Jo Ann Holt
More than 90,000 pumpkins and gourds take over Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden for Autumn at the Arboretum September 19-November 1. Featuring their nationally acclaimed Pumpkin Village, with four pumpkin houses and other artistic displays, this year’s event is themed “The Art of the Pumpkin.”
Autumn at the Arboretum, presented by Reliant, has been recognized as one of “the Best Fall Festivals to Celebrate the Season” by Country Living Magazine. Discounted tickets to the festival are available for purchase online at dallasarboretum.org.
The festival features all the breathtaking colors of fall, with 150,000 autumn flowers accented by pumpkins, gourds, and squash from Floydada, Texas. Their popular Mommy and Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays, presented by Kimberly-Clark, return for Autumn at the Arboretum. Also featured are a hay bale maze, a pumpkin patch with pumpkins for purchase, music, and more.
Art of the Pumpkins
Photo: Dallas Arboretum
Alan Walne, Dallas Arboretum’s board chairman, said, “We invite the community to the Dallas Arboretum to experience a familiar place, including Pumpkin Village, which has been a tradition for 15 years. The garden is a wonderful place to social distance, get some fresh air outdoors and take plenty of photos.”
Guests are also invited to visit A Tasteful Place, a 3.5-acre food, herb and vegetable garden. Weekly activities include free Monday cooking demonstrations from 11 a.m.-noon with Dallas College Cooks. Other activities during the week include cooking, floral, and horticulture demonstrations. Live bands play each weekend in the afternoon.
Chef-prepared dishes for September include Grilled Eggplant Salad & Glazed Turnips. October offerings include veggie stuffed bell peppers and grilled artichoke with lemon and herbs. For November, broccoli and greens soup and roasted fennel bruschetta are on the tasting menu.
Favorite Dallas restaurant chefs who will demonstrate their culinary talents at A Tasteful Place include Greenville Avenue Pizza Company, Yelibelly Chocolates, and One Great Vegan. Josephine’s Cakes, Sweets Treats and More, and Terri Finazzo are also featured, along with Whitness Nutrition, Kuluntu Bakery, and Creative Cookies & Pops. White Rock Ale House, Custom Café Foods, CiboDivino, and Charlie’s Treats also give demonstrations.
Pumpkin Village
Photo: Dallas Arboretum
“One of nature’s most beautiful spectacles is the changing of the seasons, and there is no better place to experience that than Autumn at the Arboretum,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president, Reliant. “We’re honored to support the Dallas Arboretum, and we’re thrilled to help bring the Pumpkin Village to life this year as the perfect place to spend a fall day with family and friends.”
Special member events include Yoga on the Lawn and early access to the garden. Every Thursday through October 29, the garden remains open until 8 p.m. for Twilight Thursdays for guests to enjoy the outdoors and visit Pumpkin Village. Guests are invited to pick up a map at the Arboretum’s Information Booth on Thursdays, to join in a scavenger hunt throughout the garden. Look for special surprises among the pumpkins in Pumpkin Village! When the hunt is completed, turn in the card at the Information Booth for a ticket to pick up a delicious Terrace Café brownie.
Live musical performances are every Saturday and Sunday from 2-4 p.m. on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn. Starting September 19 with Reckless Angels, the series continues through November 1. The garden celebrates Oktoberfest with complimentary beer samples, tasty local and traditional food vendors, and live music all weekend September 19-20. A pretzel toss and stein-holding competition is supported by White Rock Ale House. Monkey Love Band plays a concert from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Café on the Green’s Oktoberfest menu is available from September 19 to November 1. The menu features various bratwursts, carved pastrami sandwiches, warm apple strudel, black forest cake, and assorted Oktoberfest beers.
Discount Offers
Photo: Dallas Arboretum
Discount offers include BOGO every Wednesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and C.C. Young Senior Thursdays every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Seniors 65 and older receive $1 off general garden admission on Thursdays, plus a 20% discount in the Hoffman Family Gift Store.
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road in Dallas. Festival admission is $17 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 and older, $12 for children 2-12, and free for Arboretum members and children under two. Parking is $15 or $10 if purchased online. For information, visit dallasarboretum.org.
