This week's hot headlines

Best new restaurant contest tops this week's 5 hottest Fort Worth headlines

Bricks and Horses is one of 16 new restaurants competing for the top Tastemaker title.

Bricks and Horses

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. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. 16 best new restaurants in Fort Worth compete for 2024 Tastemaker Award. Fort Worth's culinary scene is so hot that the 2024 CultureMap Fort Worth Tastemaker Awards category for Best New Restaurant has doubled in size from 2023, this year drawing 16 nominees. Voting is open now at this link. People may vote once per round, through four rounds of competition. Round one ends at 11:59 pm on Saturday, April 13.

2. Hash Kitchen brings over-the-top breakfast to Texas with Fort Worth debut. A new-to-Texas breakfast chain is coming to Fort Worth: Called Hash Kitchen, it's an Arizona-based concept that will open a location at 3240 Tracewood Way #110 in early May. Fort Worth is one of six new locations across three states the chain will be opening in the next two years.

3. Fort Worth brewpub Funky Picnic to close despite heroic efforts otherwise. A beloved brewpub in Fort Worth is calling it quits: Funky Picnic, a true original with a unique vibe and offerings that opened in the Near Southside in 2019, will close for good on April 27 after five years. The owners shared the news in a Facebook post, citing a lethal combination of declining business and rising costs.

4. 10th Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival wows record crowds at 5 sell-out events. After a decade of showcasing Cowtown’s culinary talent, the 10th annual Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival proved Fort Worth foodies can’t get enough of the four-day feeding frenzy. Held April 4-7, the milestone festival sold out in record time with all five events hitting capacity by Thursday morning.

5. Texas supermarket chain H-E-B opens new H-E-B Alliance in north Fort Worth. April 10 was a special day for far north Fort Worth: The H-E-B supermarket chain opened its H-E-B Alliance store, the fifth store the San Antonio-based retailer has opened in the DFW Metroplex. The new store is 125,000 square feet and is located at 3451 Heritage Trace Pkwy., at the northwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and North Riverside Drive on the northern edge of Fort Worth.

Drone News

Watch top drone company break a record at North Richland Hills show

Sky Elements Drones

Sky Elements Drones holiday show.

Dallas-Fort Worth's most famous drone name is aiming to break a world record: Sky Elements Drone Shows, the Coppell-based company known for its ground-breaking light shows rendered via drones, will attempt to break a Guinness World Record for “Longest animation performed by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles”.

In cooperation with the City of North Richland Hills, the company will fly its annual flagship Christmas drone show, this year featuring 2,500 drones orchestrated to create holiday images and themes such as Santa Clauses and "Merry Christmas."

The current record to beat is 26:26 minutes in the air and was set by a Chinese company in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

Sky Elements is no stranger to Guinness World Records; they are already an 11-time Guiness World Record holder. Mere days ago, they set a new Guinness World Record title for "largest aerial display of a gingerbread village made out of drones" — a festive display that was part of a holiday drone show in Mansfield on November 27.

They are nothing if not dedicated. In September, they were a finalist on national TV show America’s Got Talent, and came in at third place.

They've produced drone shows for the MLB, NFL, NCAA sports, film premieres, the State Fair of Texas, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. They are also on the forefront of an admirable transition away from fireworks being deployed during holidays and events, to be replaced by drones. Fireworks are harmful to wildlife as well as people with sensory issues, and terrifying for pets, who frequently bolt.

The big show will take place on December 20 at 7 pm, at Birdville ISD Fine Arts/Athletics Complex at 9200 Mid Cities Blvd, North Richland Hills. The lot opens at 5 pm, and the flight time is 7 pm.

Michael Empric, a Guinness World Records adjudicator, will be on-site to confirm the record.

Spectators are invited to arrive in their cars to witness this incredible drone show from the comfort of their vehicles. Guests will be parked on a first-come, first-served basis.

The audience can tune their radio stations to 88.9 FM and listen along as they tell a story in the sky. Many liken the event to a drive-in movie experience, and spectators are encouraged to bring snacks.

technology media