The Wee-Beasties on stage. (left to right) Stephanie Holloway, Richard Haskins, Paul “Precious” Burke, Kyle Harper. Photo: Jessica Waffles
The second annual Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair kicks off Friday, bringing with it a slew of vendors, local artists, small business owners — and did we mention more than 80 musical acts spread across three stages and three days?
The event zooms in on one of the city’s most beloved and artistically vibrant neighborhoods. This year, the fair is expanding its footprint in Deep Ellum, while also adding an additional stage for music performances.
The arts fair is free to attend — use mass transit if you can because, well, parking in Deep Ellum will forever and always remain an Olympic-level challenge. The action unfolds along the length of Crowdus Street, between Taylor and Indiana. Doors open at 11 a.m. each day.
There are lots of great performances to choose from over the coming days, but to help narrow your choices a little, we’ve assembled a playlist of five can’t-miss artists appearing on one of the event’s three stages. (You can view the full line-up at deepellumfair.com.)
Richard Haskins (4:30 p.m. Friday at Blues Alley)
“Force of nature” almost seems too polite a way to describe how Richard Haskins attacks any stage upon which he finds himself, whether performing solo or with the Denton rockers the Wee Beasties. As my KXT colleague Nilufer Arsala puts it: “[He] can often be seen leading the band through … high-energy numbers in nothing but a pair of underwear and a punk rock spirit.” ‘Nuff said.
88 Killa (6 p.m. Friday at Assembly)
Fort Worth-based rapper 88 Killa (born Donovan Payne) never limited himself strictly to music. In addition to dropping LPs like 2021’s 88 Special and singles like last year’s “Passenger Seat,” he’s also developed a streetwear apparel line and hosts an occasional podcast titled “Keepin’ It Cool with Killa.”
Tony Williams (8 p.m. Saturday at DEBC Stage)
The World Famous Tony Williams calls Fort Worth home these days, but his career has taken him all over the world, thanks in part to his first cousin Kanye West, who has featured Williams’ gorgeous vocals on numerous albums. Williams has also built an eclectic solo career. Most recently, he released his second studio album, A Fish Without a Bicycle.
Kali Flower (7:30 p.m. Saturday at Assembly)
Dallas-based singer-songwriter Kali Flower (born Kali Ah Yuen) is a dynamic part of the North Texas scene, equally capable of turning heads on her own with tracks like the recently released “Got a Clue,” or via cross-genre collaborations with artists like 88 Killa, Pretty Dim and Dezmond Walker.
Sarah Johnson (7:30 p.m. Sunday at Assembly)
This singer-songwriter can frequently be heard on KXT — Nilufer Arsala recently featured Johnson’s new single “Lovinaires” on the KXT Local Show — when she isn’t organizing events like the Girls of DFW concert series. “I am always trying to get more and more involved in the Dallas music scene and meet everyone I can, so the next round will probably be more friends I’ve made along the way,” she told me back in 2022.
The Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair, Dallas. April 5-7. Admission is free.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
