Featuring 10 fun-filled hours of water-dancing, craft-making, gift-buying, tree-lighting, fireworks-flying, good ol’ seasonal glee, MetroPCS Fair Park Holiday will be rocking from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at Fair Park inside the Centennial Building and outdoors surrounding the Esplanade Fountain. What’s more, the historic landmark will welcome the nationally renowned Dallas White Rock Marathon to its new home December 3 – 5, giving Fair Park goers the chance to double their fun at the free White Rock Marathon Health & Fitness Expo, open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Automobile Building, or participate in the 5K Mayor’s Race and Fun Run beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Registration for 5K race is $15 or $30 for families up to five; free for Dallas ISD students and teachers.)
Free and open to the public, MetroPCS Fair Park Holiday will feature a medley of merriment including a fireworks finale from the rooftops, the official City of Dallas tree-lighting ceremony, kids crafts, a shopping bazaar, holiday-themed entertainment and foods, family-fun activities, Bellagio-style “dancing water” shows at the Esplanade Fountain synchronized to music at the top of every hour (from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.), plus free visits to Fair Park’s eight museums.
With free museum admission from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., guests will get to appreciate much of what Fair Park has to offer with visits to the newly-opened Texas Museum of Automotive History (grand opening November 20), African American Museum, the recently renovated Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park, Museum of Nature & Science, Museum of the American Railroad, Texas Discovery Gardens, Hall of State, and The Women’s Museum. (Please note: Free admission does not apply to all special exhibits, IMAX® films and other offerings. See schedule below for specific museum hours and further information.)
Inside the Centennial Building, children and adults will flock to Santa’s Workshop for free arts and crafts activities, such as ornament making, do-it-yourself gift wrapping and cookie decorating, to name a few. A variety of free entertainment will be on tap including a performance by the Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Junior Dance Academy (11 – 11:45 a.m.), a puppet show by Le Theatre de Marionette (noon – 1 p.m.), the Chuck Anderson Quartet (1:30 – 2:30 p.m.), and a special performance of “Giggle, Giggle, Quack” by the Dallas Children’s Theater (3 – 4 p.m.). In addition, there will be ongoing acts by various dance academies and performing arts groups.
Also inside, gift-seekers will find an assortment of quality merchandise, holiday décor, unique gift ideas and tasty treats at The 500, Inc. Holiday Gift Market, with musical entertainment by Latin guitarist Joe Trevino (10:30 – 11:30 a.m.), classical guitarist Stacy Arnold (noon – 1 p.m.), Latin guitarist Guillermo Serpes (1:30 – 2:30 p.m.), saxophonist Chuck Anderson (3 – 4 p.m.), and steel drummer Derrick Logozzo (4:15 – 5: 15 p.m.). Other activities will include face painting, air brush tattoos, caricature artists and more (fee will apply.)
At 5:15 p.m., the Dallas Wind Symphony Quartet will take the stage outdoors for an hour-long performance, followed by the official City of Dallas tree-lighting ceremony at 6:15 p.m., hosted by 98.7 KLUV’s Jody Dean, and a spectacular 10-minute fireworks finale from the rooftops of the Automobile and Centennial buildings! When it’s all said and done, thousands of sparkling LED lights surrounding the Esplanade Fountain will still shine throughout the holiday season.
Concessions will be sold including Fletcher’s corny dogs, pizza, barbecue, hamburgers, Frito® pie, chili, healthy snacks and wraps, holiday beverages, gourmet coffees, hot chocolate, plus holiday sweets such as cinnamon rolls, funnel cake sticks, fried cheese cake, and charros.
Admission is free. The City of Dallas charges $10 to park within the gates of Fair Park, or visitors can ride DART’s Green Line to the Fair Park Station.
MetroPCS Fair Park Holiday is hosted by Friends of Fair Park, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In addition to presenting sponsor MetroPCS, other sponsors include Rogers-O’Brien Construction; State Farm Insurance; Statewide Remodeling; The 500, Inc.; and The Kroger Co. The event is presented in part by the City of Dallas. Local media partners are WFAA Channel 8, Univision 23, Time Warner Cable, Al Dia, 98.7 KLUV, 103.7 Lite FM, 97.9 FM The Beat, K-Soul 94.5 FM, 1270 AM La Voz del Pueblo and La Kalle 107.9.
For more information, call the Fair Park Information Line at 214-421-9600 or go to fairpark.org.
