs and lows of LeBron James. Warning: ages 14+ due to strong language. Regional premiere.

Exhibition Lecture Series: Rashid Johnson
March 6
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Artist Rashid Johnson will talk with the Modern’s Chief Curator, Andrea Karnes, about the ideas, materials, and conceptual underpinnings that shape the works in Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers.

Cliburn Family Concerts: Flight of the Bumblebee
March 7
Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Betty Bee and Billy Bee (no relation) need your help to get back home! Join the Cliburn for a new storybook exploration of nature and sound.

Lucky to Be Pickled
March 7
Best Maid Pickle Emporium

Celebrate March, the month of green, with family-friendly fun! Pickle tastings, giveaways, and pictures with Smiley the Pickle.

Perfect in Pearls: A Tribute to Julia Child
March 8
Central Market Cooking School

Learn how to cook like the Queen. You will explore recipes from Julia Child’s cookbooks, making a perfectly perfect meal that you will enjoy at the end of the class.

Second Thursdays at the Carter: Prose & Pours
March 12
Amon Carter Museum of American Art

Mix, mingle, make art, and meet artist Celia Álvarez Muñoz and learn about her installation El Límite and how the Carter’s José Guadalupe Posada collection inspired her work.

A Case for the Existence of God
March 12-29
Stage West

What begins as an application for a mortgage deepens into something profound as two men share their hopes and dreams for their families and loved ones.

Katt Williams: The Golden Age Tour
March 13
Dickies Arena

Critically-acclaimed comic Katt Williams celebrates more than 20 years in the business with The Golden Age Tour, featuring all new material.

Diversions
March 13-15
Bass Performance Hall

Four diverse works. One night of dance. From Tchaikovsky to Graham, Ravel to the Andrews Sisters, Diversions explores the breadth and depth of ballet.

Spring break concept. Smiling colorful hands on nature background

SPRING BREAK CAMPS

• Spring Break Zoo Camp – March 16-20
• Camp Carter Spring Break Camp – March 16-20
• 2026 Fort Worth Spring Break Camps – March 16-20
• Camp Fire Teens in Action Spring Break Camp El Tesoro Overnight – March 16-17
• ART BREAK! Spring Break at the Modern – March 16-20
• Spring Break at the Carter: Focus on Photos – March 17-20
• Spring Break Art Extravaganza at the Kimbell – March 17-20

Disney on Ice Presents Jump In!
March 19-22
Dickies Arena

Featuring an all-star cast of over 50 beloved Disney characters, Jump In! will delight the whole family.

Parent & Child: Handmade Pastas
March 20
Central Market Cooking School

Cook with your kiddo! You and your child will learn how to make fresh pasta from scratch, as well as sauces. Enjoy the fruits of your labor at the end of class.

The Spongebob Musical
March 21 through April 12
Casa Mañana

From Bikini Bottom to Broadway! Follow Spongebob and friends as they try to save Bikini Bottom from a volcano.

The Jalbert Commission
March 21
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

The Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth, along with several other chamber music societies, commissioned Pierre Jalbert to create a work to be performed by the Dover Quartet. This is the regional premiere of the work.

 Did You Eat? (밥 먹었니?)
March 25 through April 12
Amphibian Stage

An autobiographical journey through one woman’s childhood growing up Korean American, Did You Eat? (밥 먹었니?) explores memories and family and love.

2026 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Regional Rounds
March 27-30
Dickies Arena

It’s March Madness! The Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds will be played at Dickies Arena, so grab your basketball fiends for four days of action.

And finally…

FWADA’s 2026 Spring Gallery Night
March 28
Locations all around Fort Worth

One of the most iconic events in the Fort Worth calendar, the biannual Gallery Nights are beloved by Fort Worthians of all ages.

The post March So Fickle, March So Fair: Fun in the Fort first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Of course, the most impressive revitalization project of them all just might be the one that has tied our city together, unifying neighborhoods into a community. In the late 1960s, the Trinity River was not the beautiful watercourse we know and love. Levees built after the historic 1949 flood that turned the Trinity into a one-square-mile lake had reduced the river to a series of stagnant pools filled with trash and muck.

Legend has it that civic leader and whirlwind Phyllis Tilley was driving over the Seventh Street Bridge when she bluntly labeled the Trinity River as “a ditch.” She used her community connections and her considerable powers of persuasion to convince the powers that be that the river was one of our city’s most valuable resources and needed saving.

In 1969, Mrs. Tilley and her cohorts convinced the City to form a Streams and Valleys Committee to, in the words of an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram from 1970, “cleanse, purify, preserve, conserve, develop, improve, beautify, restore, maintain, utilize and adapt for recreational and other uses” Fort Worth bodies of water. The Streams and Valleys Committee morphed into the non-profit Streams & Valleys, Inc. If you’ve ever enjoyed a run along the Trinity Trails or celebrated Mayfest in Trinity Park, you owe Mrs. Tilley and Streams & Valleys your thanks.

Courtesy of Streams & Valleys, Inc.

Mrs. Tilley’s work along the Trinity has continued into the 21^st century. In November, local leaders joined Streams & Valleys and community members for the groundbreaking of Trinity Park Plaza, a gathering place with a butterfly garden, a wildflower meadow, and space for community gatherings.

“Trinity Park was the first city park in Fort Worth,” Lauren Deen, Executive Director of Streams & Valleys, Inc., said when we talked. While the City of Fort Worth had set aside 31 acres of land on the west side of the Trinity for a city park, “there was no Parks Department in the late 19^th century. The City had no money set aside for parks. People wanted green spaces, so the people of Fort Worth came together to raise the funds to transform the land into a park.”

The new plaza is designed to connect the public with nature. “There will be native wildflowers and native grasses,” Deen said. “We want the plaza to be a cool space where families and kids can come out to see wildflowers without having to risk going to the side of the highway.”

In addition to the pollinator garden and the native plants, there will be a grove of 63 Texas redbuds, possumhaw hollies, and desert willows – one tree for each year of Phyllis Tilley’s life. More cedar elms will be planted to provide summer shade and fall color. Deen said, “It was important to us to have color all year long in the plaza.”

Courtesy of Streams & Valleys, Inc.

The revitalization of the Trinity River is a testament to the power of public-private partnerships. Deen, who is the former director of Friends of the Katy Trail in Dallas, said, “Public-private partnerships are so instrumental in civic projects. It’s easy here in Fort Worth because we have so many civic-minded people and organizations who have a vision of what our city could be and are willing to work with our leaders to make Fort Worth better.”

Construction of the new plaza will be finished before Mayfest, Deen said. And she apologized to everyone who uses the temporarily closed Phyllis Tilley Memorial Bridge. “We know it’s frustrating. We’re disrupting people’s lives but just hang with us. It will be worth it, I promise!”

The new plaza project also includes wider trails through Trinity Park. “It’s great to take a park that’s already thriving and make it even better,” Deen said. “We hope the new plaza and Trinity Park will be a gathering place for family and friends to come together overlooking the Trinity for years to come. After all, we’re following in Phyllis Tilley’s footsteps. What we’re doing is changing the shape of the future of Fort Worth.”

The post Changing the Shape of the Future of Fort Worth first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.