Addison & Spectrum

by D.O.

Among the intersections in the Dallas area that I’ve enjoyed unfair amounts of fun over the past few years, few are able to compete with the Bermuda-grass-filled area between Addison Circle and Spectrum Drive in Addison!, Texas.

Eleven months ago I blogged about the wonders of July Jazz, a weekly set of free summer concerts in a suburb just northwest of Dallas. I learned of these beautiful community gatherings last year mid-way through the summer, and I submit that my entire view of Dallas was changed from that point on. The goings on on summer weekends in Addison Circle defy many of Dallas’ negative stereotypes… but I’m getting ahead of myself.

This year I entered another Dallas summer more prepared than summers prior. A quick visit to Addison!’s 2008 Special Events Calendar informed me that I didn’t have to wait until July for music in the park. Friday evenings in June boast an excellent event called Summer Salsa that rival July Jazz in awesomeness. The rules are the same (bring your own blankets, food, and drinks, and the setting and music are provided), but the sounds are have a Latino flavor.

Hundreds of people, ages 2 to 82, show up to these concerts each weekend. I’m proud to be one of them. The feel of these gatherings is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in Dallas. When friends from out of town have come to visit, they often say that the gaterings between Addison and Spectrum make them forget that they are actually in Dallas.

For the three hours while the band is playing (and the hour or two thereafter), gone are the worries of the 9 to 5 rat race that so defines this city. People of every racial background show up and enjoy one another, along with the afore mentioned food and drink. Africans, Americans (North, South, Latin), Asians, Indians, and others all join together harmoniously, forming a beautiful snapshot of what our society could be.

And people dance. Not bump and grind, pop lock and drop, ghetto fantastic dancing either. Salsa dancing! By the time the sun goes down, if you aren’t dancing, you are in the minority. Many of these dancers aren’t exactly good either, which shows that they don’t care what others around them may be thinking. This is not common from what I’ve seen of Dallas.

While these and other activities are simultaneously taking place in Esplanade Park, my friends and I sit just East of Spectrum Drive, where the crowds are slightly less dense, and enjoy all that these summer nights have to offer. The view isn’t the best, but in the way of people watching its hard to beat.

So thank you, dear Addison!, for providing your residents and those who reside nearby with such an enjoyable event. I dare say I haven’t enjoyed summer nights this much since my childhood. It is events like these that keep me from making fun of you for having an exclamation point permanently attached to your city’s name.