The Wildflower Arts & Music Festival is a 3 day celebration of local art as well as national and…read morelocal musicians. It's always held on the third weekend in May, rain or shine. The location can't be beat - centrally located right around the Eisemann Center at US 75 and Galatyn Parkway. Plenty of parking - free at surrounding businesses and paid at the Eisemann. Richardson residents can buy advance tickets at a lower rate. This year, tickets were on sale for Friday and Saturday and admission was free for Sunday. This year I happened to win free admission tickets! I always find several bands I'm interested in seeing. For almost the past 20 years, I have attended Wildflower, except for starting the year or two before Covid. About 7-8 years ago, I was at one of the main headliners and it was so crowded, that I did not feel safe. There were way too many people crammed in to the outdoor space and I thought if there was a true emergency, it would be really hard to get out safely. So this year, I checked the band line up and decided Friday night looked good. We met up with some friends and had a great time! I went to the country stage to see Jackson Dean and Justin Moore, visiting Blues Traveler at the main stage in between their showtimes. It's great to be able to have so many choices and genres available. Some singers are inside the Eisemann, so when it's really hot outside, it's so refreshing to go into the air conditioning and sit in nice comfy seats. For the outdoor shows, you can bring a blanket or lightweight outdoor chairs. There is a wide range of food and beverage options and lots of porta potties set up all around. You can shop at the various vendor tents sprinkled throughout. I always enjoy seeing the decorated guitars that are up for auction that are displayed in the Eisemann lobby. Thank you City of Richardson for putting together such a wonderful event every year! I know it must take A LOT of people and planning to pull off an event of this magnitude. There was a huge police, SWAT and volunteer presence and I am happy to report that I felt very safe at this year's event!

The cheapest, fun filled weekend in Richardson is at the Wildflower Arts & Music Festival. It's…read morethree days in May and includes live music on six different stages. Music genre varies, but there is usually a headliner or two that everyone knows. If you are a Richardson resident you can buy a ticket online in advance for $15 for the day. The headliner in 2026 was George Thoroughgood and the Destroyers, and the opening act was Blues Traveler. They performed on Friday night starting at 8:30 pm until nearly midnight. There were other musicians that performed throughout the day and evening on the various stages. Lots of vendors setup tents and sold or exhibited their items. There were local businesses, artisans, and food & drink vendors. You can easily spend the entire day and night here and be entertained, but if you only have an hour, you are still sure to have fun. Parking is free in the Blue Cross Blue Shield parking garages north of Lookout off Greenville. The street and festival have a lot of volunteers and police directing people. Signage was easy to follow. There is a bag security check at the entrance. Also, there are rules about what is and isn't permitted into the venue. You can bring a foldable lawn chair, blanket, one manufactured sealed water bottle with you. I recommend wearing a good pair of shoes because there is a lot of walking and standing around. The event is rain or shine, so your shoes might get muddy and wet in f there is inclement weather. There are paved sidewalks in a lot of areas, but there are also grassy areas that you might walk through. Most vendors take credit cards. There are activities for both adults and children. If you get really hot, you can seek shelter in the Eismann Center and enjoy the A/C. They have activities inside, too. I bought tickets for all three days because at the time of my advanced purchase, I didn't know who the bands were or what my availability would be that weekend. I only ended up going on Friday night. I was told that the event was free on Sunday, which surprised me since I had purchased tickets in advance for that day as well. I won't make that mistake again! If you volunteer, they give you a t-shirt for working the event and free admission on Sunday so that you can enjoy the event because you won't have time on the day you volunteer. I've only been to this festival about three times in the 9 years I have lived here, but I have enjoyed it each time. I especially love that I can enjoy inexpensive, live music in the city where I live. I've seen some great bands each time and always look forward to returning.

Lots of fun, and all things considered priced about as you'd expect. It's not super huge so it's…read moreeasily doable and all the food you'd expect to be at a fair is here and is spot on. There is a $5 entry fee per person starting this year which is reasonable imo. Parking is expensive if you pay on site so book ahead to save 1/2 on that front. You'll probably want to get that a day ahead though as you want to be able to snag it for your preferred time. That said there is. Rides are mostly 5 per with the occasional 6 to mess up your spending balance;) most games are 5 for one shot and 10 for 3. $tandard fare for a fair but wait! What's nice is you can add single credits though so yay! No extra fees for using the card other than buying a card initially for 3 bucks. Daytime is easier to visit of course but you don't get the lights. Nighttime you get more crowds but lights so choose ;)

Never been to this little Frisco fair and decided to go check it out last Sunday! Parking was $10…read moreright across the street! Not too packed that day really. I downloaded the app before getting here but the app wouldn't allow me to pay on my phone so still had to wait in line to get a points card so we could get food! We walked around and looked at the rides. We didn't ride anything, strictly went to eat lol. We got lemonade from the pizza stand, do not get their lemonade, go to another stand. Lol after the lemonade we got funnel cakes. They were pretty good, your average funnel cake but delicious and fresh! We then walked around a bit and stumbled on the Frisco market! There were lots of cool things in the market and lots of vendors to shop with! We ended by getting some Turkey legs and corn dogs! It was a cute lil fair, something to do! I love fair food so I couldn't miss out. I still have some money left on the points card so plan to go back and do another food stop for some ribs and other items they had lol I would say this is a cute fair to check out if you have children or just want something to do for a date night, or with a group of friends! Fun for everyone :)

My husband and I went to the Plano Balloon Festival to view the 7:00 AM balloon send-off, and it is…read moresuch a nice early morning activity! Traffic was quite heavy due to the event, so you definitely want to plan accordingly--though I was very impressed by the police, who were extremely helpful in guiding traffic and keeping everything moving. Tickets were very reasonable at $10 per person, and free for children. When it comes to parking, there are two main lots to choose from: $10 Lot: Quite a walk from the festival ground $15 Lot: Located on the Collin College campus and is significantly closer, which is a lifesaver on a sunny day. Inside the festival, there are plenty of food vendors, portable toilets, and games for the children. The volunteer emcee was great, making some funny comments while announcing the balloons as they inflated. At one point, attendees were allowed down onto the field to take a closer look at the balloons. Just be aware that it gets very crowded, so definitely keep your little ones close by. As you can imagine, the balloon show itself isn't super long--maybe an hour at the most--but it's a wonderful experience. Tips for future visitors: Bring a blanket or towel to sit on the ground while viewing the balloons. Pack a hat, sunglasses, a portable fan, and plenty of water (especially if it's a sunny day). I definitely recommend checking it out!

Blown away by the terrible reviews. I'll be real with you, I wanted to attend this festival last…read moreyear and wrote it off as I've been on a sunrise hot air balloon ride in Luxor over the Valley of Kings in Egypt and I just can't imagine how Plano will top that. Then I later regretted, not participating in a community event and giving it a chance seeing that I like hot air balloons. It'd be like refusing to go view a vintage carousel in some random small town if I'm not seeing it in a big city. This year I told myself I would not miss this event. I attended on Thursday evening. I pulled into the $15 parking lot at the church by 1805 and had zero issues with any traffic. I parked and walked a couple hundred yards to the festival. Rookie mistake: leaving my beach chair and picnic blanket in my trunk. Everyone had their tailgating chairs and blankets. Bring yours! I had a corn dog and lemonade in hand within 10min and walked around to check out the booths. The HEB booth was the only thing that caught my eye. I found a spot on the lawn by 7p and awaited the 730p "glow". It was set to music which was absolutely lovely. It's truly such a cute experience! Perfect date night. I went solo as I don't require company to attend anything but nonetheless this is a nice little fam bam activity, date night or solo excursion. There was a little chocolate truck that I wish I'd snagged a little treat from. Everything looked yummy in it but I skipped. I don't care much about a launch as I'm certain there's nothing in the area I'm interested in an aerial view of. This is Plano, not Cappadocia but if you're into that, to each their own. I've watched hot air balloons soar above the Teotihuacan pyramids in CDMX and it really was beautiful, I'm sure the launch is special as well. I wouldn't rule out this festival based on the poor reviews. With proper planning, I'm confident you'll find it to be a rewarding experience. I departed around 830p and had no real issue with congestion. I face worse trying to come and go from my office each day so I'm not certain what scale of measurement we're using here. Go early, leave early and I'd assume that would help but what the hell do I know?! Parking $15 Admission $10 Corn dog and lemonade $22

Thank you to the many volunteers who orchestrated an amazing Greek Festival. I've been to Greek…read moreFests in AZ, HI, WA and TX, but I would have to say this one was by far the most organized. All of them have a common theme, raise money for the Greek Orthodox Church by selling Mediterranean food as well as arts, crafts, and books while educating the public about the church and the Greek culture. This festival stood out because the volunteers focused on every last detail. Usually you have to stand in one line after another to get anything, but that wasn't the case here. There were so many options for buying tickets and so many volunteers working every station, that we easily spent more time enjoying ourselves than we did standing around in queues That wasn't the case in Honolulu, Hawaii. Trashcans were everywhere and refuse was regularly collected. There is nothing more unappealing than an overflowing trashcan with flies and bees buzzing around the leftovers and then visiting your drink can and the bite you are about to take. Thankfully this festival had a dedicated crew regularly pulling out the trash bags, and carting them away. The place stayed meticulously clean and bug free which is more than I can say for the small one I attended in Bellingham, Washington. Food choices were plentiful and it was served hot and fresh. The standards were on the menu such as gyros, dolomades, and baklava, but you could also get Greek lasagna, lamb chops and Greek sausage. Signs clearly indicated the ingredients of each dish and the number of coupons to purchase them. These were also listed in the lovely program guide. The event took place regardless of rain or shine. Thankfully plentiful seating was available in the shade of a tent as well as en plein air. Entertainment could be heard throughout the venue with loudspeakers positioned everywhere. The stage was a raised platform so that you could see the dancers and musicians perform. The band on Sunday midday was quite good. The male singer had an amazing voice. The children's area was secure and provided an array of activities for the kiddos. They could run around and play without bumping into the public. Lots of kids had face painting done. Parking was nearby and free. I read that you could also pay for valet or take a shuttle bus. We managed to find a free place across the street. I bought tickets online through Eventbrite. General admission was $7 and food coupons were sold in packs of 20 coupons for $20 plus tax. This made it easy to bypass the the lines at will call or the lines for those needing to purchase their tickets and coupons with cash or credit card in person. I loved the wide variety of items in the Agora (marketplace). They sold baby olive trees! There was soap, incense, potpourri, gold and silver jewelry with gemstones, light cotton clothing, intricately carved wooden boxes, beautifully painted nesting dolls and wooden eggs, oil paintings, lamps, etc. We had fun weaving our way through the souk. The aisles were narrow and the tables were packed with unique finds. The history room had maps, art and some explanations of Ancient Greek. There was also a tour of the church were you could learn about some of the iconography, alter setup, clergy vestments, and Greek Orthodox practice. The attention to the details was evident by this amazing group of church volunteers. They demonstrated their passion and friendliness from the moment you walked in the door to the final exit. We were able to find someone to answer our questions every step of the way with the handy guide book, and information desks setup throughout. A woman in a wheelchair even thanked everyone for coming as they left the venue. What an absolutely pleasurable experience.

I am glad I waited 3 years to write this review. This…read morefestival is getting worse and worse and we won't return next year. We are lucky we live close by so we always bike here, so at least we can beat the traffic and the horrific price for parking. First year they ran out of gyros, no joke!!! Second year, no baklava sundae , ran out. This year, not enough that the prices skyrocketed, some vendors didn't even make an effort to print new menus, they literally just crossed prices and put whatever they wanted. Or, they wanted to go with the last year price but seeing all other vendors increased theirs... hmmmm ,, yeah !! Us too! We tried the gyro, no flavor, mediocre at best, so expensive , $12 for just the pita and the meat. No side, and they all wrapped up on trays, God knows how long they stay there. Lamb sliders and fries was our next choice, nothing special there either. Again, store bought slider buns and not enough meat, not tasty, fries also stay under a heat lamp, the frozen type of course. Like can you guys make some effort at least??? Fast paced, long lines, order, pay, GET OUT!!! We were not impressed at all. Best thing was the baklava sundae for sure. So... bye bye OPA! Greek festival. We had enough of your traps.

This is a great park when you're looking for a little escape for an hour or more. My family and I…read morevisited during the holidays, and we were able to walk through a magical world of lighted trees. It was a stunning sight to see. The lake really enhanced the experience. There are shops to grab a bite to eat near the water-walk as well, which is nice if you want to make the most of your visit. I highly recommend you check it out for yourself, you won't be disappointed.

These holiday lights are nothing short of spectacular and it's free! Free parking as well. Lights…read moreare on from 5pm to 11pm(maybe 12am) Definitely a must visit!

Always a great experience going here. Fun vibe and everyone is mostly pretty nice and giddy. Thurs…read moreand Sundays are usually free entry and fri and sat is ticketed. There's a good amount of food vendors and they take card. There's a couple of main areas with different shows, dancing, music, etc. Fun to come with friends or family and chill, eat good food, and drink beer. Something to look forward to every year and do on a weekend.

As an outdoor concert event planner, this event has been going downhill since 2018…read more Ticket buying process is terrible, vendors, tents shoved in the corner on the hot street, restrooms out of everything, no AC tents anywhere with temps in the low 100s....just poorly planned with little thought on the attendees. Sad, this use to be our families favorite DFW event.

The Cottonwood Arts Festival is a biannual, 2-day event at the Cottonwood Park in southwest…read moreRichardson, TX. This is a juried event, so artists apply and a jury reviews and selects about 200+ artists to display and sell their impressive work. There is always a featured artist whose art is displayed on an event poster and a t-shirt for that spring or fall event. I can't usually afford any of the professional art pieces that sell for thousands of dollars, but I can always get the $20 t-shirt with a replica of one of the pieces of the featured artist. Some artists are aware that not everyone can afford the original on canvas, so they make smaller giclées that are more affordable for the masses. Even if you don't have the money or space in your place to buy, you can come and look for FREE! There is no cost to enter the festival. Plus, there are two stages of live music being performed all day Saturday and Sunday. Even parking is free across the street at the Richardson High School. You can also park in the neighborhood, but it isn't necessarily more convenient. Food often includes a few local places like Tongue and Cheek ice cream as well as a Gyro place. Of course you can also find a Fletcher's corn dog, and you didn't even have to drive to Fair Park for the State Fair. I love this festival and will always make a point of going and supporting artists if I can.

I really enjoy this arts festival. Each year brings both returning artists and new faces as well…read more We have been coming for many years. We always find something new to bring home. This year was the only exception. It looks like all the pricing rose out of our budget. But we still enjoy visiting all the booths especially the talented student artists, and seeing the live music. Park over at the school and take the free shuttle! Enjoy some delicious local beer while you browse!

I can't express the fun I had here. All the beautiful cars and nice people, I couldn't have asked…read morefor more. It is a shame teenagers with auto zone body kits showed up and were dough bags to the staff. I will miss coming out and having fun while also helping to support local non profits. I am saddened to hear that this next show, December 1st 2018, will be the last.

This is said to be the largest Cars and Coffee in the country. It is not just the largest but there…read moreis a wide variety from exotic supercars to custom Jeeps and trucks. Lots of great exhaust notes too!

Great local art show with food trucks and musical stage. Local artists perform over the weekend…read more They encourage pets and family fun.

I look forward to this Huffhines Art Trail Festival every year! I can walk from my home to attend…read morethis Event. It's only 2 days long & is always in October. It's a great date for couples & families. Excellent shopping! One of my favorite booths for the pass 4 years has been Penny B Pottery. She's a true Artist! There always some awesome music to listen to and cold beer to sip, or glass of wine. If you can't make it to the State Fair you can get your corn dog fix here for sure! Make sure you mark your calendar every October for this one of a kind Art Festival!

A three day food festival that's hosted in Addison Circle Park. Entry fee is $10. The streets are…read morefull of food vendors offering free samples and lower prices samples as well. All the vendors are local so you really do get a taste of Addison. There's one main stage and then two smaller stages on campus where performances are going on through the festival. The mayor even came out to greet the people all 3 days on the main stage. There were also a bunch of art exhibits and vendors as well. Plus some carnival rides and games. So there's definitely a lot for family and friends to do out. My suggestion is come on an empty stomach so you can stuff your face

Fun three day event in Addison. Kid friendly and $15 ticket entrance fee. A lot of restaurants set…read moreup booths around Addison Circle for everyone to sample foods they haven't tried. Lots of random events and crafting to do, local artsy booths to purchase from, a petting zoo, and live music. My friend and I had fun and bought food faster than we can eat. Good for a first experience!