Welcome back to Krazy Dayz

DALLAS’ SUMMER CELEBRATION GETS MAKEOVER

Krazy Dayz, Dallas’ signature festival, is not only slated to return in 2021, it will be reborn.

The schedule will remain the same, the last full weekend in July, this year July 22-25, with the first three days of the festival taking place in Dallas’ downtown core and the last day’s events in Dallas City

Park.

As with Krazy Dayz of old, the Dallas Rotary

Club will host Breakfast in the Park and the

Dallas Arts Association will hold Art in the Park.

However, the setup for the downtown events will be modeled after Dallas’ successful solar eclipse event that took place in August 2017.

“As we were thinking of ways to re-energize our downtown summer celebration — and recalling the abundant turnout and positive feedback we received during the eclipse celebration in 2017 — the committee decided to coordinate a model similar to the downtown party coordinated by some of our community members and downtown merchants during the eclipse week,” said Dallas Police Chief Tom

Simpson, who is the co-chair of the organizing committee.

Simpson added the city wanted to make this year’s festival special because 2020’s had to be canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Organizers thought this year would be a good opportunity to remake the celebration, which has seen progressively lower turnouts in recent years.

“As for Thursday through Saturday — when our downtown core events occur — our City Manager (Brian Latta) has tasked us to do our best to facilitate a special event, in part because we had to miss last year and we believe the community is ready to get out and enjoy themselves — hopefully with somewhat lessened restrictions,” Simpson said. “More importantly, over the past several years, it seems there has a gradually reducing number of activities, vendors and participants at the ‘traditional’ Summerfest/Krazy Dayz events, so it seemed an appropriate time to change things up a bit.”

Downtown will be transformed for the first three days of the celebration.

Krazy Dayz 2021 edition will include an expanded food court, a beer garden and merchandise vendors on Main Street, which a portion of will be closed for the celebration.

On Friday and Saturday, a large stage will be set up on Court Street for live entertainment. Also on Friday and Saturday, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament will take place on Mill Street.

Yes, there will be a parade, but a slightly different route.

Instead of running north up Jefferson Street and back south on Main Street to Washington Street, the parade will end at Main and Academy streets. Street closures for events on Main Street prompted the change to the parade route. Prior to the main parade, there will be a youth parade, with children encouraged to ride skateboards, bikes and scooters along the route.

Simpson said other events are in the works for the 2021 celebration, so check back with the city of Dallas for updates: www.ci.dallas. or.us.

Krazy Dayz, Dallas’ signature festival is not only slated to return in 2021, it will be reborn.