Costco Opens Friday + Disco in the Park

Hey, y'all!

Highland Village is throwing its first Village Fest Saturday night at Doubletree Ranch Park, and it is free to walk in. Starting at 6 there is a hay maze, a petting zoo, hayrides, face painting and pumpkin decorating, and Le Freak takes the stage at 7. We are getting there early to run the hay maze while there is still light. If the main lot fills, overflow parking at Copperas Branch Park has a shuttle starting at 6:30.

Same night over in Denton, about 40 UNT art students fill the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center with light sculptures and projections for Electric!, one night only and also free. And if you are braver than we are, Haunted Shadows has been sending groups down a dark, mile-long trail along Lewisville Lake in The Colony since 2010.

One heads-up for Friday: the Costco at Grandscape opens its doors, so give yourself extra time around Spring Creek Parkway. Early voting starts Monday too, and we broke down what is actually on your ballot below.

See you at Doubletree Ranch Park.

- Jason

If your home or auto insurance has been on autopilot for a while, this is a good reminder to take another look. Bramble Insurance is a southern-focused independent agency that specializes in Texans’ needs. Fill out their form online and complete a quote with a licensed agent and they’ll send you a $5 gift card to Chick-fil-A.

Doubletree Ranch Park
310 Highland Village Rd, Highland Village, TX
Saturday, October 17, 2026
6 to 9 p.m.
Free admission, food and drink vendors pay as you go
See everything planned

Highland Village is throwing its first annual Village Fest Saturday night at Doubletree Ranch Park, and walking in is free. The city is setting up a mini-midway, a hay maze, a petting zoo, hayrides, face painters and a pumpkin decorating station, with food and drink vendors around the park.

Le Freak, billed as "The Greatest Disco Band in the World," plays from 7 to 9, so the grownups are dancing too.

Heads-up: the park also hosts the TXFallenPD Tribute that day, and its honor bike rides run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Expect police bikes and a crowd right as the festival starts. If the main lot fills, overflow parking at Copperas Branch Park has a shuttle starting at 6:30.

Our plan: get there at 6, hit the hay maze and the petting zoo while it is still light, then grab dinner from a vendor and plant the lawn chairs in front of the stage. Bring jackets, because Friday's cold front should make it a chilly night. It is year one and nobody knows how big the crowd gets, so show up EARLY.

Sali Limani landed in Chicago from Albania at 18, started out bussing tables and had his own diner within two years. Four decades later, he runs Leo's Brunch House on Eldorado Parkway with his family, and on weekend mornings the line spills out the door. Inside it is bright and clean, more sunny cafe than greasy spoon. It is where we land when the kids want pancakes and we want something past a plain short stack.

The cinnamon roll pancakes are the house bestseller. The fall menu is out now: Pumpkin Pancakes and Apple Pie French Toast run $14.50 each, and the Pumpkin Spice Croissant Beignets ($11.99) come with dulce de leche and sweet cream for dipping. Want savory instead? The Goldie ($15.49) is a chicken fried chicken breast with scrambled egg, sriracha aioli and American cheese on grilled brioche. For the grownups, the Lavender Lemonade Mimosa and Splash Berry Mimosa run $10.99, and the Honey Lavender Latte is $5.49.

One thing to know: they close at 2:30 every day, and weekends get slammed. Join the Yelp waitlist from their website before you leave the house. Gluten-free pancakes and French toast are on the menu too.

Price: $$
Hours: Daily 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

No tour guide. No hayride. Just you and the dark. Since 2010, Haunted Shadows has turned groups loose on their own down a trail that runs a little over a mile through the woods and tall grass along the shore of Lewisville Lake.

The trail sits on the back acres of TOCA Soccer Center, off Main Street (FM 423) about 3.3 miles north of 121. You grab tickets at the soccer center's front desk, walk out to the start, and spend 40 to 45 minutes picking your way past whatever's waiting in the trees. There are a few tight squeezes and a lakeside cemetery along the way.

Tickets run $29.55, taxes and fees included, at the front desk or online. You pick your own group, from one brave soul to a whole crowd, though the haunt says keep it under 7 or 8 so nobody misses a scare.

Most elementary-age kids will find it too much. Parents can ask for the PG version when they hand over tickets, and the group carries a light tube up front so the actors know to dial it way down. Everybody needs a ticket, even the little ones.

Remaining 2026 nights are Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17, 23 and 24, and 30 and 31, plus Sundays October 18 and 25. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. every night.

One thing to know: closed-toe shoes only (no sandals or heels), leave the pets at home, and keep an eye on the weather. They shut down for steady rain, and there are no refunds, but a rained-out ticket is good for any remaining night. Restrooms and concessions are inside the soccer center, and parking's free.

Price: $$
Hours:
Fri and Sat 7:30 p.m., last admission 11:30 p.m.
Sun 7:30 p.m., last admission 9:30 p.m.
Open through Sat, Oct 31

4 beds
3.5 baths
4,134 sqft
4.52 acres

A) $875,000

B) $960,000

C) $1,049,000

D) $1,150,000

The wait's over. The Costco in The Colony opens tomorrow. Costco's store page for the new warehouse at 6060 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX 75056 lists an opening date of Friday, Oct. 16, and the 155,000-square-foot store sits near Spring Creek Parkway and Grandscape Boulevard.

The listing shows a bakery, pharmacy kiosk, optometrist, pizza kitchen and rotisserie chicken, plus fresh meat, produce and a beer and wine section. Membership runs $65 a year for the basic tier, $130 for Executive. The gas station opened Oct. 5.

Opening-day traffic around Grandscape is going to be heavy, so plan around it. The store's number is 469-252-9834.

Source: Costco | FOX 4 News

Early voting opens Monday, Oct. 19. The county's preview ballot for the Nov. 3 election shows a handful of local items beyond the governor, U.S. Senate and statehouse races. Flower Mound, Lake Dallas and Hickory Creek each have a Proposition A on there.

In Flower Mound and Lake Dallas, Prop A would reauthorize a quarter-cent sales tax that pays for street maintenance and repair. Hickory Creek's Prop A asks voters to end the Hickory Creek Economic Development Corporation and adopt a local sales and use tax at 1.75 percent, per the ballot language.

The Colony is electing City Council Places 3, 4, 5 and 6. Denton voters in District 1 are filling an unexpired council term with four candidates. Countywide, the ballot runs down to county judge and Denton Central Appraisal District board seats. Pull up your exact ballot with the county's sample ballot tool before you head out.

Source: Denton County Elections Administration

Denton's police and fire departments started a Drone as First Responder pilot on Oct. 1, and it runs through Oct. 31. Drones parked at docking stations will fly straight to traffic crashes, missing person calls, robberies and structure fires, beaming live video back to Denton's 911 dispatch center.

They're flying the same Skydio X10 drones the Lewisville Police Department already uses. Denton says every flight ties to a 911 call, and the flight data gets posted to a public transparency dashboard.

Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

Lewisville ISD cut the ribbon Oct. 1 on the Vernell Gregg Early Childhood Center, the old Mill Street Elementary campus on Mill Street in Lewisville, TX. The district turned the school into a pre-K center after moving its students over poor state accountability ratings.

The center carries the name of LISD's first African American board member. Gregg taught for 39 years, 25 of them in LISD. She helped bring the AVID program to the district and started its MLK Day art contest, now in its 33rd year.

Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

Valley Creek Church pulled its request for sports lighting at its new college campus at Dixon Lane and Morriss Road, Flower Mound, TX. The lights would have run about twice as bright as town code allows. Mayor Cheryl Moore said the request came off the table after neighbors and the Planning and Zoning Commission pushed back.

Valley Creek College now plans to stay at or under the town's 20 foot-candle limit for its pickleball courts and field. Council members also said they want to talk about requiring a special use permit for athletic facilities like this one, which would hand them a say over hours and use.

Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

After about a week of heavy rain, Denton County ended the burn ban on Monday, Oct. 5. It had been in place since late August, back when the area went at least 30 days without measurable rain.

Outdoor cooking is back to normal too, not just the enclosed propane or natural gas grills. Live inside city limits? Check your city's own burn rules before you light a brush pile.

Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

He shares a name with a famous singer, and he has the energy to match. When he first came in, he took the staff on a wild ride.

He has been at the Lewisville shelter since May 13. That is five months of waiting on the right family.

Give him a patient first few weeks, then hikes and long walks around the lake.

The shelter is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Monday is by appointment, and Sunday is closed.

👉 Meet Mr. Worldwide and the rest of the adoptable dogs at the Lewisville shelter

👹 Monster Mashup - UNT CoLab, 207 N Elm St, Suite 101, Denton, TX | 6 to 9 p.m. | Free, all ages | More: calendar.unt.edu
Denton cartoonist Bryan Kelly, whose work is in the Denton Halloween Coloring Book, leads a drop-in night of drawing cryptid creatures right off the Square. Bring the kid who fills every notebook margin with monsters.

👶 Baby Playtime - Flower Mound Public Library, 3030 Broadmoor Ln, Flower Mound, TX | 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. | Free, ages 6 to 18 months with an adult | More: fmlibrary.libnet.info
Sensory play stations, building boxes and shakers for babies who aren't walking yet. Older siblings can head next door to Music, Motion, & Play at the same time.

📖 Story Time - Denton Public Library North Branch, 3020 N Locust St, Denton, TX | 11 to 11:30 a.m. | Free, ages 1 to 5 with a caregiver | More: denton.bibliocommons.com
Stories, songs and puppets aimed at getting preschoolers ready to read. The room fills up, so we'd get there a little early.

🖼️ Teen(y) Tiny Art Show - Lewisville Public Library, East Lobby, 1197 W Main St, Lewisville, TX | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Free | More: lewisville.libcal.com
Local teens made art no bigger than 4 inches on any side, from paintings to tiny sculptures, and it's all in the lobby case through Oct. 24. A fun five-minute stop if you're already at the library.

🔬 The Curiosity Lab - UNT Art Building, Room 160, 1201 W Mulberry St, Denton, TX | Noon to 5 p.m. | Free | More: calendar.unt.edu
UNT's design and tech lab opens to the public for hands-on, experimental exhibits. A good pick for the older kid who likes taking things apart.

🌳 LLELA Trails - Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area, 201 E Jones St, Lewisville, TX | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. | $5 per vehicle, card only | More: llela.org
Fall weather is finally here, and it's a nice time for the trails and the bison pasture. Gate payment is Visa, Mastercard or Discover only, with no cash or tap.

🧗 Fritz's Adventure - 5651 Nebraska Furniture Mart Dr, The Colony, TX | 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. | $26.99 general admission, $36.99 all access, ages 0 to 4 free | More: fritzsadventure.com
Indoor ropes courses, climbing walls and crawl spaces, open late on Fridays. Tickets include re-entry all day.

🏄 The Cove at The Lakefront - 417 Lakefront Dr, Little Elm, TX | 4 to 8 p.m. | $14 ages 15 to 49, $11 ages 2 to 14 and 50+, under 2 free | More: thecoveatthelakefront.com
Indoor water park on its fall schedule. Friday night is the only time this weekend you get weekday pricing.

🪵 Saturday at the Homestead - LLELA, 201 E Jones St, Lewisville, TX | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | $5 per vehicle, card only | More: llela.org
Volunteers lead casual tours of the restored 1870 Minor-Porter Log House, smokehouse and dugout. It's about a quarter-mile walk from the Cicada Pavilion lot, so wear real shoes and show up by 12:30.

🔭 UNT Sky Theater: The Planets & Beyond Live Show - Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building, Room 150, 1704 W Mulberry St, Denton, TX | 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. | $5 to $8 | More: calendar.unt.edu
A live planetarium tour where the audience picks which planets to fly to, so no two shows are the same. Kids love getting to steer.

🐕 Read to Rover - Denton Public Library South Branch, 3228 Teasley Ln, Denton, TX | 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. | Free, ages 6 to 10 | More: denton.bibliocommons.com
Young readers practice one-on-one with certified therapy dogs from Therapy Pals of Golden Triangle. Spots are first come, first served.

🥕 Denton Community Market - 317 W Mulberry St, Denton, TX | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., free yoga 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. | Free | More: dentonmarket.org
Local farmers and makers set up every Saturday morning. Yoga happens behind the Quaker House.

📚 Saturday Storytime - Flower Mound Public Library, 3030 Broadmoor Ln, Flower Mound, TX | 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. | Free, no registration | More: fmlibrary.libnet.info
Stories, music and movement for the whole family. It only happens on the third Saturday of the month, so this is your October shot.

🎨 Blacklight Painting - The Colony Public Library, Multipurpose Room, 6800 Main St, The Colony, TX | 1 to 2:30 p.m. | Free | More: thecolonytx.gov
Kids make neon paintings that glow under blacklights at this family program. Fair warning, they will want a blacklight at home afterward.

🏈 Dallas Game Day - Corona Stage & Lawn at Grandscape, 5752 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX | 7:20 p.m. kickoff | Free | More: grandscape.com
Watch the Cowboys play the Packers on the giant outdoor screen. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs, plus a jacket, because Sunday night should be chilly.

🪐 UNT Sky Theater: Big Astronomy - Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building, Room 150, 1704 W Mulberry St, Denton, TX | 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. | $5 to $8 | More: calendar.unt.edu
A full-dome planetarium show on Denton's west side. Stay put afterward, because the live Planets & Beyond show is right after it.

🌿 Thrive Nature Walk - Thrive Nature Park, 1950 S Valley Pkwy, Lewisville, TX | 9 to 10:30 a.m. | Registration required through the city's Amilia portal | More: cityoflewisville.com
The city's monthly guided walk is a 90-minute, family-friendly loop where you look and listen for birds, plants and wildlife. All ages welcome, and you sign up through the city's Amilia portal.

👻 Ghost Hunt with Teal Gray - Emily Fowler Central Library, 502 Oakland St, Denton, TX | 6 to 9 p.m. | Free, best for teens and up | More: denton.bibliocommons.com
Real investigators show off their ghost-hunting gear inside a library where many believe they've found signs of paranormal activity. Spooky fun for families with teens.

🍺 Factory Fridays: Plaza Live Music - The Plaza at Toyota Music Factory, 316 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, TX | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Free, RSVP | More: toyotamusicfactory.com
Free live music on the plaza to kick off the weekend. Grab a drink from one of the plaza bars and stay for dinner in Las Colinas.

🥃 BENDT Distilling tour and tasting - 225 S Charles St, Lewisville, TX | 6 p.m., about 45 minutes | $10, 21+, reservation required | More: bendtdistillingco.com
We see the still house first, then taste what came out of it. Tours tend to sell out ahead of time, so book before Friday.

🎤 Gaby Moreno at Windmills Brewery - Windmills Brewery at Grandscape, 5752 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX | 7 to 9 p.m. | $30 bar seating, $40 table seating | More: grandscape.com
A Grammy winner playing a seated brewery show, which almost never happens. She also co-wrote the Parks and Recreation theme, so expect at least one person in the room to hum along.

🎭 The Addams Family Musical - Theatre Denton at the Campus Theatre, 214 W Hickory St, Denton, TX | 7:30 p.m. | $27 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, plus fees | More: theatredenton.com
This is the last weekend for Theatre Denton's spooky-season musical at the historic Campus Theatre on the Square. The box office warns of downtown street closures Friday evening, so give yourself extra time to park.

🎬 UNT First Stage Series: The Lesson and The Red House Monster - UNT Black Box Theatre, RTFP Building, 1179 Union Circle, Denton, TX | 7:30 p.m. | $5, general admission, no late seating | More: calendar.unt.edu
Two student-directed one-acts for five bucks: Ionesco's darkly funny "The Lesson" and a gothic island ghost story. Show up on time, because they won't seat latecomers.

🤠 Max Stalling - Dan's Silverleaf, 103 Industrial St, Denton, TX | Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. | $25 advance, $30 at the door, $225 reserved table for four, 21+ | More: danssilverleaf.com
A Texas country songwriter in Denton's favorite listening room. If you're bringing friends, splitting the four-top makes for a good night out.

🎸 Jonathan Wallace Band - Truck Yard The Colony, 5959 Grove Ln, The Colony, TX | 8 to 11 p.m. | Free, no cover, 21+ after 9 p.m. | More: truckyard.com
Full-band music on the patio Dallas Observer readers just voted the best in 2026. It goes 21+ at 9, so this is a grown-ups' hang.

🤡 Soft Leather presents Psycho Circus - Rubber Gloves Rubber Room, 411 E Sycamore St, Denton, TX | Doors 8 p.m., music 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. | $10, 18+ | More: rubberglovesdenton.com
An evil-clown Halloween techno night with the resident DJs. Costumes are encouraged, and greasepaint is basically required.

🏈 NCAAF: Notre Dame at BYU in Shared Reality - Cosm, 5776 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX | 6:30 p.m. | General admission from $11, Hall from $22, Dome from $72 | More: cosm.com
A primetime top-10 matchup on the giant dome, so it feels like you're in the stands in Provo. GA is the budget move, and Grandscape parking is free.

🥂 BENDT Distilling Saturday tours - 225 S Charles St, Lewisville, TX | 1 or 3 p.m. | $10, 21+, reservation required | More: bendtdistillingco.com
There are two afternoon slots, each about 45 minutes and ending in the tasting room. Old Town's restaurants are a short walk away.

🍖 26th Annual Texas BBQ and Blues Festival - The Plaza at Toyota Music Factory, 316 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, TX | 6 to 11:30 p.m. | Free general admission for the first 500 RSVPs, then $10 general admission, $20 VIP with two drinks and lounge access | More: toyotamusicfactory.com
Leo Hull and The Texas Blues Machine and the Bnois King Band headline, with more than 50 vendors and a New Orleans trip raffle. Get your RSVP in early to snag one of the free spots.

💡 Electric! Light Art Exhibition - Patterson-Appleton Arts Center, 400 E Hickory St, Denton, TX | 7 to 10 p.m. | Free | More: dentonarts.com
One night only, about 40 UNT art students fill the arts center with light. It is our Free Activity Idea this week, so the details are below.

🎶 Preferred Aesthetic and The Troumatics - Harvest House, 331 E Hickory St, Denton, TX | 8 p.m. | Free | More: dentonharvesthouse.com
Free music on the Harvest House stage, a block from Electric! Walk over after the light show and grab a Texas pint.

📻 AM/FM Fest Part 2 - Rubber Gloves Rubber Room, 411 E Sycamore St, Denton, TX | Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. | $10, 18+ | More: rubberglovesdenton.com
Night two of the 15th-anniversary party for Animals Mistaken For Monsters. Vaults Of Zin, Gli33i, Freakhorse and an All Star Denton Improv Band play the small room.

🖤 Emo Drag and Dance Party: Halloween Edition - Rubber Gloves Patio, 411 E Sycamore St, Denton, TX | Doors 7:30 p.m., show 8:30 p.m. | $10 advance, $15 at the door, 18+ | More: rubberglovesdenton.com

Drag queens, eyeliner and every emo anthem you swore you'd outgrown, all out on the patio. Dress up, because that's the whole point.

🕺 Toki: The Japanese Elvis featuring The Sutcliffes - Dan's Silverleaf, 103 Industrial St, Denton, TX | Doors 8 p.m., show 9 p.m. | $15 advance, $20 at the door, $125 table for four, 21+ | More: danssilverleaf.com
Yes, a Japanese Elvis, and yes, we're going. It's a late Saturday show built for a group of friends and a table.

🍷 LaRue Winery tasting room - 1491 N Kealy Ave, Suite 1, Lewisville, TX | 1 to 6 p.m. | No cover, pay per pour or bottle | More: laruewinery.org
A slow Sunday afternoon with a glass of natural wine close to home. It closes at 6, so go early.

🪕 Brian Lynn Jones - Truck Yard The Colony, 5959 Grove Ln, The Colony, TX | 1 p.m. | Free, no cover | More: truckyard.com
An acoustic set out on the patio while food trucks handle lunch. It's about as low-effort as a Sunday plan gets.

👗 Fall Clothing Swap - Harvest House, 331 E Hickory St, Denton, TX | 2 p.m. | Free | More: dentonharvesthouse.com
Bring the sweaters you never wear and leave with someone else's. Stick around afterward, because the jazz starts at 3.

🎷 NCTC Jazz Band - Harvest House, 331 E Hickory St, Denton, TX | 3 p.m. | Free | More: dentonharvesthouse.com
North Central Texas College's jazz band plays a free afternoon set on the patio. It goes well with a picnic table and a pint.

🏟️ NFL: Cowboys at Packers in Shared Reality - Cosm, 5776 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX | Doors 6:30 p.m., event 7 p.m. | General admission from $22, Dome from $198, Hall sold out | More: cosm.com
Sunday Night Football at Lambeau, wrapped around you on the dome. Hall seats are already gone, so book GA soon. (Want it free? The Family list has Grandscape's lawn watch party.)

🎸 At the Helm presents Deerhoof, Orden Violento and Skratz - Rubber Gloves Patio, 411 E Sycamore St, Denton, TX | Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. | $25.90 advance with fees, 18+ | More: rubberglovesdenton.com
Deerhoof, the long-running cult art-rock band, plays an outdoor show on the patio. It's the biggest name on Denton's calendar this weekend.

Patterson-Appleton Arts Center
400 E Hickory St, Denton, TX
7 to 10 p.m.
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Free

For one night only, the Greater Denton Arts Council hands its building to about 40 UNT art students, and they pack it with light. Light sculptures, interactive pieces and projections take over the galleries, the upstairs dance studio and the grounds outside.

Year three for this one. Union Bear is pouring, the Luiege pizza truck and Mister Softee are parked outside, and DJ Freakhorse is spinning. Easy to make a whole evening of it.

It's all ages, and walking in is free. Go once it's good and dark so the projections really pop. Then stroll a block down Hickory to Harvest House for free live music.