All Tracks Lead to Grapevine

Grapevine's nonstop schedule of fun promises a 'dino-mite' summer

Come face to face with Grapevine's fossil-filled past.

Photo courtesy of Visit Grapevine

This summer, Grapevine transforms into a playground of prehistoric beasts, musical beats, lakeside leaps, and more.

Whether you're in town for a weekend or settling in for a season of fun, Grapevine offers a dizzying array of adventures for every kind of explorer, from fossil-hunters to wine-sippers, art lovers to escape-room sleuths.

Here’s a roundup of the biggest events lighting up Grapevine in June and beyond.

Prehistoric playground: All tracks lead to Grapevine
Dinosaurs are making a comeback in Grapevine, which has been the site of exciting dinosaur discoveries since 1974.

From now through August 31, Historic Main Street is dotted with dino tracks leading to themed treats, hands-on exhibits, and full-sized fossil fun.

Kids (and their grown-ups) can pilot simulation pods at the Be the Dinosaur exhibit, devour chocolate dinosaur lollipops from Dr. Sue’s Chocolate, bite into dino cupcakes at Main Street Bistro & Bakery, make your own colorful dino egg at Vetro Glassblowing Studio, contribute to an eight-foot chalk mural at Holder Dane Gallery & Art Studios, and board the Grapevine Vintage Railroad for Dinos on the Tracks, a Jurassic joyride featuring friendly dinos.

Grapevine train All aboard for adventure.Photo courtesy of Visit Grapevine

For those seeking a bird’s eye view of ancient stomping grounds, the Grapevine Observation Tower offers a 150-foot-high panorama of dino territory.

At Historic Nash Farm, the action continues with a life-size dino dig garden and tales from the notorious 19th-century "Bone Wars" fossil feud. Over at the Grapevine Public Library, guest speakers bring paleontology to life through games and hands-on learning, from fossils and ancient ecosystems to local discoveries like the Ampelognathus coheni.

Each week, catch dino-themed Cartoons & Crafts at the Lancaster Theatre, and enjoy classic dinosaur flicks at the Historic Palace Theatre. Over at Peace Plaza, sunlight becomes your artistic assistant during shadow tracing sessions with massive dinosaur shapes.

Want to take your adventure outdoors? Hike the Dino Trail along the C. Shane Wilbanks and Wall-Farrar Trails, where you just might spot a fossil or two while discovering more about Grapevine’s place in paleontological history.

Kids can test their explorer instincts in Pterodactyl Wings Alley (aka Weems Alley), where flying reptiles hang overhead, and pose for a prehistoric photo opp in a safari-style dinosaur Jeep at Liberty Park Plaza.

History buffs will appreciate the hands-on activities at the Settlement to City Museums, where you can print your own dinosaur cards and see a real Hadrosaur track at the Grapevine Historic Museum’s Ice House exhibit. Meanwhile, Grapevine City Hall displays authentic bones and fossils from the region’s own prehistoric past.

Summer onstage, in the sky, and under the sun
If you prefer superheroes over sauropods, head to Gaylord Texan Resort for the brand-new Universe of Light. This glowing spectacle features 1,000 handcrafted lanterns and LED-powered tableaus of DC superheroes and villains — think Metropolis meets immersive art gallery.

Gaylord Texan Resort Universe of Light Calling all superheroes to Gaylord Texan Resort.Photo courtesy of Gaylord Texan Resort

Meanwhile, Great Wolf Lodge is cranking up the volume with live concerts handpicked by country star Gabby Barrett. Performers like Travis Denning and Tyler Farr will keep the weekends lively, while the resort’s upgraded water park ensures daytime splashing is just as exciting.

Lake Grapevine’s WhoaZone is back with inflatable slides, floating cabanas, and a seriously bouncy obstacle course that’s perfect for adventurous spirits.

And don't miss thisssss: Repticon on June 28-29. From slithering snakes to rare lizards, this exotic pet expo at the Grapevine Convention Center is for anyone curious about the creepier side of the animal kingdom.

Sip, savor, and solve
Wine lovers, rejoice: Grapevine’s Summer Solstice Wine Trail on June 21 invites you to sip through seven winery tasting rooms along Historic Main Street, each offering curated pairings and a commemorative glass. For a tropical twist, Messina Hof is pouring summer-inspired wines paired with flavors like coconut and pineapple at their Tropical Tastes & Perfect Pairings evening on June 28.

Grapevine wine Cheers to the longest day of the year.Photo by Kevin Brown

If you're up for a challenge, step inside the Enchanted Cottage escape room at The Grapevine Escape, where Clarence the Wizard has left a mess of magical proportions. Your mission? Clean up the chaos before he returns.

A city that sings
Every Friday night in June, Grapevine Main LIVE! brings Peace Plaza to life with tribute concerts. From '70s disco to Fleetwood Mac and Bryan Adams celebrations, each evening promises high-energy fun under the stars.

For a performance with purpose, don’t miss The Longest Day 12-hour Concert on June 21. Musician Joshua Ingram will play from sunup to sundown as part of a global Alzheimer’s Association fundraiser. Bring $12, 12 friends, and your best dance moves for a cause worth supporting.

Whether you’re grooving to live music, floating through a neon-lit Gotham City, or digging for dino bones, Grapevine’s summer calendar is anything but ordinary. Start planning your adventure at GrapevineTexasUSA.com.

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Now hear this

New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history

Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum, San Antonio, tejano music

Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Roger Hernandez serves as board president of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum.

For a city that proudly calls itself the capital of Tejano music, San Antonio has long been missing a permanent place to honor the genre’s pioneers and preserve its history. That gap officially closed In December with the opening of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum at 1414 Fredericksburg Rd.

The music couldn’t have found a better steward than its founder and board president. Roger Hernandez has had his finger on the pulse of Tejano music for decades. His company, En Caliente Productions, has provided a platform for countless performing artists and songwriters in Tejano, conjunto, and regional Mexican music since 1982.

Hernandez says his wife, who ran a shop at Market Square years ago, would often get questions from visitors about the location of a physical Tejano music museum, a thing that simply did not exist. In 2022, he banded together with friends, family, and other local Tejano music supporters to make the nonprofit Hall of Fame a reality.

“I decided I've been in the music scene for over 40 years, it's time to do a museum,” Hernandez recalls.

Hernandez says a brick-and-mortar Tejano music museum has long been needed to remember musical acts and other individuals who grew the genre across Texas and northern Mexico, especially those who are aging. Recently, the community lost famed Tejano music producer Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla, the renowned Tejano singer/songwriter and father of the late superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Both deaths occurred roughly one week after the Totally Tejano museum opened to the public.

“They're all dying. They're all getting older, and we need to acknowledge all these people,” Hernandez says.

The Totally Tejano Museum — named after Hernandez’s Totally Tejano Television Roku streaming — has 5,000 square feet of space packed with plaques, photos, promotional posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia honoring the pioneers and stars of the beloved genre. Mannequins wear stage outfits from icons like Laura Canales and Flaco Jimenez, and a wall of photos remembers late greats. Totally Tejano Television plays legendary performances on a loop, bringing the exhibits to life.

The newly opened Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum includes a growing collection of memorabilia. Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Hernandez says the museum will soon welcome permanent and rotating exhibits, including traveling shows, a Hall of Fame section, and an area paying homage to Chicano music crossovers, such as the late Johnny Rodriguez, the South Texas singer-songwriter who blended country with Tex-Mex music. Plans call for the organization to hold its inaugural Hall of Fame induction in February 2026.

Eventually, a 2,000 square feet back room will be converted into additional display space and host industry gatherings, community symposiums, and record and video release parties. The museum also plans to add a gift and record shop and a music learning room where visitors can listen to early Tejano music and browse archival photos. Hernandez is already talking with local school districts about educational field trips.

Much like Tejano itself, the museum is a grassroots production. Hernandez and fellow board members have used their own money to rent, renovate, develop, and maintain the museum space. The board also leads the selection of the Hall of Fame honorees and curates the exhibits.

Hernandez has been heartened by the museum’s reception, both from media outlets and music fans around Texas and beyond.

“We had a radio station come in this morning from Houston to interview us,” he says. “People have come in from Lubbock, Texas. We have had people from Midland, Texas. We have another person who emailed us who’s coming in from New York. People are learning all about us.”

That includes many of the musicians who helped shape the genre. Johnny Hernandez, Sunny Ozuna, Elida Reyna, and Danny Martinez from Danny and The Tejanos are among the luminaries who have already graced the halls.

The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum is now open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Fans can call 210-314-1310 for more information.

san antonio tejano music museums hall of fame music openings

All Tracks Lead to Grapevine

Grapevine's nonstop schedule of fun promises a 'dino-mite' summer

Now hear this

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