Penny Kimble | Denton Record-Chronicle

Thin Line Fest is returning for 2025 with five days of films, music and more. The annual documentary film festival is the longest running in Texas and will be back in town April 23-27.

Denton's live music scene lost a legendary music venue in Andy's Bar, a staple of the community for 30 years, which hosted its last show on Friday. But the music stops for nobody in this town, and there are still plenty of venues to check out, where you can hear local and touring artists play and maybe find a new favorite.

The Purple Heart Trail is a symbolic designation to roads, bridges and other landmarks nationwide. Signs placed at these locations hope to create a visual reminder for people of the high price paid by veterans for their freedom to travel and live in a free society.

Voters will decide in November to elect Democrat Detrick DeBurr or Republican Mitch Little to represent District 65 in the Texas House of Representatives. Located in the southern part of Denton County, state House District 65 spans from Justin and far north Fort Worth to Bartonville to the northern parts of Lewisville and Carrollton.

Voters will decide in November to elect Democrat Hava Johnston or reelect Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, to represent District 106 in the Texas House of Representatives.

Denton’s Day of the Dead Festival returns this weekend with a full day of events Saturday, plus more on Friday and Sunday. The festival is a favorite of locals and visitors, sparked by the Mexican tradition of remembering friends and family who have passed.

Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree is seeking reelection this year after two terms in office, while Democrat Fredrick Bishop is running for office for the first time, looking to unseat the county’s top law enforcement official.

Democrat Stephanie Draper is challenging Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, for his seat representing District 12 in the Texas Senate. District 12 includes areas south and west of Denton, spanning from Bridgeport to Flower Mound to Carrollton to Colleyville and Bedford and North Dallas, as well as Oak Point and Shady Shores.

Texas Woman’s University celebrated the placement of the final beam of the new health sciences building with a “topping off” ceremony last week. Along with leaders from the university, representatives from AECOM Hunt construction and SmithGroup architects took part, signing their names on the final beam.

Following the failure of two filters at the Lewisville Lake water treatment facility, the city of Denton released a second notice last week asking residents to reduce water usage to avoid triggering Stage 2 drought conditions.