What's New and News in Downtown Mesquite, TX: Solar Rodeo Edition

March/April 2024

Witness Eclipse at Front Street Station April 8

Downtown Mesquite will be at the heart of citywide activities celebrating the first total eclipse in Mesquite since the 1870s!

Our free event will include a photo bus, live music, a DJ, science-based interactive projects, participatory art, food trucks, vendors, free eclipse glasses and other gifts for the first to arrive at Front Street Station.

Bring a lawn chair, gather your friends and family, and enjoy this historic opportunity.

Click here for Downtown Eclipse Watch Party Details

Parade, Market Opening, Block Party, Dance Kick Off Downtown Activities Saturday, April 6

66th Annual Rodeo Parade Features Eclipse Theme

The 66th Annual Mesquite Rodeo Parade is set for 10 a.m. on April 6 in Downtown Mesquite.

The event, organized by the City of Mesquite Parks and Recreation Department, will make its way through the downtown area, offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy floats, marching bands, dignitaries and more.

This year's parade features a solar eclipse theme, with entrants eligible for prizes for excellence in decor and interpreting the theme.

Please click the link below for information on the parade route.

Click here for parade details

Downtown Market to Begin Fourth Season April 6

Don't miss opening day of the fourth season of the Downtown Mesquite Farmers Market on Saturday, April 6 at 9 a.m. at 110 W. Front St.

The Market will operate on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through November.

We'll have free tote bags for the first 200 visitors, so come early!

This will be a jam-packed market full of your favorite vendors from years past as well as many new faces. The market map will be launched on Friday, April 5, so mark your calendars!

Visit the Market Facebook Page

Dance the Night Away at Music and Moonlight

Dance the night away on April 6 as Downtown Mesquite presents "Music and Moonlight," a free block party and street dance, at Front Street Station from 6-11 p.m.

The party will get started with DJ II Kold followed by the music of the Rachel Teague Band.

Great music is just the start! Here's what else you can look forward to:

Food trucks
Vendors
Photo bus
Mechanical bull rides
A beer garden presented by the Mesquite Chamber

Music and Moonlight Info

More Info on Totality Phases

Mural Commemorates Eclipse with Art, Color, Connection

Have you seen the beautiful splash of new color being added near the intersection of Main and Broad streets downtown?

The artwork, a creation of artist Daniel Yanez, is the result of a grant presented to Downtown Mesquite to link the community to the eclipse via art.

The finished work will be comprised of two parts: first, a background, which will remain beyond the eclipse. Second, there will be panels installed in front, and they will illustrate the six phases of totality. A seventh panel will direct the visitor to a page on the Downtown Mesquite website that offers scientific information about the eclipse.

After the eclipse, the seven panels will be re-interpreted with new artwork.

Multiple Businesses Make Special Plans

Businesses Hosting Eclipse Art Shows, Weddings, Markets

WildHoney is hosting multiple events at Corner Theatre, including a Celestial Symphony open mic night, a Celestial Bodies art exhibit, and more.

The Prom Project is hosting a Solar Saturday Vendor Market.

Bear Cave Coffee is hosting "Coffeeclipse" on April 8 from 10 to 2.

Happenings at Front Street Station is hosting Eclipse weddings and other events.

This is just a partial list; be sure to check with your favorite businesses and their social media to get the latest information.

Downtown Mesquite businesses are also joining in with special Solar Rodeo programming of their own!

Participating downtown restaurant and beverage locations will offer eclipse-specific drinks and entrees, and multiple locations will be producing special in-house events.

Be sure to check out the list at left and support these local entrepreneurs as they work to present lively, meaningful and engaging activities to the historic heart of the community.

Downtown Mesquite Development | Website