DALLAS, Texas, Spring 2022 – Spring will come to life at the Dallas Arboretum’s Dallas Blooms: Birds in Paradise from February 19 to April 10, 2022. Named by Southern Living as one of “The Best Places to See Stunning Spring Blooms Across the South,” Dallas Blooms is the largest annual floral festival in the Southwest. Presented by Veritex Community Bank, Dallas Blooms will feature larger-than-life peacock topiaries along with more than 500,000 spring blooming bulbs to create the largest and most colorful floral display in the Southwest. An explosion of spring flowers comes from 100 varieties of spring bulbs, thousands of azaleas and hundreds of Japanese cherry trees.
Dallas Arboretum Board Chairman Jim Ryan said, “Springtime is one of the best times to experience the garden in full bloom, with plenty to see and do. Our Birds in Paradise theme doesn’t just stop with our stunning topiaries. We’ve filled Dallas Blooms with an exceptional variety of bird talks, expert hikes throughout the garden, bird flight shows, demonstrations and more. In A Tasteful Place, we’ve also created bird-themed demonstrations and tastings.”
Dallas Blooms includes plenty for everyone including Mommy and Me Mondays, Tiny Tot Tuesdays, Cool Thursdays Concerts and music. Special events include Family Fun Weekend (Feb. 19-21), Spring Break (week of March 14); the 5th annual Food and Wine Festival on March 24-26, Easter weekend (April 15-17).
Visitors can enjoy live music throughout the garden. On the weekends midday and other select dates, guests can enjoy live and piano performances in Jeanne’s Pavilion. On Saturdays and Sundays, visitors can head to the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage and Lawn – the perfect place to picnic – and listen to the sounds of North Texas’ best party bands.
Mary Brinegar, Dallas Arboretum president and CEO, added, “There is something for everyone at Dallas Blooms, and we’ve been told we have the largest display of tulips in a public garden outside of Holland. As the tulips bloom throughout the festival, the finale is the mass flowering of the garden’s collection of 3,000 azaleas that bloom along with the Japanese cherry trees, ushering in spring with vibrant color everywhere.”
A Tasteful Place:
In A Tasteful Place, a 3.5-acre potager garden inspired by the movement toward growing, preparing and eating fresh, sustainable, locally-grown food, there are talks and demonstrations nearly every day. These events listed with an * are free with paid garden admission. See calendar below(+) for a complete schedule.
- Daily*: Samples of the hero vegetable
- Mondays*: Dallas College Cooks Demonstrations at 11 a.m.
- Tuesdays*: Tasteful Tuesdays Floral Demonstrations at 11 a.m. and Chef Isabel daily tastings demonstrations at 1 p.m.
- Wednesdays and Thursdays*: Cheftastic Cooking Demonstrations at 11 a.m. (check the website)
- Wednesdays*: Wind Down Wednesdays beer and wine tastings from 3-5 p.m. (21+)
- Fridays*: Learn to Grow Fridays with Master Gardeners, the Dallas Arboretum Horticultural Staff and local experts at 11 a.m.
Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden:
Reopened for the spring, the nationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden features 17 indoor/outdoor galleries, 150 interactive science games and daily events and activities of themed adventures throughout the Dallas Blooms festival. The Children’s Adventure Garden is open daily from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. For a full list of upcoming events and activities, visit
www.dallasarboretum.org/childrensadventuregarden.
Tickets/Information:
Special Day Discounts:
Discounts include BOGO (Buy One, Get One Free) on Wednesdays (except for March 16) and CC Young Senior Living Thursdays (those who are 65 years and older receive discounted admission and 20% off in the Gift Store).
Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor: Veritex Community Bank
Additional Sponsors: JHP Architecture/Urban Designs, CC Young Senior Living, Texas Telcom Credit Union
Media Sponsors: The Dallas Morning News, WFAA, Channel 8, DFW Child
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 garden is also home of the nationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. It is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Daytime festival admission is $20 for adults, $16 for seniors 65 and older, $12 for children 2-12, and free for Arboretum members and children under two. Parking is $11 purchased 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, Channel 8 is an official media sponsor for the Dallas Arboretum. For more information, visit
www.dallasarboretum.org.
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+Calendar:
Free & Repeating Programs
Member Mornings
Daily • March 13-November 5
Members can enjoy early access to the garden as we prepare for the day. No photography allowed.
Historical Tours
Monday-Saturday • 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sunday • 12-4 p.m.
DeGolyer House
Visit the DeGolyer House for a tour of the beautiful, historic home, while listening to knowledgeable docents speak about the history.
Mommy and Me Mondays & Tiny Tot Tuesdays
Every Monday and Tuesday
February 21-April 5 • 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Pecan Grove
Presented by Kimberly-Clark
Mommy and Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays: Fan Favorites Country Critters Petting Zoo joins us with their menagerie of farm favorites including adorable chickens and ducks; our NEW Story Time (10 and 10:30 a.m.) features favorite bird titles including Chicken Little; face painting returns with amazing artistry including colorful birds; and crowd favorite Kindermusik (12 p.m.) enhances children’s minds by singing about birds, trees and flowers around them.
What’s in Bloom Walk
Main Garden Entry Plaza
Thursdays • February 24-April 7 • 1 p.m.
We’ve taken our popular weekly social media post by Vice President of Gardens Dave Forehand and made it into a weekly walk! Join the Dallas Arboretum Horticulture team each Thursday for a 30-minute walk featuring Dave’s top blooming plants of the week.
Demonstration Cooking & Expert Talks in A Tasteful Place
Dallas College Cooks – FREE with paid garden admission
Every Monday at A Tasteful Place • 11 a.m.
Dallas College Chefs create healthy and delicious seasonal dishes your family will love!
February: Baked Chicken Meatballs with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Chickpeas with Herbed Yogurt
March: Soba Noodle Stir Fry with Chicken and Veggies
April: Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Tomato and Herb Salad
Tasteful Tuesdays Floral Demonstrations – FREE with paid garden admission
Every Tuesday at A Tasteful Place • 11 a.m.
February 22 Avant Garden, named one of the 25 Best Local Florists in the Country, builds an over-the-top bird-themed mixed arrangement that will add drama to your next dinner party.
March 1 Branching Out Events, seen in numerous editions of D Weddings, creates a spring centerpiece with faux birds as the focal point.
March 8 Founders Garden Club of Dallas member and National Garden Club judge, Tricia Stammberger, demonstrates a creative interpretation of nests to make a perfect foundation for a seasonal floral design.
March 15 Casa de Avella Floral Design demonstrates how to make the perfect colorful centerpiece for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration using a cascading floral installation on a vintage birdcage.
March 22 Lil Red Flower Truck displays an arrangement that incorporates faux birds to make the most beautiful bouquet using grocery store finds.
March 29 Grove Hill Farms returns to talk about tulips and to build a sweet, spring bouquet.
April 5 En Fleur, Best of The Knot winner, shows you how to create a sweet and dainty floral arrangement that uses a bird’s nest as a centerpiece nestled amongst floral and greenery from your yard with a few spring flowers and stems from the local grocery store.
Daily Tastings Demonstrations with Chef Isabel – FREE with paid garden admission
Every Tuesday at A Tasteful Place • 1 p.m.
Resident Chef Isabel Snetsinger shows how she creates the samples you enjoy each week at the Ruthie Pack Tasting Plaza.
Chef-Tastic Cooking Demonstrations – FREE with paid garden admission
Most Wednesdays and Thursdays at A Tasteful Place • 11 a.m.
February 23 Ruthie’s Rolling Café prepares warm and hearty winter soups and sandwiches
February 24 Chef Hailee Moore celebrates National Chili Day with three new recipes for tasting
March 2 Casa Linda Bakery demonstrates how to decorate their signature cookies and petit fours
March 9 Chef Jenny Brightman from Brightman Foods demonstrates a cold soup, pasta and a side salad
March 10 • 2 p.m.: Celebrate National Popcorn Day with Uptown Popcorn
March 16 Cindy Kleckner showcases clever and delicious ways to add more vegetables to every meal and snack with Sweet Pea Crostini and Zucchini, Asparagus and Sugar Snap Pea Sauté
March 23 Chef Chris Conklin warms us up with a lesson on making gnocchi with brown butter
March 30 White Rock Alehouse owner Dave Kirk and brewer Blake Morrison demonstrate how to pair food with craft beer
March 31 Chef Jamaal Johnson of Twist 3D Cuisines goes global with Caribbean Mango Salsa, Thai Noodle Salad, Hummus from Heaven and Cajun Chicken Pasta
April 6 Ruthie’s Rolling Café is back with ideas for National Make Lunch Count Day
Learn to Grow Fridays
Every Friday at A Tasteful Place • 11 a.m.
Presented by the North Texas Master Gardeners, the Dallas Arboretum Horticultural Staff and local experts. Enjoy special tips and presentations on spring plants and gardening topics.
February 25 Growing Herbs in North Texas for you – and the birds
March 4 Dallas Gourd Patch showcases birdhouses made from gourds and demonstrates how to create them
March 11 Best Trees for birds in North Texas
March 18 DFW Wildlife shares their common calls for help with backyard birds. Bring your questions.
March 25 Edible Plants in Your Landscape: learn what you should be planting now for year-round plants that are both edible and ornamental
April 1 Dallas County Master Gardener and North Texas Master Naturalist Nancy Wilson presents Inviting Birds into your Garden
April 8 Learn how to make a bird bath and drip to attract feathered friends to your outdoor spaces
Weekend Beer & Wine Tastings
February 19 • 1-3 p.m. Vector Brewing Company Join Co-owner and Creative Director, Craig Bradley, as he passes out samples of heartier, “winter” beers
March 6 • 2-4 p.m. Hidden Hangar Vineyard and Winery wine tasting
March 27 • 2-4 p.m. Oak Highlands Brewery tasting with Ryan Childers
Wind Down Wednesdays
Three Sisters Overlook
A Tasteful Place • 3-5 p.m. • 21+
Join local breweries and wineries on select dates to sample and learn about their local selections
February 23 Hidden Hangar Vineyard “lands” at the Arboretum for a seasonal wine tasting
March 2 TUPPS Brewery Seasonal craft beer selections
March 16 Oak Highlands Brewery’s Ryan Childers serves craft beer tastings
March 23 Jess, the Wine Lady, with WineWithMe samples “Spring Sippers & Easter Pairing Suggestions”
March 30: Bar & Garden wine tasting
April 6: Wine tasting by Carmela Winery in Celina
Weekend Chef-Tastics & Vendor Sale
A Tasteful Place
Feb 19-20 • 11 a.m. Kevin the Pie Dude makes cherry cobbler plus vendor sale.
March 5 • 2-4 p.m. Uptown Popcorn celebrates the upcoming National Popcorn Day with tastings and vendor sale.
Special Opportunities and Festival Programming
Memory Garden Spring Series
Sewell Boardroom
Friday • April 8, 15, 22 & 29 • 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Series of four classes for those in the early to middle stages of Dementia or Alzheimer’s. Pre-registration is required. $20 cost includes garden admission for participant and care partner, as well as parking for all four days – a value of over $200. Additionally, virtual sessions can be ordered. For information contact
alzinfo@dallasarboretum.orgSponsored by The AWARE Foundation & The Darrell K Royal Research Foundation.
Bird Décor with Vanessa Camara Designs
February 18 & 26 • March 5, 11, 20 & 26 April 2 & 9 • 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Main Entry Plaza
Join local Dallas designer Vanessa Camara as she does a vendor demonstration and sale of hand-painted bird items such as painted wooden bird earrings, wooden eggs and wooden bird houses.
Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center
February 18, March 19 • 11 a.m.
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn
Katie Christman, education specialist at Cedar Hill’s Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center, joins us for a series of bird talks focused on native birds in your backyard.
February 25 Identifying backyard birds in North Texas
March 19 Bird flight and migration featuring an American Kestrel
Dallas Zoo
February 19 • 10:30 a.m.
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn
The Dallas Zoo’s Animal Adventures program is a 30-45-minute educational program featuring 5-7 ambassador animals including birds, mammals and reptiles. Join us to meet animals from all over the world, learn all about their amazing adaptations, and educate yourself on what we can do to help create a better world for animals.
Spring Birding with Author Jennifer Bristol
February 19 & April 9 • 10-11:30 a.m.
Test Pavilion, A Tasteful Place
Join former Texas Children in Nature Network state coordinator, Jennifer Bristol, for a fun morning of birding and discussing her new book, Parking Lot Birding: A Fun Guide to Discovering Birds in Texas. The Dallas Arboretum is the perfect place to observe and experience annual migrations! We meet in A Tasteful Place to hear Jennifer share about her book, and then she leads a bird walk throughout the garden.
The February 19 session is perfect for all mobility levels. On April 9, we venture a bit further off the beaten path! Jennifer signs books after the program, so bring your own copy or pick one up in our gift store while supplies last.
Bird Walks with Jake Poinsett
Trinity River Audubon Center
February 21 • 11 a.m.
Tour begins in the Main Entry Plaza
Jake Poinsett, Trinity River Audubon Center program manager, as he leads a guided bird walk through the Dallas Arboretum in search of various birds that use the garden’s plants.
Dallas Parrots
February 26, February 27, March 18 & April 2 • 11 a.m.
Jonsson Color Garden Pergola Steps
Join Dallas Parrots for their 30-minute presentation as they bring in their beautiful rescue macaws for a show and tell. Their flock includes the endangered Blue Headed Macaw.
NEW Flights of Fancy with the Bishop String Quartet
March 8 & 9 • 7:15 p.m. & 9:15 p.m.
A Tasteful Place
Members $49-$69/Guests $59-$79
Join us for an exclusive NEW event in A Tasteful Place unlike anything you’ve seen at the Dallas Arboretum! featuring the classical sounds of the Bishop String Quartet, we transform the Bigham Scenic Overlook into a larger-than-life bird’s nest loaded with twinkling lights for an unforgettable string performance under the stars. The set list is a lovely string performance with bird-themed classics such as Swan Lake to the biggest pop hits over the decades including the Beatles’ Blackbird and more!
These intimate one-hour performances feature reserved seating. Entrance through the Goodwin Gate provides VIP access to the garden, opening one hour before the performance. Beer and wine are also available for purchase.
Guided Hike with David Owens from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
March 11 & March 18 • 10 a.m.
Tour begins in the Main Entry Plaza
Are you interested in learning about bird watching? Then join State Park Ranger David Owens on a bird walk through the garden. This program gives you instructions and tips on birding along with a hands-on walk to see how many different birds we can find. If you have binoculars, bring them. We also have some binoculars (first come, first served).
Bird Photography with Cathy Burkey
March 24 & April 7 • 11 a.m.
Tour begins in the Main Entry Plaza
Professional photographer and photography instructor, Cathy Burkey, brings 21 years of experience as the Dallas Zoo’s staff photographer to the garden in this colorful talk highlighting her favorite bird shots over the years. She also discusses tip and tricks for shooting birds and other wildlife in their natural environments. Bring your own device – iPhone or traditional photography is great.
North Texas Cactus and Succulent Society Show and Sale
March 19-20 • 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Main Garden Entry Plaza
The North Texas Cactus and Succulent Society invites you to a plant show and sale featuring a beautiful assortment of plants not readily available in stores. Whether you’re already a cactus and succulent expert looking for that rare find, or you’re just getting started, you’ll be in awe with the variety of plants available for purchase. A portion of all proceeds help support the Dallas Arboretum.
Entertainment
NEW Tuesday Two-Step featuring Garth LIVE and Asleep at the Wheel
April 5 & 19 • 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn
Tickets on sale February 14
We celebrate our country roots with a Tuesday Two-Step in April featuring two returning fan favorites: cover artist Garth LIVE on April 5 and Texas legends Asleep at the Wheel on April 19.
Garth LIVE’s first performance at the 2021 Cool Thursdays Concert Series was our best reviewed band of the year – “one of the best tribute bands I’ve ever seen,” so we couldn’t wait to bring them back. Sponsored by Boston Consulting Group
Asleep at the Wheel, now in their 50th year, has over 20 albums and 9 Grammy awards to their name. As one of our fans told us, “you have not witnessed Texas country if you haven’t seen Asleep at the Wheel live in concert!”
Sponsored by Baker Triangle
Jeanne’s Pavilion
Musical Entertainment -12-2 p.m.
Sit down and enjoy a picnic while you listen to musical entertainment at our newest venue, Jeanne’s Pavilion. Every Saturday and Sunday, we have local solo acts including pianist and guitarists playing today’s hits and old favorites. Our performers include Carly Carroll, Dave Garrison, Lee Harbaugh and Dave Lincoln.
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn
2-4 p.m.
Join us each weekend of Dallas Blooms for our favorite local acts. Load up the family, grab a picnic lunch, and relax with great lake views every Saturday and Sunday.
February 19 Missing 3, Top 40 rock
February 20 Colton Hamilton Band, Texas Blues rock
February 21 Synergy, Variety cover band
February 26 Treble Hook, Party rock/pop
February 27 Common Ground, Modern Country and Classic Rock
March 5 Spjörk, Hits from the 70s to today
March 6 Forte, 70s to today’s hits
March 12 The Blandelles, Classic rock
March 13 The Coppertones, Old School rock and soul
March 19 The Elton Johns, music of Elton John
March 20 Six of the Matter, Country, Rock and Today’s Hits
March 26 The Jukebox Heroes, Top 40 hits
March 27 Counterfeit Radio, Hits from the 70s to today
April 2 Party Machine, an Emerald City Party Band
April 3 The Enablers, Today’s hits
April 9 Captain & Camille, Smooth ‘70s hits
David Chicken
DeGolyer Steps April 10 • 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn • 2:30-3:15 p.m.
David Chicken, three-time Emmy award-winning musician, leads the audience through a high-energy, interactive performance. Filled with creative movement, educational messages and general hilarity, the show is filled with David’s award-winning original music. Event is sponsored by DFW Child.
Window to the Wild Bird Flight Show
Select Weekend Days as Listed Below
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn
10:30-11:30 a.m.
Window to the Wild returns with their bird flight shows and special up-close glove encounters throughout our festival. Each appearance brings a new theme to the show, so mark your calendars for the whole series! *Please check website in case of rescheduling due to inclement weather.
February 20 Habitats are animal’s homes! All animals require food, water and shelter to survive. Come learn all about the natural habitats of the Window to the Wild birds.
March 6 Predator vs. Prey Learn how to tell which birds are predators and which are prey.
March 12 Head to Tail Learn all about birds and their unique characteristics.
March 20 Adaptions Birds have plenty of tools that help them survive. Learn about bird beaks and more in this show!
April 3 Bird Behavior It takes a lot of training to bring the Window the Wild birds to the Dallas Arboretum. Learn about natural bird behaviors and how the team trains their birds using positive reinforcement.
April 9 Birds Beaks Learn all about different beak shapes, how birds use them and more.
Window to the Wild Glove Program
February 26 & March 19 • 12-2 p.m.
Jonsson Color Garden
Join Window to the Wild for a 2-hour outdoor meet and greet with birds and trainers! Get up close and learn all about beautiful Birds of Prey.
Note: Events are subject to change. Check the website and social media for the latest schedule.
