After much construction and a bit of rescheduling, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, the newest addition to the Dallas skyline, will officially open the weekend of March 2-4. The three-day celebration is filled with concerts, parities and, of course, a ribbon cutting ceremony, but other events already have kicked off. Here are a few:
Now until Feb 25
The Latino Cultural Center (LCC) is showing “White Steel, Blue Skies: A New Icon for Dallas’ Skyline.” The center invited Latino photographers from North Texas to photograph their takes on the bridge’s architecture to commemorate its opening. The winning submission of the third annual Trinity River Corridor Photography Contest also will be exhibited.
Thursday, March 1
Jim Lake Companies and the Dallas Design District Blog are hosting a kick-off celebration for the opening weekend of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The International on Turtle Creek. Drinks will be complementary, and fare from the Easy Slider Truck will be on the menu. Roberto Verastegui and his jazz trio will perform while attendees partake in photos of West Dallas and the new bridge by photographer by Dave Kozlowski, Harman’s prints of historic Dallas neighborhoods taken by David Anthony, and other works from Galerie Zuger. Stay tuned for updates on food and entertainment.
The Haley-Henman Gallery will feature an art show, “Focus on the Bridge.” The installment features photographs taken by David Clanton, Cecelia Feld, Bob Johnson, Michael Lyon and Alan Robertson. An opening reception for is March 1 at 6:30 p.m., and the show runs Feb. 29- March 5.
Friday, March 2
The weekend kicks off with the a $200-per-ticket party on the bridge at 7 p.m. Lyle Lovett and his band are the evening’s headliners, followed by DJ Lucy Wrubel and Sing-Off runners up Street Corner Symphony. Local cuisine and specialty drinks will be served by Trinity Groves. We’re interested to see the 14-foot Calatrava-inspired costumed performers. Fireworks will end the evening.
Saturday, March 3
The eight annual Trinity River Levee Run 5k and 10k races begin at 8 a.m., this year from the west side of the Margaret Hill Hunt Bridge. Runners will cross the bridge, then run through the Design District and back. Contact the Dallas Running Club for more information. Preregistration is $30, and $40 on race day.
Following the race is a free street fair at noon, which will be one of the few times during the weekend when pedestrians can walk across the bridge. Food vendors, dancers, radio personalities, local bands and musicians, and sidewalk artist Douglas Rouse will be there, and artwork from the Trinity River Photo Contest and the Trinity River Art Contest will be exhibited. The “Parade of Builders” will honor those who had a hand in building the bridge, including Santiago Calatrava, and interactive booths will chronicle the work of those who are key to the Trinity River Corridor Project. Fireworks will end the street fair at 9 p.m.
Sunday, March 4
A sunrise blessing and ribbon cutting begins at 7:15 Sunday morning and is open to the public. The National Anthem will be performed by Street Corner Symphony, and the Orchestra of New Spain will sing in honor of the Spanish naming of the Trinity River.
At 1:30 p.m. Bike Friendly Oak Cliff leads a free bike tour chronicling the major historic moments of the Trinity. The ride will navigate several of the adjacent downtown bridges that span the river. As it turns out, the Houston Street Viaduct turns 100 this year.
Urban Emergence, a seminar that showcases up-and-coming neighborhoods worldwide for their strides to become popular destinations, will begin at 2 p.m. Held in Methodist Dallas Medical Center’s Hitt Auditorium “technology, urban innovation and futurism converge” as city planners, historians and architects alike discuss what makes these neighborhoods the gems of their communities then and now. This event will be in partnership with the Dallas CityDesign Studio.
