Swag's Fest Photos: City Arts Celebration

The festival was spread over about 4 blocks of the Arts District, from the front lawn of the Dallas Museum of Art, past the Nasher Sculpture Garden and the Crow Collection of Asian Art, down almost to the Myerson Symphony Center. 

Free admission (no gates, just wander on in); available street parking or $5 lots.   Beer was $4/can, wine was $6/glass; $2.50 for a 20 oz. soda.  Vendors from local restaurants were selling stuff like burgers and sandwiches for $5-6.  The museums were charging their normal admission (Nasher $10, DMA $6, Crow Collection free).

Two stages of music and dance.  I caught the Herbie Johnson Quartet, consisting of sax, guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard.  So Herbie can't count, but he plays jazz sax pretty good.  Then I wandered a bit, visiting the Crow Collection and the adjacent Crow Sculpture Garden, both very pleasant.  Then it was back to the main stage to catch Wanda King.

Wanda King is the daughter of the late Dallas and worldwide blues legend Freddie King.   She's only recently begun to perform, and though I'd caught her doing a song or two at local jams, I'd never seen her do a full set.  As a bonus, her band was featuring local favorite Holland K. Smith on guitar.  Perry Jones was on keyboards, but also played guitar on a couple of songs, and excelled on both instruments.  Plus, Wanda had her daddy's drummer, Charles Myers, holding it all together.  And Wanda herself did not disappoint.  She's got a big voice and a good stage presence. 

As a final lagniappe, right as Wanda finished, up marched the Townview Marching Band, laying down 10 minutes of drums and brass that had me almost ready to second line my way all the way back to my car.