16 February 19 - 25, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents around the block every night, but watching an experienced DJ move between tracks in real time is well worth the wait. It’s one of our favorite places in Dallas to dance for a reason. Off the Record 2716 Elm St. Another spinoff of an existing vinyl shop, Off the Record is a bar and vinyl outpost in collab- oration with iconic Dallas music shop Good Records. The bar, owned by the same team from the storied next-door venue Club Dada, welcomes vinyl DJs to spin soul, funk and boo- gie live while perusers shop for records and sip on brews. The full experience, really. Room 520 2105 Commerce St., No. 333 The smallest cocktail bar in Dallas, as they call themselves, is a speakeasy tucked into the SOVA hotel in an unmarked room. The intimate bar requires a secret code, available only at the front desk. Every Thursday night, the lounge hosts vinyl sets, and while there are no reservations or requests, the vibes are immaculate regardless. The Spin Coffee and Vinyl 17290 Preston Road, No. 106 The Spin Coffee and Vinyl is a coffee shop and a record store rolled into one. If you’re extending Dry January and avoiding the bar scene, this is a good spot to catch a vinyl set before bedtime. They’ve also got a ce- real bar, so you can feel like you’re truly at home listening to a record play. The shop frequently welcomes vinyl DJs to play vi- nyl-only sets. Charlie’s Star Lounge 4319 Main St. Charlie’s Star Lounge, a small dive bar on the furthest outskirt of Deep Ellum, throws a lot of niche events. But one of the best is the all-vinyl night. The bar is a record tradi- tionalist, most recently ringing in Black His- tory Month with DJ Willie Dutch’s 2nd Annual Vinyl Giveaway. “As a vinyl-only DJ, I recognize the main barrier to entry is expense,” Dutch said to D Magazine. “I’ve met a lot of peo- ple who want to spin records, but just don’t have the quantity to do it. Thanks to the generosity of local shops and DJs, we gave away 1,300 records to young collec- tors and aspiring DJs.” Truth Vinyl 300 E. Division St., Arlington In case you have poor pattern recognition, the best place to catch a vinyl set is at a stakeholding shop. This Alrington spot, with its own selection of records for sale, is no different. The store often has a jam-packed schedule filled with karaoke, open mic nights, and at least one all-vinyl night. If you’re a suburbanite, save yourself the drive through Dallas traffic and stop by Truth Vi- nyl instead. Honorary Mention: Shyboy 1313 Main St. One of the most anticipated openings of 2026, Shyboy Hi-fi, a club hidden in the old bank vaults of the Drakestone Apartments. The venue hasn’t announced its official opening date yet, but it has promised all-vi- nyl sets and posted sneak peeks of a drool- worthy collection of 10-inch records. We’ll report back when it opens. ▼ FESTIVALS GROOVE ON THE MOVE DENTON’S BELOVED ARTS AND JAZZ FESTIVAL GETS NEW DATES AND A NEW LOCATION FOR ITS 2026 LINEUP. BY PRESTON BARTA F or decades, the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival has been a rite of the sea- son, a sprawling, vibrant home of sound and color woven into the familiar green expanse of Quakertown Park. It’s where generations of North Texans have laid down picnic blankets, discovered new artists and swayed to the rhythms of jazz, blues and everything in between. But for its 35th anniversary, this beloved cultural institution is changing its tune — and its calendar. This year, the festival is making a monu- mental move. Mark your calendars for Sept. 11-13 and set your maps app for the North Texas Fairgrounds. It’s a significant shift, as it’s a break from a long-standing tradition that has defined the festival for more than three decades. Fortunately, this isn’t a som- ber funeral for an old friend. It’s a bold, im- provisational solo leading to an exciting new movement. The transition, while surprising to some, has been brewing behind the scenes. In re- cent years, the festival has navigated a series of challenges, from city budget cuts to the logistical puzzle of sharing its longtime park home with other expanding city events. The pressures mounted, forcing the Denton Fes- tival Foundation to think differently to pre- serve the core of its mission: keeping the three-day celebration of arts and music free for everyone. “The change in date was a practical de- cision — it was the only weekend the entire Fairgrounds was available,” Kevin Lechler, executive director of the Denton Festival Foundation shared in a statement to the Observer. “As for the location, it was a nec- essary financial move. With overall support declining — whether from the city, corpo- rate sponsors, or other sources — we needed to ensure the resources we do have could stretch further. The Fairgrounds not only allows us to do that but also provides an exciting opportunity for future growth and expansion in other areas.” This move is less of a departure and more of a homecoming. Longtime Denton- ites might recall the event’s earliest incar- nation as “Spring Fling,” which first took root at these same North Texas Fair- grounds in the 1980s. After a brief stop at the Center for the Visual Arts (now known as the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center), it merged with a jazz festival and settled into Quakertown Park in 1991, where it blos- somed into the cultural giant it is today. Now, 35 years later, it returns to its original stomping grounds, bringing with it a rich legacy and a renewed sense of purpose. For festivalgoers, this means improved ac- cessibility and upgraded amenities. For the hundreds of artists, craftspeople and food vendors, it means better infrastructure and more space to connect with the community. It’s a strategic pivot designed to ensure the festival’s sustainability for another 35 years and beyond. “The 35th anniversary is an important moment in the festival’s history,” Lechler noted in the official announcement. “Mov- ing to the North Texas Fairgrounds allows us to build on the festival’s legacy while creating an even more welcoming and dy- namic experience for our audiences and partners.” Despite the new address and a slight shift from October to September, the festi- val’s soul remains unchanged. It is still powered by community volunteers and sponsors who believe in the unifying power of the arts. So, while the backdrop may be different this year, the spirit behind it is the same. It’s still Denton’s biggest free party, and we’re just glad the music plays on. Courtesy of Denton Festival Foundation The Denton Arts & Jazz Festival celebrates its 35th year with a move to the North Texas Fairgrounds this September. 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