Ring Them Bells: It’s Christmastime in McKinney!

And so the Christmas season has begun again in McKinney, the holidays official rung in over Thanksgiving weekend at Dickens of a Christmas: Home for the Holidays and the wonderful Believe Run with its Great Santa Chase. That weekend was the precursor of a month full of feel-good, homey activities in McKinney ahead of us, a time when the community comes together to celebrate all we hold dear, and a time to reach out to those who might need help. (In McKinney, the desire to help others is happily a year-round attitude. That being said, please drop a contribution in the red kettles while you’re out and about. We have a very active Salvation Army and they will appreciate your support.)

Take a gander at what is coming up in the month of December, mark your calendars and by all means, please take part in one, three or many of them. You’ll be glad you did, and your cheeks will feel rosier!

The Arts: Music, Drama & Visual

There’s still time to see Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol,” the classic holiday tradition from the McKinney Repertory Theatre at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (Dec. 1-2.  Tickets are available online or by calling 214-544-4630.

Join McKinney’s own Jon Christopher Davis (pictured at right) for Wales Manor’s first Music Under the Stars Holiday Concert (Dec. 1, 7-10:15 p.m). Admission is $10/person. Bring a lawn chair and blankets, but no outside beverages. Wine, margaritas, sodas and water for sale, and oven-fired pizza!

The Krakatuk Ballet presents two performances of A Nutcracker Prequel Ballet (Dec. 12 for schools; Dec. for the public). The story includes an evil mouse queen, a king, queen, princess, sausages, nursemaids, cats, a very hard nut to crack and a boy who is able to crack it. Tickets are at MPAC.

The all-volunteer McKinney Community Band is holding its first public Christmas Concert, “Sounds of the Seasons” (Dec. 14, 7;30 p.m.) at Christ Fellowship Church in McKinney, 2801 Orchid, just off Eldorado. Admission is free, and the church will have its coffee shop open for purchases of hot chocolate, coffee, cookies and other yummy goodies.

Enjoy the Romance of Christmas Concert with Erica Lane and Dustin Keele (MPAC, Dec. 14, 8 p.m.). Tickets are $20 and $22.

The Turtle Creek Chorale brings laughter, joy and the most beautiful music of the season to MPAC (Dec. 15, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.) in their “Comfort & Joy” concert. Tickets are $20 and $30.

Second Saturday (Dec. 8, 7-10 p.m.) as always showcases the art of wonderful local and regional artists at our downtown art galleries. For a list of participating galleries and businesses, click HERE.

The annual Heard-Craig Center for the Arts hosts its annual Holiday Tea & Conversation (Dec. 12) program this year, showcasing the amazing voices of the McKinney High School Harmony group and the Boyd High School Jazz Choir.

Holiday Sights and Lights

The McKinney Rotary Club presents the 13th Annual Christmas Parade of Lights (Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m.) around the historic downtown square. This year’s parade features the theme, “Christmas at the Movies.” Gather your family and friends to see all of the beautifully decorated and lighted floats as we kick off the festive Christmas season, McKinney-style. Then hang around the square for dinner and live music!

The first weekend of December (Dec. 1-2) has been The Heritage Guild of Collin County Holiday Tour of Homes since 1973! Every year, five or six homes and historic structures are decorated for Christmas for the tour. Proceeds from ticket sales and raffle are a major component to the ongoing operation of Chestnut Square. Tickets are $20 at the door/$15 in advance and are available online or at locales downtown; 12 and under free.

The Heard Museum hosts its Holiday Trail of Lights (Dec. 14-15, 6:30-9 p.m.) where guests will see thousands of holiday lights–many synchronized to holiday music–along a half mile Heard nature trail. Have a photo taken with Father Christmas and Mother Nature in a festive setting. Enjoy hot beverages and treats. Listen to live holiday music in the Heard outdoor amphitheater performed by local groups.

And Even More To Do:

Dec. 1: The DFW Toys for Tots 44-mile Motorcycle  Run kicks off in McKinney to collect toys. Line up at 8:30 a.m., leave at 10:30 a.m. Don’t ride a motorcycle? Bring $15 and a new toy to the McKinney VFW Post 2150 for lunch, and photos with Santa and Marines. Benefitting DFW Toys for Tots. 1710 N. Church. For info, call 214-563-4185.

Dec. 1:  Morning Maniacs Shine & Show Classic Car Show: 7:30-10:30 a.m. around the McKinney Performing Arts Center on the square.

Dec. 5-6: Scholastic Book Fair: Pick up books and great stocking stuffers at this annual  McKinney Community Center event; all inventory 50% off.

Dec. 14-16: Third Monday Trade Days is the oldest and largest monthly trade days/flea market in North Texas. Over 400 vendors offer almost anything you can imagine—unique gifts, delightful home décor, trendy clothing and accessories, sporting goods, antiques and collectibles, landscaping materials, tools, and small animals along with many specialty “state fair” type food concessions. Shoppers will find plenty of all-weather parking, clean restrooms, two ATMs, an air conditioned and heated Mall building, mobility cart rental, wagon and stroller rental, and a family-friendly atmosphere including a fun playground and train ride. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. all three days.

Dec. 15:  For Adriatica’s Christmas Cookie Competition & Craft Fair, bring a plate of your decorated cookies, take pictures with Santa, sip on some hot cocoa, and check out all of the wonderful crafts! Winners of the Christmas Cookie Decorating Competition will receive awesome holiday prizes! Craft Fair: 10am-5pm; Cookie Competition: 2pm-4pm; Pictures with Santa: 2pm-4pm. At the Love Life Wrapping Center, 6851 Virginia Parkway, 972.540.5955.

Saturdays at 11 a.m.: Franconia Brewery Tour with Bavarian brewmeister Dennis Wehrmann shares his knowledge and laughs. Tour fee of $5 gets you the tour and tastings. 495 McKinney Pkwy., 972-542-0705.

 

Ring in the New Year at MPAC!

The McKinney Performing Arts Center is hosting a New Year’s Eve on Dec. 31 bash featuring casino games, dancing and a champagne toast. Guests will groove to the beats of DJ Mark Brown and enjoy refreshments in the courthouse’s old vault retrofitted as a lounge area. Details and tickets are available on the MPAC website.

October in McKinney: Fall Colors & Spooky Stuff

Grab a pumpkin and have a fun October in McKinney

Once again, we feel the hint of crispness in the air as our thoughts turn to all things autumnal –pumpkins, brilliant colors of changing leaves, and things that go bump in the night!

McKinney offers all these things and more. Check out the many activities in store for visitors and residents in McKinney in the month of October.

At the Heard Museum

October 2012 gets underway with the Oct. 2 opening of the annual Dinosaurs Live! exhibit at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary. T-Rex and his pals will be around until February, giving you plenty of time to see and hear these animatronic creatures, made right here in Collin County, by the way. Don’t forget the camera as family pictures with the dinos make great additions to annual holiday cards. (We know this first hand, as we at the McKinney CVB took our holiday picture with the T-Rex a few years back!)

Dinos return to the Heard Oct. 2

A little later this month at the Heard:

• Halloween at the Heard(Oct. 20, 6-10 p.m.) allows kids to trick-or-treat by flashlight along the nature trails, or take a detour to the “Haunted Forest” (not recommended for younger guests). There’s a costume contest (12 and under), concessions for purchase, and this year’s outdoor movie, “The Lorax.”  Tickets go on sale to members today (Oct.1) and to the general public on Oct. 8. Note: this event sells out fast!
• The monthly 2^nd Saturday Bird Walk (Oct. 13) allows bird and nature enthusiasts to explore the abundant bird life in the sanctuary. For more about birds and nature, watch this VIDEO.

Historic District Events

McKinney Community Band Free concert

Enjoy several entertainment options taking place in and around downtown McKinney this month:

• McKinney Repertory Theatre brings Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” (Oct. 5-6, 12-14) to the Courtroom Theater at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC).
• A capella sensations Pentatonix(winners of the Nov. 2011 “Sing-Off” Season 3 on NBC) perform at MPAC this month (Oct. 18), but sorry, folks – this show’s already sold out!

• The McKinney Community Band honors Serenity High during their “After Ghoul Special” concert featuring bewitching music befitting the Halloween season. The concert is free, but tickets are needed as seating will fill up quick for this special night at MPAC. Get tickets HERE.
  

  Scare on the Square

• Kids will fill the square by the thousands for Scare on the Square (Oct. 31, 4-6 p.m.) featuring trick-or-treating, a costume contest, and the McKinney Fire Department McTown Klownz(performing at 6:30 p.m. in a free show at MPAC).
• Rocky Horror Picture Show (Oct. 19, 9-11 p.m) – The adults can enjoy some kid-free Halloween fun, too, as they rock along with this cult-classic. Bring your water guns, newspapers, toast, rice and more, or buy your Rocky Horror Kit when you buy your ticket to this late night event at MPAC.
• Vocalists are submitting videos now (through Oct. 11) for the McKinney Mash-Up with online voting starting soon (Oct.12-26). Contestants will be notified Oct. 29 with the event taking place next month at MPAC.

Over at Chestnut Square Historic Village, enjoy the following family-friendly events:

• Visit the last weekly Farmers Market (Oct. 13) Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, before monthly markets start up.
• At Legends of McKinney Ghost Walk (Oct. 20 & 27), guests will learn about McKinney’s ghostly legends on a self-guided tour through McKinney’s purported haunted locales, including this year’s addition of a haunted trolley ride to Finch Park (additional fee applies).
• The city’s Parks department is hosting an outdoor showing of “The Hunger Games” at the McKinney Community Center (Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m.). You bring the lawn chair and/or blankets while the city provides the movie and free popcorn.

Jon Christopher Davis

McKinney At-Large

Fall fun isn’t just for the historic district. Check out these Fall events elsewhere in the city:

• Wales Manor Vineyard and Winery again welcomes Jon Christopher Davis and friends to the outdoor stage for Music Under the Stars (Oct. 6).
• Pumpkinville (Oct. 17-31) features a pumpkin patch, display of farm equipment from the Collin County Farm Museum, tractor-pulled hay rides (times vary by day), pumpkin decorating, games, picnicking, a toddler-sized hay maze, and more. Free admission with pumpkin sale proceeds benefiting McKinney Christian Academy.
• Visit Storybook’s Ghost Ranch and Pumpkin Patch (thru Oct. 31) for wagon rides, petting zoo, hay maze and more.

Charitable Causes

Go to Pumpkinville at Tucker Hill & see their incredible fountain

• The 4th annual Wish 100 (Oct. 6, 8 a.m.) in which the city partners with The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas, McKinney Velo and Matrix Cycling for a 60-mile ride through McKinney and surrounding communities to raise funds to help make wishes come true for children battling life-threatening medical conditions.
• A special Sunday Brunch at Gather (Oct. 14) benefits CASA. Reservations are recommended and a photo booth will be on-site for capturing the fun with your friends.
• Walkers and runners can help multiple charities at the Stonebridge Racers’ Halloween Hustle (Oct. 28) which features 1K, 5K and 15K races.

This event list may look extensive, but our website calendar is full of many others, including Second Saturday art gallery openings, Third Monday Trade Days and Old Red Lumberyard, classes, FFA shows, garden workshops, Scouting badge days and more!  As always, check VisitMcKinney.com and the Destination McKinney Texas Facebook page for more event information.

And if you don’t have our Smartphone app yet (for iPhone, iPad or Android) by all means, go HERE now and get it! You’ll be glad you did.

Health, Music & More in May

“Health” is the word for May in McKinney. Locals and visitors will spend the month of May involved in a variety of spring activities, many of which focus on healthy living and recreation. Among the events and activities planned in McKinney this month are:

Don’t Worry – Be Healthy!

McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller is challenging the residents of McKinney to adopt healthier lifestyles in an effort to make McKinney the most fit community in the nation. To encourage steps toward this goal, the city is sponsoring a series of events that started with Relay for Life the last weekend in April and includes four events in May. Eligibility passports are available here and need to be stamped at four of the Healthy Challenge events to be eligible for the June 30 drawing for an iPad. The May events include:

• Get Fit McKinney (May 4, 6-8 p.m.) Join a free event hosted by the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department at the McKinney ISD’s Ron Poe Stadium.
• Historic McKinney Kiwanis Kids Triathlon (May 5, 8 a.m., 922-697-6922)
• Historic McKinney Kiwanis Triathlon and Wellness Run Races 3.6 mile run and a 2K fun run (May 6, 7:30 a.m. at McKinney High School).
• Bike the Bricks (May 25, 4:30-11 p.m.) This high speed closed crit race features an expected 500 cyclists racing through the downtown square as they chase a purse worth more than $20,000.

Also this month, those interested in fitness may register for these other May races:

• 2^nd Annual LifeRace 5K (May 12, 8:30 a.m., cross-country run and dog walk in Myers Park)
• TOP 5K, 10K & 1-mile Fun Run Walk/Roll (May 19, 9 a.m., in Craig Ranch).
• Stonebridge Memorial Day 1K, 5K and 10K (May 28, various start times, in Stonebridge Ranch).

Another important event focusing on health and wellness is the Strikes Against Cancer Select Youth Baseball Tournament which brings 248 teams of young ball players and their families to McKinney for the weekend (May 4-6). Not only will the boys be active playing ball all weekend, the event itself is the brainchild of 12-year-old pitcher Geordon Cox as his way to help raise money to fight his mom’s uterine cancer. The website, accessible by click the organization name above, allows site visitors to make donations and buy special Strikes Against Cancer merchandise.

Cinco de Mayo

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in McKinney with a free concert and dance at Old Settler’s Recreation Center, 1201 E. Louisiana St. with music provided by Mariachi Michoacan, a theatrical presentation by Teatro Dallas called PIZCAS and other festive activities. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s defeat of French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. 972-542-5014.

Arts On Stage & In the Gallery

John Fitzgerald McGill takes the Sanctuary Stage at Zin Zen Wine Bar, 6841 Virginia Parkway. (May 1, 7:30 p.m.)

The popular “Music Under the Stars” concert series continues at Wales Manor Vineyard & Winery (May 12, 7:30 p.m., but gates open at 6:15 p.m. for best seating) with country darling IMAJ (pictured right) taking the stage. Also at this event, you’ll see the Rendola Paso fino horses from Aubrey, where IMAJ has been taking riding lessons.

The McKinney Youth Theatre brings the popular musical “Hairspray” to the Heard-Craig Performance Hall, 306 N. Church St. 972-422-2575. (May 4-13, times vary). Tickets are $8-18

Over at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson will announce the winner of his annual high school Congressional Art Competition & Exhibit (May 3, 7 p.m.). The Arts and Music Guild hosts a Juried Art Show in the MPAC gallery (May 11, 7 p.m.). reception with winners announced at 8 p.m., 972-547-2650). The artwork will be on exhibit for public viewing from May 14-22.

Join the North Texas Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS) for their Armed Forces Salute (May 19, 7 p.m.). Patriotic and popular music will be provided by ATOS Theater Organist of the Year Dave Wickerman, musician/composer/arranger Danny Wesley Ray, the Frisco Jazz Band, and other artists.

The McKinney Repertory Theatre presents White Liars & Black Comedy (May 25-26, 8 p.m., continuing in June), two one-act comedies by Peter Shaffer.

Memorial Day in McKinney

Pecan Grove Cemetery hosts their 28^th Annual Memorial Day Celebration (May 28, 9 a.m.) featuring state, county and local officials, veterans, Boy Scouts, and local musicians. Attendees can enjoy a free barbeque lunch at the conclusion of the event.

The annual Smiles Charity Concert and Family Festival this year brings Grammy-nominated county singer David Nail on the stage at Adriatica in Stonebridge Ranch (May 27, starting at 5 p.m.). This event also features music by Lantic and local favorites the Maylee Thomas Band.

Garden, Dogs and Horses

Myers Park & Event Center offers a month of wide variety of animal-related as well as garden tours and a race. Myers Park is located at 7117 CR 166.

• May 2: Collin County Master Gardeners will have a tour of the gardens, 972-548-4219.
• May 5-6: Alamo Area Whippets Club dog show, 214-616-0918
• May 5-6: The Red River Welsh Pony Association Silver Show, 469-223-2783.
• May 12: 5K Life Race, 214-673-2860.
• May 17: The Spring Horse Herd Health Clinic, 972-548-4233.
• May 19: Lone Star 4H Horse Club, 972-658-5201.

McKinney Favorites (Weekly and Monthly Events)

The Heard-Craig Center for the Arts hosts the monthly free Art History Brown Bag lunch-time discussion (12:30-1:30 p.m., May 2) featuring local artist, instructor and historian Anne Royer. This month, the focus is on Monet and Pissaro in 19th Century France.

McKinney’s Farmers Market at Chestnut Square Historic Village continues its regular weekly season on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, and at Adriatica on Thursdays (check their website for times). Monthly at Chestnut Square, enjoy Ghostly Haunting Tours held the third Saturday; tours of the grounds and homes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11 a.m.; and trolley tours of the historic district which leave Chestnut Square every second and fourth Saturday at 11 a.m.

Monthly flea market and vintage shopping is on tap at Third Monday Trade Days (May 18-20), Old Red Lumberyard Junk Market (May 18-19), and Treasure Spotters (May 5-6 & 19). And don’t forget the annual Spring McKinney Ladies Association yard sale at Stonebridge Methodist Church (May 5).

Find your inner drummer Saturdays during the 10 a.m. African drumming circle, courtesy of Drums Not Guns,  at Old Settlers Recreation Center or during the Fourth Friday Drum Circle in Mitchell Park.

Second Saturday on the downtown square (May 12, 7-10 p.m.) features new art exhibit openings and meet-the-artist receptions. This month’s offerings and participating galleries include:

• Laura Moore Fine Art Studios welcomes Waleed Arshad’s exhibit, “Of What is Past, Passing or to Come.” 107 S. Tennessee, 214-914-3630.
• The Artist’s Loft, 110 E. Louisiana, 972-345-6311.
• Orisons Fine Art and Framing Gallery, 110 E. Louisiana St., 972-529-1441.
• Imaging on the Square - 109 S. Tennessee St. – 972-548-7575
• Dobscha Studio - 111 E. Virginia St., #200 – 972-658-5196
• The Main Street Magic & Fun Company hosts the 2nd Saturday Magic Show at 7 and 9 p.m. in the Magic Attic Theater upstairs in the shop. Tickets are $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. 211 N Tennessee, 214-274-7802.

Also this month: National Travel & Tourism Week, starting this weekend, May 5. More to come on this event!

From the MCVB: 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.)

April Blooms in McKinney

Flowers bloom at Chestnut Square's Farmers Market

The old adage may be “April showers bring May flowers,” but in McKinney, we don’t have to wait until May to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. It’s safe to say that the heavy rains we had in March have already contributed to some beautiful colors and foliage around town. And in April, the sights can only get better!

Enjoy the first full month of spring with a wide variety of fun activities, with major emphasis on “all things art!”

Outdoor Fun!

Heard Butterfly Gardens

Celebrate Nature Family Festival (4/14; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.) This one-day outdoor festival features live concerts, “green” and other vendors who want to support nature and The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, interactive animal presentations, kids’ activities, guided trail tours, and canoe/kayak demonstrations. Guests will also enjoy our Live Animals of the World and Animal Superheroes exhibits, and the Native Texas Butterfly Garden.

McKinney’s Farmers Market at Chestnut Square Historic Village begins its regular weekly season (4/7, 14, 21, 28; 8 a.m. to noon.  Monthly at Chestnut Square , you can enjoy Ghostly Haunting Tours held the third Saturday;  tours of the grounds and homes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11 a.m.; and trolley tours of the historic district which leave Chestnut Square every second and fourth Saturday at 11 a.m.

Old Red Lumberyard

You can also enjoy outdoor shopping at the monthly Third Monday Trade Days (April 13-15) and Old Red Lumberyard Junk Market (April 13-14).

For those wanting to get some exercise for a great cause, McKinney’s Relay for Life event will take place at the main ballfield at the Ballfields at Craig Ranch (4/27-28).

Easter Photo Ops

The city-sponsored annual Easter Egg-stravaganza (4/7) features family fun at Al Ruschhaupt Soccer Complex located at 1986 Park View Ave. This free event starts at 11 a.m. Have the kids’ pictures taken with real, live bunnies (4/7) when you make an appointment for the Easter Bunny Photo Shoot,  available 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Children can take a bunny home for the day on Sunday on availability.)

April is Arts-Crazy!

McKinney is busting at the seams with artist offerings in April.

Ladies Night Out

The Heard-Craig Center for the Arts hosts the monthly free Art History Brown Bag lunch-time discussion (12:30-1:30 p.m., 4/4). The gardens at the Heard-Craig House are once again the site of the annual April concert series, Music in the Garden, featuring free concerts on Thursdays (4/5, 12 & 19).  The Young Artist Competition of the McKinney Musical Arts Society takes place in the Heard-Craig Performance Hall (4/13-15) while the 48th Annual Collin County Art Show fills the hall and gallery (4/20-22). People who enjoy making crafts will enjoy the Pinterest Party (4/12) in the hall, with all attendees leaving with a completed project of their choice.  Then near the end of the month, women will fill the hall for Ladies Night Out (4/26), a fun evening of arts, shopping and food-tasting that serves as a popular annual fundraiser for the Heard-Craig Center for the Arts.

The Young Actors Guild of the McKinney Repertory Theatre offers a thought-provoking spring coming-of-age story dealing with Nazis and Jewish death camps, “And a Child Shall Lead” (4/6-8) on the Courtroom Theatre stage in the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Also at MPAC this month are pianist-singer Charlotte Martin (4/13) and Country Music Award-nominated singer-songwriter Collin Raye (4/20).

And of course, you can try your hand at African drumming every month, courtesy of Drums Not Guns on any Saturday morning at Old Settlers Recreation Center or during the Fourth Friday Drum Circle in Mitchell Park.

Chalk Walk at MPAC

The monthly Second Saturday arts events including the regular monthly gallery exhibit openings and live music will take place that evening as usual (7-10 p.m.), but during the day, visitors to the square will enjoy Arts in Bloom (4/14, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.). The event’s activities include:

• Art Walk with artists displaying and demonstrating their art along the sidewalks and in some of the businesses on the downtown square;
• Chalk Walk when the sidewalks around the McKinney Performing Arts Center come to life with incredible chalk art;
• MISD Student Art Show in the MPAC gallery; and
• DD and the Studebakers perform jukebox favorites from the 1950s and 60s in the MPAC Courtroom Theatre (7:30 p.m.).

The Second Saturday (4/14, 7-10 p.m.) art offerings include the following:

Garret Art Gallery will be featuring McKinney resident Jenny Archbold, a graphic/commercial and fine artist who works in pencil, ink, pastel, watercolor and acrylic. 111 E. Virginia St., 972-548-9361.

Character Studies by Nathaniel Smyth

Over at Laura Moore Fine Art Studios, artists featured during Arts in Bloom are Elaine Adams, Amanda Beller, Linda Chidsey, Audrey DeFord, Shayna Duvarney, Pernie Fallon, Julia Forsyth, Sona Knox, Elizabeth Lane, Don Matschull, Laura Moore, Nathaniel Smyth, Joseph Taub, Amy Taylor. Then that night for Second Saturday, Laura welcomes artist Nathaniel Smyth for the opening of his exhibit, Character Studies. 107 S. Tennessee, 214-914-3630.

Debra Linker at The Artist’s Loft will host artist Lynne Hubner teaching a Whiteline Print Workshop from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with students creating 6″X 8″ multicolored prints through the use of this technique developed in 1915 New England using one woodblock, one carving tool, watercolors and a spoon. We will cover image transfer to the block, carving and inking techniques. Students should come to class with drawings and or photo reference. Call 972-345-6311 for details.

Orisons Fine Art and Framing Gallery welcomes well-known Taos Master Artist Charles Collins in his return to the Dallas area to open his only Dallas-area exhibit.  Collins will be bringing several original oil paintings rarely seen outside of his gallery, the oldest gallery in Taos, New Mexico.  110 E. Louisiana St., 972-529-1441.

2nd Saturday Magic Show: Each Second Saturday, the Main Street Magic & Fun Company hosts 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.

JCD at Wales Manor

Also on the second Saturday, the popular “Music Under the Stars” concert series opens its 2012 season at Wales Manor Vineyard & Winery as Jon Christopher Davis takes the stage with special guest Byron Dowd.

Performers from across McKinney will take the stage later in the month (4/20-21) for the annual McKinney Has Talent competition, our city’s version of American Idol, hosted by the McKinney Repertory Theatre on the MPAC stage. Then the last weekend of the month (4/28), American Passport: A Journey Through the World Music, hosted by the Cultural Concert of International Music, will provide attendees with a glimpse of the world through the eyes and music of children.

Garden, Animal & Farm Fun

Gardens at Myers Park

Myers Park & Event Center offers a month of wide variety as always with the Collin County Master Gardeners will have a garden tour (4/4, 972-548-4219); dog and livestock shows including Lone Star 4H Horse Club (4/7; 972-658-5201); Dallas Agility Working Group (4/14-15, 972-540-1413); Ducks Unlimited banquet (4/19; 972-658-1961); and Chisolm Trail Texas Longhorn Association cattle show (4/21; 254-630-0053); Basic Ag Field Day (4/27; 972-548-4233); and the Collin County Master Gardeners plant sale (4/28; 7 a.m.-4 p.m.; 972-548-4219).

Also, the Collin County Farm Museum located at Myers Park is offering another Model T class (4/14, 10 a.m.-noon) when attendees get a hands-on course in starting the museum’s 1911 Model T. (There are more steps to it than you’d think!)

The Farm Museum's 1911 Model T

(A second session to be held at a later date will cover the actual driving of the car and is open only to those completing the first class.) Myers Park is located at 7117 CR 166.

JUST ADDED

Here are a few events for which we’ve just received details:

• The 2nd Annual WAM Chef’s Challenge (4/19) at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club involves chefs from Bailey’s Prime Plus, Louisiana St. Grill, Holiday Inn and Suites, and Stonebridge Ranch Country Club competing for the win! WAM will be supporting a great cause this year, the Children and Community Health Center McKinney.

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’s Music Scene

Zane Williams recently performed at Wales Manor.

McKinney has become somewhat of a haven for singer-songwriters and a regular nightlife staple in the Dallas area for live music enthusiasts.A couple of McKinney residents (Zane Williams and Jon Christopher Davis) and venues (Cadillac Pizza Pub and Wales Manor Vineyard & Winery) are even among those being featured on this fall’s new nationally-syndicated TV show, “Troubadour, TX.” The show follows a handful of Texas singer-songwriters, showing their lives at home, in the studio and on-stage.

(Interesting tidbit: The show’s supervising producer also lives in McKinney and sometimes doubles as cameraman for the show.)

Jon Christopher Davis performs on the stage at Wales Manor.

Williams is the winner of a number of songwriting awards and has opened for a nice list of touring performers.

Davis, whose songs have been recorded by a number of Nashville recording artists, also had a composition of his selected as the national theme song for the American Heart Association’s “Relay for Life,” also penned the song, “Texas,” that was selected as the theme of the State of Texas Tourism Department. Both of these accomplished men have developed extensive followings and regularly perform here at home at both Cadillac and Wales Manor, among all the other venues and studios around the country where they perform.

Crystal and Will Yates

The next up-and-coming singer-songwriter to perform at Wales Manor (a venue that only brings singer-songwriters to its stages) will be Crystal Yates, a native Floridian who moved to McKinney with her husband-manager Will and their son a couple years ago. Yates just released her first CD as a McKinney-ite, holding the release party at another popular live music venue in McKinney, Café Malaga. The songs on the CD, “Love Wins,” are all original compositions written primarily by Yates and her mentor (a Dove Award winner) Jennie Riddle, another McKinney resident, one whose family is quite prolific in the music scene. (Her daughter Emily Riddle also just released a CD this month, and the Riddle and Yates families together started New Nation Music, a musical ministry, in 2009.) Yates will be performing in a free concert at Wales Manor on Friday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m.

Williams’ next performance in McKinney will be part of the same two-day festival in which Yates is performing; he’ll take the stage adjacent to Chestnut Square on Friday at 7:50 p.m. This weekend’s Music in Motion, is an inaugural event presented by fledgling non-profit Arts & Music Guild of McKinney, and the brainchild of the guild’s founder, artist Anne Royer. For two nights, a wide variety of area musicians will perform on stages in and around Chestnut Square Historic Village as well as the usual live music venues in town. Another popular and long-time McKinney singer-songwriter, Maylee Thomas, will also take part in Music in Motion, performing in Adriatica Saturday from 5:30-7 p.m.

The music attendees will hear both nights of the festival include a variety of jazz, bluegrass, country, rock, funk, and even big band, compliments of McKinney Community Band’s Dance Band on Saturday at 7 p.m. (The community band’s flute choir is also on the festival schedule, appearing Friday at 6:45 p.m. on the patio at Chestnut Square.)

McKinney’s sizable community of visual artists will also be on-hand to display and create their art during the concerts at Chestnut Square and the adjacent “green” to the north of the square where the main stages will be located. The complete list of all the artists, both performing and visual, is  available from the festival website (www.musicinmotiontx.com). Admission is $10 on Friday night ($5 for students, veterans and seniors). Saturday night’s concerts have no cover charge. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, as will hot dogs and pizza.

Whatever your favorite type of music, you’ll find it in McKinney, Texas, just about any night of the week and certainly this weekend!

As always, you can learn more about McKinney’s entertainment and live music scene by visiting VisitMcKinney.com and by loading our free Visit McKinney Texas Smartphone app. (For links to the Apple Store and Android Market, click HERE.)

Happy Fall, Y’all!

Fall has officially arrived in McKinney, Texas … and with that comes the promise of many fun family activities. Many business owners on the downtown square are already decking-out their shops with fall colors and some of the windows are so festive with autumn and Halloween themes. (The main picture is but a sampling of the color that awaits you on the square. More decorations will be appearing around downtown in the coming weeks.)

The month of October gets a roaring kick off with the Oct. 1 opening of the annual Dinosaurs Live! exhibit at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary. We grabbed the camera and ran out to The Heard to snap a few pictures of the dinosaurs last week as they made their grand entrance via18-wheeler flat-bed. They’ve spent the past week finding the right spot to settle in along the nature trails for their four-month stay among the trees, grasslands and wildlife. They roar, they move, and a couple even spit. (It’s easy to find these, as groups of kids often gather in front of them, waiting to be sprayed by the ferocious beasts!)

Also at The Heard this month:

• Night Hike (Oct. 15) – Grab a flashlight and venture out on the nature trails at night. You’ll hear and see, if you’re lucky, some of the nocturnal wildlife that calls The Heard home. Reservations are required. Also on Oct. 15: Free Visitor Day, National Fossil Day celebration & the opening of “Animal Superheroes” Exhibit.
• Halloween at the Heard (Oct. 22) – The kids will love trick-or-treating by flashlight on the nature trails, stopping at the dinos to collect candy. Also scheduled: a costume contest, refreshments, Haunted Forest, and an outdoor movie! Reservations are required and it sells out FAST every year.

The City of McKinney presents some fall events as well, some for families and others more adult-oriented, including:

• Family Fall Festival (Oct. 23, 6-10 p.m.) – This event at the Community Center on Central Expressway just south of Towne Lake features games and activities for families as well as an outdoor movie (“How to Train Your Dragon”) from 8-10 p.m. Registration is required. $5 per person. 972-547-2690.
• Scare on the Square (Oct. 31, 4-6 p.m.) – The downtown square is closed off to allow children to trick-or-treat at the downtown shops, participate in a costume contest, visit with the McKinney Fire Department McTown Klownz (who perform at 6:30 p.m. in a free show at MPAC after this event), and more.
• Rocky Horror Picture Show (Oct. 29, 11 p.m) – The adults can enjoy some kid-free Halloween fun, too, as they rock along with this cult-classic. Bring your water guns, newspapers, toast, rice and more, or buy your Rocky Horror Kit when you buy your movie ticket. At the McKinney Performing Arts Center, 111 N. Tennessee. 214-544-4630.
• Also at MPAC in October: Daddy’s Dying, Who’s Got the Will? (McKinney Repertory Theater, Oct. 1, 7-9); Girl Talk: A Girls Night Musical (Oct. 15); Stars Go Dim Concert (Oct. 23); The Murderous Mansion of Dr. Uno (MRT Young Actor’s Guild, Oct. 21-23); and McTown Klownz (Oct. 31)

Over at Chestnut Square Historic Village, enjoy the following family-friendly events:

• Farmers Market: October is the last month of the weekly Farmers Market (Saturdays, 8 a.m.-noon through Oct. 29), with the final market featuring a pumpkin patch and more fun, including adorable Collin and McKinney, two baby goats currently living at Chestnut Square.
• Legends of McKinney Ghost Walk (Oct. 22 & 29): Learn about McKinney’s ghostly legends on a self-guided tour through McKinney’s purported haunted locales, including this year’s addition of a haunted trolley ride to Pecan Grove Cemetery (additional fee applies). Also see findings from TEXPART (Texas Paranormal Research) at MPAC, and hear ghost stories told by Civil War re-enactors.
• 4^th Annual Ghouls on the Lawn (Oct. 23): While this event isn’t actually at MPAC, it is presented by the McKinney Performing Arts Center at McKinney’s Tucker Hill and features trick-or-treating (5-7 p.m. only), haunted graveyard, ghost stories, pumpkin painting, magic show, hayride, petting zoo, and a live performance of Harry Potter’s “Dance of the Dementors”!

Music fills the air in October, too, and not only in the music and downtown wineries every weekend and on Second Saturday:

• Music Under the Stars (Oct. 22): Wales Manor Vineyard and Winery again welcomes Jon Christopher Davis and friends for the filming of an episiode of the new TV show, “Troubadour Texas.” (Details to come on the Wales Manor website.)
• Music In Motion (Oct. 28-29): This two-day festival will feature a wide range of musical groups as well as promoting all the live-music venues now entertaining visitors and residents. While the musicians make their music, a slew of McKinney artists will also be on-hand to demonstrate and who their art. (This event is the first venture of the newly-established Arts & Music Guild of McKinney.) Details to come on their website.

This event list may look extensive, but our website calendar is full of many others, including art classes, FFA shows, garden workshops, and more!  As always, check VisitMcKinney.com and the Destination McKinney Texas Facebook page for more event information.

And if you don’t have our Smartphone app yet (for iPhone, iPad or Android) by all means, go HERE now and get it! You’ll be glad you did.