Some people doing a jig at Jazz Fest (photo by Amanda Nordstrom)

The Denton Arts and Jazz Festival is an annual event in Denton. It is a big community celebration of the arts. The 2012 installment will be April 27th - 29th.

What it is

The Denton Arts & Jazz Festival is a free 2 1/2 day event held the last weekend of every April in the city of Denton, Texas. Produced by the Denton Festival Foundation, and sponsored by the City of Denton and corporate sponsors, it brings over 200,000 people each year for live music, fine art, food, drink, crafts, and recreation. The festival is held in Quakertown Park (formerly Civic Center Park), a beautifully natural space in the heart of the city just off the town square. The festival features seven stages, 2,300 artists and 250+ arts and crafts booths. Nationally recognized musicians headline the festival each year. Brave Combo traditionally performs at the festival.

History

Starting in 1980 as the "Spring Fling" at the North Texas State Fair Grounds, it merged with the Jazz Fest in 1990, becoming its current incarnation.

Hanging out

Traditionally, young people, especially the teenage smelly ones, like to sit around the concrete ditch through the middle of Quakertown Park. Children chill around the playground, and grown ups like to chill around the various stages and watch performances, drinking their drinks.

Other people walk around a bunch. There's often a lot of walking traffic, in which everyone sees at least a handful of random people they've known throughout their Denton history.

Photos