Best spring festivals in DFW in March 2013

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Spring festival season kicks off this week with huge events, such as the North Texas Irish Festival and Dallas Blooms. Feast on these fests:

Evans Caglage

Irish Dancers Mackenna Benson, 12, (left) and Ciara LaGreca, 13, are two of many performers at the North Texas Irish Festival.

This week

North Texas Irish Festival: The 31st annual North Texas Irish Festival, presented by the Southwest Celtic Music Association, returns to Fair Park. There’ll be plenty of Celtic singing and dancing by top Irish musicians and dancers from around the world. You’ll also find Irish food, storytellers on the new Schanachie Stage, fun for kids on Urchin Street, equestrian shows, blacksmithing demonstrations, archery, Gaelic football, and high-profile chefs giving demos on Irish cuisine. Dog lovers may also find new pets from local rescue groups in attendance.

Dallas Blooms: Dallas Blooms welcomes spring to the city each year at the Dallas Arboretum in this nationally acclaimed floral festival. Now in its 29th year, the festival features more than 500,000 spring-blossoming bulbs; 100,000 pansies, violas and poppies; and thousands of other annuals and perennials. This year’s additional exhibit, “The Adventures of Great Explorers,” will showcase small replication playhouses of destinations where the explorers Admiral Byrd, Marco Polo, Ponce de León, Hernán Cortés, Capt. James Cook and Lewis and Clark traveled. Special events and activities are scheduled throughout the festival, some requiring reservations or additional fees.

Later in March

Dallas Auto Show: Car shopping? Or just like to dream? Compare makes and models of new cars, trucks, and SUVs from major manufacturers, all under one roof. March 13-17 at the Dallas Convention Center.

Savor Dallas: Wine, food, and spirits are the zest of this fest. New events at this year’s celebration include Savor Trinity Groves and Savor the Arboretum. March 14-17 at various Dallas locations.

Dallas Vintage Clothing and Jewelry Show: Shop for vintage outfits, jewelry and accessories March 15-16 at the Grapevine Convention Center.

Good Guys Spring Lone Star Nationals: More than 2,500 vehicles are featured in this hot rod and custom car show, as well as vendors, a swap meet, an area featuring cars for sale, and family activities. March 15-17 at Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth. 925-838-9876.

Mark Rogers/Special Contributor

Yes, a whole fest dedicated to pinball machines.

Texas Pinball Festival: More than 400 pinball machines, as well as some classic video games, will be set up for free play for fest attendees in a 45,000-square-foot game room. Pinball-related equipment will be on display and for sale. March 15-17 at the Hilton Anatole, Dallas. 214-471-5777.

Cowtown Goes Green: St. Patrick’s Day meets the Old West in this event, which features a parade with longhorns, horses, and lots of folks wearing green. The fun also includes pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, games and contests with Radio Disney, live music, gunfight re-creations, and more. March 16 in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District.

Dallas St. Patrick's Parade and Festival: The parade has a new name this year, but it’s still running along Greenville Avenue. Expect bead-throwing, lots of folks wearing green, bagpipers and more. It kicks off March 16 at Greenville and Wellons, Dallas. (For more Dallas-area St. Patrick’s Day events, be sure to see the March 15 issue of Guide.) dallasstpatricksparade.com.

General Granbury's Birthday Party: A bean, brisket and rib cook-off is one of the highlights at this annual celebration of Granbury’s namesake, Brigadier Gen. Hiram B. Granbury. But the most interesting item on the agenda might be the outhouse races. Expect music, vendors and more March 16-17 on the square in Granbury. 817-573-5299.

AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh

At the Festival of Colors, Hindus smear each other's faces with colored powder.

Texas Indian Market & Southwest Showcase: Explore American Indian and Southwestern art, including traditional Indian jewelry, pottery, paintings, and sculptures, at this event. Other highlights include live entertainment; children’s activities; and arts-and-crafts demos. March 22-24 at the Arlington Convention Center. 972-398-0052.

Texas Festival of Colors: Holi is a spring festival celebrated by Hindus, and one of the notable ways of marking it is people throwing brightly colored powder at one another. VJ Entertainment and FunAsia are putting on a celebration featuring free colors (while supplies last), live performances, vendor booths, and food. March 24 at Hidden Cove Park and Marina, The Colony.