When Festival at the Switchyard comes to Carrollton on Nov. 4, it will be the annual event’s 13th year. As always, expect vendors, rides, lots of music – and plan on taking DART’s Green Line to get there. The festival is just blocks from Downtown Carrollton Station. DART will also have a booth at the event from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.! Come celebrate with us for our 40th anniversary! We will be having fun games and prizes as well as promotional giveaways.

In keeping with the festival’s “lucky 13th,” here are 13 things to know about one of the biggest festivals in North Texas. 

Top 13 Things to Know:

1. FREE! No entry fee or ticket is needed, and all rides, games, concerts, and entertainment are free, including concerts by headliner multi-platinum selling rock band Collective Soul and opener Grammy-nominated alternative rock band Fuel. Bring spending money for food, drinks, and shopping.

2. Main Stage Entertainment: All day entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. when Creekview High School “Legends” Show Choir will sing the National Anthem. Students from School of Rock (North Dallas) will take the stage at 12 p.m., followed by JPGR: A Beatles Tribute. The Dale Gibbs Band will crank up the country classics in the afternoon and RED: A Taylor Swift Tribute will give Downtown Carrollton a taste of the Eras tour. At 4:20 p.m., Emerald City Band will get the crowd up on their feet to dance, and Infinite Journey will perform classics from the legendary rock band before the evening’s headliners take the stage.

3. Front-of-Stage Performances: Festival attendees will enjoy performances from local groups beginning just after 11 a.m. in front of the main stage. First up, Blalack Middle School Dance Ensemble will perform, followed by line-dancing from Dance E Motion. Class Act Tap Company will provide sparkling entertainment and Sidekicks Martial Arts will give a high-flying martial arts demonstration. In the afternoon, Motion, The Studio will dance and cheer in a dazzling performance, and the Newman Smith High School Troyanns Drill Team will demonstrate their award-winning routines. Catch exciting K-Pop dance shows from K-Pop Dance Dallas and Cypher Dance Co. to conclude the day’s front of stage performances.

4. Strolling Entertainment: Strolling performers will entertain and delight attendees as they walk, dine, and shop throughout the festival grounds. The DeWitt Perry Middle School Cheer Team will perform cheers and routines. Guinness World Record holder David Slick will put on interactive juggling and stilt-walking shows, while hula hoop artist Amanda Slick demonstrates her skills in hula hoop dance and spin tricks. Costumers and cosplayers, the DFW Avengers, will return to the festival this year for super photo opportunities. With his close-up magic, strolling magician Chris Hester will make any Festival moment magical.

5. Rides & Games: In addition to live entertainment, the festival offers free rides such as bungee trampolines, a zip line, and a giant fun slide, as well as carnival games, a kids’ craft area, inflatables, face painting, balloon twisting, caricature drawings, and more. All free! Just make sure to get in line early as the face painting and balloon twisting booths shut down at 6 p.m., and rides and games close at 7 p.m.

6. Arcade Games & Pinball Machines: Be sure to visit inside the Plaza Arts Center, located next to the main stage, to enjoy free arcade games and pinball machines. The whole family can shred guitar on Guitar Hero or have a dance-off playing Dance Dance Revolution. Unwind with a few nostalgic games of pinball or introduce the classic game to someone who has never played before.

7. Food Vendors & Shopping Opportunities: Hungry attendees can give their feet a rest in one of the downtown restaurants or enjoy a bite to eat from food vendors offering delicious festival favorites such as turkey legs, barbecue, tacos, deep-fried Oreos, funnel cake, and of course, corny dogs. Festivalgoers are encouraged to visit the unique shops that line the square or stop by the many trendy artisan booths for local jewelry, art, and other trinkets. Maybe even get an early start on holiday shopping this year!

8. Volunteers: Be a part of the 13th annual Festival at the Switchyard by signing up to volunteer. Volunteers play a vital role in the festival’s success by helping during all phases of the event, from greeting attendees to assisting with children’s activities and crafts. Receive a free volunteer T-shirt, a free lunch, and a great parking spot close to the event while volunteering (available on a first-come, first-served basis) by visiting carrolltonfestival.com/volunteeropportunities and signing up today.

9. Parking will be extremely limited. Park and ride the DART Green Line to Downtown Carrollton Station. Parking is available at most DART stations.

10. Prohibited Items: Due to the limited space within the festival grounds, lawn chairs, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, in-line skates, and coolers are not permitted. Seating areas within the festival site are provided. Pets, with the exception of service animals for persons with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, are also not permitted.

11. Beer Garden: Take a break in the beer garden and visit one of three bars at the festival for a variety of beer and wine options. Several downtown restaurants also offer mixed drinks.

12. The event will be held rain or shine. Musical acts may be postponed due to inclement weather, but will not be rescheduled for an alternate weekend. If the weather becomes severe enough to jeopardize public safety, the festival may be closed until conditions improve.

13. Festival Sponsors: Events such as the Festival at the Switchyard are made possible by community partners across the DFW Metroplex. Festival sponsors to date include Dallas Morning News, Dan “The Wreck Man” Moore, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), iHeartMedia, Carrollton Regional Medical Center, Grifols Plasma, KDAF CW33, Raising Cane’s, Texans Credit Union, Whataburger, Courtyard by Marriott and Carrollton Conference Center, Frost Bank, Integral, Just4Kids Urgent Care, Pecos Pete’s All-Natural Tea & Soda Co., Republic Services, Sam Pack’s Five Star Ford in Carrollton, 3 Nations Brewing Co., Custom Ink, Lark Music Loft, North Dallas Gazette, Power Home Remodeling, Renewal by Anderson, and Resort Vacations Inc.

For the latest updates on the Festival at the Switchyard, stay connected on social media at facebook.com/carrolltonfestival and twitter.com/carrolltonfest.

When Festival at the Switchyard comes to Carrollton on Nov. 4, it will be the annual event’s 13th year. As always, expect vendors, rides, lots of music – and plan on taking DART’s Green Line to get there. The festival is just blocks from Downtown Carrollton Station. DART will also have a booth at the event from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.! Come celebrate with us for our 40th anniversary! We will be having fun games and prizes as well as promotional giveaways.

In keeping with the festival’s “lucky 13th,” here are 13 things to know about one of the biggest festivals in North Texas. 

Top 13 Things to Know:

1. FREE! No entry fee or ticket is needed, and all rides, games, concerts, and entertainment are free, including concerts by headliner multi-platinum selling rock band Collective Soul and opener Grammy-nominated alternative rock band Fuel. Bring spending money for food, drinks, and shopping.

2. Main Stage Entertainment: All day entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. when Creekview High School “Legends” Show Choir will sing the National Anthem. Students from School of Rock (North Dallas) will take the stage at 12 p.m., followed by JPGR: A Beatles Tribute. The Dale Gibbs Band will crank up the country classics in the afternoon and RED: A Taylor Swift Tribute will give Downtown Carrollton a taste of the Eras tour. At 4:20 p.m., Emerald City Band will get the crowd up on their feet to dance, and Infinite Journey will perform classics from the legendary rock band before the evening’s headliners take the stage.

3. Front-of-Stage Performances: Festival attendees will enjoy performances from local groups beginning just after 11 a.m. in front of the main stage. First up, Blalack Middle School Dance Ensemble will perform, followed by line-dancing from Dance E Motion. Class Act Tap Company will provide sparkling entertainment and Sidekicks Martial Arts will give a high-flying martial arts demonstration. In the afternoon, Motion, The Studio will dance and cheer in a dazzling performance, and the Newman Smith High School Troyanns Drill Team will demonstrate their award-winning routines. Catch exciting K-Pop dance shows from K-Pop Dance Dallas and Cypher Dance Co. to conclude the day’s front of stage performances.

4. Strolling Entertainment: Strolling performers will entertain and delight attendees as they walk, dine, and shop throughout the festival grounds. The DeWitt Perry Middle School Cheer Team will perform cheers and routines. Guinness World Record holder David Slick will put on interactive juggling and stilt-walking shows, while hula hoop artist Amanda Slick demonstrates her skills in hula hoop dance and spin tricks. Costumers and cosplayers, the DFW Avengers, will return to the festival this year for super photo opportunities. With his close-up magic, strolling magician Chris Hester will make any Festival moment magical.

5. Rides & Games: In addition to live entertainment, the festival offers free rides such as bungee trampolines, a zip line, and a giant fun slide, as well as carnival games, a kids’ craft area, inflatables, face painting, balloon twisting, caricature drawings, and more. All free! Just make sure to get in line early as the face painting and balloon twisting booths shut down at 6 p.m., and rides and games close at 7 p.m.

6. Arcade Games & Pinball Machines: Be sure to visit inside the Plaza Arts Center, located next to the main stage, to enjoy free arcade games and pinball machines. The whole family can shred guitar on Guitar Hero or have a dance-off playing Dance Dance Revolution. Unwind with a few nostalgic games of pinball or introduce the classic game to someone who has never played before.

7. Food Vendors & Shopping Opportunities: Hungry attendees can give their feet a rest in one of the downtown restaurants or enjoy a bite to eat from food vendors offering delicious festival favorites such as turkey legs, barbecue, tacos, deep-fried Oreos, funnel cake, and of course, corny dogs. Festivalgoers are encouraged to visit the unique shops that line the square or stop by the many trendy artisan booths for local jewelry, art, and other trinkets. Maybe even get an early start on holiday shopping this year!

8. Volunteers: Be a part of the 13th annual Festival at the Switchyard by signing up to volunteer. Volunteers play a vital role in the festival’s success by helping during all phases of the event, from greeting attendees to assisting with children’s activities and crafts. Receive a free volunteer T-shirt, a free lunch, and a great parking spot close to the event while volunteering (available on a first-come, first-served basis) by visiting carrolltonfestival.com/volunteeropportunities and signing up today.

9. Parking will be extremely limited. Park and ride the DART Green Line to Downtown Carrollton Station. Parking is available at most DART stations.

10. Prohibited Items: Due to the limited space within the festival grounds, lawn chairs, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, in-line skates, and coolers are not permitted. Seating areas within the festival site are provided. Pets, with the exception of service animals for persons with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, are also not permitted.

11. Beer Garden: Take a break in the beer garden and visit one of three bars at the festival for a variety of beer and wine options. Several downtown restaurants also offer mixed drinks.

12. The event will be held rain or shine. Musical acts may be postponed due to inclement weather, but will not be rescheduled for an alternate weekend. If the weather becomes severe enough to jeopardize public safety, the festival may be closed until conditions improve.

13. Festival Sponsors: Events such as the Festival at the Switchyard are made possible by community partners across the DFW Metroplex. Festival sponsors to date include Dallas Morning News, Dan “The Wreck Man” Moore, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), iHeartMedia, Carrollton Regional Medical Center, Grifols Plasma, KDAF CW33, Raising Cane’s, Texans Credit Union, Whataburger, Courtyard by Marriott and Carrollton Conference Center, Frost Bank, Integral, Just4Kids Urgent Care, Pecos Pete’s All-Natural Tea & Soda Co., Republic Services, Sam Pack’s Five Star Ford in Carrollton, 3 Nations Brewing Co., Custom Ink, Lark Music Loft, North Dallas Gazette, Power Home Remodeling, Renewal by Anderson, and Resort Vacations Inc.

For the latest updates on the Festival at the Switchyard, stay connected on social media at facebook.com/carrolltonfestival and twitter.com/carrolltonfest.

When Festival at the Switchyard comes to Carrollton on Nov. 4, it will be the annual event’s 13th year. As always, expect vendors, rides, lots of music – and plan on taking DART’s Green Line to get there. The festival is just blocks from Downtown Carrollton Station. DART will also have a booth at the event from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.! Come celebrate with us for our 40th anniversary! We will be having fun games and prizes as well as promotional giveaways.

In keeping with the festival’s “lucky 13th,” here are 13 things to know about one of the biggest festivals in North Texas. 

Top 13 Things to Know:

1. FREE! No entry fee or ticket is needed, and all rides, games, concerts, and entertainment are free, including concerts by headliner multi-platinum selling rock band Collective Soul and opener Grammy-nominated alternative rock band Fuel. Bring spending money for food, drinks, and shopping.

2. Main Stage Entertainment: All day entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. when Creekview High School “Legends” Show Choir will sing the National Anthem. Students from School of Rock (North Dallas) will take the stage at 12 p.m., followed by JPGR: A Beatles Tribute. The Dale Gibbs Band will crank up the country classics in the afternoon and RED: A Taylor Swift Tribute will give Downtown Carrollton a taste of the Eras tour. At 4:20 p.m., Emerald City Band will get the crowd up on their feet to dance, and Infinite Journey will perform classics from the legendary rock band before the evening’s headliners take the stage.

3. Front-of-Stage Performances: Festival attendees will enjoy performances from local groups beginning just after 11 a.m. in front of the main stage. First up, Blalack Middle School Dance Ensemble will perform, followed by line-dancing from Dance E Motion. Class Act Tap Company will provide sparkling entertainment and Sidekicks Martial Arts will give a high-flying martial arts demonstration. In the afternoon, Motion, The Studio will dance and cheer in a dazzling performance, and the Newman Smith High School Troyanns Drill Team will demonstrate their award-winning routines. Catch exciting K-Pop dance shows from K-Pop Dance Dallas and Cypher Dance Co. to conclude the day’s front of stage performances.

4. Strolling Entertainment: Strolling performers will entertain and delight attendees as they walk, dine, and shop throughout the festival grounds. The DeWitt Perry Middle School Cheer Team will perform cheers and routines. Guinness World Record holder David Slick will put on interactive juggling and stilt-walking shows, while hula hoop artist Amanda Slick demonstrates her skills in hula hoop dance and spin tricks. Costumers and cosplayers, the DFW Avengers, will return to the festival this year for super photo opportunities. With his close-up magic, strolling magician Chris Hester will make any Festival moment magical.

5. Rides & Games: In addition to live entertainment, the festival offers free rides such as bungee trampolines, a zip line, and a giant fun slide, as well as carnival games, a kids’ craft area, inflatables, face painting, balloon twisting, caricature drawings, and more. All free! Just make sure to get in line early as the face painting and balloon twisting booths shut down at 6 p.m., and rides and games close at 7 p.m.

6. Arcade Games & Pinball Machines: Be sure to visit inside the Plaza Arts Center, located next to the main stage, to enjoy free arcade games and pinball machines. The whole family can shred guitar on Guitar Hero or have a dance-off playing Dance Dance Revolution. Unwind with a few nostalgic games of pinball or introduce the classic game to someone who has never played before.

7. Food Vendors & Shopping Opportunities: Hungry attendees can give their feet a rest in one of the downtown restaurants or enjoy a bite to eat from food vendors offering delicious festival favorites such as turkey legs, barbecue, tacos, deep-fried Oreos, funnel cake, and of course, corny dogs. Festivalgoers are encouraged to visit the unique shops that line the square or stop by the many trendy artisan booths for local jewelry, art, and other trinkets. Maybe even get an early start on holiday shopping this year!

8. Volunteers: Be a part of the 13th annual Festival at the Switchyard by signing up to volunteer. Volunteers play a vital role in the festival’s success by helping during all phases of the event, from greeting attendees to assisting with children’s activities and crafts. Receive a free volunteer T-shirt, a free lunch, and a great parking spot close to the event while volunteering (available on a first-come, first-served basis) by visiting carrolltonfestival.com/volunteeropportunities and signing up today.

9. Parking will be extremely limited. Park and ride the DART Green Line to Downtown Carrollton Station. Parking is available at most DART stations.

10. Prohibited Items: Due to the limited space within the festival grounds, lawn chairs, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, in-line skates, and coolers are not permitted. Seating areas within the festival site are provided. Pets, with the exception of service animals for persons with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, are also not permitted.

11. Beer Garden: Take a break in the beer garden and visit one of three bars at the festival for a variety of beer and wine options. Several downtown restaurants also offer mixed drinks.

12. The event will be held rain or shine. Musical acts may be postponed due to inclement weather, but will not be rescheduled for an alternate weekend. If the weather becomes severe enough to jeopardize public safety, the festival may be closed until conditions improve.

13. Festival Sponsors: Events such as the Festival at the Switchyard are made possible by community partners across the DFW Metroplex. Festival sponsors to date include Dallas Morning News, Dan “The Wreck Man” Moore, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), iHeartMedia, Carrollton Regional Medical Center, Grifols Plasma, KDAF CW33, Raising Cane’s, Texans Credit Union, Whataburger, Courtyard by Marriott and Carrollton Conference Center, Frost Bank, Integral, Just4Kids Urgent Care, Pecos Pete’s All-Natural Tea & Soda Co., Republic Services, Sam Pack’s Five Star Ford in Carrollton, 3 Nations Brewing Co., Custom Ink, Lark Music Loft, North Dallas Gazette, Power Home Remodeling, Renewal by Anderson, and Resort Vacations Inc.

For the latest updates on the Festival at the Switchyard, stay connected on social media at facebook.com/carrolltonfestival and twitter.com/carrolltonfest.