Irving City Spectrum, September 2025

City’s Proposed Budget Maintains Current Tax Rate

Irving City Council is scheduled to adopt the Fiscal Year 2025-26 (FY26) proposed budget on Sept. 18. The final public hearing on the budget and tax rate is Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. at Irving City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd. The hearing provides residents with the opportunity to share input on the proposed budget before final adoption.

The FY26 proposed budget maintains the current tax rate of $0.5891/$100 taxable value while funding key city operations and maintenance projects. Like all City of Irving budget cycles, the budget is structurally balanced and continues to fund the exceptional services and programs Irving residents enjoy today.

 Additional Police and Fire Department Personnel

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The Irving Police Department is accepting requests for officers or department representatives to stop by National Night Out events. Registration is free.

Learn more and sign up at IrvingTX.gov/NNORegistration 

Community Invited to Help Reimagine Downtown Irving

Downtown Irving is getting a fresh look — and the community is invited to be part of the transformation.

The City of Irving, in collaboration with local nonprofit Better Block, is launching the Downtown Irving Reimagined Project, a community-driven initiative aimed at transforming the heart of downtown to a more vibrant,

pedestrian-friendly enhancements. The work is based on community feedback collected through surveys and outreach efforts over the past year.

Experience Main St.: Oct. 10 & 11

The workshops kick off Experience Main St., a series of events and activities that begin with a weekend celebration on Oct. 10 and 11, where the temporary transformation will be unveiled.

Volunteer Opportunities

Participants are encouraged to take part in a series of hands-on volunteer workshops Oct. 8, 9 and 10 to help create a temporary vision of what the future of Main Street could look like. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome. Activities include painting, building and other creative placemaking projects that bring together public art, community gathering areas and

The two-day celebration will feature: Pop-up shops and vendor booths

Interactive art

Live music and performances

Outdoor dining and local eats

A chance to walk through and experience the reimagined Main Street firsthand

Experience Main St. will continue through December 2025.

Additional volunteer opportunities are available during the event weekend to assist with event support and clean-up.

The project is part of a larger vision to support downtown revitalization, enhance walkability and make Main Street a more engaging destination for residents, businesses and visitors.

To volunteer, scan the QR code. For more information about the project, visit IrvingTX.gov/Downtown-Reimagined 

Events at Irving Arts Center

TICKETED EVENTS

Sept. 5 | Candlelight: Tribute to Arijit Singh

Presented by Fever

6:15 p.m. | $30-$66

Sept. 5 & 28 | Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA

Presented by Fever

Sept. 5 | 8:45 p.m. | $30-$68

Sept. 28 | 6:30 p.m. & 8:45 p.m.| $30-$68

Sept. 7 | Love, Death & Ketchup: Varun Grover Standup

Presented by OHO Productions

6:30 p.m. | $26.50-$33.50

Sept. 21 | Enter D Lafta

Presented by Edo Charles Entertainment

6 p.m. | $32.50-$102.50

A multicultural comedy, music and glamour show.

Sept. 25 | VIVIZ World Tour

Presented by Leo Presents

7 p.m. | $25.23-$172.25

The three-piece K-pop group, VIVIZ, performs live as part of its 2025 World Tour.

Sept. 26 | We Call It Ballet: Sleeping Beauty in a Dazzling Light Show

Presented by Fever

6:30 p.m. & 9 p.m. | $36-$71

Experience this classic tale like never before, as dancers take the stage in glow-in-the-dark costumes.

Sept. 26 & 27 | Into the Woods Presented by Irving Youth Theatre (IYT) Times vary | $22.50

The IYT Educational Outreach of Entertainment Series of Irving presents its first full-length musical.

YOUTH & FAMILY EVENTS

Sept. 4 | JumpstART Stories & Art: Hats Off To Fall!

10 a.m. | Free | All Ages September is National Hat Month. Join this free story time and fun hat-making activity!

Sept. 14 | Second Sunday Funday: Exploring Folk Art & Outsider Art + Second Sunday Open Studio for Teens

1 to 4 p.m. | Free | All Ages

Drop in for this fun art-making activity. Find inspiration in the exhibition “Rooted Visions” and transform found objects and ordinary materials into works of art.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Oct. 4 | 6th Annual Volunteer Fair!

2 to 4 p.m. | Free | All Ages

Looking for a way to get involved and give back to your community? Connect with representatives from 40+ local organizations and nonprofits.

Oct. 5 | Sip, Snack & Create: A Toast to Teachers!

1 to 4 p.m. | Free for Educators | Ages 21 and older Educators are invited to enjoy brunch bites, mimosas, gallery tours and artmaking while exploring the exhibition "Rooted Visions." Registration required.

Irving Archives & Museum Events & Happenings

SPECIAL EXHIBITION

Through Sept. 28 | Badge of Pride: From Silence… To Celebration!

This landmark exhibit offers one of the first and most comprehensive artifactdriven explorations of LGBTQ+ history in Texas.

SECOND SATURDAYS

Enjoy Second Saturday with free admission and activities for everyone at the Irving Archives and Museum (IAM).

IRVING ARCHIVES AND MUSEUM

Hours: Wednesday through Saturday

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Tickets: Adults $7, Ages 4-12 $5

Thanks to a generous community sponsor, admission to the Irving Archives and Museum is FREE through Sept. 28!

COMING SOON TO IAM

Two Photography Exhibitions by Jeanine Michna-Bales

 Opens Oct. 18 | Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales spent over a decade researching the Underground Railroad. Her exhibition features 48 photographs documenting a 2,000-mile route based on real sites, cities and places passed through by freedom-seekers.

 Opens Oct. 18 | Standing Together: Inez Milholland’s Final Campaign for Women’s Suffrage

This exhibition draws from Jeanine Michna-Bales’ book "Standing Together: Inez Milholland’s Final Campaign for Women’s Suffrage (2016–2020)." Through photographs, landscapes, reenactments and archival materials, she retraces Milholland’s grueling 1916 campaign across the American West, capturing the monumental effort that led to the 19th Amendment.

KIB SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR SEPT. 27 ANNUAL TRASH BASH

Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) will host the 34th annual Trash Bash on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon at T.W. Richardson Grove Park, 333 E. Interstate Highway 635. Volunteers will focus on cleaning the northern Campion Trail area to prevent litter from reaching the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The event coincides with National Public Lands Day and is part of Keep Texas Beautiful’s “Fall Sweep.”

KIB will provide litter pickers, gloves and bags for trash and recycling. After the cleanup, volunteers can enjoy educational exhibits and a provided lunch, including a vegetarian option.

Participants are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations for Crisis Ministries of Irving food pantry. Donors will receive a T-shirt while supplies last.

For those who prefer a virtual option, volunteers can clean up a safe Irving location of their choice and share results using the hashtag #IrvingTrashBash2025.

Registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 19. Visit IrvingTX.gov/KIB or call (972) 721-2175 for more information and to register. 

IN THE GALLERIES

Free to view. Open Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. No advance reservation needed. Free guided tours are offered on the first Saturday and second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m.

We’ve Been Framed: IDAC Volunteer Art Showcase Through Sept. 27 | Courtyard Gallery

Features artwork created by those who volunteer their time working alongside the City of Irving’s Department of Arts and Culture.

Rooted Visions Through Oct. 18 | Main Gallery

Showcase of 25 self-taught Southern Black artists, who have redefined artistic expression with their innovative use of found objects and everyday materials. Artists such as Mose Tolliver, Hawkins Bolden and Bessie Harvey explore themes of resilience, storytelling and the transformative power of creativity.

TICKETED EVENTS

De Profundis: Echoes from the Deep (Paintings by Giselle Castro-Brightenburg) Through Oct. 25 | Carpenter Lobby Gallery Castro-Brightenburg’s work is a celebration of the natural world, focusing on its myriad shapes, colors and the intricate relationships within it. The artist draws inspiration from sea anemones, creatures with a dual nature — both inveterate animals and flower-like beings. She captures the juxtaposition of beauty and predatory instinct, exploring concepts which blur the line between what they are and what they seem to be.

Reception: Sept. 19 | 6 to 8 p.m.

Beauty is Not Always Pretty: Recent Photographs & Prints by Bill Thompson Through Nov. 29 | Dupree Lobby Gallery

Details of old railroad cars and the variegated, husk-covered surface of palm trees are the focus of approximately 30 photographs and screen prints included in the exhibition. For Thompson, who sees his primary journey as an artist as one focused on the subjects found in his everyday surroundings, these objects are metaphors that celebrate purpose and reveal themes of sacrifice and redemption. Reception: Sept.19 | 6 to 8 p.m.

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NOW ACCEPTING BOARD AND COMMISSION APPLICATIONS

Residents interested in serving on a board or commission can apply at OnBoard.IrvingTX.gov/ Application.

Qualified applicants must be a resident of the City of Irving and a registered voter in the city for at least one year immediately prior to the date of their appointment.

The deadline to apply for November board appointments is Friday, Sept. 12. For more information, call (972) 721-2493.

Below is a list of boards and commissions:

 Advisory Committee on Disabilities

 Animal Services Advisory Committee

 Arts Board

 Board of Health

 Building and Standards Commission

 Civil Service Commission

 Construction Board of Appeals

 Convention and Visitors Bureau Board

 Green Advisory Board

 Housing and Human Services Board

 Library Board

 Parks and Recreation Board

 Planning and Zoning Commission

 Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Board, No. 1

 Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals

For board description, qualifications and meeting frequency, visit IrvingTX.gov/ City-Secretary and select “Boards and Commissions.” 

MacArthur Boulevard Reconstruction Project Concludes This Fall

Construction wraps up fall 2025 on the MacArthur Boulevard Reconstruction Project between Metker Street and Byron Nelson Way. In addition to the complete reconstruction of the roadway, upgrades include improvements to the drainage, water and wastewater infrastructure.

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Funded primarily through existing bond funds, the $28.7 million reconstruction project is a lasting investment in reducing congestion and improving driving conditions for Irving motorists.

For

New Elevated Water Storage Tank on Esters Road

Work begins this fall on the Esters elevated storage tank replacement project. The new tank will increase water storage capacity by 1 million gallons to support population growth in southwest Irving.

The existing 1.5 million-gallon Esters tank, located behind the West Irving Library in the Police and Fire Training Facility parking lot, was built in 1985 and was last rehabilitated in 2010. Building the new 2.5 milliongallon tank eliminates the need to invest in maintenance and repair of the existing tank while providing the additional storage required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to meet future water demands.

The new water tank will be constructed at 2601 Esters Road. Once complete, the old tank will be demolished, and the area will be paved over to expand parking at the Irving Police and Fire Training Facility.

The $14 million replacement project is funded through the Water and Wastewater System bond fund and is expected to be complete in summer 2027. For more information on the city’s ongoing infrastructure initiatives, visit IrvingTX.gov/IrvingInvests 

Conflans Road Extension Now Open

After two years of construction, motorists can now travel across the new extension of Conflans Road between Valley View Lane and State Highway 161. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in late August to celebrate the project’s public opening.

Conflans Road Extension Project Scope

 Construct 1,607-foot-long bridge across the Bear Creek flood plain

 Construct 956-foot-long, four-lane divided thoroughfare (Valley View to bridge)

 Construct 1,351-foot-long eastbound half of Conflans Road (bridge to SH 161)

 Construct 12-foot-wide shared-use pedestrian path along the south side of the right-of-way

 Construct new water, wastewater and storm sewer infrastructure

 Raise two Oncor high-voltage transmission lines by 40 feet

Multi-Agency Coordination

The nearly $43 million project was completed using city and federal funds and involved significant engineering and construction challenges for the four-lane divided thoroughfare across the Bear Creek flood plain. Design and construction activities for the project required extensive coordination with several major agencies that included: the Army Corps of Engineers, Texas Department of Transportation, Dallas County Flood Control District No. 1, Oncor Electric Delivery Co., Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Trinity River Authority, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

This milestone infrastructure project represents the completion of the last remaining and most complex section of Conflans Road, a major collector on the City’s Master Thoroughfare Plan.

For more information on the city’s ongoing infrastructure initiatives, visit IrvingTX.gov/IrvingInvests 