Weekend Event Planner

These are the 7 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

While the majority of events around Dallas have either been postponed or canceled, there are a few that have popped up to offer the masses some entertainment while still adhering to the social distancing necessary during the coronavirus pandemic.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. While they're not all outside of the house, they all promise to provide a nice distraction from the everyday life.

Thursday, August 27

Rooftop Cinema Club: The Drive-In at The Central
Dallas is getting another drive-in movie option this week thanks to Rooftop Cinema Club. Taking place at The Central in East Dallas, the drive-in will project movies onto a 52-foot screen with skyline views as the backdrop, with audio broadcast through the FM transmitter radio in cars. Moviegoers are welcome to bring their own food, but food and beverage are also being offered through a contactless system. Opening weekend movies include Selena, Dazed and Confused, Dirty Dancing, Friday, Jurassic Park, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Little Mermaid, and Pulp Fiction.

Friday, August 28

Twilight at the Tin Star
Twilight at the Tin Star, taking place at Tin Star Theater in Trinity Groves, is an immersive art event that guests can experience from the safety of their vehicle in an in-the-round, drive-in theater setting. The performance features music by Danny Goldman and MAKE trio, and percussionist Austin Allen. Bruce Wood Dance will perform a site-specific work created by choreographer Gregory Dolbashian under the canopy of TETRA, an illuminated structural art piece by Colin Hendee.

Improv Arlington presents Lavell Crawford
Audiences are becoming increasingly familiar with Lavell Crawford’s giant-sized talent from his numerous television appearances. Crawford gained national exposure on NBC’s hit reality series Last Comic Standing, leading to his own half-hour standup special on Comedy Central. Crawford is best known for his recurring role on AMC’s Emmy Award-winning Breaking Bad. He'll perform five times through Sunday at Improv Arlington.

Improv Addison presents Terry Fator
Terry Fator is perhaps the first entertainer to combine the art of ventriloquism with singing celebrity impressions. His puppets, including Cowboy Walter, Emma Taylor, and Winston the Impersonating Turtle, effortlessly perform the singing styles of an eclectic group of stars, including Tony Bennett, Elvis, Maroon 5, Garth Brooks, Nat King and Natalie Cole, Roy Orbison, Etta James, and more. He'll perform five times through Sunday at Improv Addison.

Saturday, August 29

Legacy Hall presents End of Summer Luau
Legacy Hall in Plano will present a safe and socially distant tropical getaway with an End of Summer Luau. The festive evening will feature a traditional Hawaiian pig roast, hula dancers, a fire performer, tiki cocktails, a limbo competition, and a performance by Summer of ’69, a Bryan Adams tribute band. Food is not included in the overall ticket cost; the pig roast is $18 when pre-purchased with an event ticket, or $22 at the door.

CarBaret: Pee Wee's Big Adventure + Mr. Rid + Lily Taylor
CarBaret, the pop-up drive-in theater/performance space at Brizo in Richardson will present a 35th anniversary screening of Tim Burton's cult classic, Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Prior to the screening, DJ Mr. Rid will present music and selected short films, and Lily Taylor featuring Black Taffy will play live music. Guests can order food from a drive-in menu that will be delivered to cars or chairs, featuring beer bratwurst, grilled kebabs, veggie tacos, and more. Guests can stay in their cars, on top of their cars, or in folding chairs near their cars.

Sunday, August 30

Dallas Museum of Art exhibition openings
The Dallas Museum of Art will open two new exhibitions on Sunday: Love is the Message, The Message is Death, Arthur Jafa’s renowned film that juxtaposes representations of Black artists, scholars, athletes, and politicians with depictions of events ranging from faith-based transcendence to police brutality; and "Contemporary Art + Design," which presents recently acquired paintings, installations, jewelry, furnishings, and design objects made by artists from 11 countries that show new directions for the growth of the DMA's collection. Both exhibitions will remain on display through March 7.

Rooftop Cinema Club: The Drive-In at The Central will show a variety of classic movies.

Photo courtesy of Rooftop Cinema Club

Rooftop Cinema Club: The Drive-In at The Central will show a variety of classic movies.

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Festival News

Billy the Kid Film Festival in Hico, Texas loves outlaws the most

Courtesy photo

Rolling Film, Rocking History, Al Maysles Captures the Beatles

Who doesn't love an outlaw? Surely not the annual Billy the Kid Film Festival, a festival dedicated to outlaws which is coming to Hico, Texas from November 7-9.

The festival was founded in 2019 in Hico, the hometown of "Brushy Bill" Robert, AKA Billy the Kid. It seeks films that answer the question, What does it mean to be an outlaw? — featuring stories of characters who go against the grain.

This is the festival's 7th edition and it will screen 55 films including shorts and music videos. Opening night will include a free under-the-stars presentation of short films at Green Canoe's Beer Garden in Hico, featuring two documentaries with a Dallas connection:

Dallasite Bart Weiss’ Rolling Film, Rocking History, Al Maysles Captures the Beatles — people, where is the editor here — where Al Maysles tells the story of how he shot the Beatles coming to the U.S. for the first time
Former Dallasite Justina Walford’s Tattler’s Tale about a legendary stray dog that finally finds a home in South Dallas

Two narrative shorts will also be included: Robby Robinson’s Hub City about a singer dealing with the mysterious death of his brother; and The Strange Story of Blasting Betty directed by William Samson about a woman in the Wild West.

The evening’s program will be capped by screenings of three music videos, two of which have parentheses in the title: I Remember the Alamo (But Can't Recall Her Name), Let’s Keep Austin, Texas and The Elephant (Dear Valentine).

The festival's 55 films include nine feature-length, plus 46 short films and music videos, all of which have outlaw and/or western themes, with a focus on local and Texas-based filmmakers.

Along with the free-to-the public opening night, there'll be a film festival workshop with filmmaker consultant Rebecca Smith offered to aspiring filmmakers and those navigating the film festival circuit; as well as the return of Dennis and Amanda Moore from Pine Moore Old West Studio to present BTKFF’s annual Pine Moore Award, in honor of the famous western and Old West location set which has been utilized by countless films, television shows, commercials, and music videos for scenic backdrops.

Film/TV and Texas legend Barry Corbin will appear at the Billy the Kid Film Festival on both Friday and Saturday as a special guest. The festival will also feature the locally produced film Reel Hico, which was filmed entirely in Hico and showcases many of the town’s residents. This hometown favorite will screen as a Friday night feature presentation.

he festival is introducing a new venue, the Wild Saddle Saloon, where films will be shown throughout the day on Saturday. The VIP and Red Carpet Party will take place under a Big Party Tent provided by Event-O-Matic, offering attendees a lively and festive atmosphere to celebrate the weekend’s events.

Festival founder Luci DiGiorgio, said, “In our magical seventh year, the Billy the Kid Film Festival feels the confidence of a long-standing festival. We are ecstatic to bring the best of Texas filmmakers as well as daring films from all over the world. We’ve truly developed a filmmaker family here in Hico.”

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