Denton Arts & Jazz Festival
Denton, Texas

When: late April

Where: The Denton Civic Center Park

From bebop and big band to Western swing and worldbeat, the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival is an aural and visual symphony for the senses, featuring a roster of local talent and internationally-known performers on six stages and works by 160 artists. An estimated 200,000 attendees will groove to tunes and marvel at the fleet footwork of dance troupes during this free, three-day party in the park.

Shopping: Peruse for purchases among the 70 booths brimming with original watercolors and oil paintings, necklaces and bracelets bedecked with semi-precious stones, hand-carved wood sculptures and ethereal impressions captured in stained glass. Booths will be located both outside and within the Civic Center.

Food: Five different food courts offer an epicurean odyssey for the taste buds, featuring delectable dishes from the Greek, Italian, Asian and Mexican cultures. Families can also satiate their appetites with such all-American fare as corn dogs, hamburgers, barbeque and corn on the cob.

Children's Activities: Bring your jazz baby to the Children's Art Tent, where budding Botticellis under the age of 12 can conjure up creative masterpieces at 15 workstations. Seventy-five volunteers are on hand to watch over the little ones and guide their growing gifts in the mediums of marble and mural painting, drawing and sculpture.

Other family-friendly activities can be found on the festival grounds, including rock climbing, face painting, inflatables, and a playground.

For more information:

• visit www.dentonjazzfest.com