Last weekend, Texas Monthly's inaugural Edge of Texas festival took over downtown, offering some of the top food, music, art and storytelling that Texas has to offer. Miss the party? Here's some highlights.
Friday night at Fashion Industry Gallery
Friday night featured a party made for Instagram, complete with colorful streamers, a photobooth designed by Rancho Pillow artist Shelia Youngblood and a fragrance bar from Forty Five Ten. The latter had a science-lab setup with bubbling beakers and spiral glass, and a live model in a glass box lounging on white and red rose petals.
A pop-up bar from Midnight Rambler included a punch with fall spices and a sweet take on an Old-Fashioned. Craft beers were provided by Alpine's Big Bend Brewing, but the "signature cocktails" were made with imports Effen vodka and Hornitos tequila. Wine was provided by New Zealand's Kim Crawford wines.
Overheard, after a man in a felt hat walked by: "I'm so not used to seeing cowboy hats." Then, after an incredulous look, "What? I live in Dallas."
Saturday at the Joule
The main event for the Edge of Texas was the programming curated by Texas Monthly staff members. Editor Tim Taliaferro described it as the magazine come to life.
Some sessions, like executive editor Skip Hollandsworth's interview with Mark Cuban, were straight interviews. Others, like Taliaferro's session with first responders from Hurricane Harvey, were framed as panel discussions. Still others, like a songwriting panel starring Jack Ingram or a craft beer panel, offered unique interactivity. Those panels had live music and beer samples for the audience, respectively.
Overheard: "The Mavericks play at 7:30 tonight, tickets are still available" was Cuban's standard dodge when interviewer Hollandsworth asked pointed questions about the billionaire's potential presidential run.
Skip starts with a handful of questions that start with, “If you were president, what would you say about...” Cuban dodges at first, then answers seriously. “I should’ve brought a campaign manger here who doesn’t exist.” #EdgeofTexas
— Charlie Scudder (@cscudder) November 11, 2017
Saturday night at the Longhorn Ballroom
In the massive, recently remodeled Longhorn Ballroom, the festival wrapped up with a part-hoedown, part-hipster rock show with performances from Austin's Shinyribs and Dallas' Sarah Jaffe. Black-and-white 1930s Westerns were projected onto screens on the main stage while Shinyribs front man Kevin Russell led a conga line through the crowd.
Behind the ballroom, Texas chefs served an upscale cook-out featuring pork tacos, grilled octopus, sturgeon, pretzel-bun brisket sliders and more.
