USE YOUR OUTSIDE VOICE! Downtown Outdoors Reboots with New Ways to Play in Downtown Arlington

When you were a kid, nothing captured the spirit of anything is possible than a parent telling you to “go outside and play.” 

Outside means exploration! Free play! Telling time by the sun instead of the clock. Running and skipping instead of walking and tiptoeing. And using your OUTSIDE VOICE!

Hi. We’re Downtown Arlington. COME OUTSIDE AND PLAY HERE with us! From now through June, we’re rebooting our popular Downtown Outdoors series. Thanks to the support of our Spring 2022 presenting sponsor The Candlelite Inn, we’re offering new activities, live music, and inspiration for getting out of the house or office and into the great urban outdoors. 

Downtown Outdoors Spring 2022 programming includes:

Takeout Tuesday

Takeout Tuesdays are back! Grab some delicious to-go fare from one or more Downtown restaurant(s), then join us for an informal picnic in a nearby park accompanied by some of our favorite local buskers. 

Be sure to bring your restaurant receipt so you can enter our prize drawing! Held on the third Tuesday of the month.

• Tuesday, April 19 at 6pm in Gene Allen Park, featuring music from UTA jazz students
• Tuesday, May 17 at 6pm by the DREAM statue, featuring music from Artemis Funk
• Tuesday, June 21 at 6pm: at the benches by PNC bank, featuring music from Mossy Trio

Thanks to our Takeout Tuesday program partners including Arlington Parks and Recreation, Downtown’s restaurant community, musical guests, and merchandise vendor partners. 

Yoga with Arlington Yoga Center     

Give your sun salutation with nothing standing between you and the big, blue sky. Join Arlington Yoga Center instructors for yoga classes held in different outdoor spaces in Downtown. Free and open to all skill levels.

• Saturday, April 23 from 9-10am at Founders Plaza
• Saturday, May 7 from 9-10am at Knapp Heritage Park
• Saturday, June 11 from 9-10am by the DREAM statue

Thanks to our Yoga program partners including Arlington Yoga Center, Arlington Parks and Recreation, Arlington Historical Society, and First Baptist Church Arlington.

Downtown Photo Walks

Calling all photographers! Photographers and models are invited to join Downtown Arlington and a guest photographer guide for a monthly Downtown Photo Walk.  

For each meet-up, we’ll start at a common location to hear a brief talk by our guest photographer. Then we’ll take off together (different directions each month) in search of inspiration. Bring your own camera, or borrow one of ours (while supplies last).

It’s free to participate in our Photo Walks, but we do ask that you register in advance. If you want to borrow one of our film cameras, you’ll pay a nominal $10 fee at the time you register.

• Thursday, May 19 at 6:30 at Create Arlington with host Jason Schlichenmaier, an experienced photographer who currently does work for Neiman Marcus and will talk to us about Discovering the Power of Light [Click here to register]
• Thursday, June 16 at 6:30 at Create Arlington with host Maya Crawford, a wedding photographer across Texas that's coming to speak about getting more bookings by making easy reels and Tik Toks [Click here to register]
• Thursday, July 14 at 6:30 at Create Arlington with Penelope James, a photographer that will help us explore our identities as artists through the lens of our cameras [Click here to register]

On the day after each walk, between 11am-1pm, you’ll have access to a recently refurbished dark room in the Arlington Museum of Art to see what develops. Just let us know during the Walk if you’re interested in booking a time in the dark room.

Thanks to our Photo Walk program partners including Arlington Museum of Art and our local photographer guides.

Downtown Arlington Coloring Books  

We say, color OUTSIDE the lines! The Downtown Arlington Coloring Book includes over a dozen pages, illustrated by local artist Derek Thorne, featuring familiar cultural and heritage destinations throughout the district. Perfect for kids and adults! Get your free copy in the Downtown Library’s Children’s area while supplies last.

Thanks to our Coloring Book partners including the Downtown Library and artist Derek Thorne.

Patio Perfect   

Now that sunny days are here to stay, we officially declare the return of patio weather! With over twenty restaurants and pubs that offer outdoor seating, patio-hopping is one of our favorite Downtown Arlington activities. Click here to see a list of Downtown Arlington restaurants that offer outdoor seating. Nearly all are dog-friendly!

Printable Walking Tour Maps  

Looking for creative ways to meet your step goals, take a stroll, walk your pup, or train for your next 5K? Downtown Arlington has several healthy and fun routes mapped out, just for you. Along the way, you can also discover what’s new on Abram St., take a selfie mural tour, and explore our public art installations. Visit our Downtown Outdoors page for details.

For More Information

Visit the Events Calendar on our website for details about all Downtown Outdoors events. 

What other ideas do you have for enjoying the great outdoors in the heart of your city? We’d love to hear from you.

About Downtown Outdoors  

Downtown Outdoors is Downtown Arlington’s platform for discovering and experiencing the great outdoors in the heart of the city. Downtown Outdoors not only helps us see Arlington’s historical and cultural district differently, but will create opportunities to discover and engage with the district’s many outdoor spaces through creative new programming that’s open to all. #ExploreDTArlington

About Downtown Arlington   

Designated by the State of Texas as the Arlington Cultural District, Downtown Arlington is where creativity, authenticity, and hometown pride thrive and drive what's next. Within its less than a two-mile radius, Downtown is home UT Arlington, a Tier-One university, plus prolific visual and performing arts, live entertainment, exciting NCAA and professional athletics, one-of-a-kind dining and retail, and a supportive business climate. #downtownarlington

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