2016 Fort Worth South, Inc. Shindig
How do you define the Near Southside?
Medical district. Creative hub. Historic neighborhood. Restaurant row. Entertainment destination. Incubator. Our district is all of those, and more.
At the national level, districts similar to ours – defined by a powerful cocktail of medical and manufacturing, retail and residential, creative capital and caffeine – have become the research focus for leading urban experts.
The Rise of Innovation Districts: A New Geography of Innovation in America is a report by Bruce Katz and Julie Wagner of the Brookings Institution in which they explain:
A new complementary urban model is now emerging, giving rise to what we and others are calling “innovation districts.” These districts, by our definition, are geographic areas where leading-edge anchor institutions and companies cluster and connect with start-ups, business incubators and accelerators. They are also physically compact, transit-accessible, technically-wired, and offer mixed-use housing, office, and retail.
Last year, you helped us celebrate 20 years of accomplishments that changed perceptions and created the Near Southside of today. This year in addition to Mr. Katz’s keynote address we will present stories of tomorrow’s landmark innovations, mostly unknown to the public, currently underway in the Near Southside. First, please mark your calendars for Friday, February 19, 5:30-9 pm at the Omni Hotel at 1300 Houston Street, and spread the word to friends and colleagues that might be interested in joining the fun.
Second, please review these sponsor opportunities to see how FWSI’s annual dinner provides a great opportunity to support the organization’s continued work while also showcasing your company’s innovative spirit to the thousands that we’ll reach through the event’s publicity efforts. This event is FWSI’s only annual fundraiser. It’s a testament to the amazing community support received each year that allows FWSI to pursue revitalization through dozens of exciting initiatives.
Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Paul Paine
President
Fort Worth South, Inc.
Read more
Check out this comprehensive listing of the Near Southside’s many restaurants and retail destinations! The Near Southside Guide has all of the information you need to enjoy and explore the neighborhood. From nightlife to brewery tours, bed and breakfasts to bars and pubs, we’ve packaged our best locally owned and operated businesses for your convenience. Click the cover graphic on the left to browse the guide.
Fort Worth South, Inc. has received approval from the TIF #4 Board of Directors to pursue additional “complete street” re-striping projects this year. FWSI’s complete street program aims to create functional and inviting streets that meet the needs of all users while also supporting the district’s continued revitalization. FWSI has already worked closely with the City to transform streets such as W. Magnolia Ave., S. Main St., and Jennings, with W. Vickery also in the works, pending the City’s hiring of a new contractor. Next on the list: Evans and Broadway Avenues.
Read more
Events in the Near Southside
The district's event calendar is packed. Some programs have run for over twenty years and still draw thousands of participants. Most are free to attend.
ArtSouth Artist Residency Program
ArtSouth is a quarterly artist residency. Each participant receives studio space and a $4,000 project stipend, plus a public exhibition venue within the Near Southside. One slot per quarter. Applications are open to artists working in all media, with no application fee.
The program is deliberately tied to the neighborhood: the artist works within the district and presents the results to the local community. Not an isolated residency - one that's embedded in the fabric of the street.
ArtsGoggle - Annual Gallery Crawl
ArtsGoggle takes place every October on a Saturday and runs the full length of Magnolia Avenue from 8th Avenue to S. Main Street - one continuous route stretching a mile. 2025 figures:
| Metric |
Data |
| Artists |
1,000+ |
| Musical performances |
50+ |
| Attendees |
80,000+ |
| Admission |
Free |
The festival is non-juried - there is no selection by skill level, and that is intentional. It gives emerging artists space alongside those who have been showing for years. Artist participation fee for 2026 is $150. Food vendors pay $250. For Near Southside businesses, participation is free.
Friday on the Green Concert Series
A monthly open-air concert at Magnolia Green - a park on Lipscomb Street between Magnolia Ave. and Rosedale St. The series runs April through October, free admission. The format is straightforward: bring a blanket, come with your dog or kids, and hear four local bands back to back.
Each evening includes an artisan market and food from neighborhood restaurants. Produced by Near Southside, Inc. together with Near Southside Arts. Booking deliberately favors musicians with a personal connection to Fort Worth and prioritizes original material over cover sets.
Open Streets and Chili on the Green
Open Streets is a spring Sunday event when Magnolia Avenue closes to cars for four hours. The street belongs to cyclists, skaters, food trucks, and everyone else. Nothing extraordinary - just the city working the way it should.
Chili on the Green happens the first Saturday of November. Twelve teams compete for the title of best chili in the district. An informal tournament where the participants take the outcome very seriously.
Near Southside News and Updates
The district is changing fast. In February 2024, construction began on The Vickery - a five-acre mixed-use development at W. Vickery Boulevard and Hemphill Street with 307 residential units, a two-story restaurant, and a rooftop terrace. Opening was scheduled for spring 2025. The project is pursuing LEED Bronze certification.
In October 2024, a planning session for the Historic Southside Urban Village was held at Evans Plaza - seven acres of vacant land with potential for affordable housing, retail, and green space. The process is running with direct resident participation.
Fort Worth South, Inc. publishes annual progress reports and economic data dashboards for the district. Not PR - a working tool for developers, investors, and local businesses making decisions based on real numbers.
Living and Working in the Near Southside
Restaurants, Retail, and Nightlife
Near Southside is, above all, Magnolia Avenue. The restaurant density on this street is among the highest in Fort Worth. Ellerbe Fine Foods, Esperanza's, HopFusion Ale Works, Rahr & Sons Brewing - some have operated here for over a decade and built the district's reputation as a dining destination.
Live music is not limited to festivals. Tulips FTW on St. Louis Ave. is one of the city's key independent concert venues. In 2024, its spinoff Low Doubt Bar opened next door. New formats are not replacing the old ones - they are adding to them.
The district is walkable and bikeable. Trinity Metro Bikes works as a real alternative to a car - especially relevant during ArtsGoggle and other large events.
Development Standards and Incentives
Near Southside operates within Tax Increment Finance District No. 4, which funds street projects and infrastructure - the complete streets improvements on W. Magnolia Ave., S. Main St., and Jennings were all delivered through TIF No. 4.
Developers and businesses have access to several parallel tools:
- Neighborhood Empowerment Zone - tax abatements for new construction and renovation
- Historic Designations - federal and state tax credits for restoring historic buildings
- Near Southside Development Standards - district design guidelines oriented toward pedestrian-scale development
Fort Worth South, Inc. maintains a current property listings registry and runs redevelopment seminars for those exploring entry into the district.
About Fort Worth South, Inc.
Fort Worth South, Inc. was established in the mid-1990s as a nonprofit focused on revitalizing the Near Southside. Over 30 years - that means street transformations, event programs that now draw 80,000 people, and investment brought into a district that was still seen as troubled in the 1990s.
The organization runs on membership dues, sponsorships, and an annual fundraising dinner. Membership is open to businesses and residents of the district - directory access, event participation, and a voice in how the territory develops.
