Dallas College Cooks

Mondays at 11am in A Tasteful Place

Participate in this popular demonstration cooking class, taught by Chef Aaron Hubbard from the college’s nationally recognized culinary school. Two new recipes are demonstrated each month.

October Butternut Squash & Garlic Soup and Quinoa, Cucumber & Tomato Lettuce Wraps
November New Orleans Collard Greens and Braised Leeks & Roasted Garlic

Mommy & Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays

Presented by Kimberly-Clark
Every Monday & Tuesday through October 26 from 10am–2pm
Intersection near Pecan Grove

Children’s Activities include face painting by A Fresh Perspective (10am-2pm), Country Critters Petting Zoo (10am-2pm), MOMLETA Stroller Fitness (10-11am) and Kindermusik (12-12:30pm)

Tasteful Tuesdays

Tuesdays at 11am in A Tasteful Place

Ever wanted to learn how to make your own floral arrangement or how to pick the best flower from your grocery stores? Looking for a home chef hack to amaze your friends? Every Tuesday a new floral demonstration or food demo is sure to inspire you to step up your at-home game!

October 12 Lil Red Flower Truck Floral Demo: Sensational Seasonal Bouquets
October 19 McShan Florist
October 26 Sweet Gilly’s Vegan: Perfect vegan cupcakes

Daily Tastings Demo

Tuesdays at 1pm in A Tasteful Place

Join our resident chef, Chef Isabel, as she demonstrates how to prepare the week’s featured recipes, inspired by fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Seasonal Tastings

Daily from 10am–4pm in A Tasteful Place

Try three different samples featuring a hero vegetable, fruit or herb from the garden. Fitting with our festival theme, our insect-inspired recipes are sure to captivate your family’s taste buds, too – but, don’t worry, no real bugs were harmed in the making of these recipes. Visit dallasarboretum.org/recipes for the full list of recipes.

Chef-tastic Cooking Series

Wednesdays and other select dates at 11am in A Tasteful Place

See how the pros do it and sample a small bite of the fruits of their labor. Enjoy a demonstration from renowned chefs and restaurants as they take center stage in our demonstration kitchen.

October 16 Avery’s Savory Popcorn: Fall Flavors and vendor sale
October 20 Soul Good: Signature Vegan Chili

Pumpkin Thursdays Scavenger Hunt

September 23 through October 28
Thursdays from 10am–3pm

Every Thursday, pick up a map from the information booth that leads you on a scavenger hunt throughout the garden finding surprises in our Pumpkin Village. Complete the hunt, and share your completed card at the Main Garden information booth to get a ticket to be redeemed by 4pm for a brownie from the Terrace Café.

Learn to Grow Horticulture Presentation

Fridays at 11am in A Tasteful Place

Presented by the North Texas Master Gardeners and the Dallas Arboretum Horticultural Staff. Enjoy special tips and presentations on summer and autumn gardening.

October 22 Bugs in your compost with Lauren Clarke
October 29 Wicked plants and insects with Kevin Burns

Live Music & Performances Every Weekend

Kick up your feet on our concert lawn every Saturday and Sunday from 2-4pm with live music and special performances on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage. Plus, additional performances as noted below:

September 25–October 30
Saturdays from 12–2pm • Jeanne’s Pavilion
Lee Harbaugh
*Saturday, October 23 will instead feature Carly Carroll, singing pianist.

September 19–October 31
Sundays from 11am–2pm • Jeanne’s Pavilion
David Lincoln

October 22 Rockwall-Heath HS Choir (11am)
October 23 Downtown Fever
October 24 The Absolute Experience
October 29 Texas Boys Choir (2pm)
October 30 Elevation
October 31 The Coppertones

Dallas Gourd Patch

Thursdays from 10am–3pm
Near Café on the Green and Crepe Myrtle Allee

The Dallas Gourd Patch returns with weekly displays and demos of their spectacular squash art. Watch inspiring demonstrations by the Dallas Gourd Patch as gourds are transformed into jewelry and decorative homewares, available for guests to purchase.

Walk This Way

September 24 through October 29
Fridays from in the Entry Plaza

Enjoy a tour around the garden featuring behind-the-scenes details, led by Denise and Max Davis, long-time Dallas Arboretum volunteers.

Oct. 15: 10–11am
Oct. 22: 10–11am
Oct. 29: 2–3pm (Max only)

Sunday Gardener with Turn Compost

September 19–October 24
Sundays from 1–2pm in A Tasteful Place

Join us at this NEW series each Sunday as Turn Compost presents hands-on gardening topics you’re sure to implement at home!

A Dallas Chef’s Edible Garden – October 17
One of the joys of cooking from home is being able to grow and harvest your own food for the process! Growing herbs and veggies suited for North Texas is easier than you think. Learn from the personal experiences of Lauren Clarke, Turn Founder (Dallas County Master Gardener and El Centro Culinary School Graduate). Her entire backyard is edible and produces food year-round for her family.

Urban Composting Basics – October 24
This general survey course covers the basics of how to create your own compost at home utilizing organic waste from inside and outside your urban environment. You learn an overview of soil biology, compost methodologies and techniques, and tips on usage and application in your home landscape.

Window to the Wild Bird Flight Show

October 19 at 10:30am
Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn

Join Window to the Wild for a 45-minute outdoor education flight training show, and learn which feathered friends are insect eaters! At the end of the show, come to the stage to meet and greet with the birds and their trainers.

Insect Encounters

Daily September 18–October 31
Pumpkin Village Insect Encounters Tent

Get up close and personal with six-legged friends every day during Autumn at the Arboretum. Experience the life of bugs through hands-on demos, expert talks, living specimens, beneficial bug releases, insect-inspired art and more!

Mondays and Tuesdays from 11am–1pm
Beneficial Insect Release: Kids will get their own chance to handle insects and release them to pollinate the Dallas Arboretum. While supplies last.
Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am–3pm
Native Invertebrate Explorations: Meet the Dallas Arboretum’s living collection including walking sticks and tarantulas
Thursdays from 11am–1pm
Bee Meet & Greet with Mother’s Garden
Weekends
October 16 & 17, 11am-3pm: Randy Pena, Houston Museum of Natural Science
October 23, 11am-1pm: Samantha Peters, Graphic Artist, Dallas Zoo
October 24, 11am-1pm: John Watts, Entomologist, Texas Discovery Gardens
October 30 & 31, 11am-3pm: Lucas Miller, The Singing Zoologist

Owl-O-Ween with Window to the Wild

October 23 from 12–2pm in Jonsson Color Garden

Join Window to the Wild for a meet and greet in our Pumpkin Village with their owls—Hermes, a great horned owl, and their tiniest, eastern screech owl, Pigwidgeon. They walk around for you to meet them, take up close and personal pictures with them and ask questions. You won’t want to miss this unique Owl-O-Ween opportunity.

Church Hill Honey Vendor Sales

Saturdays & Sundays in October at A Tasteful Place

Enjoy a taste of pollinators in action with honey provided by Church Hill Honey. You can even buy a bottle to take home with you.

Dallas Gourd Patch Annual Show

October 15 from 10am–3pm in A Tasteful Place

Explore the Dallas Gourd Patch’s specular show featuring stunning carved, painted and embellished gourds. The group also sells these creations.

Halloweekend

October 30 & 31

Don’t miss the annual Halloween blowout weekend with trick-or-treating throughout the garden, pumpkin decorating, body art painting, a petting zoo and live music on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn, featuring Elevation on Saturday from 2pm-4pm and The Special Edition on Sunday from 2pm-4pm. Get your costumes out for our Dress Like a Bug contest on Saturday and Sunday for your chance to win tickets to Holiday at the Arboretum.

Couples’ Chocolate Bonbons and Truffles Class with YeliBelly Chocolates

Couples’ Class
October 23 from 1–3pm
$85 per pair ($75 per member pair)

Trust us on this one – so delicious! Enjoy the process of learning how to make flavor-infused chocolate ganache, roll traditional truffles and make unique bonbons. Each guest gets to experience hands-on chocolate making with this experience and take home all the chocolate we make in class. This class can be completed while sitting or standing and is appropriate for adults of all ages.

Register

Trick or Treating in the Children’s Adventure Garden

October 29 & 30 from 6–9pm
$10 ($8 for members)

Don’t miss out on a special spooky late night at the Rory Meyer’s Children’s Adventure Garden with tricks and treats at every turn! Come in costume for trick or treat stations (select galleries open), a spooky maze tour, special mad scientist lab, and much more! Adults, please do not wear costume masks.

Register

Make and Take Pasta Pumpkins Class with Chef Isabel

Parent & Child Class
October 30 from 11am–1pm
Adult price: $20 ($15 for members)
Child price (ages 2–12): $15 ($10 for members)

Resident Chef Isabel Snetsinger leads families in a hands-on class perfect for fall. Participants create their own pasta stuffed squash, ready to bake at home. Simple, healthy ingredients lead the way in this class, and kids leave inspired to spend more time in the kitchen at home! Suitable for children ages 8–12.

Register

Authentic Greek Cooking Class with Chef Dimitrios

October 31 • 1–3pm
$80 per person ($75 for members)

Greek Chef Dimitrios Vagenas of My Kuzina teaches you and your loved one how to create the perfect authentic Greek dishes at home. You create a Greek salad, eggplant crostini, and an okra + chicken casserole with tomato sauce to enjoy in class.

Register

Homestyle Grilled Cheese and Tomato-Pumpkin Soup Class with CAJUKIKU

Parent & Child Class
November 14 from 10:30am–12pm
Adult price: $30 ($25 for members)
Child price (ages 2—12): $15 ($10 for members)

Parents and children are invited to join Chef Kuma for a scratch cooking menu that is sure to warm the soul. Kids take the lead to create a tasty lunch that the family will enjoy on the spot! Suitable for children ages 8–12.

Register