Things to Do in Farmers Branch

The art connoisseurs at Creative Hands guide patrons of all ages through the artistic process with a cache of ready-to-paint plaster and ceramic items. Equipped with provided paints and glazes, budding Picassos can transform bare figurines, plates, bowls, and goblets into masterpieces as personalized as the Mona Lisa's thumbprint. Guests can tote away freshly decorated plaster pieces after a 30- to 45-minute glazing-and-drying process or enlist the warming powers of a kiln to seal in a ceramic creation's luster and then pick up the fired work of art a week later. Creative Hands' roomy studio fosters a suitable space for large groups or birthday parties and houses a ladies' night on the first Thursday of every month.

Sudsy brews slosh in clink-ready cups at the third annual North Texas Beer and Wine Festival, which takes up residence at the new Irving Convention Center on Saturday, May 12. Once the doors open to the general public at 2 p.m., imbibers can snack on high-end eats from the likes of Velvet Taco and The Ranch in Las Colinas, and sample the wares of local and international brewers from Imperial and Franconia. These brewmasters sling samples of hundreds of different beers, from classic signature brews to new, experimental creations. Just one of several enriching presentations on the schedule, Kelly Harris of Homebrew Headquarters edifies entrepreneurs and enthusiasts at 2:45 p.m. with an introductory course to home brewing. In a sprawling beer garden, live music from The Superkings and Dallas All Stars Blues Jam serenades sippers in the afternoon hours, easing eardrums into the VIP-only event featuring Band of Brothers and Zionaura.

Shecky's Girls Night Out makes planning a social outing between friends easy with its dozens of fashion, jewelry, and beauty product displays and samples to peruse. Having started as a published guide to New York City nightlife, Shecky's now stages stylish shindigs across the country and has garnered nationwide notice from media outlets—including Bloomberg News —for its ladies-only soirees. Drawing on its roots as a party-planning brain trust, Shecky’s relies on a talented staff to augment vendor wares with complimentary snacks and cocktails, goody bags, and makeovers. Take a peek at one of Shecky’s past events, where, like the locker room at a WNBA game, men are conspicuously absent.