Weekend Event Planner

These are the 14 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers performs a headline set at White Oak Music Hall Friday, February 9.

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It may seem like we're repeating ourselves, but it's another big weekend in and around Dallas. There will be concerts from a bunch of well-known bands and musicians, including at a popular local festival. You can also see three popular comedians, two new local theater productions, a celebration of a local comedy institution, and more.

Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, May 19

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Prokofiev Concerto No. 1"
The latest concert from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will be "Prokofiev Concerto No. 1," featuring conductor Gemma New and pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk. Selections for concert, which will have three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center, will include Aaron Jay Kernis' Musica Celestis, and Prokofiev's Concerto No. 1, and Romeo and Juliet: Suite.

Phoebe Bridgers in concert
The spirit of independent rock will never truly die, and one of the musicians carrying on the tradition now is Phoebe Bridgers. Her 2017 debut album, Stranger in the Alps, put her on the map with both critics and fellow musicians, allowing her to work with Conor Oberst, Fiona Apple, Taylor Swift, Kid Cudi, and others. She'll play at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving in support of her sophomore album, 2020's Punisher.

Friday, May 20

Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival
The annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival will include live performances by national, regional, and local bands, including headliners Collective Soul, American Authors, Toadies, Neon Tree, and The Wailers. The festival, taking place through Sunday in Galatyn Park in Richardson, also includes a Singer Songwriter contest, the family friendly WF! Kids, the WF! Eats, the WF! Marketplace and Performers Row, a Battle of the Bands contest, the Budding Talent Competition, and the Art Guitar Auction.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Spring Celebration
The grand finale of Dallas Black Dance Theatre's 45th season celebration will feature the aerial duet What to Say? Notes on Echo and Narcissus, in which former DBDT dancer Jamal Story brings to life the heartbreak of the Greek tragedy of unrequited love. The performance, taking place on Friday and Saturday at Wyly Theatre, also includes the world premiere of Kameron N. Saunders' Black in Time, an amalgamation of ideas centered around black experience, history, and hope.

Improv Addison presents Jay Mohr
From performing stand-up comedy at the age of 16, landing his dream job on Saturday Night Live, launching his career with Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, appearing in over 200 episodes of network television and over 25 feature films alongside a plethora of Academy Award-winning actors, and hosting his own sports podcast, Jay Mohr has become a multimedia star. He'll perform stand up five times through Sunday at Improv Addison.

Daniel Tosh in concert
By design, comedian Daniel Tosh has fashioned a career that's been full of controversy. He's never been one to shy away from pushing the envelope when it comes to offensive jokes, and there have been a couple of notable instances where even he admitted he went too far. Best known for his Comedy Central clip show Tosh.0 that ended in 2020, Tosh will see what other buttons he can push in two performances at Majestic Theatre.

The Core Theatre presents Steel Magnolias
At Truvy’s beauty salon you can always get the best hair ‘do and the best gossip. A tight-knit group of Louisiana women gather regularly to bond, dish, and offer advice on everything from motherhood and marriage to tragedy and loss. All the characters in Steel Magnolias find their lives and relationships tested, but in the face of impossible decisions, their bonds with one another only strengthen. The production runs at The Core Theatre in Richardson through June 12.

The Classics Theatre Project presents Sex, Guns, and Vodka
In a work that remained untitled and went undiscovered until 1923, two decades after his death, Anton Chekhov turns a farcical eye to a Russian retelling of the story of Don Juan. The Chekhovian markings of wit, rich characterizations, and his thematic staples are aptly present in this tale of a new-to-town married schoolmaster and the bored provincial women who vie for his affection. The production will run through June 11 at Margo Jones Theatre at Magnolia Lounge.

Saturday, May 21

Perot Museum of Nature and Science presents “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall”
In celebration of its 10th Anniversary, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science presents “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall,” a special exhibition celebrating the world-renowned conservationist and ethologist. It explores Dr. Goodall’s life, from her early years as an intrepid young woman with a dream to learn about animals in Africa, to establishing herself as a renowned scientist in Gombe, Tanzania, to her present role as an activist and mentor for creating a better world for life on Earth. The exhibition will remain on display through September 5.

Nasher Sculpture Center presents "Lynda Benglis" opening day
Throughout her five-decades-long career, Lynda Benglis has created sculptures in a wide range of materials that explore the physicality of form and its effects on the viewer. For her exhibition at the Nasher, Benglis highlights three bodies of work in media as diverse as traditional bronze and decorative glitter. The exhibition will remain on display through September 18.

Theo Von: Return of the Rat
Comedian Theo Von grew up in the stray animal belt of southern Louisiana. He was a child there and became an adult slowly there. He can be seen and heard weekly on his podcasts, This Past Weekend and King and the Sting. Theo’s new comedy special, Regular People, is now streaming on Netflix. He'll perform two sets at Winspear Opera House on Saturday.

Four Day Weekend presents 25th Anniversary Retrospective
The critically acclaimed improvisational comedy troupe Four Day Weekend is commemorating its 25th anniversary with a one-night-only retrospective show featuring a champagne toast and after-party with the co-founding four cast members: David Ahearn, Frank Ford, Troy Grant, and David Wilk. The show will feature legacy cast sharing stories, videos, timelines, and favorite show elements. The retrospective will also take place at the original Fort Worth location on Friday night.

Sunday, May 22

Smokey Robinson in concert
Counting his time with his breakout group, The Miracles, Smokey Robinson has been entertaining the masses with his distinctive voice for over 60 years — quite the feat for a man who's 82 years old. His biggest hits, like "The Tracks of My Tears," "I Second That Emotion," and "The Tears of a Clown," came with The Miracles, and they resonate to this day. He'll play a special concert at Winspear Opera House.

Monday, May 23

The MixTape Tour: New Kids on the Block
Nostalgia for the '80s and '90s will be in full effect when New Kids On The Block, Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Astley, and En Vogue get together for this concert at American Airlines Center. You may think all of these acts are stuck in a certain time, but headliners NKOTB released an EP, Thankful, in 2017, while Astley released Beautiful Life and En Vogue released Electric Café, both in 2018. (Note: The concert was moved from Sunday to Monday due to the Mavericks' playoff game.)

The Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival takes place at Galatyn Park in Richardson, May 20-22.

Wildflower Arts and Music Festival in Richardson

Photo by David Downs

The Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival takes place at Galatyn Park in Richardson, May 20-22.

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Charged up

Magical Plano Elf Town to compete on ABC's Great Christmas Light Fight

Elf Town, Loders, Deerfield Plano, Great Christmas Light Fight

Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder

David and Melissa Loder's Elf Town is in on Pembroke Court in the Deerfield subdivision of Plano.

A family from one of Dallas-Fort Worth's most famous Christmas-light neighborhoods is stepping into the national spotlight: Melissa and David Loder, who present a spectacular "Elf Town" display in Plano's Deerfield subdivision, will compete on ABC's holiday competition show The Great Christmas Light Fight on Thursday, December 18.

The Loders will be one of three U.S. families battling for a trophy, $50,000, and major holiday-light bragging rights; co-host Taniya Nayak is the judge.

Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder

David and Melissa Loder's Elf Town is in on Penbrook Court in the Deerfield subdivision of Plano.

The episode will air at 9 pm (CDT) on ABC stations, but unfortunately for local viewers, WFAA will pre-empt it for the Dallas Mavericks basketball game. Light Fight will stream on WFAA+ channel 8.2 at 9 pm and later on WFAA / Channel 8 at 3:11 am. It will be available to stream on Hulu beginning Friday, December 19.

"[Filming the show] was surreal at times, but we also knew we had created something special with Elf Town," says Melissa Loder.

Elf Town, Loders, Deerfield Plano, Great Christmas Light Fight The Elf Town Depot, with mayor Elfus standing guard.Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder

Exploring Elf Town
The Loders, who moved to Deerfield in 2008, have been creating and evolving Elf Town since 2011. They use it as a platform to raise money for the Susan G Komen Foundation, an organization especially dear to Melissa, a breast cancer survivor.

They call Elf Town "a place where holiday elves live, work, and play."

"Like any town, we have a Main Street with a school, shopping, a bakery and a tavern all leading to a mega tree in the town center," Melissa says. "New this year is the Elf Town Museum that has photos of the evolution of Elf Town."

"We also have industry - the toys travel via train, and there is a train depot for the elves to get their tickets and wait for the train," she adds. "We also have an entertainment area with a Ferris wheel and a disco for the elves."

Standing guard over it all is The Mayor of Elf Town, a 20-foot elf named Elfus. And for the show, they created an all-new special feature: Santa's Spa in the backyard - "an area where no elves are allowed," she says.

David and Melissa, who call themselves the "head elves" of Elf Town, work all year on their DIY display. "Woodworking, welding, painting, design and installation," they say, "are all done on site by our little band of elves," which include their daughter and son-in-law Alex and Joel Loper and their grandsons, Kade (8) and Tristan (5); nieces and nephews Sophie Polma (25), Maxine Polma (23), Beckett Polma (21), and identical twins Marlowe Polma and Julian Polma (19).

"We also have amazing friends who materialize when we are putting up and taking down the display," they say. "Additionally, friends Roger and Rita Reynolds made guest appearances [on the show] as a famous couple from the North Pole."

Getting on the show
The Loders light their display up nightly for the public each holiday season. They were "discovered" by The Great Christmas Light Fight when a casting producer tracked them from a stranger’s TikTok video in spring 2022.

Dallas-Fort Worth is a popular location for the show. The Loders now join the ranks of other Light Fight-famous homes, including the Burkman Holiday Home of Frisco (2021); the Ward family of Sky Elements Drone Shows in Keller (2023); the Hugheses' "Stay in the Light" in Rockwall (2024); the Joules-Cornettis' "Gift of Light" in McKinney (2024); and the Mach Christmas Display in Ennis (2024).

"Of course we had seen the show from its first season, but since our focus is less about just lights and more about creating a magical world, we didn’t think we were a fit," Melissa says.

Elf Town, Loders, Deerfield Plano, Great Christmas Light Fight The Loders have been presenting Elf Town since 2011.Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder

They shot an audition video in 2023 and soon found out they made the cut. The show filmed at their house over three days in November 2024.

"The process was three very long days of filming with a very sharp learning curve," Melissa says. "Our on-site producer was an amazing asset in the process. Her tips and tricks helped us all embrace the process, relax in front of the cameras, and hopefully come off well in the show; it was a whirlwind but so much fun.

"I think the best part of filming was getting to learn so much about another industry that was so foreign to us. I am a clinical psychologist in private practice, and David is in sales with Porsche Plano, so we aren’t 'performers.'"

Fighting on
The Loders can't reveal whether they won the Great Christmas Light Fight, of course. (They'll be watching Thursday at a big party at Legacy Social Room.) But they can say with certainty that their display will continue to aid in the fight against breast cancer.

"We participate in the 3 Day 60 Mile walk each year and the money donated goes to our 3 Day fundraising accounts," Melissa says. "Collectively, our little family of elves have raised over $180,000 to help fund vital cancer research and contribute to patient care and advocacy."

Elf Town will light up daily from 5:30 pm to midnight through New Year's Eve 2025, with special nights offering hot cocoa, candy canes, or photos with Santa. While it's free to view and experience, visitors are invited to donate via fundraising links on their Facebook page and through Melissa's Susan G. Komen 3 Day fundraising page.

"I think the most important part of our display is that David and I do this together as a hobby and a gift to the community," she says. "We love that we were able to do The Great Christmas Light Fight, but our true motivation for the time, energy, and money that we pour into the display comes from the stories we hear year after year of families who count on us to be part of their tradition."

She says those include visitors finding the display as solace in hard times, along with marriage proposals, baby's first visit with Santa, and more.

"We have even been brought to our knees by a woman who brought her infant daughter and took photos all around the display because she had a terminal cancer diagnosis and wanted her daughter to have 'magical' pictures with her so 'when she was an angel,' her daughter 'will know I believed in magic,'" Melissa says. "All of these stories and so many more are part of the legacy of Elf Town. These are our 'why' to the question we are often asked 'Why would you do this?'"

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The Great Christmas Light Fight will air at 9 pm December 18 on ABC and will stream December 19 on Hulu. Find Elf Town at 4641 Penbrook Ct., in the Deerfield subdivision of Plano. It's open nightly, 5:30 pm-midnight, through December 31. Follow the Elf Town Facebook page for updates. Visitors are encouraged to park on a less busy street, or at the elementary school off Quincy, and walk through the neighborhood.

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