Despite the increasing temperatures, if you want to enjoy many of this weekend's events, you're going to have to go outside. That's the bad news. The good news? All of the outdoor events are worth attending, starting with two concerts Thursday night.
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, June 13
Huey Lewis & the News in concert
Some bands embrace their past, and some run from it. Huey Lewis & the News fit firmly in the former category, as they know that 1983's Sports, which contained such hits as "The Heart of Rock & Roll," "Heart and Soul," "I Want a New Drug" and "If This Is It," is the biggest reason they're still known today. The band celebrates the album's 30th anniversary at Annette Strauss Square.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Rufus Wainwright
If ever there was a multitalented individual, it is Rufus Wainwright. The singer-songwriter has not only established himself as an eccentric but honest indie artist, but he's also composed an opera, set Shakespearean sonnets to song, and acted on both stage and screen. Members of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra team up with Wainwright for this outdoor concert at Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
Friday, June 14
Lexus Broadway Series presents Traces
The Lexus Broadway Series usually brings a recent popular play or musical to Winspear Opera House, but it's ending the 2012-2013 season with something a little different in Traces. The hook is that it contains many acrobats and dancers flying around the stage, but the performers often break from routines to establish a rapport with the audience. The unique production runs through June 23.
2013 Shakespeare in the Park: A Midsummer's Night Dream
Shakespeare in the Park has been an annual tradition in Dallas since the early 1970s, and it has become even more indelible over the last eight years under Shakespeare Dallas. The 2013 series kicks off with one of Shakespeare's most memorable comedies, A Midsummer Night's Dream, at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre. It plays sporadically over the next two months, intermingling with productions of Pericles and Much Ado About Nothing.
Saturday, June 15
2013 Father's Day on the Field
The Dallas Cowboys know what many area dads want for Father's Day, and it ain't a new tie or some cologne; it's a chance to get up close and personal with some Cowboys cheerleaders. They have an opportunity to do just that at this one-day-early event, along with meeting Cowboys alumni, taking pictures with Super Bowl trophies, and pretending to be Tony Romo on the field at Jerry World.
She & Him in concert with The Secret Sisters
Nobody embodies quirkiness these days quite like Zooey Deschanel. The actress has been making hay from that image for a good 15 years now, culminating with her starring role on Fox's New Girl. Not satisfied with just making her mark in acting, she expanded to making music five years ago with producer M. Ward, forming She & Him. The duo showcase their latest album, Volume 3, at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie alongside The Secret Sisters.
Sunday, June 16
Lone Star Park presents Father’s Day Minute To Win It
The people at Lone Star Park sure like holiday contests. After offering moms a chance to dig for a diamond last month, dads now get a chance to show off their athletic skills, shooting a basketball, throwing a football and hitting a golf shot. Whoever gets the most overall points wins a grill, giving the rest of the family a good excuse to have good ol' dad slave over barbecue the rest of the summer.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science presents Plastiki Catamaran
Just a few weeks after switching to longer summer hours and introducing a new 3D movie, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is offering even more new stuff. For the budget-minded, the Plastiki catamaran, made entirely of reclaimed plastic bottles and other recycled material, is on display through September 9 in the museum's outdoor plaza. And starting Monday, the newest exhibit, Recycle Reef, opens to the public for a nominal fee on top of normal admission price.
Shakespeare Dallas presents A Midsummer Night's Dream at Samuell Grand Amphitheatre through July 20.
