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Talk about blossoms: North Texas' spring festival season has exploded in recent years. The boom (er, bloom?) isn't just because of new and more specialized events, either. Some perennial favorites (the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival, Wildflower and the Texas Scottish Festival & Highland Games, to name three) have never been more massive and are among the country's biggest urban parties.

From a Celtic celebration that traditionally commences the season to hot-air balloons in June, here's our annual roundup of the best fests. Keep an eye on Guide each Friday throughout the spring for more detailed information.

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JUNE FESTIVALS

GET REEL SUMMER MOVIE SERIES The popular series of outdoor movie screenings at AT&T Plaza in the Victory Park development starts up again June 3 with Top Gun. Hillwood real estate company is presenting the series, which runs through August. Bring chairs or blankets for seating. Sodas and alcohol will be available for purchase on the plaza. In promotion of the Dallas Opera's next season, there'll be films that celebrate the spirit of the opera on some Wednesday nights: Moonstruck (June 18), Carmen: A Hip Hopera (July 16) and Rent on Aug. 13. The other screenings will be on Tuesday nights. Titles include: Footloose, Titanic, Seabiscuit, The Sixth Sense and Jurassic Park. For a detailed schedule, visit the Web site.
• Summer Movie Series: Each Tuesday night, and occasional Wednesday nights, through Aug. 26. All movies begin at 7:30 p.m. at AT&T Plaza, Victory Park, Victory Park Lane and Olive Street. www.victoryparktheatre.com. Free.

MOVIES UNDER THE STARS Set the Thursdays in June and July aside to watch movies outdoors at the recently opened NYLO Plano at Legacy hotel. The hotel's courtyard provides the setting for Movies Under the Stars, featuring flicks on a 16-by-9-foot screen. Bring blankets but not lawn chairs. Coolers aren't allowed, but you can order food and drinks at an outdoor grill and bar. If you're looking for drink specials, get there between and 5 and 7 p.m. (showtime is 7:30 p.m.) and take advantage of happy hour specials such as $4 beer, $5 house wine and well drinks, and $7 select martinis.
• Movies Under the Stars: Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., June 5 through June 19 and July 3-31 at NYLO Plano at Legacy, 8201 Preston Road, Plano. 972-624-6990. www.nylohotels.com/plano. Free admission.
• The lineup:
– June 19: Twister
– July 3: The Bourne Identity
– July 10: Jaws
– July 17: There's Something About Mary
– July 24: Casablanca
– July 31: Sixteen Candles
– Happy hour: Mondays through Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m., Saturdays 4 to 6 p.m.

NASHER SCULPTURE CENTER ACTIVITIES Thursday Nights Free is exactly what its name suggests. So take advantage of free admission to the Nasher Sculpture Center on Thursday nights. The program is part of Summer at the Nasher and includes yoga in the Nasher garden and live entertainment. The summer programming also includes Friday Night Films With AFI Dallas, which begins June 13. Bring blankets to stretch out on the lawn. Lawn chairs and coolers are not allowed, but picnics can be purchased at Nasher Cafe by Wolfgang Puck. Visit the Web site for more information on the Nasher's summer programming. Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St. 214-242-5100. www.nashersculpturecenter.org.
• Thursday Nights Free: Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. in June. Free admission.
• Friday Night Films With AFI Dallas: Fridays from 6 to 11 p.m. (movie about 9 p.m.). June 13 through July 18. Admission is $10, $7 for ages 65 and older, $5 for students with ID, free for children 12 and younger. Free admission on June 13 (as part of the CityArts Celebration).
• Coming up:
– June 20: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
– June 27: North by Northwest
– July 4: Field of Dreams

CINEMA IN THE CIRCLE This year, the town of Addison's film series is focusing on Hollywood sports films. It kicks off with We Are Marshall on Saturday. The screenings will end on July 3 with fireworks and a showing of Rudy. Be sure to bring a picnic blanket, and maybe even some popcorn.
• Through July 3 at Addison Circle Park, 4970 Addison Circle Drive, Addison. 1-800-233-4766. www.addisontexas.net. Admission is free.
• The lineup:
– Seabiscuit: June 21 at 9 p.m.
– Rocky: June 28 at 9 p.m.
– Rudy: July 3 at 10 p.m. (fireworks will start at 9:30 p.m.)

MOVIES IN THE SQUARE Frisco Square kicks off its series of family-friendly movie screenings this Saturday with The Wizard of Oz. Movies will be projected on a large, inflatable screen. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket to sit on. Check the Web site for the lineup of other screenings, which will run through July 26. In case of inclement weather, check the Web site to see if the screenings are still happening.
• Through July 26; most screenings are Saturdays at 9 p.m. (no screening June 28, additional screening June 29 at 9 p.m.) at the plaza at Frisco Square, Frisco Square Boulevard and Coleman Avenue, Frisco. 469-633-1721. www.friscosquare.com. Free.

ENTERTAINMENT AT ONE ARTS PLAZA The multiuse development at the eastern edge of the Arts District is hosting an ongoing series of free entertainment. It includes weekly and monthly events, and most will be outdoors in the plaza area. Upcoming programming includes performances by classical guitarist Yoban Quijano, Dallas Symphony Orchestra violinist Bruce Wittrig (who'll be performing with other musicians) and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. One Arts Plaza, 1722 Routh at Flora. www.oneartsplaza.com. Free admission.
• Coming up:
– Yoban Quijano: June 15 at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday at 6 p.m.
– DSO violinist: June 16 and June 17 at 7 p.m.
– Dallas Black Dance Theatre: June 19 at 6:30 p.m.

FIGARO IN FLIP-FLOPS The folks at the Dallas Opera are loath to give up patrons between performance seasons. So the opera has planned a rash of neat arts activities and has partnered with some existing events such as Victory Plaza's outdoor movie screenings. Events will continue nearly until the 2008-09 season kicks off in November. Among this week's events: a Spanish cooking class and food tasting, a book club featuring reads tied to the upcoming season, an art lecture, two movie screenings and a lecture on Italian culture held at a bedding boutique. June 15 through Oct. 26. 214-443-1000. www.dallasopera.org. Free except as noted below.
• "Spanish Cuisine" cooking class and food tasting: June 15 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Milestone Culinary Arts Center, 4531 McKinney Ave. $50; $25 for tasting only.
• "Suzanne's Book Club": June 16 at 1 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 5301 Belt Line Road.
• Amadeus screening: June 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Inwood Theatre, 5458 W. Lovers Lane.
• "The Marriage of Figaro Lecture-in-bed": June 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Sovn, 5560 W. Lovers Lane, Suite 240.
• Moonstruck screening: June 18 at 7:30 p.m. at AT&T Plaza in front of the south entrance to American Airlines Center in Victory Park.
• "Spanish Art – A Night in Old Spain at the Meadows Museum": June 19 at 6 p.m. at the museum, 5900 Bishop Blvd. on the Southern Methodist University campus.



DFW SUMMER BALLOON CLASSIC This aviation celebration features dozens of hot-air balloons, displays of gliders and other aircraft, skydiving demonstrations, food, and arts and crafts. June 20 from 4 to 9 p.m., June 21 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., June 22 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mid-Way Regional Airport, 131 Airport Drive, Midlothian. Free admission; $5 parking. 469-644-4576. www.summerballoonclassic.com

Compiled by Hayley Altabef, Bindu Varghese, Nancy Moore and Mike Daniel

Published in The Dallas Morning News: 02.29.08