Weekend Event Planner

Bomb Factory grand reopening tops best weekend events in Dallas

For those feeling nostalgic for the 1990s or anyone who wants to get a sneak peek at the next big venue in Dallas, the newly reopened Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum is the place to be this weekend. If that's doesn't move you, there is still a great mixture of events throughout Dallas-Fort Worth.

Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, March 26

Disney on Ice: Frozen
Just when you thought the mania of Disney's Frozen had died down, they suck you back in with a new short film before Cinderella, an announcement of a sequel and now Frozen on ice. The show, taking place multiple times at American Airlines Center through Sunday, provides an ideal setting for Anna, Elsa, Olaf and other characters to re-create the blockbuster story.

Dallas Holocaust Museum presents Upstander Speaker Series: Michael Sam
The impact of Michael Sam on the National Football League was minimized by the fact that Sam, who announced he was gay prior to the 2014 NFL draft, failed to make the active roster of any team. But his is still an inspirational story, one that he recounts during this special event at Communities Foundation of Texas. Dale Hansen makes the introduction.

Erykah Badu in concert with Sarah Jaffe
There's no better way to bring back the Bomb Factory than with an artist with a lot of Dallas history herself. Dallas native Erykah Badu, who's rumored to be releasing a new album later this year, is the new/old venue's first headliner, with support from Sarah Jaffe, another local who's on the rise.

Friday, March 27

2015 DFW Auto Show
If you're in the market for a new car or truck, then you will want to peruse the offerings at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, the host of the annual DFW Auto Show. Lasting through Sunday and featuring more than half a million square feet of cars, trucks and SUVs, you can't help but go home with that new car smell all over you.

TITAS presents Diavolo
Thanks in part to shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, the art form seems to be more popular than ever. But you've probably never seen anything like Diavolo, which uses large interactive sets and a variety of dance techniques to put on a show featuring both beautiful technique and jaw-dropping acrobatics. The troupe has another show at Dallas City Performance Hall on Saturday.

Saturday, March 28

Betty Buckley in concert
Fort Worth native Betty Buckley, who won a Tony Award for the classic musical Cats, returns home for two special shows. Taking place in the smaller McDavid Studio at Bass Performance Hall, the concerts includes many of Buckley's favorite songs as well as ones from her new album, Ghostlight. The album features a song written by Mary Chapin Carpenter, who just so happens to be playing in the main Bass hall the same night.

Toadies in concert with Brutal Juice and Baboon
Thanks to events like Dia de los Toadies and others, the Toadies haven't exactly been absent from the Dallas-Fort Worth music scene in recent years. But their being a part of the reopening of the Bomb Factory feels appropriate, as does appearances by throwback local bands Brutal Juice and Baboon.

Sunday, March 29

Screening of The Fast and the Furious and Fast & Furious 6
In advance of the release of Furious 7 on Friday, April 3, which could possibly be the last film in the series, the Granada Theater shows a double feature of the original Fast and the Furious and the penultimate film, Fast & Furious 6. As with other recent screenings, tickets are just $3 apiece, with shots and beer specials also at $3.

Pentatonix in concert
Fans of Pentatonix are about to get as much of the a cappella group as they can handle. First is this concert at Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie, where they sing in support of their second album, PTX Volume 2. If you can't make this date, you can also see them in August, when they open for Kelly Clarkson at Gexa Energy Pavilion.

Erykah Badu, along with Sarah Jaffe, plays the first concert at the resurrected Bomb Factory on March 26.

Photo courtesy of Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu, along with Sarah Jaffe, plays the first concert at the resurrected Bomb Factory on March 26.

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Park News

Dallas acquires 30-year-old amusement park for $13 million

Adventure Landing

An amusement park in Far North Dallas was purchased by the City of Dallas to be developed into a community park. The Dallas City Council voted during its December 11 meeting to buy Adventure Landing, a 30-year-old amusement park at 17717 Coit Rd. for the sum of $13.7 million with a goal to keep the park in business.

The 13.5-acre property has been an entertainment venue for the past 30 years, with mini golf, batting cages, soccer fields, and arcade games.

The previous owner, the Hildebrand family, previously turned down much bigger offers from developers because they wanted the buyer to carry on their mission and keep the park a park.

The Park and Recreation Department will operate the soccer fields, and Adventure Landing will manage all other facilities until a future park is constructed.

In November, the Park and Recreation Board unanimously approved the land acquisition item and recommended approval to the City Council.

“With the cost of land in the north Dallas area increasing in value, we are fortunate to secure this property to make sure residents have access to green spaces and new recreational amenities,” says Dallas Park and Recreation Board President Arun Agarwal in a statement. “Acquiring land in certain fully developed areas of the City for park purposes is exceedingly difficult, and this acquisition represents a unique opportunity for us as a city.”

A release says there aren't many parks in the area, and the closest parks are Preston Ridge Trail to the west, Twin Lakes Park to the south, and the Cotton Belt Trail, which is currently in the works.

“This acquisition represents far more than the purchase of land – it symbolizes a pivotal investment in addressing a critical need within a community with the fewest parks in the entire city," says District 12 Park and Recreation Board Member Lane Conner in a statement. "By creating this new park, we are taking a transformative step toward providing every resident, no matter their neighborhood, with access to exceptional green spaces."

Adventure Landing will keep the same name and management team under the new ownership.

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