The arrival of fall promises a rich crop of entertainment options, but we encourage Denton County residents to include the third annual GreenFest on the Greenbelt in their plans for today.
This event not only promises plenty of outdoor family fun, but it also benefits a good cause.
Organized by the Greenbelt Alliance of Denton County, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the city of Denton, GreenFest supports the Greenbelt Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Lake Ray Roberts Greenbelt, one of the area’s greatest natural assets.
Created in 2009, the Greenbelt Alliance is a nonprofit community-based volunteer organization dedicated to preserving the Lake Ray Roberts Greenbelt in its natural state for the benefit of all, according to the organization’s website.
Specifically, the 2014 GreenFest will raise funds to meet the matching requirement for a grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Recreational Grants Branch to build a bridge to reopen a trail that was damaged and closed by a flood in 2010, event organizers said.
Today’s event will be at the Greenbelt on FM455 below the Ray Roberts Lake dam, and organizers have promised a celebration that should offer something for everyone.
Gates will open at noon and visitors will find food vendors and plenty of activities designed to educate, entertain and challenge all ages. Plans include equestrian exhibitions, archery, campfire cooking, climbing walls, kayaking and mountain biking.
There will also be plenty of live music, highlighted by Grammy Award-winning band Brave Combo at 4 p.m.
Tickets are only $5 per person if purchased in advance at www.FriendsOfTheGreenbelt.org or $7 per person if purchased at the event. Children younger than 6 will be admitted free. In case of rain, the event will be moved to a paved parking area at the Isle du Bois Unit of Ray Roberts Lake State Park.
Today’s event will also provide a great opportunity to visit an area that represents one of the last vestiges of the natural beauty that early settlers found on the North Texas frontier. The vibrant growth enjoyed by Denton County in recent years has brought many changes to the area landscape, adding emphasis to the need to preserve our remaining natural resources.
Denton County is fortunate to have the greenbelt area and the many resources it provides. Many North Texas residents are not so fortunate.
We urge support of the Greenbelt Alliance, which promotes educational and recreational opportunities for area residents of all ages. Thanks to the ongoing preservation efforts of this community organization, our children and grandchildren should be able to continue to enjoy the greenbelt recreational areas far into the future.
GreenFest provides a great opportunity for area families to help with preservation efforts while having fun and enjoying some great music, and we hope you will join in supporting the event.
Once you visit the greenbelt, we believe you will be sold on the need to preserve it.
