Let your inner Jackson Pollack fly at the Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival. (Geno Loro)
From music and culture to food and charm, Texas is jam-packed with entertainment all year round. Here’s our guide to the best festivals in DFW.
For every Fyre Fest or Woodstock ‘99 that makes headlines for all the wrong reasons, there are many well-organized festivals that are an absolute blast. The Lone Star State is full of them, and DFW, in particular, is a frenzy of festivals and good vibes.
Whether you’re looking to jam to music, sample some new cuisine, or learn more about arts and culture, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up 15 of the top festivals in DFW worth checking out in 2025. Adventure awaits!
Music festivals in DFW
JAMBALOO
Feb. 1-8
A festival that’s as much fun as its name is to say, JAMBALOO is debuting this February. As Spune and Mullen & Mullen Music Project describe it, JAMBALOO is a “toe-tapping, tail feather shaking all around good time.” The festival is a seven-day extravaganza across four independent DFW venues, including Club Dada, Tulips, Ferris Wheelers, and Andy’s. Visitors will hear more than 100 artists across 25 showcases, with tunes for just about all genres. Perhaps the best part is that every show is entirely free and helps support local musicians, artists, and creators.
Dallas Reggae Festival
April 11-13
Dallas Midtown comes to life during the Dallas Reggae Festival: three days packed to the gills with both local and national reggae artists. Aside from the steady stream of music, the festival serves up Caribbean-inspired foods, and arts, crafts, and jewelry vendors unite under the theme of cultural equality. It’s a terrific way to escape to the Caribbean islands without having to pack a suitcase or worry about travel itineraries.
Ubbi Dubbi Festival
April 26-27
Fort Worth’s premier springtime electronic festival is back for another go-round of pulsating beats, elaborate costumes, flashing light shows, and endless dancing. Ubbi Dubbi has a solid variety of electronic music, so you’ll hear a good mix of house, techno, dubstep, and trap. Splurge for Tubbi’s VIP admission to score perks like private bars and vendors, luxury air-conditioned bathrooms, and better viewing areas.
Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival
May 16-18
More than 110 bands will converge on Richardson’s Galatyn Urban Park for the Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival, and there’s plenty in store for visitors. Local and touring musicians join the stage, and competitions abound with a Battle of the Bands, the Al Johnson Songwriter Contest, and a Budding Vocal Talent Competition. If you’re catching your breath after a show, check out the acrobats, magicians, and other street performers or admire the exhibit of animatronic dinosaurs keeping guard over the festival grounds.
The stage comes alive at night during the Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival. (City of Richardson)
Arts and culture festivals in DFW
North Texas Irish Festival
Feb. 28-March 2
What’s the craic with the 43rd annual North Texas Irish Festival? A nod to the traditional music of Ireland—and there’s lots of it. This year’s festival sports more than 40 performers bringing their unique spins to original and classic tunes that will have your feet tapping before you even realize it. Feeling like a break from the jams? The festival also features culinary deep dives and a handful of storytellers. Several years ago, I was in a bar in Cork, Ireland. A man came in to tell Irish folk tales, and it’s still one of the best travel experiences I’ve had. So, yes, you should absolutely lend an ear to the storytellers.
Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival
April 10-13
Everything’s coming up Main Street with one of the biggest artistic displays in Fort Worth. The Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival is a family-friendly affair with interactive exhibits like face painting, caricature artists, sand art, and printmaking. You can browse pieces from local artists while live music plays around you, and you just might find the perfect work of art to hang up in your living room.
Dallas Pride
June 14-15
The first Pride parade in Dallas happened back in 1972 and was a relatively modest celebration, starting with about 300 men and women gathering to show off their pride, picking others up along the way. More than 50 years later, Dallas Pride has become a massive festive gathering across Fair Park aimed at celebrating inclusivity. The music festival features members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, while the parade is one of the most joyful experiences you can have in DFW. The event also hosts safe spaces for teens and families.
Western Days Festival
Sep. 26-27
You don’t have to don a cowboy hat and boots to enjoy the Western Days Festival, but you will encounter plenty of Western-themed activities in Old Town Lewisville. Texas gunfighters, dance and performance groups, art trading cards, and live music will take you back to the early days of the Lone Star State, and a tamale eating contest will ensure you leave with a satisfied belly.
Food and drink festivals in DFW
Big Texas Beer Fest
April 12
The Fair Park Automobile Building is the site of Big Texas Beer Fest. As they note on the festival website, “there’s going to be a ton of beer.” That’s an accurate assessment, with more than 400 varieties from over 70 breweries. Whether you’re a witbier wizard, a Saison savant, a pilsner pal, a cider chum, a mead maven, or prefer some other type of brew, you’ll be in good hands. Music, food trucks, and a vintage arcade will accompany the suds. The fest also benefits the North Texas Food Bank, so hop on over and get your tickets before they sell out.
An eagle-eye view of vendors and thirsty attendees at the Big Texas Beer Fest. (Big Texas Beer Fest)
Lone Star Smokeout
May 2-4
The Dallas Cowboys had a disappointing season, but you can still have a great time at AT&T Stadium by attending the Lone Star Smokeout. The all-ages festival sports a delectable lineup of 10 BBQ joints alongside a sampling of local craft beer selections. Tune into several live country music acts as you bite into a tender brisket, surrendering yourself to one of the most classic Texas experiences around.
GrapeFest
Sept. 11-14
GrapeFest takes place in Grapevine, a very apropos setting. While you can sample wines from around the world, the festival has a special focus on Texas wine. Don’t drink too much too early, though, because there are activities like the Tennis & Pickleball Classic, the GrapeStomp, and the Champagne Cork Shoot-Off. And, of course, there’s the People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic, where you can swirl wine and admire those tannins to your heart’s content.
Unique festivals in DFW
Texas Storytelling Festival
March 6-9
The Texas Storytelling Festival is celebrating 40 years, and the Tejas Storytelling Association is bringing out all the stops. You’ll hear stories from esteemed writers and authors, including Mo Reynolds and Cooper Braun. You can participate in ghost stories (either of the haunting or friendly variety), poetry slams, story swaps, and a liars competition. Pair a trip to this festival with our literary road trip for a booktastic time.
Texas Pinball Festival
March 21-23
If the flashing lights and chaotic sounds of a pinball machine tickle your senses, you’ll have a field day at the Texas Pinball Festival in Frisco. You’ll get to explore a massive game room of over 400 pinball machines, classic video games, and game room essentials—all set to free play for maximum enjoyment. Collectors of pinball machines and classic arcade games get in free, so dust off one of those cabinets or check out the DFW Pinball and Arcade Club flea market and swap meet outside the event.
Attendees work the flippers on a variety of machines at the Texas Pinball Festival. (FCVB)
Retro Expo
July 12-13
Do you miss how things used to be during the good ol’ days? The Retro Expo vendor floor is full of classic goodies to collect, from retro board games such as Godzilla Attacks NY to action figures of legendary wrestlers to VHS tapes from musicians like Elton John and Eddie Money. This year’s event includes a voice cast reunion of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and Ray Park, best known for playing Darth Maul from “Star Wars.” Not to worry, you’ll still be allowed entry even if your lightsaber skills are lacking.
CamJam Dallas
Nov. 8-9
Picture this: You’re in a noisy environment, and all you want is a little peace and quiet. You throw on a pair of headphones to block out the world around you. Before you know it, a smile creeps across your face. Experience that same joy at CamJam, which demos the latest products and innovations in headphones, in-ear monitors, and personal audio electronics. Whether you’re an audiophile, in a band, host a podcast that may or may not be sponsored by Better Help, or simply like playing around with gadgets, you’ll have a crystal clear good time in the immersive environment.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
