For many North Texas families, the holiday season doesn’t officially begin until they’ve walked the Tour of Trees. The 7th Annual Tour of Trees at Trinity Falls returns Saturday, Nov. 14 through Sunday, Dec. 13, inviting visitors to stroll through beautifully furnished model homes, each showcasing a professionally styled Christmas tree.

The free event is a chance to soak up the season together, gather fresh ideas for decorating at home and capture keepsake family photos — with every snapshot counting as an entry to win one of two $500 Amazon gift cards.

This year’s 10 trees were designed by Christmas tree stylist and social media influencer Antoinette Boston of A.B.’s Holiday Décor in collaboration with Premier Christmas, and the themes span the full spectrum of holiday style.

Grandparents can linger over timeless, traditional looks while kids will delight in seeing their favorite characters, making the tour an easy outing for the whole family to enjoy together.

•    Nostalgic and traditional: Christmas in Paris, Merry Huntsman, Journey to Christmas Magic, Your Home In Nature, and La Fete Rouge (The Red Holiday)

•    Whimsical family favorites: The Grand Toy Emporium, Mice & Mistletoe, and Colorful Candy Capers,

•    Pop culture: Spidey’s Spectacular Multiverse and Ariel's Christmas Party

With self-guided maps, no set start time and the freedom to tour at their own pace, families can make an afternoon of it — bring the grandparents, let the kids lead the way and start a new holiday tradition.

Before the boxes come down from the attic, the Tour of Trees offers a ready-made idea book. Each tree is a study in color palette, texture, ribbon work and the art of the topper, and visitors are encouraged to take notes — and photos — of the details they want to recreate at home. Seeing each design staged in a furnished living space also shows how a tree can tie together an entire room, from the mantel to the coffee table.

Every tree doubles as a photo backdrop, and the Tour of Trees Photo Contest, now in its fourth year, turns those moments into chances to win. Because visitors can take as many photos as they like, many families treat the tour as a no-cost holiday photo session, building a curated collection for cards, frames and albums. Some pick one “family tree” to pose in front of year after year, while others coordinate outfits to a theme or capture a shot at every stop.

•    Register for free at trinityfalls.com/tour-trees and pick up a map at the tour

•    Visit the participating model homes at the model home park, 124 Bee Balm Road

•    Take photos in front of the trees and upload them — each photo counts as a separate raffle entry

•    Two winners will each receive a $500 Amazon gift card. Winners will be announced at noon on December 17, 2026 through Trinity Falls social media channels. Official rules online.

EVENT DETAILS

What: 7th Annual Tour of Trees at Trinity Falls and Photo Contest

When: Saturday, Nov. 14 – Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026

Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, Noon – 5 p.m., Sunday

Where: Trinity Falls, 7801 Trinity Falls Parkway, McKinney, TX 75071

Model home park: 124 Bee Balm Road

Cost: Free; advance registration required

Register: trinityfalls.com/tour-trees

 

ABOUT TRINITY FALLS

Trinity Falls is a vibrant 2,000-acre master-planned community by Johnson Development in McKinney, Texas, where natural beauty and exceptional amenities combine to create a spectacular lifestyle. A world apart from the hustle and bustle of nearby Dallas — yet never far from major employment centers, shopping, dining and fun — Trinity Falls offers beautiful new homes by award-winning homebuilders, 350 acres of open green space, miles of forested trails and opportunities to connect with neighbors and friends. Learn more at trinityfalls.com.

National Medal of Honor Museum, Ben E. Keith Company to Bring Veterans and Community Together for Special Veterans Day Celebration

Full day of free Museum admission and special programming will honor veterans and celebrate the enduring values of service and sacrifice

Arlington, TX – This Veterans Day, the National Medal of Honor Museum will bring veterans, military families, and the North Texas community together for a day of connection, reflection, and inspiration. On Wednesday, November 11, the Museum will open its doors free of charge, offering opportunities to connect with fellow veterans, engage with Medal of Honor Recipients, and experience the stories and values that continue to inspire Americans to serve others.

Veterans Day at the National Medal of Honor Museum is proudly presented by the Ben E. Keith Company as part of the Choctaw Nation Fall Programming Series, with additional support provided by USAA and Minky Couture.

Free admission on Veterans Day is made possible by Ben E. Keith. As the institution dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor, the Museum offers a uniquely meaningful setting for encounter stories of service, share experiences, and strengthen connections with their community. Throughout the day, guests can explore the Museum, participate in special programming with Medal of Honor Recipients, enjoy live music, write postcards to servicemembers, and gather for the City of Arlington Veterans Day Parade and Drone Show. Veterans and active-duty service members are also invited to a special complimentary luncheon, made possible by Ben E. Keith, offering an opportunity to connect with fellow servicemembers and hear from Medal of Honor Recipient Flo Groberg.

“Veterans Day is about more than recognizing service. It's about strengthening the connections between those who have served and the communities they have sacrificed so much to protect,” said Troy Bertram, CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. “That spirit of connection is at the heart of our mission to inspire Americans through the stories of ordinary people who did extraordinary things in service to others. On Veterans Day, we have an opportunity to put that mission into action by bringing veterans and the broader community together to celebrate the values of courage, character, and service that unite us. We're grateful to Ben E. Keith, Choctaw Nation, USAA, and Minky Couture for making this special day possible.”

“Ben E. Keith is proud to help bring veterans, military families, and our neighbors together for a day that celebrates service and strengthens our community,” said James R. Hallam, Chief External Affairs Officer, Ben E. Keith Company. “From opening the Museum's doors free of charge to hosting a special luncheon for veterans and active-duty service members, we hope to create meaningful opportunities for people to connect, share their gratitude, and celebrate the values of service and sacrifice that unite us.”

The day's activities will begin at 10 a.m. with a performance by the Arlington Symphony as the Museum opens its doors. Inside the Museum, visitors will be able to explore the powerful stories of Medal of Honor Recipients and discover how their examples of character, sacrifice, and citizenship continue to resonate today. Guests are encouraged to stop by the new I Am America special exhibit, which connects the nation’s 250th anniversary with the enduring legacy of Medal of Honor Recipients and the continuing story of what it means to be American. At the heart of the exhibit is I Am Texas, the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title holder for the largest published book in the world.

Creating opportunities for veterans to connect with one another is a central part of the day's programming. Veterans and active-duty service members are invited to a complimentary luncheon featuring a fireside chat with Medal of Honor Recipient Flo Groberg. Made possible by presenting sponsor Ben E. Keith, the Veterans Day Luncheon offers a meaningful opportunity for members of the military community to connect through shared stories and experiences. Advance registration is required.

In the early evening, Fox News anchor and New York Times bestselling author Martha MacCallum will sit down with Medal of Honor Recipient Patrick Brady for a fireside chat. Former Navy SEAL commander and Museum Foundation board member Mike Hayes and Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone will also join the conversation. Together, the four will reflect on the people, acts of courage, and defining moments that have shaped American history, and consider what those examples can teach us about service today. They will also discuss the lessons learned in MacCallum’s latest book, The Book of Valor. Separate tickets are required, and each ticket includes a copy of the book. A book signing with MacCallum will follow.

To close out the day, visitors will gather on the National Medal of Honor Museum lawn as the City of Arlington Veterans Day parade makes its way through the Arlington Entertainment District. That evening, visitors are encouraged to stay for a front-row view of the City of Arlington Drone Show over Mark Holtz Lake.

General Museum admission and most Veterans Day activities are free and open to the public. The Veterans Day Luncheon is exclusively for veterans and active-duty service members and requires advance registration. Purchased tickets are required for The Book of Valor: Fireside Chat with Martha MacCallum.

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About the National Medal of Honor Museum

The National Medal of Honor Museum offers an unforgettable journey through the stories of ordinary people who did something extraordinary in service to others. Located in America’s heartland in Arlington, Texas, the Museum – which was voted as the Best New Museum in America and one of the world’s most beautiful museums – provides an unrivaled visitor experience featuring 31,000 square feet of immersive exhibits, powerful multimedia experiences, and never-before-seen artifacts, chronicling the lives and legacies of those who have received our country's highest award for valor in combat. A visit to the National Medal of Honor Museum is a meaningful experience that will leave visitors of all ages inspired, proud, and deeply connected to the values that unite us. For more details and to reserve tickets, visit mohmuseum.org.

About the Ben E. Keith Company

For more than 120 years, Ben E. Keith has been a leader in fine food and premium beverage distribution, delivering exceptional service to customers and partners. Its Food Division is a complete broadline distributor serving customers across 22 states, while its Beverage Division distributes Anheuser-Busch products, craft and import beers, spirits, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages across all 254 Texas counties. Dedicated to the success of its customers, partners, employees, and industry, Ben E. Keith has remained committed to delivering quality since 1906.

Made by Marge, the Dallas-based maker of from-scratch, ready-to-bake cookie dough, has announced its retail launch at Central Market. Two flavors, Original Chocolate Chip and S'mores, will roll out to eight Central Market stores across Texas, with products expected on shelves within the next two weeks.

The partnership marks a fast rise for 28-year old founder Margaret "Marge" Peus, who started Made by Marge in 2023 as a side hustle while working from home as a consultant, baking batches between client calls. The cookie connoisseur got her start selling at the St. Michael's Farmers Market in Dallas, where shoppers came back week after week for her cookies. In January 2026 she left her full-time job to grow the business. Eight months later, her dough is headed to one of Texas' most respected specialty grocers.

"I love building this company because a cookie is such a simple, joyful way to bring people together and make everyone feel at home," said Marge. "Three years ago, my grandmother told me, 'You should be in Central Market.' I laughed, because landing on the shelves of such a beloved Texas grocer felt completely out of reach. Now my cookie dough will be sold at the same Central Market my family has shopped at for years. It's surreal."

Made by Marge cookie dough is made by hand in Dallas, Texas with real butter, real sugar and simple ingredients, and contains no artificial dyes. The frozen dough goes from freezer to oven in minutes and bakes into thick, gooey, bakery-style cookies. Made by Marge is a proud member of GO TEXAN, the Texas Department of Agriculture program that promotes products made in the Lone Star State.

While Central Market is a major retail milestone, Made by Marge remains primarily a direct-to-consumer brand. It ships frozen cookie dough nationwide through madebymarge.com, and it has become a go-to gift for birthdays, holidays and just-because moments. Every gift order includes a handwritten note.

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Central Market locations carrying Made by Marge cookies:

•      Austin North Lamar

•      Austin Westgate

•      Dallas Lovers Lane

•      Dallas - Midway Hollow

•      Fort Worth

•      Houston

•      Plano

•      San Antonio

•      Southlake

Shoppers will find Made by Marge Original Chocolate Chip and S'mores ready-to-bake cookie dough in the frozen section at a retail price of $25.99 each. For nationwide shipping and gifting, visit madebymarge.com and follow @made_bymarge on Instagram.

State Fair Saddle Up, the Big Tex Champion Club's annual boot-scootin' benefit, raised more than $320,000 for Texas students, where event co-chairs Robert Walne and Grant and Courtney Pruitt delivered a magnificent evening of high-spirited fun under the Texas stars at The Rustic Dallas.

Guests were treated to a live performance by American Idol's Cash Byers and Big Valley, live and silent auctions full of State Fair-themed experiences, midway-style games, special activations from brands like Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott and McKinney Hat Company, and plenty of Texas hospitality — all shared among a community that believes in the future of the State Fair and the Texas students it supports. Spotted in the crowd: State Fair of Texas President Mitchell Glieber and his wife Lisa, FOX 4's Steve Noviello and Paige Ellenberger, Chris Khale and Austin Green, The Ticket’s Donovan Lewis, Kat Dunn, and New Country 96.3 FM's Michelle Rodriguez.

A one-of-a-kind celebration with a heart as big as Big Tex, this kick-off to the State Fair put 100% of every bid and every table to work for the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Programs, which have awarded more than $25.3 million in auction awards and college scholarships to thousands of students across the Lone Star State since 2018 alone.

Photos by Imani Black

Chef Kendall Williams has officially opened the doors of Bluebonnet & Thyme Southern Bistro & Bar, her first brick-and-mortar restaurant, in the heart of Victory Park. Located at 2610 N. Houston St. in the former Dirty Bones space across from American Airlines Center, the 3,386-square-foot restaurant and bar is now serving Dallas a concept Williams describes as a “Cajun and Texas culinary explosion” which is a mashup of her Louisiana heritage and Lone Star roots, built with the technique of Southern food. Bluebonnet & Thyme takes its name from two staples of Williams’ own story: the Texas state flower and a Southern herb she reaches for often in the kitchen. After a soft opening on Aug. 7 introduced the neighborhood to the menu, the restaurant is now fully open for dinner, weekend brunch, and happy hour.

Dinner entrees include Golden Fried Hen with sweet cream corn, a 2 lb. Gulf Red Snapper served over dirty rice, Seafood Linguine made with lobster, crab, shrimp and a white wine butter sauce. Save room for dessert! Chef Williams family favorite is on the menu: a Southern Banana Pudding made with warm vanilla custard, wafers, fresh banana, and whipped cream. Weekend brunch includes catfish and shrimp with grits, whole fried Cornish hen, red velvet waffles, stuffed French toast with cheesecake and Strawberry compote, and $30 bottomless mimosas. Behind the bar, longtime William’s collaborator Dr. Angela Williams leads the beverage program, crafting Texas-inspired cocktails such as the DAMM Good Old Fashioned and the Bluebonnet Ranch Water from fresh, local ingredients.

Williams describes the newly designed dining room as “your grandmother’s house — if your grandmother happened to be Dolly Parton.” The look mixes alligator-skin seating, floral cast-aluminum bistro chairs, exposed stone walls, and a Texas longhorn skull, with an outdoor patio and lounge rounding out the space.

Williams has spent a decade building a name for herself in Dallas food circles. A history graduate of Texas Woman’s University, she taught herself to cook out of passion, made her first solo Thanksgiving dinner for her family at just 13, and later traveled internationally to sharpen her technique. In 2019, she founded Pretty Tasty Foods, the catering company and Pretty Tasty Pasta concept that first introduced her Creole- and Italian-influenced cooking to Dallas.

Her cooking has also earned recognition beyond her own kitchen, including a 2025 Big Tex Choice Award for Most Creative Dish at the State Fair of Texas for her Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders. While this particular creation isn't on the menu, diners can order an assortment plate of Chef Kendall's award-winning deviled eggs, featuring a half-dozen flavors: Texas BBQ, seafood boil, smoked paprika, hot honey chicken, Birria taco, and smoked salmon.

Bluebonnet & Thyme is open Monday through Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations are available via OpenTable, and complimentary three-hour parking is offered at 1701 Payne St. More information, menus, and online ordering can be found at bluebonnetandthyme.com.

Photo credit: Jason Byg