Will ArtsGoggle Return to Magnolia Avenue in 2028?

ArtsGoggle returns to Magnolia Avenue from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. After that, the Near Southside goes without its biggest day for at least a year. Near Southside Inc. president Megan Henderson confirmed to the Fort Worth Report that the 23-year-old festival will pause in 2027. Underground repairs on Magnolia are expected to begin in the spring.

Henderson also said why this year's sales matter. Artists and businesses, she told the Report, "really need strong sales this year to help bolster their budget, so that they can go into the spring with some surplus reserves to make sure that they are financially stable."

Organizers want strong sales on Oct. 24 so that artists and Magnolia businesses have money set aside before the pipe work begins next spring.

The work behind the pause

The Fort Worth Water Department plans to replace old, deteriorated cast-iron pipe under Magnolia Avenue and other major Near Southside streets, part of a citywide push to cut down on main breaks. The city's project page lists water-main replacements on West Magnolia, 5th Avenue, South Henderson, Washington, Hemphill, Galveston, East Magnolia, Bryan and East Morphy. The work area runs between West Rosedale Street, the BNSF and Union Pacific rail lines, West Myrtle Street and 5th Avenue. Henderson told the Report that pipe conditions in Magnolia Village are "so poor" that the historic district was flagged as a critical location.

Here is the schedule as it stands, drawn from the city's pre-construction presentation and the Report's coverage:

The contractor usually sets the final phasing, so these dates could shift. The city says it will give bidders a recommended phasing plan meant to limit disruption and make room for events on Magnolia. The presentation says finishing the first two groups would allow ArtsGoggle to return in October 2028. Henderson told the Report that no final decision has been made on whether the festival comes back that year.

Organizers chose not to move the festival. Near Southside Inc. will stay off other Near Southside streets during construction and plans to use festival funds to support the businesses affected by closures.

Who is getting ready on Magnolia

On Oct. 11, the Fort Worth Report talked with several Magnolia businesses about the coming work. Their plans show how a street gets ready for a multiyear dig.

• Enchiladas Olé, 1208 W. Magnolia. Owner Mary Perez is planning a to-go counter, and her staff will take over deliveries and reach out to the area's five nearby hospitals for business.
• Neighborhood Wine, 1257 W. Magnolia. Co-owner Chris Curtis plans to keep customers updated on road construction through his newsletter.
• Melt Ice Creams. Marketing director SaraGrace Lee said, "We won't be moving. We will be remaining open," and added that the shop hopes walking traffic, activations and community engagement will help make up for lost sales.
• Cafecito Mexican. General manager Gina Palma said front parking was restricted during earlier road work. The restaurant had been fortunate so far not to see an effect on business.

That earlier road work near May Street is tied to the Moncrief Cancer Institute expansion. A city spokesperson told the Report it is unrelated to the pipe project.

Oct. 23 through 25, hour by hour

Since this year's sales count for more, here is how the weekend works.

1. Friday, Oct. 23, noon. Magnolia Avenue officially closes. Organizers say they usually wait until about 2 p.m. so lunch customers can leave.
2. Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m. ArtsBoggle, the official pre-party, starts along Magnolia. Melt is among the businesses taking part.
3. Saturday, Oct. 24, noon to 10 p.m. ArtsGoggle fills 21 blocks of Magnolia from 8th Avenue to South Main Street, a stretch of more than a mile. Admission is free.
4. Sunday, Oct. 25, by 10 a.m. Magnolia should reopen to regular traffic. Some equipment pickup runs into Monday.

Figures for the scale vary by source. The Fort Worth Report lists more than 800 artists, 64 free music performances and more than 50 local food vendors this year. The festival's own site describes more than 1,000 visual artists in a typical year and estimates attendance at 80,000-plus over the 10 hours. Participating restaurants, bars, offices and shops host indoor artists and music too, so the storefronts are part of the event.

This year's featured artist is Casey Kleeb. Her "KC's Face-o-matic" is a mobile portrait studio, and organizers also highlight her mural at The Holly Natural Wine Bar.

Getting there without fighting for a curb

Even on ordinary days, Curtis told the Report, parking can make it hard to get around on Magnolia. The festival's maps page lists free lots that are a better bet:

• UT Southwestern, 600 S. Main
• 101 E. Vickery
• Former Dickies headquarters, 100 S. Jennings
• Broadway Baptist Church, 425 W. Broadway
• JPS lot, 201 E. Terrell
• Magnolia Green garage, 1201 Alston
• Tarrant County Public Health, 1101 S. Main
• Cook Children's Rehab Center, 1719 8th Avenue

A free ArtsGoggle trolley links parking and transit from noon to 10:30 p.m., with 5- to 7-minute headways.

On transit, organizers recommend Línea Rosa, with Route 6 serving the west end of Magnolia and Route 5 the east end. Trinity Metro says On-Demand Southside picks up and drops off near Hemphill and Magnolia. TEXRail and TRE riders can transfer at Fort Worth T&P and take Route 6 or On-Demand for the last leg. Through the GoPass app, promo code AG26A takes 25% off an adult local day pass and AG26R does the same for a reduced fare. The offer ends at 10 p.m. on Oct. 24. Trinity Metro Bikes e-bikes dock throughout the district as well.

Showing up after Oct. 24

Two smaller Near Southside events continue as planned in South Main Village, just off Magnolia. Third Thursday, a free art crawl held every other month, has its next date on Nov. 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. Lost 'N Sound brings free live music to the neighborhood on Saturday, Nov. 21. Near Southside Inc. is also working on smaller events to fill the gap during construction.

Once work starts, the city plans to alert businesses 48 hours ahead and hang notices on doors seven days and one day before crews arrive. Lane closures will be managed with signs and flaggers. Near Southside Inc. says it is building communication tools so the public can follow parking and road updates.

"This is a neighborhood that took us 30 years to turn into a vibrant, culturally rich destination street for the city," Henderson told the Fort Worth Report. "We are dogmatic that we are going to support these businesses through construction, and we're really calling upon the community to start that support."

At Silver Elk Realty, we follow projects like the Magnolia pipe replacement because they shape what daily life on a street looks like for years. If you'd like to talk through how long-running infrastructure work could affect a Fort Worth street you care about, we're glad to sit down with you. Schedule a Consultation.