Recommended Events

April 19 - May 11 - Dallas Roars at the Dallas Zoo.
The Dallas Zoo’s annual festival includes children’s concerts, strolling costumed characters, games, a marketplace and openings of two new temporary exhibits. This weekend, check out the grand opening of a walk-through butterfly exhibit. And dip a digit, or five, into the “Stingray Bay� tank, where you can pet and feed live stingrays. Also, check out the SpongeBob SquarePants 3-D Adventure Ride. And starting April 26, you can hop over to the new “Amphibians: Life Under the Leaf� display of 30 endangered frogs and other amphibians.

Every Friday/Saturday In May - Mesquite Championship Rodeo Season.
The Mesquite Championship Rode opens April 4 and continues each Friday and Saturday through Sept. 27. There’ll be competitions in barrel racing, bronc riding and team roping all season. Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, which sanctions the sports mentioned above, also will sanction steer wrestling, tie-down roping and bull riding contests this weekend through June 7. The Professional Bull Riders company, which sanctions bull riding as a stand-alone sport, will present its stable of bulls and riders June 13 through Sept. 27 as part of the PBR Discovery Tour. For more thrills with a dash of humor on the side, chuck wagon races, cowboy poker and kids’ mutton bustin’ will return this year. Cowboy poker is a dangerous card game, played by four contestants in the middle of the arena on a flimsy table with plastic chairs while an angry bull does his best to disrupt the game. As an opening-night bonus, NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer will sign autographs from 7 to 8 on April 4.

May 2nd - 18th - Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Live.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the story of Charlie Bucket, a boy who dreams of winning a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. The story's getting a professional musical production from Casa MaÉana Children's Playhouse in Fort Worth.

May 3rd - 17th Annual Fire Engine Show.
Come see engines pumping water, firetruck ladders being raised, water streams flowing and a close-up view of real, retired fire apparatus. It's all part of the Texas Fire Museum's 17th annual Fire Engine Show on Saturday at Fish Trap Park.

May 3rd - Asia Fest '08.
AsiaFest '08 Catch live music and dance performances, including a Chinese lion dance and the Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestra, near the gazebo at Haggard Park. There'll also be an adult and children's fashion show, clowns making balloon animals, face painting and lessons in origami. Make sure to bring your appetite for food from places including Joy Luck BBQ, Akbar Indian Restaurant, Henry's Homemade Ice Cream and Boba Latte. Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Haggard Park, 901 E. 15th St., Plano. 214-556-8168. www.asianamericanheritage.org. Free admission and free parking.

May 30th - Free Family Friday Fort Worth.
Check out attractions from two museums for free as part of Free Family Fridays at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. The cowgirl museum is housing some exhibits from the nearby Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, which is under construction. The Free Family Fridays series will continue on the last Friday of every month in 2008. The family-friendly attractions include Kidspace, where youngsters ages 6 and under can take a trip to a mini-grocery store, put on a puppet show, build a house, and experiment with balls, blocks and vortexes. In the Cowgirl Experience area, three interactive galleries showcase the courage and pioneer spirit of the women of the American West.