New here? Get familiar with Denton’s quirks, happenings and notable locals with this handy guide

The Square — What’s Denton without its downtown? Both longtime locals and recent arrivals harbor a love for Denton’s Square. The Courthouse on the Square lawn is a favorite spot for everything from picnics to protests, the historic Campus Theatre is a great spot to catch a show, and many of Denton’s favorite shops, from Recycled Books to the Downtown Mini Mall, make the Square an essential destination for newbies.

The Purple Door — Up for an adventure? Spend an afternoon (or several) on the hunt for the “hidden” purple door that has become a Denton landmark. With even some longtime residents never having discovered the door, it’s customary to pose for photos at the spot as evidence of your seeking skills (and hopefully not your Googling ones).

Fry Street — Local nightlife lovers will find a slew of local pubs and bars at Fry Street. Just off the University of North Texas campus and frequented by students, the area is flush with spots to grab a drink or some late-night grub, and even check out street art at Voertman’s spray paint nook. Part of the historic Fry Street area — the blocks between Fry and Welch streets and Oak and Hickory streets — was burned down in 2007 with a Molotov cocktail as part of protests about a Houston developer bringing upscale apartments to the area.

Old Alton Bridge — On the far south edge of Denton, Old Alton Bridge, also known as the Goatman’s Bridge, has long drawn podcasters, paranormal investigators and enthusiasts from across the country. Built in the 1880s, the iron truss bridge connects Denton and Copper Canyon. Several ghost stories have circulated about the bridge, the most popular of which is that it’s haunted by a half-man, half-goat figure called Goatman who will appear if you cross the bridge without headlights at night. Local lore — which doesn’t seem to be backed up by public record — tells the story of a Black goat farmer and entrepreneur who was hanged on the bridge by the Ku Klux Klan in the 1930s. Crews from the shows Ghost Adventures and BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural are just a few of those who have turned up to investigate the mysterious landmark.

Frenchy’s — If you’ve ever seen a large orange truck around town with (often patriotic) messages on the side, you’ve been introduced to Frenchy’s Lawn and Tree Service. The popular lawn care service is owned by André J. “Frenchy” Rheault, based on the nickname he acquired in the Air Force because of his French-Canadian background. Frenchy’s has 25 orange trucks which, when they’re not being driven to job sites, can be seen around town with encouraging messages and shout outs on the side.

Quakertown and Quakertown Park — Quakertown Park is home to lots of local events including the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival, but it has a dark history. A century ago, the land was once home to a thriving Black community, complete with businesses, a school and nearly 60 families. The community was forcibly removed thanks to a campaign by the president of the nearby College of Industrial Arts, now known as Texas Woman’s University, which regarded the park as a danger. It rallied support from local businesses and beautification boards to turn the land into Civic Center Park, and the city bought out the homes, with many of the residents relocating to the Solomon Hill area. The park was renamed to honor Quakertown in 2006, and the city has since begun efforts to memorialize Quakertown.

Happenings

Denton Community Market — Open every Saturday from April to November, you’ll find a host of local wares and enjoy live music at the city’s farm and art market. Makers gather here weekly from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to offer up everything from fresh vegetables and farm-raised meats to handmade jewelry, baked goods and personal care products. The market is located at 317 W. Mulberry St., at the Denton County Historical Park.

Denton Arts & Jazz Festival — Hosted at Quakertown Park every fall, the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from across North Texas. Patrons can enjoy local artwork, children’s activities, food and. of course, jazz headliners including UNT’s One O’clock Lab Band. If you’re new to Denton, the city’s signature festival is a must to explore.

Dentonpalooza — Perhaps no event can claim to be more Denton-centric than Dentonpalooza, an on-the-nose celebration of the city’s quirks (and quirky locals). Like many of the city’s -isms, it started as a joke: Local Joey Liechty (DJ Yeahdef) shared a mock festival poster on social media celebrating some of Denton’s most well-known characters. But when locals took the idea and ran with it, Liechty gave in and hosted the first Dentonpalooza in October 2021 at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Complete with musical acts, skateboard demos, wrestling shows and local figureheads, the host has likened the event, which returned in 2022, to a variety show. (The Denton Record-Chronicle even got a shoutout of its own, with former digital editor Jenna Duncan recounting some of the publication’s most notorious crime blotters during the inaugural event). The festival will return in 2023, though specifics haven’t been released yet.

Twilight Tunes — If you’re on the hunt for a low-key event, bring a blanket or lawn chair to the Denton Courthouse on the Square lawn for free tunes every Thursday in May and June. Entering its 30th year in 2023, the Denton Main Street Association’s award-winning series offers music for every taste, from acoustic to pop, ska, punk and Brazilian fusion. Check out the full lineup at dentonmainstreet.org/twilight-tunes.

One O’clock Lab Band – With seven Grammy Award nominations under its belt, this is the University of North Texas’ premier performing ensemble. The band has drawn national attention as one of the best university jazz ensembles, with its latest album, Lab 2021, featuring six original student compositions and work by prolific contributors like Grammy-nominated composer Rich DeRosa.

Thin Line Fest — Hosted every spring, this free festival celebrates documentary movies and live music from across the region and the world, with the film portion remaining the longest-running documentary festival in the state.

Denton Black Film Festival — Also taking place annually is the Denton Black Film Festival. The festival features film and other forms of storytelling such as music, dance, comedy and spoken word — all about Black culture. The festival also explores social justice issues through content and panel discussions. The DBFF celebrated its ninth year in 2023.

North Texas Fair and Rodeo — Carnival and rodeo fans alike can find something to love at the North Texas Fair and Rodeo, a nine-day event held in Denton every August. The fair features live music, classic carnival rides and games, fair grub, a nightly rodeo and livestock shows. The fair will enter its 95th year in 2023, taking place Aug. 18-26.

Notable locals

A host of notables have called Denton home over the years, from musicians to activists, judges and even outlaws. Here are just a few of the names you might hear mentioned — or people you might spot about town.

“Flat Earth guy” or “Flatrick” — Ever noticed a small silver Scion sporting an American flag, Hawaiian leis and an “Earth is flat” bumper sticker? If not, you might have noticed local “Flat Earther” Patrick Burke driving a black truck instead, complete with a telescope and proclamations like “YouTube 200 proofs” and “Safe vaccines are as ‘real’ as ‘space’ travel.” Burke’s home on Malone Street, which sports spray paint reading “Scientifically Earth is flat + motionless,” might also have caught your eye. Burke has even drawn attention from a couple of Princeton University Ph.D. students (and caught a citation for writing “COVID hoax” outside of a Denton Walmart in July 2020).

“Tiger Head (Keyboard) Guy” — If you’ve frequented the Denton Square or University Drive, you might have encountered Josh Musgrove. Better known as the “Tiger Head Guy,” Musgrove can be heard mixing techno beats on his keyboard on Denton sidewalks, always wearing an animal costume. This beloved local figure was embraced by locals shortly after he began making public appearances, and during a birthday celebration thrown by the community, April 8, 2023, was declared “Josh ‘Tiger Head Guy’ Musgrove Day” in a city proclamation.

Denton Spider-Man — Sanger resident and personal trainer Jeremy Rock Sons didn’t plan to become one of Denton’s most notable figures when he started dressing up as Spider-Man in 2020. Instead, he thought it would be funny to wear the suit — mask included — to local grocery stores amid the pandemic. But after sharing his outing to social media, he was soon bombarded with requests from local parents and began attending events like birthday parties for free or for whatever families could afford. The Denton Spider-Man has since appeared at thousands of events throughout the region, even visiting Uvalde after the school shooting in spring 2022.

“Shark Tank bicycle man” — Though his real name is Aaron Powell, many know the Bunch Bikes owner by his nickname thanks to a spring 2021 appearance on ABC’s prime-time reality show Shark Tank. Powell went on the show to pitch his electric cargo bikes during a Season 12 episode.

Judy Smith — Local artist and founder of Rose Costumes, Judy Smith is a longtime resident of Denton. Aside from Rose Costumes, which is now under new ownership, Smith is known for various art projects around town, including the junk art fence behind Natural Grocers on Sherman Drive and the Chairy Orchard. Nestled between two houses at 1426 Churchill Drive, the Chairy Orchard was the creation of the “Chairy Fairies” — Smith and neighbor Ann Pearson — who collected unique seats for the free public installment. The popular picnic and photo spot is closing down as of early June, however, following repeated vandalism. Smith also has a sidewalk star at the Campus Theatre, which frequently worked with the costumer over the years.

John Bramblitt — Renowned blind painter John Bramblitt, a UNT graduate, not only calls Denton home but invites locals into his public studio inside his new downtown space, Bramblitt’s Yellow Dog Art Bar & Gallery. Bramblitt has drawn national attention for his colorful paintings, teaching his sightless technique at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art.

Denton musicians — A long list of notable musicians have attended UNT’s College of Music or called Denton home. Brave Combo and Midlake are still based here, while the long list of artists and bands with connections to the city include Pat Boone, Don Henley, Sarah Jaffe, Norah Jones, Maren Morris, Meat Loaf, Tom “Bones” Malone, “Blue” Lou Marini, Roy Orbison, Sylvester Stewart (Sly & the Family Stone), Bowling for Soup, Deep Blue Something, Snarky Puppy and Eli Young Band.

TV and sports personalities — Though the list of actors, television personalities, professional sports players and other notables with ties to Denton isn’t quite as long as that of musicians, we’ve still got a few claims to fame. Actor, skateboarder and photographer Jason Lee, known for My Name Is Earl, previously lived in Denton with his family, while talk show host Phil McGraw, host of Dr. Phil, received his Ph.D. from UNT. Former pro American football player “Mean” Joe Greene, also got his start at UNT, leading the team during his three seasons from 1966 to 1968 before going on to become a defensive tackler for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Denton-isms

Rat Kroger (or Murder Kroger), Cheese Kroger and MILF Kroger — Denton has three Krogers, but you won’t often hear them referenced by their location. Instead, they’re best known by their respective nicknames. Residents won’t let the Kroger at 500 W. University Drive live down the rat sighting that led to a temporary closure in 2018, thereafter dubbing the store “Rat Kroger,” or “Krodent”. (Some locals also refer to it as “Murder Kroger” because of the parking lot, which has been said to induce homicidal rage in even the most passive drivers, and because of a shooting in another part of the strip mall). At 1592 S. Loop 288 you’ll find “Cheese Kroger,” more straightforwardly nicknamed for its wide selection of, well, cheese. And at 5021 Teasley Lane in Hickory Creek Plaza, you’ll find MILF Kroger, so nicknamed for (ahem) some of the shoppers who frequent the location.

Glizzies — For some Denton folks, a hot dog will forever be known as a “glizzy” thanks to a joke that took off on the popular Denton Downtowners Facebook group in fall 2020. The running gag eventually got its very own namesake celebration at a Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios Fourth of July show.