As we get into the dog days of summer, we find some outside-of-the-box events in Dallas-Fort Worth. In addition to the usual mix of concerts, theater and comedy, this weekend will have a visit from movie stars, an event celebrating space travel and one dedicated to the sneaker industry.
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, July 16
Paper Towns Get Lost Get Found Tour
In advance of the July 24 release of the new movie Paper Towns, actors Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Halston Sage and author John Green (who also wrote The Fault in Our Stars) will come to town for a special free red carpet event and live Q&A session at the Bomb Factory. Saint Motel, which is featured on the soundtrack, will perform a few songs.
Second Thought Theatre presents Othello
For its 2015 season finale, Second Thought Theatre is returning to the classics by adapting William Shakespeare's Othello. Playing in Bryant Hall at Kalita Humphreys Theater, the company, led by director Joel Ferrell, will use creative staging and dynamic acting to bring new life to one of the great tragic plays. The production will run through August 8.
Friday, July 17
Nicki Minaj in concert with Meek Mill, Rae Sremmurd, Tinashe and Dej Loaf
Not only will this concert at Gexa Energy Pavilion be a showcase for Nicki Minaj and her 2014 album, The Pinkprint, but it'll also be the first chance Dallas fans have to see Minaj with her fiancé Meek Mill, the rapper who just released his second album, Dreams Worth More Than Money. Also on the bill are Rae Sremmurd, Tinashe and Dej Loaf.
Imagine Dragons in concert with Metric and Halsey
For a band that's only put out two albums, including 2015's Smoke + Mirrors, Imagine Dragons has gone through quite the trajectory. Hits like "Radioactive" and "Demons" off their first album made them stars, and just when they hit a lull, a re-release of "Radioactive" with Kendrick Lamar put them back on top. You can check them out for yourself at American Airlines Center, with Metric and Halsey as opening acts.
Saturday, July 18
Frontiers of Flight Museum presents Moon Day 2015
In advance of July 20, the 46th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, the Frontiers of Flight Museum will present a day full of space-themed activities, including a chance to talk live with a member of the Expedition 43 Crew on the International Space Station. You can also build your own rocket, create space art, meet a real space traveler and more.
Kixpo 2015
Sneakerheads will be out in full force at the Bomb Factory for Kixpo 2015. The event will feature displays of some of the best sneaker collections in the world, pop-up shops and the ability to buy, sell or trade sneakers of your own. There will also be musical performances, a sneaker customization contest, Mortal Kombat X tournament and much more.
Carmen Esposito in concert
It's not often you get to see a comedy show at the Granada Theater, and what makes this show even better is that it features one of the hottest up-and-coming comedians out there. Carmen Esposito made a big impression with her appearance on The Late Late Show, and has continued to make waves with the video series "Ask a Lesbian" and first comedy album, Same Sex Symbol.
Sunday, July 19
Steely Dan in concert with Elvis Costello & The Imposters
To say that Steely Dan is an acquired taste is putting it mildly. The duo of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen took the hard road to fame, as they fused jazz and rock for a style that was at odds with most other groups during their heyday in the '70s. They'll revisit their classic material in this concert with another eccentric, Elvis Costello, at Gexa Energy Pavilion.
Carmen Esposito will perform at Granada Theater on July 18.
Richard Rawlings pouring you a beer at Gas Monkey IceHouse.
Courtesy photo