This Week's Hot Headlines

H-E-B location leak leads this week's 5 most-read Fort Worth stories

H-E-B is among San Antonio's best employers for women.

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines.

1. Location accidentally leaked for possible H-E-B supermarket in Fort Worth. On June 8, it was looking like Fort Worth was going to get an H-E-B grocery store, according to a press release from Parkside at Alliance Town Center that got nearby residents excited. An H-E-B spokesperson confirmed that the company owns land there but has no immediate plans to build a store. Then the developer backtracked and clarified that the news about H-E-B was "inadvertently included" in a release, adding that "H-E-B has not announced a store at this site nor a timeline for construction."

2. Charming Texas Gulf Coast community named one of the most affordable beach towns in U.S. Here's some welcome news for North Texans in search of a beach house that won't break the bank: A new report from Realtor.com says a popular Texas coastal town is among the most affordable in the country. Rockport, Texas, a coastal community about 375 miles from Fort Worth, lands at No. 7 on Realtor.com’s new list of most affordable beach towns in the country.

3. Dallas-Fort Worth nightclub owner gets 16 years for allowing coke sales in bathrooms. In what surely feels like an episode of Miami Vice, a Dallas-Fort Worth nightclub magnate was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for operating an empire of clubs in which drugs were sold openly. According to a release from the office of Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham, drugs were being sold in the bathrooms at the OK Corral Fort Worth, OK Corral Dallas, and Far West nightclub.

4. 12 semifinalists make the cut in 2022 Cliburn Competition in Fort Worth. The field of competitors in the Sixteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was cut to 12 semifinalists on June 6, meaning a dozen pianists were halfway to the grand prize of $100,000, a gold medal, and an international career. The semifinal rounds take place through the weekend, and the six finalists will be revealed Sunday night, June 12. Planning to go? Here are tips to have the best experience.

5. Target shoppers can get a $10 manicure from a robot at 2 Fort Worth stores. In a handy development for busy, budget-conscious, beauty-minded shoppers, Target has deployed a futuristic robot to give manicures inside two Fort Worth stores. Called Clockwork, the system is touted as the world's first fully autonomous nail-painting robot and is now up and running at Target Fort Worth Central (301 Carroll St.) and Target Cityview (5700 Overton Ridge Blvd.).

It's not official until H-E-B says so.

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

It's not official until H-E-B says so.

Main Event

Road closures, parking, and tips for Main St. Fort Worth Arts Fest 2026

Photo courtesy of Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival

The Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival returns April 16-19, 2026.

The 2026 Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival will once again transform 18 blocks of downtown into a sprawling outdoor gallery and live music destination, April 16-19, rain or shine. As tens of thousands of visitors - adults, children, dogs, and babies in strollers - descend on downtown to take in art, food, and entertainment, it's worth doing a little planning before you go.

Here are the essential things to know about what’s new for #MainSt2026, plus tips on getting there, parking, hours, and street closures, provided by festival organizers.

Street closures: They start early
Starting Monday, April 13, downtown street closures will begin for festival setup and operations.

Closures include:

Main Street from Weatherford to 9th Street
Sections of 1st through 9th Streets
Portions of Houston and Commerce Streets

All closures will remain in place through Monday, April 20. Hotel access and valet service will be maintained via designated contra-flow lanes, organizers say. Find a list of closures and map here.

Best way to get there: Go public
With downtown street closures in effect, organizers strongly encourage festivalgoers to skip the stress of driving and use public transportation. Here are the best options they outline in a release:

Take the train via TEXRail and Trinity Railway Express: TEXRail and Trinity Railway Express (TRE) rail services will operate throughout the festival, with Fort Worth Central Station located just two blocks from the event. A special TRE Sunday service train will also run, offering a convenient option for attending the final day.
Ride a bike via Trinity Metro Bikes: 14 bike-sharing stations are located within walking distance of Main St. and offer an environmentally friendly transport solution.
Take the bus via Trinity Metro: Bus routes # 1, 2, 5, 6, 11, 46, 89, and the Orange Line provide convenient access to nearby Fort Worth Central Station. Also, Trinity Metro’s Blue Line, a free downtown Fort Worth circulator shuttle service, will offer extended hours all four days of the festival, running until 10 pm on Thursday, 11 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 8 pm on Sunday.
Ride share: Houston, Commerce, and Throckmorton Streets provide the best opportunities for rideshare drop-off and pick-up during Main St.

Buses and trains will be running throughout the festival. Trinity Metro Rail

Parking, if you must
If you must drive downtown to Main St., note the big parking change from past years: Parking in Sundance Square garages is no longer free.

However, there are more than 60 parking lots and garages available throughout downtown that will be open to the public for paid parking. Parking tickets at garages and lots will not be validated by the event; don't lose that ticket, or you'll have a lot of trouble leaving afterwards.

Parking is free at downtown parking meters after 6 pm on Thursday and Friday, and all-day Saturday and Sunday. If parking outside of those hours, attendees are encouraged to download the “FW Park” app to pay for metered parking.

Visit this site to view all downtown parking options.

Event hours and admission
Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival, produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. and presented by PNC Bank, is always free and open to the public.

Daily festival hours will be as follows:

Thursday, April 16: 10 am-10 pm
Friday, April 17: 10 am-11 pm
Saturday, April 18: 10 am-11 pm
Sunday, April 19: 10 am-8 pm

What’s new and cool this year
The main event, of course, is the art, but there will also be full days of music, food, and interactive experiences.

Art: More than 200 jury-selected artists, chosen from nearly 1,000 applicants, will display work spanning 15 media, from sculpture and painting to jewelry, photography, and mixed media. Returning award-winning artists include Joey Brock (Best Emerging Artist), YanFang Inlow (Best of Show – Fiber), Warren Nelson (Raymond Rains Award – Emerging Artist), and multiple Merit Award winners across categories including drawing, ceramics, painting, photography, and metalwork.

Music: Live music will include nearly 100 acts across four downtown stages:

UTA West “Main” Stage (9th & Main)
Thomas J. Henry Stage (7th & Main)
Studio 80 Pirate Ship (1st & Main)
San Simeon Wine Pavilion (2nd & Main)

Headliners include Ian Moore, Ghosts of Hill County, Marion Meadows, Brian Simpson, Jessy J, Avizo, Quimikoz del Son, Tristan Roberson, Kenya C, and tribute favorites like Waterloo (ABBA) and In Halen/Incognito (Van Halen).

Studio 80 Pirate Ship: One of the festival’s buzziest attractions makes a return: a 40-foot LED-lit pirate ship from Studio 80 docked at 1st and Main. On Friday and Saturday nights from 8-10 pm, DJ Dr. Rock will spin 80s hits paired with synchronized lights and a laser show.

Wine Patio: Presented by San Simeon Wines, the always-popular Wine Patio at 2nd & Main will pour red, white, and rosé selections available by the glass, bottle, or sample. Live music will also play throughout the day.

Gotta have your nachos.Facebook/Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival

Food: Organizers say this year's festival will serve up its biggest culinary lineup in history, with 30 different food vendors throughout six food courts! Options will include fried shrimp po-boys, turkey legs, Philly cheese and cowboy burritos, and so much more. View the entire lineup here.

TCC Makers Zone: Located at the north end of Main Street, the TCC Makers Zone invites families, including kids of all ages, to get hands-on with creative activities such as printmaking, henna tattoos, foam crafts, sand art, caricatures, and more.

Participating partners include the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth Botanic Garden, National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, PNC Learning Center, Sid Richardson Museum, Cook Children’s, Fort Worth Public Library, and others.

Fort Worth Stock Show Youth Art Contest: A special exhibition from the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Youth Art Contest will be featured in the Makers Zone, highlighting Western-themed student artwork in painting, drawing, and sculpture.

Beloved mascots Hoss and Elwood, aka "the Moo Brothers," will make appearances Friday from 4-7 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am-1 pm.

For more information about this year's festival, follow their social media pages.

festivals tips main st. fort worth arts festival Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival