Autumn at the Arboretum’s Annual Festival Features “Bugtopia”

Autumn at the Arboretum’s Annual Fall Festival Features “Bugtopia”!

Autumn at the Arboretum! Named as “The best pumpkin patch to visit with family this fall” by The Pioneer Woman, Autumn at the Arboretum, presented by Reliant, returns with a “Bugtopia” theme from September 18 to October 31. The 16th annual fall festival features the nationally acclaimed Pumpkin Village with 20-foot-tall, decorated pumpkin houses created with more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash from the West Texas town of
Floydada.

Dallas Arboretum Board Chairman Jim Ryan said, “Autumn at the Arboretum comes alive with larger-than-life insect topiaries, fascinatingly bugged-out pumpkin houses, a maze for younger visitors and even an 18-foot-long dragonfly—perfect for all those social media moments. Don’t forget to tag us, too!”

“At Reliant, we’re always excited to support the Dallas Arboretum as we love the family-friendly atmosphere and events that bring people together to enjoy this world-class garden and its fine exhibitions,” said Andrea Russell, vice president and general manager of Reliant. “We’re thrilled to help bring the Bugtopia theme to life this year and give our community an experience to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying the fall season.”

Autumn at the Arboretum features breathtaking colors of fall with 150,000 fall flowers—marigolds, chrysanthemums and more throughout the 66-acre garden. Many special events take place during the festival. Here are some highlights:

• Local popular bands play live music every weekend afternoon during the festival.
• Seasonal daily samples highlight in-season plants in A Tasteful Place garden.
• Insect Encounters tent features daily, hands-on experiences such as live insect
demonstrations, nature art, expert chats and more.
• Mommy and Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays, presented by Kimberly-Clark,
includes face painting, stroller fitness, a petting zoo, Kindermusik, a hay bale maze, and
a pumpkin patch with pumpkins for purchase and music.
• On Family Fun Weekend, Oct. 9-10, and on Halloweekend, Oct. 30-31, the festival also
includes a petting zoo and face painting for children.
• Arboretum-led walking tours, harvesting and horticulture demonstrations round out
the festival.

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is located on the southeastern shore of White
Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218. The Dallas Arboretum is also the
home of the internationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. The
garden is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Festival admission is $17 for adults, $14 for seniors
65 and older, and $12 for children 2-12, and free for Arboretum members and children
under two. On-site parking is $15 or $10, if purchased in advance online. The Dallas
Morning News is the principal partner of the Dallas Arboretum. The Arboretum is
supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department. WFAA is an
official media sponsor for the Dallas Arboretum.