March In McKinney…

Spring is definitely on its way, evident by the blooming trees and flowers everywhere … and by the spring-oriented events taking place in McKinney in March.

McKinney’s Great Outdoors: Spring months make us want to be outside, tending to the yard, planting gardens of flowers and vegetables, hiking on nature trails and taking to the roads for races.

Gardening: Learn about drought preparation, composting, tree maintenance, herbal gardening and raised garden beds at Soil Revival for Survival (March 3). Chambersville Tree Farms hosts this free conference where amateur and professional gardeners will demonstrate and discuss practical solutions for reducing water use and improving the health of your soil. Vendors will be on-hand, too, to share water-wise solutions for working in your yard and garden.  For more gardening information, visit the Collin County Master Gardeners Lawn & Garden Show (March 24-25) and the Earth-Kind Drought Management Conference (March 27), both at Myers Park.

Commune with Nature:  The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary provides a wide range of activities for families in March, especially during Spring Break (March 10-17). Kids can try out mini-camps (March 12) where they’ll go behind the scenes with the Heard’s education animals, create nature art, explore rock and fossil collections, and more hands-on learning. Also at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of Spring Break week, families will learn about the animals in the continuing Animal Superheroes exhibit. Families will venture out onto the wetlands (March 3 & 15) for Family Canoe Try-It (reservations required). And learn about owls and their habitat during the Owl Prowl presentation and night hike (March 17; reservations required).

Enjoy Being Outdoors: Other outdoor activities this month include the Leaping Leprechaun 1K, 5K and 15K Race in Stonebridge (March 10), Classic Car Show at Tucker Hill (March 3), shopping at the last winter Farmers Market at Chestnut Square (March 17), and the monthly Third Monday Trade Days (March 16-18).

March Arts: As always, McKinney offers its fair share of concerts, plays, art gallery exhibits and lectures. The first winner of the McKinney Repertory Theatre’s Annual New Play Competition, Crossroads, debuts (March 2-3, 9-11) at the McKinney Performing Arts Center.  Also at MPAC, you can attend the “Silents on the Square” Film Festival featuring the Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ (March 17), Smiles Charity Concert featuring Craig Morgan (March 23), and the McKinney Community Band (free concert, but tickets/reservations required, March 31). (Tickets to all the MPAC events are available from the ticket office – 214-544-4630 – or online by clicking HERE.)

The Heard-Craig Center for the Arts hosts a free Art History Brown Bag lunch-time discussion (March 7) on Bierstadt`s Vision of the American West at the Carriage House (205-1/2 W. Hunt). And find your place in the spotlight by trying out for the upcoming McKinney Summer Musicals’ 2012 production of My Fair Lady (March 30-April 1). McKinney Community Concerts presents two shows in March – Shaken Not Stirred (March 3) and Mac Frampton (March 24) – both of which require season tickets, but individual tickets may be available by calling the day of the show.

Second Saturday on the Square: McKinney has become well-known for its Second Saturday events each month – art gallery exhibit openings, live music and late night shopping. The following are just a sampling of the artists with work on display this month:

• Garret Art Gallery: Lori Bongiovanni, a self-taught artist, who has evolved from a love of watercolors to a progression into oils and pastels. She is drawn to colorful local events and likes depicting county fairs, chili cook-offs, parades, etc. 111 E. Virginia St.
• Laura Moore Fine Art Studios: The four painters in this show, colleagues and friends through the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, are all interested in landscape as sources for their work. A free panel discussion takes place at 3 p.m. that day in the Heard-Craig Carriage House, but space is limited so register at lauramooreart.com. The opening night starts at 7 p.m. at LMFAS. 107 S. Tennessee.
• Orisons Art & Framing: The abstract images of photographer Ann Williams (pictured) will be featured at Orisons Art and Framing Gallery, with an opening reception on Second Saturday, 7-10 p.m. Williams’ images draw upon lines, shapes, and patterns in our everyday world, analyzed and reconfigured to tease our visual memories. 110 E. Louisiana.
• 2nd Saturday Magic Show: Head to Main Street Magic & Fun Company for a Cabaret Style Magic Show at 7 or 9 p.m. in our Magic Attic Theater. Tickets are only $10 and include a complimentary glass of wine for those 21 and older. Children are admitted to the 7 p.m. show. Seating is very limited so call 214-274-7802 to reserve your tickets. 211 N Tennessee Street.
• LaMisha Bistro: Local artist Becca Motley premiers her art at LaMisha this month.

Here Come the Brides: The Wells Hospitality Group (Rick’s Chophouse, the Grand Hotel and Sauce on the Square) will host a Bridal Open House (March 31).

Also in March: Crossroads Cowboy Church meeting at Myers Park (March 4) while Myers Park also hosts several dog agility shows this month (March 2-3, 9-11, and 31-April 1).

If you learn of something else going on in McKinney this month, please let us know. As always, you can learn more about McKinney’s events by visiting VisitMcKinney.com and by downloading our free Visit McKinney Texas Smartphone app. (For links to the Apple Store and Android Market, click HERE.)

McKinney Loves Dogs!

One thing’s for sure – the people of McKinney sure do love their dogs. And they extend that love to visitors who love their dogs, too.

Krewe of Barkus Parade (Downtown McKinney)

People and their pups saw no better example of McKinney’s love for dogs than this past weekend at the annual Krewe of Barkus dog parade in downtown McKinney. The event in 2012 was the 10th year for the Art Institute of McKinney (AIM) to put on this Mardi Gras celebration, organized by McKinney artists and Louisiana natives Blynda Christian (pictured at left with her dog, the parade grand marshal Lady Godiva) and Amanda Kelly.

The parade is held the Sunday before Fat Tuesday each year with roughly 200 dogs and their owners dressing up in costume based on a theme.  Entrants decked out in their patriotic finery or as historic American figures (four-legged Betsy “Ruff,” the Statue of Liberty, George and Martha Washington and Uncle Sam, among others) paraded around the historic square with prize baskets going to those best entries meeting this year’s theme, “All American Barkus: A Salute to Presidents, Pioneers, and Pawtriots.”

Parade entrants threw candy and Mardi Gras beads to many of the 3,500 or so spectators while some even threw mini-dog treats to the couple hundred or more dogs who were just there enjoying the outing with their owners. Bowls of water sat on the sidewalk outside many stores sporting signs “Dogs Welcome – People, Too!” signs in their windows as many of the parade attendees and their pets lingered around the square, enjoying the beautiful warm day and blue skies.

After dispersing all the prizes, Blynda announced next year’s theme and date, expressing hopes for another glorious, unseasonably-warm February day.

“Mardi Gras falls early next year, on February 12, so our parade will be on Feb. 10. That’s pretty early and it’s been pretty cold a couple of  years, so everyone start praying now for another day like today,” she said. She then challenged participating dogs and families to start thinking about comic books, cartoons, superheroes and the like for a very animated Krewe of Barkus 2013. That should be a really good one – we can’t wait!

Dog Agility Competitions (Myers Park)

McKinney’s love for dogs isn’t reserved the one parade each year, though. Many weekends throughout the fall, winter and spring months, dogs are running through obstacle courses during scheduled agility trial competitions.  (The summer months are too hot for these shows as the arena isn’t air conditioned.) Some of these events are breed-specific while others are open to any breed of dog affiliated with a dog enthusiast or sporting group hosting competitions on a given weekend. Dallas Agility Working Group (DAWG), Gazehounds in Texas (GIT), Dallas Obedience Training Club, Happy Hounds and others host weekend-long events at Myers Park & Event Center that are open to spectators free of charge. (Click on the calendar on the Myers Park website for details.)

Visitors or residents looking for a fun way to spend an hour or two of relaxed fun may want to head north of University/380 to Myers Park. It’s a beautiful area of our county just on the northern edge of McKinney with rolling hills, open spaces, and plenty of parking. Bring along a picnic lunch to enjoy with the family near the shores of the pond at the park, or opt for snacks at the concession stand inside the arena with its packed-dirt floors.

Dog lovers will get a kick out of watching small and large breeds alike running (or sometimes walking, as dogs newer to the sport sometimes do) through the courses as fast as their little legs can carry them. Jack Russell terriers, border collies, labs, retrievers and even chihuahuas seem to be especially well-suited to these types of competitions, but other breeds can surprise you. Even a low-to-the-ground dachshund can finish in good time! Basset hounds might be a little different story, being typically a little slower than most when it comes to running, but they are not entirely strangers to the dog agility arena. After the races, some dog owners even treat their pooches to a doggy massage (a massage therapist is often on-hand at these events) or buy them a new toy or treat from the doggie-oriented vendors set up at the event.

McKinney Businesses  Go to the Dogs

Like many cities, the parks and neighborhood sidewalks are filled with people taking their dogs for daily exercise. This holds true for McKinney as well. The historic downtown square is especially dog-friendly with several shops, an art gallery or two, and the sidewalk dining areas of some of the eateries welcoming dogs.

Some of the business owners even bring their pups to work with them. If you stop in at Stone Wood Creators, make sure to scratch the ear of Tom Lavy’s pup, Tater. Or if handling bicycling business at Cadence Cyclery, say “hi” to Ridley (pictured at right). And if you’re lucky, you may even see a sweet little schnauzer peek out from under his owner’s desk at The Book Gallery.

McKinney even has its own pet treat bakery, the Canine Cookie Company, just a half-block off the downtown square proper. Dogs are always welcome here, since everything sold there is meant for them – healthy homemade dog treats, toys, leashes and collars, and even birthday cakes (available by special order). Click HERE for a video produced by the city’s television station, McKinneyVision, that explores this special downtown business.