After a three-month break, there are enough in-person events in and around Dallas to put together an honest-to-goodness roundup. Of course, the coronavirus pandemic will require adjustments, with most of the events being enjoyed from cars, but at least the opportunity is available to get out and about once again — don't forget your mask.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. If you're looking for something do that doesn't involve leaving the house, you can also find virtual events like Theatre Three's production of The Immigrant on the calendar.
Thursday, June 25
USA Film Festival
The first big in-person event in Dallas since events were forced to cancel or postpone, the 50th annual USA Film Festival will feature 25 separate free programs, including narrative features, documentary features, short film blocks, retrospective screenings, and more. Notable screenings will include Out Stealing Horses starring Stellan Skarsgård and Tesla starring Ethan Hawke as electrical pioneer Nikola Tesla. Screenings will take place through Sunday at Angelika Film Center Dallas, although you must call the festival to reserve tickets in advance.
Friday, June 26
Jurassic Quest Drive-Thru
Jurassic Quest, the dinosaur exhibit that features ultra-realistic, life-size animatronic dinosaurs, is adapting to the new world we live in to offer a drive-thru experience in Dallas. Visitors will be able to go on a quest with an online audio tour that will take them throughout the exhibit, where they will encounter some of the largest dinosaurs to ever roam the earth. The event will take place this weekend and July 1-5 outside of the Tower Building at Fair Park.
Prism Movement Theater presents Everything Will Be Fine
Prism Movement Theater, in collaboration with the Latino Cultural Center, will present Everything Will Be Fine, an innovative drive-in dance-theater experience in the parking lot at Latino Cultural Center. The performance is about a woman learning how to deal with a new world and her well-meaning (if slightly clueless) friends after experiencing an unthinkable loss. Packed into 45 minutes, Everything Will Be Fine is designed to be experienced safely in the current pandemic. The show will play June 26 and 27, and July 10 and 11.
Cinema Pop-Ups
Cinema Pop-Ups is an event designed to give the feel of the classic drive-in movie theater while still adhering to the safety protocols necessary during this time. Featuring films like Edge of Tomorrow, Ready Player One, and Shazam!, the series will be in the parking lots of Town East Mall in Mesquite (June 26-July 12) and The Star in Frisco (June 28-July 12). Cars will be spaced at least 8 feet apart, and visitors will have the ability to stream audio to their own personal mobile devices. Part of that series, but wholly its own thing will be...
Saturday, June 27
A New Kind Of Concert: Garth Brooks
Country star Garth Brooks is putting on a show without ever having to leave his home. Brooks will broadcast a special live concert filmed exclusively for this event, which will be the largest ever one-night show to play at outdoor theaters. Taking place at both The Star in Frisco and Town East Mall in Mesquite, tickets are good for standard passenger cars or trucks, with up to six people per vehicle; RVs and limousines will not be permitted. Parking will be on a first-come, first-serve basis, and, like all of Brooks' concerts, the show is expected to be full.
Sunday, June 28
Ro2 Art Gallery presents "My Corona" opening reception
Ro2 Art will present "My Corona," a group exhibition that examines how society responds to an unprecedented crisis. "My Corona" delves into the disruption of everyday life, as well as the underlying societal issues that have been brought to the forefront since millions of people in isolation, many unemployed, became increasingly tuned-in to the world around them. The opening reception will have limited attendance (via Eventbrite, 10 visitors per timeslot), and masks will be required for entry. The show will be available for view by appointment only through July 31.
A New Kind of Concert: Garth Brooks will screen at both The Star in Frisco and Town East Mall in Mesquite on July 27.
