Farmers Branch arts committee approves minutes, finalizes volunteers for Branch Arts Live, Halloween and Day of the Dead events

The Farmers Branch Arts & Culture Advisory Committee approved the minutes from its Sept. 17, 2025 meeting and confirmed volunteer assignments and logistics for several upcoming fall events, including Branch Arts Live, Halloween in the Park and a Day of the Dead program.

Committee members and staff said the volunteer plan aims to staff welcome tables, hand out artist signs and help with activities across the events, which include a Branch Arts Live program with performances, Halloween in the Park on Oct. 25 and a Day of the Dead event Oct. 30. The committee discussed start, shift and check‑in times for volunteers and ways to route attendees into event areas without closing roads.

Committee members emphasized practical details. Bonnie, staff member, said the city’s artist-directory sign-up form on the Discover Farmers Branch site had a back-end glitch that prevented new artists from registering through the QR code and that staff would accept signups on paper at events in the meantime. "It's not really working because unless you have a membership or unless you've signed up already, you don't really have access to much," Bonnie said. She told the committee she and Rachel are working on the issue and that paper signup or a temporary Google form could be used to collect artists' information.

Jennifer, committee member and volunteer coordinator, and others confirmed who would staff which shifts. For tomorrow’s early event the committee listed Jennifer, Rita and Amy as volunteers at a welcome table from about 4 to 6 p.m.; for Halloween in the Park (Oct. 25) Jennifer, Rita and Chris Stevenson were listed as volunteers, and the committee discussed splitting shifts across the 5–10 p.m. event so volunteers could enjoy performances while staffing the table.

Dawn, who is organizing Branch Arts Live, said sound and staging checks are complete and volunteers will be assigned a timeline of duties. "The Marley will be delivered next Friday, and we'll just put it all together and hopefully have an amazing event," she said.

The committee also discussed accessibility logistics: using Venue 1842 as an ADA dining site for event attendees with limited mobility, and plans for parking and shuttle options as part of larger events such as Fourth of July. Rob and other staff described incremental street parking and off‑street lots being added near the venue; staff said Ford Road resurfacing and added on‑street spaces should increase capacity for future events.

Members discussed outreach to nearby churches and neighborhood groups for parking and crowd management. The committee encouraged use of printed materials and laminated QR cards at events while the artist-directory form is fixed. Committee members also agreed to help print and laminate materials and to supply small giveaway bags for artists and visitors.

Votes at a glance: the committee approved the Sept. 17, 2025 meeting minutes by voice vote; counts were not specified in the record. The meeting was later formally adjourned by voice vote; counts were not specified. The committee also scheduled its annual presentation to city council for Nov. 4 and noted November will include the committee's last meeting before the December break.

Looking ahead, staff and volunteers will continue to troubleshoot the artist-directory sign-up and finalize volunteer schedules via text and email. Staff asked volunteers to arrive early at the park on event days to set up and to coordinate relief shifts by phone.