Downtown & Sundance Square
Downtown Fort Worth is one of the nation’s most lively urban settings, with parks and landmarks to explore, world-class restaurants, rooftop bars and walkable shopping, all anchored by the Fort Worth Convention Center and Fort Worth Water Gardens.
Sundance Square fuses historical western architecture with modern design across its walkable 37-square-block downtown campus of shopping, restaurants, art galleries, entertainment, professional offices and residential living. Its plaza is rated as one of the nation’s top outdoor gathering spots and is referred to as the "living room of Fort Worth.” Explore its murals, whimsical water fountains, courtyards, one of a kind local shops, great food, live music/theater productions, the Sid Richardson Museum, and the visually stunning and acoustically perfect Bass Performance Hall. It’s a perfect place to soak up the excitement and friendly ambiance of Fort Worth.
Unexpected Stories: TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian
The movement that TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian ignited began with a humble desire: to open a door for her daughter. Now, Brown Girls Do Ballet is a non-profit organization that promotes diversity in classical ballet. They have partner studios around the country, mentorships, scholarships and resources for parents. TaKiyah has now opened doors for thousands of girls and boys around the country, breaking the traditional mold of ballet and changing the face of dance.
🎥: @lowtownstudios
Mesmerizing moments in Fort Worth ✨
Mesmerizing moments in Fort Worth! ✨
📍Downtown Fort Worth
🎥: @charlesmacmillan
Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Rose Garden has us in awe 😍
Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Rose Garden has us in awe! 😍
Be the Unexpected - Featuring Pam Grier and Bill Pickett Rodeo
Join the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo next Saturday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm in Cowtown Coliseum in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards! See you there 🤠
🎟️: https://www.cowtowncoliseum.com/events
Be the Unexpected - Featuring Pam Grier and Bill Pickett Rodeo
Unexpected Stories: Ramon Niño
Ramon Niño knows what it means to keep a tradition alive. As the mariachi director at North Side High School, he spends his days teaching students the tradition of mariachi. It instills in his students, and himself, a pride of Mexican heritage. That pride shows up in their performances; North Side High School is generally recognized as one of the state’s most successful mariachi programs. They won a national title in 2017, but Niño doesn’t strive for awards. He’s teaching students to tell the story of their culture, the same story their parents and grandparents told before them.
🎥: OcularPop
Unexpected Stories: Patrick McGrew Jr.
Patrick McGrew Jr. is a jack of many trades, master of all. The former Crowley High School P.E. teacher went through some ups and downs and came out on top. He’s a talented musician and rapper – who records under the name Junya – owner of the Union Station shop in Sundance Square, and head designer of Trvp Art Clothing. He’s been designing clothes since college and opened Union Station in March 2022.
📍: @unionstationfw
🎥: @visionbymitch and @aidanmgreen with @doublevmedia
Unexpected Stories: Patrick McGrew Jr.
Patrick McGrew Jr. is a jack of many trades, master of all. The former Crowley High School P.E. teacher went through some ups and downs and came out on top. He’s a talented musician and rapper – who records under the name Junya – owner of the Union Station shop in Sundance Square, and head designer of Trvp Art Clothing. He’s been designing clothes since college and opened Union Station in March 2022.
📍: Union Station
🎥: @visionbymitch and @aidanmgreen with @doublevmedia
Marc Istook has a history with Fort Worth. His family goes back six generations, and those roots run deep. He spent 18 years in Los Angeles hosting and anchoring, including several stints on red carpets interviewing world-famous celebrities. He spent five years in-house covering sports for the NFL Network, hosting shows like NFL GameDay. In 2019, Istook swapped a ballcap for a cowboy hat and came back home. Now, his recognizable voice and visage report the local news at WFAA. A move that, he says, he was destined for. Now that’s a Hollywood ending.
Unexpected Stories: Lorena Leigh
What do you think of when you think of Cowgirl Mermaids? Never heard of one before? Well, that’s just Lorena Leigh’s style.
The creative singer and songwriter found the spirit of her style in Fort Worth: a Cowgirl Mermaid. It’s the whimsical, fun, soulful and out of the box delight she wants her audiences to experience when they listen to her music. An amalgamation that, inexplicably and yet perfectly, describes Lorena Leigh.
Tandy Hills!
A perfect escape from the city, Tandy Hills are a great spot for hiking, photography, bird watching, dog walking and more.
Unexpected Stories: Jobe Sanchez
Jobe is a craftsman, plain and simple. As a “master hatter,” Jobe has shaped hats for rodeo’s most famous stars. Together with his wife Sandra, Jobe used his talents and business savvy to expand his trade from incubator to one of the top retailers in La Gran Plaza de Fort Worth. His brand has grown and his unique stylings have changed the hat game. Jobe is living the American dream, a story told with the bend and curve of every hat put in his hands.
🎥: Arcpoint Studios
📍: Jobes Hat Store
Ryan Binham's The Great Western on October 12th!
🌟 ON SALE NOW🌟 Join us for Ryan Bingham’s The Great Western on Saturday, October 12th at Dickies Arena.
Immerse yourself in a single-day ode to Western heritage, featuring an outstanding main arena lineup with Ryan Bingham, Shane Smith & The Saints, Tanya Tucker, Shaboozy & Louie TheSinger. Elevate your experience with a ticket upgrade to access the Daytime Rodeo & Western Experience, boasting bull riding, Charro performances, inter-tribal dances, additional live performances, an artisan marketplace, culinary delights, and much more.
Secure your spot for the Main Arena Experience (5PM – 10PM) starting at $59.50 for general admission. Enhance your day with the Daytime Rodeo & Western Experience for just $40 more (12PM – 5PM).
Tickets available now at Ticketmaster.com! 🎟️
More information: www.thegreatwesternfestival.com
📍Fort Worth Water Gardens
📍Fort Worth Water Gardens
Unexpected Stories: Felipe Armenta
Felipe Armenta is in the family trade. He grew up in the industry where both his parents were chefs and restaurant owners, so he’s had a lifetime of learning what makes a great experience for guests. FAR Out Hospitality, the restaurant group he co-owns with Michelin chef Graham Elliot, owns nine restaurants, seven right here in Fort Worth. Their restaurants specialize in a wide range of cuisines, from Mexican to seafood to French to BBQ. You might think Felipe has stretched himself a little thin… until you visit his restaurants and try his food. He focuses on the quality of the ingredients, so that every dish is as perfect as it can be. And you remember a Far Out restaurant. The spaces are colorful and bright, the atmosphere meant to be experienced. This combination of incredible dishes and ambiance makes Felipe Armenta the celebrated restaurateur that he is.
🎥: nickutter.dp
Unexpected Stories: Erica Silverman
The hyphen takes on new meaning with Erica Silverman. She is a writer-director-editor-mom-partner-friend-Fort Worth resident. She’s worked with the likes of Avril Lavigne and Leon Bridges, and now flexes her creative muscles at Fort Worth’s own Red Productions. Erica and her husband, local musician Robert Ellis (for whom she’s filmed a lot of music videos), moved their family from Austin to Fort Worth where they are now securely fastened into the city’s creative scene. This is a place where you can have it all, a theory that Erica is proving every day with her work and her life.
🎥: Red Productions
To read more click the link below.
https://www.fortworth.com/blog/post/unexpected-stories-erica-silverman/
Pearl Snap Kolaches
Fort Worth staple, Pearl Snap Kolaches, recently celebrated a grand re-opening with a brand new look. The restaurant started in 2013, named for the famous pearl snap button, western style shirts, recently rolled out a new logo, menu items, floors, tables, surprise cactuses and updated bathrooms. But don't worry, they're keeping the West Texas eclectic flair.
Stop in and grab an old favorite or try one of the delicious new additions to their menu!
Unexpected Stories: Derrick and Kesha Walker
Derrick Walker blends soul food and BBQ, two cuisines that have shaped the Fort Worth culinary scene. At Smoke-A-Holics, pitmaster Derrick sources the best quality meats and sides for a truly delicious experience. Kesha Walker is the in-house baker, creating delicacies – like Coca Cola Cake and Banana Pudding – that visitors will travel far and wide to try. As Fort Worth natives, Derrick and Kesha extend their love of good food beyond the confines of their restaurant. True cheerleaders of the Fort Worth foodie scene.
Click the link below to read more!
https://www.fortworth.com/blog/post/unexpected-stories-derrick-and-kesha-walker/
🎥: Wood FilmMakers Productions
📍: Smoke-A-Holics BBq
Unexpected Stories: Chris Reale
Legacy is a hard thing to inherit. And yet, Chris Reale took on one of the oldest restaurants in Fort Worth and kept it thriving with a dedication to quality and community. Through hard work and laser-focus on what Paris Coffee Shop means to the city, Reale continues a tradition almost a century in the making.
And his vision doesn’t stop on Magnolia Ave. Reale also owns Roy Pope Grocery, the boutique grocery store that doubles as a coffee shop and deli. And just because he’s a well-rounded individual, he also owns and operates the new Westfork Fitness, a full-service, high-end gym on White Settlement Road. Reale is the epitome of a Fort Worth entrepreneur, focusing on the needs of the community and finding the best way to rise and meet them.
Click the link below to read more!
🎥: @ecfilmstx
📍: Paris Coffee Shop Fort Worth
https://www.fortworth.com/blog/post/unexpected-stories-chris-reale/
