Dallas’ Klyde Warren Park Hosts Summer Events and Shares Exciting News of Expansion — Including an Outdoor Ice Skating Rink

Locals and international visitors have been spending a lot of time in our verdant gathering space in Dallas’ Arts District, Klyde Warren Park.

Yes, the Park has been showing FIFA’s matches to crowds of fans (did you catch the gathering of Argentinian loyalists recently?) and has been hosting programs for its friends who live here year-round. Recently, we attended the Friends of Klyde Warren Park Annual Membership Party (sponsored by RREAF Holdings) which was part of a larger event — the Choctaw Cover-to-Cover Music Festival. Yes, our own mini version of Coachella; perhaps we’ll just dub it Park-chella.

The Park’s donor group, Friends and President’s Circle, had its own VIP area within the larger green space in front of the stage, which over the course of the late afternoon and evening had three local cover bands — Hard Night’s Day, The Meat Sweats and Central Standard Band.

We were told that around 5,000 gathered that day to drink (we loved the mini Mambo Taxis) and dance, and we were just excited to see a bunch of friends who had yet to scatter to the usual summer spots (East Hampton, Jackson Hole, Martha’s Vineyard). The evening’s honorary chairs were Candace and Max Swango, and the concert was dedicated to the memory of Rich Enthoven, a longtime Friends member and supporter of Klyde Warren Park. Rich was a passionate music lover who played in bands for much of his life, and his widow, Tucker Enthoven, was there to enjoy the night with their friends.

A few of my friends I spotted included Lynn McBee, Susan and Steve O’Brien, Carrie and Steve Becker, Nathan Vernon, Lisa and John Rocchio, Chuck Steelman, Jess and Tyler Bolander, Cammy and Holmes Davis, Pete West, Tiffany and Wade Jones, Allyson and Hayes Lindsley, Michelle and Bill Lockhart, DeeDee Lee, Megan and Casey McManemin, Joshua Rossignol, Abigail and Andrew Sinwell, and Michelle and Peery Wood.

Also, some exciting news that was shared this morning at a news conference at Mi Cocina at Klyde Warren Park by Jody Grant, Chairman, Klyde Warren Park; Eric L. Johnson, Mayor, City of Dallas; Kim Tolbert, City Manager, City of Dallas; and Michael Morris, Transportation Director, North Central Texas Council of Governments was that the beloved green space was embarking on yet another expansion that would begin by the end of the year. The last projects were in 2021 and 2022 when KWP added the Nancy Best Fountain, expanded the Sheila and Jody Grant Children’s Park, and relocated My Best Friend’s Park (that wonderful space for our four-legged family members).

The expansion will add nearly two acres of public space to what many have begun to affectionately call the city’s town square. The project will be in two phases, with the construction of a deck over Woodall Rodgers Freeway (funding for this phase has been fully secured) occurring first over the next 24 months. While this occurs, the Park will continue fundraising efforts to complete the award-winning pavilion, The Jacobs’ Lawn (which will transform into an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter), and a few new gathering spaces. Once completed, we’ll likely see even more cultural celebrations, festivals, concerts, and perhaps more watch parties if a major sporting event lands in DFW.

Hopefully I’ll catch you this weekend at the Park’s next annual signature event — the Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 4. This year’s honorary chairs are Ben E. Keith Company and the Kristin and James Hallam Family. That day you’ll find live music from Emerald City Band, presentation of the Colors from The Colony American Legion Color and Honor Guard, and of course a fireworks extravaganza to light up the night sky. Alas, these summer events are also a moment where you can bid adieu to Kit Sawers, who, after eight years serving as President and CEO of Klyde Warren Park, is leaving for a new position at Southern Methodist University.