Lewisville Juneteenth Cookout + Steak in an 1886 Feed Mill

Howdy, neighbors!

Juneteenth lands on a Friday this year, and Lewisville turned it into a whole weekend. They're calling it The Cookout, and it runs three nights in Old Town. A poetry slam tonight, a free concert Friday, and a comedy night Saturday.

Friday is the one we're building the weekend around. It's free, it's outdoors in Wayne Ferguson Plaza, and it closes with an Earth, Wind & Fire tribute. We're hauling our own chairs and getting there early for a good patch of grass. Saturday's comedy night leans more grown-up, so if that's your speed, grab tickets soon. The Black Box is small and those seats go.

Sunday is Father's Day and I've been meaning to tell y'all about Prairie House, the steakhouse tucked inside the old 1886 feed mill on Main Street. My girlfriend orders the chicken fried steak every time, and she's right to.

There's also Snoop this week, a young golden mix down at the Lewisville shelter who mostly just needs somebody to come look at him.

Scroll on down for the full weekend rundown, the local news, and a guessing game for a showcase home for rent in Lewisville.

- Jason

Various times (see below)
Thursday–Saturday, June 18–20
Old Town Lewisville
Various locations
Friday concert is free | comedy tickets from $15
See the full lineup

Juneteenth in Lewisville this year comes with a theme we can get behind: The Cookout.

No grill required, but all the good parts of one, spread across three nights of words, music, and laughs right in Old Town.

It kicks off tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 with a poetry slam hosted by the city's poet laureate, James Mardis. Black Box Theater at the Lewisville Grand Theater (100 N. Charles, Lewisville, TX 75057) serves as the venue.

Friday is the one to circle for me, a FREE concert in Wayne Ferguson Plaza from 7 to 9:30, so bring chairs, grab a patch of grass, and settle in.

Then, Saturday at 8, CJ Starr and friends take the Black Box stage at the Lewisville Grand for a night of stand-up, with tickets starting at $15. Quick heads-up on that one: the comedy leans adult, so it's a grown-ups night out, not a bring-the-kids thing.

Bottom line: The Friday concert is the easy family win and it costs you nothing--aka the best kind of Friday plan. If you're making a whole weekend of it, grab the comedy tickets now, the Black Box is small and those seats go. If you’re into poetry, Thursday (tonight) is for you, too.

This is where we haul the out-of-town family when we want them to understand what Texas food actually is.

It's tucked into the old 1886 Lewisville feed mill on Main Street, so the room is all wood and history, right down to a 155-year-old corn grinder in the corner. Weeknight dinner, Father's Day lunch, a date night that doesn't take itself too seriously. It covers all three.

The mesquite-grilled ribeye and the chicken fried steak are what folks come back for, and the brisket burnt ends go fast when they've got 'em.

The Bandidos, bacon-wrapped jalapeños stuffed with pepper jack, are the appetizer the whole table ends up fighting over. Prime rib lands Friday and Saturday after 4, and the happy hour prime rib sandwich is a flat-out steal.

Parking's on-street in Old Town, so leave yourself a couple extra minutes on a busy night.

Price: $$
Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Fri-Sat 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sun 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
phtexaslewisville.com

⚠️ Heads up: service can be hit or miss depending on the day. The food's worth it, just don't go when you're in a rush.

Most boutique fitness studios feel like they were built for folks who are already in shape. This one isn't.

Terri Heth opened Thrive in Flower Mound last spring, after teaching Pilates for a decade, and the thing members keep repeating is that they felt welcome from class one, whatever shape they walked in with.

One member with a fresh osteoporosis diagnosis said she could actually start here, and watched her balance and posture get better. Another drives clear in from Plano because she couldn't find the same feel closer to home.

It's reformer Pilates, which basically means easy mode. Small group classes for every level, private sessions if that's more your speed.

There's an infrared sauna and an in-house nutritionist too, which you don't usually get at a studio this size.

Terri's often the one teaching. Her husband Patrick's usually the one holding the door.

They throw little celebrations when members hit class 75 or 100, which tells you about all you need to know.

First-timers grab eight classes for $100.

Price: $$
Hours:
Mon-Fri 5:15 AM - 1:00 PM, 3:00 - 8:00 PM
Sat-Sun 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
thrivepilatesflowermound.com

5 beds
4 baths
3,966 sqft
0.18 acre lot

A) $899,000

B) $940,000

C) $990,000

D) $1,025,000

Lewisville is writing its first real rulebook for data centers. A proposed ordinance would actually define what a data center is and make each one land a Special Use Permit before it opens, instead of slipping in like an ordinary warehouse in an industrial zone. Planning and Zoning backed it unanimously last month. It went to City Council on Monday, June 15.

Why it matters: these things can pull way more power and water than the plain warehouses they resemble. The city says one of Lewisville's two existing data centers already drinks more than 40 million gallons of water a year. The new rules would give the city a say over where the next ones land.

Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

The LISD board voted June 9 to rename the old Mill Street campus at 601 S. Mill St. the Vernell Gregg Early Childhood Center. Gregg gave the district 25 years and was the first African American elected to the LISD school board. She started the MLK Day Art Contest at Degan Elementary, now 33 years running, and helped bring the AVID college-prep program to campuses all over the district.

The building reopens as a second pre-K center for the 2026-27 school year. Got a little one starting pre-K? This is the campus to know.

Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

Remember when Painted Tree shut all its stores back in April and left that hole at Highland Village Town Center? It's getting filled.

The Collective Boutiques said June 10 it's moving into the same space, with a grand opening planned for August. Same idea as Painted Tree: dozens of little independent vendors under one roof, which means a lot of the local shop owners who got displaced have somewhere to land.

Make or sell handmade and curated goods? They're taking vendor applications right now.

Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

Flower Mound cut the ribbon June 8 on Peters Colony Memorial Park, 3.3 acres right next to the Flower Mound Public Library.

There's a pavilion, nature trails that tie into the library, native landscaping, a children's memorial area, and a veterans plaza named for 100-year-old WWII veteran Doug Brown, who flew bombers in the war and has volunteered around town for better than 35 years.

It's open now (get directions). The town's got info on how to honor a loved one out at the memorial plaza.

Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

Circle June 26-27: the first-ever Lake Lewisville Dragon Boat Festival hits Copperas Branch Park in Highland Village, right on the water.

Dragon boat races, food, a real festival buzz, and a live set from George Dunham and the Bird Dogs. It benefits Serve Denton, a nonprofit that helps other local nonprofits share space and reach more folks.

It's a couple weekends out, so there's time to round up a team. Or just go watch from the shore. We’ll remind you when it gets closer--check our event calendar next issue.

Source: Lake Lewisville Dragon Boat Festival

Some dogs land at the shelter with a whole backstory. Snoop showed up with just about none, so here's the short version: a two-year-old retriever mix, around 54 pounds, black coat, still young enough to have plenty of play left in him.

The shelter hasn't written up his personality yet. Which really just means the only way to find out who he is, is to go meet him.

Here's what we do know. He's young, but probably past the chew-everything puppy stage. Good size for a house, or an apartment with a yard close by. And retriever mixes tend to be people dogs.

A black coat shouldn't be the reason a good dog gets passed over, but it happens all the time, so he could use the visit.

The adoption deal is a flat-out good one. For $90 he goes home neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, heartworm tested, and registered with the city if you live in Lewisville, plus a little gift bag.

Adoptions are first come, first served, so if two folks show up for the same dog they do a quick drawing. Bring a photo ID. And if you've already got a dog at home, bring 'em along for a meet and greet.

Swing by Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday through Saturday to say hi.

Lewisville Animal Shelter
995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX
(972) 219-3478
Hours:
Mon by appointment
Tue 12:00 - 7:00 PM
Wed-Fri 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sat 12:00 - 5:00 PM
Sun closed

🎶 A Juneteenth Celebration Concert - Wayne Ferguson Plaza | 150 W Church St, Lewisville, TX | 7:00-9:30 PM | Free | More: cityoflewisville.com
Peterson Brothers open, an NPHC step show follows, Earth, Wind & Fire tribute closes it down. Food trucks and inflatables for the kids. Bring chairs and grab plaza grass early.

🎤 5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration - The Lawn at Grandscape | 5752 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX | 7:00-10:00 PM | Free | More: grandscape.com
If Old Town parking isn't your thing, Grandscape throws its own: a DJ, a live band, R&B trivia, and spoken word out on the lawn.

🪕 Acoustic Jam Session - Lewisville Grand Theater | 100 N Charles St, Lewisville, TX | 6:00-9:00 PM | Free | More: lewisvillegrand.com
An open music circle hosted by the Visual Art League. All instruments, all skill levels welcome. A mellow, walk-in way to start the night a few blocks off the plaza.

🐠 SEA LIFE Grapevine (Magic of Mermaids) - 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX | 10:00 AM-6:00 PM | From $20 online | More: visitsealife.com
Walk-through ocean tunnel, a stingray touch pool, and the current Magic of Mermaids run (ends June 22). About 20 minutes out, and easy to pair with LEGOLAND right next door.

🧱 LEGOLAND Discovery Center (World Play Day) - 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX | 10:00 AM-4:30 PM | From $21.99 online | More: legolanddiscoverycenter.com
A dozen LEGO build zones, a 4D cinema, and rides, with a LEGO World Play Day event going all month. Best for ages 3 to 10, about 20 minutes out.

🎶 Lakeside Music Series: Reid Perry - The Shops at Lakeside | 2314 Lakeside Pkwy, Flower Mound, TX | 7:30-9:30 PM | Free | More: lakesidevillage.com
Free outdoor concert on the Flower Mound lakefront, with Reid Perry (hear him on Spotify) playing folk rock and country. The stage is uncovered, so it bring blankets and low chairs and grab lawn space early on a nice Friday.

💦 Sensory-Friendly Splash - Flower Mound CAC Outdoor Water Park | 1200 Gerault Rd, Flower Mound, TX | 9:30-11:30 AM | Members & guests | More: flowermound.gov
A quieter pool session built for kids and adults with special needs: limited water features, no loud music, no lifeguard whistles, and an indoor calm space if anyone needs a break. A thoughtful one you rarely see on a calendar. Call the CAC ahead to confirm guest admission.

🌿 Service Saturday Park Cleanup - Austin Kent Ellis Park | 902 S Old Orchard Ln, Lewisville, TX | 8:00-10:00 AM | Free | More: llela.org
A two-hour morning cleanup, supplies provided. Good one for kids who need service hours, or anybody who likes starting the weekend with a win. Register ahead.

🎨 "She Saw a Need!" Art Exhibition - Lewisville Grand Theater Art Gallery | 100 N Charles St, Lewisville, TX | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Free | More: lewisvillegrand.com
A 30th-anniversary show of quilts and textile art from the Quilting Sisters of Color, part of the city's Juneteenth slate. Quiet, free, and worth a slow and thoughtful walk-through.

🛍️ The Melting Pot Night Market - The Lawn at Grandscape | 5752 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX | 4:00-10:00 PM | Free | More: grandscape.com
Over 80 vendors, live DJ sets, and food on the lawn after dark. All ages, free to walk, easy to pair with dinner at Grandscape.

🐦 Third Sunday Nature Talk: Attracting Hummingbirds - LLELA at Thrive | 1950 S Valley Pkwy, Lewisville, TX | 9:00-10:30 AM | Free | More: llela.org
A Father's Day morning talk on drawing hummingbirds to your backyard, with prizes for folks who show. Free, indoors, and done by 10:30 so it won't eat your whole day.

⚽ Summer of Soccer Watch Party (daytime World Cup matches) - The Lawn at Grandscape | 5752 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX | 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM | Free | More: instagram.com
World Cup matches up on the big outdoor screen, free from the lawn. Spain plays late morning, Belgium midafternoon, so bring chairs and let the kids roam Grandscape between goals.

🥃 BENDT Distilling Tour & Tasting - BENDT Distilling Co. | 225 S Charles St, Lewisville, TX | 6:00 PM | $10, 21+ | More: bendtdistillingco.com
Walkable from Old Town, and 45 minutes well spent. The tour wraps in the tasting room, and the bottle shop's open 5:30-7:30 if you want to grab a Father's Day gift on the way out.

🎸 Grapevine Main LIVE: Zack King Band - Peace Plaza, Grapevine Main | 701 S Main St, Grapevine, TX | 7:30-9:30 PM | Free | More: grapevinetexasusa.com
A free outdoor concert on the plaza, ringed by Harvest Hall's food and drink stalls, about 20 minutes out. Easy date night on a warm Friday.

🎤 A Night of Stand-Up featuring CJ Starr and Friends - Lewisville Grand Theater | 100 N Charles St, Lewisville, TX | 8:00 PM | $15 | More: cityoflewisville.com
The Cookout closes out with comedy in the Black Box. CJ Starr headlines, with Fonzo Crow and Rogelio Mendoza. Heads up: it can get adult, so make it date night, not family night.

🎬 An All White Affair: Film Screening and 80s/90s After Party - Lewisville Grand Theater | 100 N Charles St, Lewisville, TX | 6:00-11:30 PM | $45 | More: eventbrite.com
Red carpet at 6, a screening of "Can You Stand the Rain" (imdb.com) with a director talkback, then an 80s and 90s after party. All-white dress code, put on with the Denton Black Film Festival. A real night out that runs past midnight.

🎸 Grapevine Main LIVE: Neon Prophets - Peace Plaza, Grapevine Main | 701 S Main St, Grapevine, TX | 7:30-9:30 PM | Free | More: harvesthall.com
Stroll Grapevine's historic Main Street, then catch a free outdoor concert, about 20 minutes out. The tasting rooms nearby stay open late.

⛵ Women on Water: Sport Boat Edition - MarineMax at Pier 121 | 1481 E Hill Park Rd, Lewisville, TX | 10:00 AM-2:00 PM | Registration required | More: marinemax.com
A women-only, half-day boating class right on Lake Lewisville: classroom basics in the morning, then real time at the helm in the afternoon for docking, knots, and line handling. It is geared to MarineMax customers and seats are limited, so RSVP before you plan around it.

⚽ Summer of Soccer Watch Party: Uruguay vs Cabo Verde - The Lawn at Grandscape | 5752 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX | 5:00-7:00 PM | Free | More: grandscape.com
The World Cup up on the big outdoor screen, free, no ticket. An easy way to close out Father's Day with a beer in hand, about 10 minutes out.

Free, open daily, and right in the middle of Old Town, which makes it our easy answer for a June morning when the kids are bouncing off the walls by 9.

The city rebuilt it back in 2021 into a real spray park: 90 features, zero standing water, all ground jets, dumping buckets, and a solar spinner the little ones will fight over. Restrooms and parking are right there.

Get there at open (10 a.m.): The pad runs 10 to 8 every day through September, and the smart move in June is to be standing on it when it switches on. You get a good hour or two before the concrete starts throwing heat back at you, and you're home for lunch and a nap before the day turns brutal.

Or make it an evening (after 6 p.m.): Since it runs until 8 PM, the back half of the day works just as well once the sun drops. Towels, dry clothes, let everyone wear themselves out, then walk over to one of Old Town's spots for dinner before anyone melts down.

Hidden features: There's a covered umbrella that seats about 25. If nobody's reserved it (reservations run $50 for four hours), it's first-come and free to grab, which is clutch for shade or a birthday-sized crew. And since you're in Old Town, the shops and the plaza are a short stroll if you want to stretch the morning out.

Parking and logistics: The lot behind Wayne Frady Park has plenty of room, restrooms are on site, and no alcohol's allowed.

Learn more about the splash park

Lewisville ISD has more than 200 openings across the district headed into the new school year. Teaching jobs in special ed, elementary, and high school, plus a whole stack of support roles: classroom aides, bus drivers and monitors, child nutrition, athletics. Instructional aide jobs start around $16 an hour. Most positions follow the school calendar, and the district covers Lewisville, Flower Mound, The Colony, and Highland Village.

👉 Browse openings

The City of Lewisville is staffing up for summer, which makes this a solid one for a teenager or a college kid home on break. Lifeguards, day camp leaders, cashiers. Lifeguards start around $15.65 an hour, and several roles are open to ages 15 and up.

👉 Browse openings

Nebraska Furniture Mart at Grandscape in The Colony hires across sales, customer pickup, warehouse, building maintenance, and security. The real draw is the benefits: medical, a 401(k) with profit sharing, tuition reimbursement, paid time off, even on some hourly tracks. It sits right off SH-121, so it's an easy haul from most of the lake area.

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Texas Health Presbyterian Flower Mound is a good way into healthcare if you don't have the nursing degree yet. The 99-bed hospital on Long Prairie Road posts patient care tech, pharmacy tech, and environmental services jobs right alongside its RN openings. And it's part of a system with 29,000 employees, so there's room to climb.

👉 Browse openings