On April 25, 2009, several art galleries and artist studios will open their doors for receptions and festivities in Oak Cliff. You are invited to visit each destination at your own pace between the hours of 4pm – 9pm. Artworks of all mediums will be on display. The event is free and a map of destinations will be provided at each venue.

It’s true! Mockingbird Station will host its own farmers’ market, beginning on April 22nd from 5-8pm. To kick off the market, and to educate you about going green, the Station will be offering a workshop to educate you on energy, recycling and conservation. Urban Outfitters + American Apparel will also have a sidewalk sale featuring environmental friendly products. Oh, did you know April 22nd is Earth Day?

This is going to be an interesting event. One of my favorite podcasts, This American Life, will be broadcasting live via satellite to more than 400 movie screens on Thursday, April 23rd. Tickets are now on sale. Listed are the only 3 movie theatres in Dallas showing the live broadcast event:

Bolsa’s in Oak Cliff will have its first ever Farmer’s Market this Sunday, April 5th from 1pm-4pm. After seeing Robert Kinner’s film Food, Inc. at AFI Dallas, I am going to start actively seeking out local food vendors and restaurants in Dallas. The movie explores our nation’s food supply and the “handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment.”

Deep Ellum Arts Festival is “a free street festival with art, 100+ hours of free music, and culture.” That’s what I’m talking about! As if this weekend could not be any more exciting than it already is, I came across this: The 15th Annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival is a 3-day party with 75 bands […]

I want to take a moment to recognize AFI Dallas and their support to the North Texas Food Bank. With the help from their Community Partners, AFI Dallas has given the North Texas Food Bank 2,000 family-friendly passes for distribution. Together they also organized an online virtual food drive called Cans Film Festival, as well […]

The Dallas Art Dealers Association (DADA) will have its annual Spring Gallery Walk, panel discussions, and Scholarship show on Saturday, April 18th. From 2-8pm, art lovers (or the lovers of art lovers) will be able to view all exhibits for free. There are places all over the Metroplex, from Dallas to Irving and even into Arlington. For us in the Dallas area, you can knock out almost half of them if you start in Uptown area and then work your way over to the Design District (aka Dragon Street.)

The short films run 5-15 minutes each, and the whole program will last about an hour. You might see 5 or 6 short films during that time. All of them will give you a taste of something different. One or two will take you by complete surprise and have you thinking, “What the hell?”

Last year’s AFI Fest was amazing. I volunteered, went to a few premier screenings, and even watched short films for the first time. Like with anything you do a second time, I have reflected back to the things I wish I would have known, and look forward to what I will do this year to make the experience even better than the last.

This year’s AFI Dallas Festival will showcase 77 feature films and 96 shorts from 22 countries. Instead of waiting for the critics to review these movies, this year make it your own. Sure, it’s a risk. The movie could be horrible and your night could be ruined (a bit drastic, but I’ve been there.) Don’t worry. I’ve done the legwork, reading through all the film synopsis’ (currently only covering Feature Films) and choosing the good ones.