Weekend Event Planner

State Fair of Texas opening weekend tops best events in Dallas

Our long wait is over: The State Fair of Texas is upon us. For the next four weekends, it will be the biggest thing in town, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other worthy event options, including great concerts, a new exhibit at the Perot Museum and a tribute screening for a film icon.

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, September 25

The Piano Guys in concert
You couldn't find a more generic name than The Piano Guys, but it not only belies its two members' talents, it's also a misnomer. Only one member — Jon Schmidt — plays the piano, while the other — Steven Sharp Nelson — plays cello. Thanks to some extremely well-done videos doing not just classical music but pop and rock numbers as well, they have become very popular. They play at Winspear Opera House in advance of their latest album, Wonders, which comes out in October.

Theatre Three presents Hands on a Hard Body
Based on the documentary about a group of people in Longview, Texas, who were trying to win a new truck, this Tony-nominated musical uses the endurance contest as a jumping-off point for some hilarious songs. The production, playing at Theatre Three through October 19, is making its regional premiere after its run on Broadway in 2013.

Friday, September 26

2014 State Fair of Texas
From now through October 19, people from around Texas and surrounding states will flock to Fair Park to partake in the new fried food goodness, jump on some Midway rides, or catch a pig race or two — or anything else that catches their fancy. Opening weekend features Main Stage concerts by the Swon Brothers on Friday, Fantasia on Saturday and Lucy Hale on Sunday. Don't forget to get your discount tickets before heading out. Only a fool would actually pay full price.

2014 Index Fest
Just blocks away from Fair Park, Deep Ellum will be taken over by a completely different kind of festival. More than 90 indie bands both established and up-and-coming perform over three days on eight indoor and outdoor stages. Those bands include Local Natives, Ryan Bingham, Mutemath, Dawes, The Felice Brothers, A.Dd+ and more.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in concert with Steve Winwood
It's nearly impossible to remain relevant musically for as long as Tom Petty has, but as he and his band The Heartbreakers near their 40th anniversary, it's hard to see him stopping anytime soon. The man behind "American Girl," "The Waiting," "Free Fallin'," "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and more plays at American Airlines Center alongside another rock legend, Steve Winwood.

Saturday, September 27

Cavanaugh Flight Museum presents Fall Fly Days and Car Show 2014
History comes alive at Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison when it hosts the annual Fall Fly Days. Visitors can ride in vintage aircraft and other military vehicles, participate in a variety of games and activities, take in Sherman tank demonstrations, and take tours and photos of airplanes that are rarely on display. The event, which also includes two separate car shows, lasts through Sunday.

Perot Museum presents 2theXtreme: MathAlive!
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has brought in traveling exhibits focused on dinosaurs and the bodies of modern animals, but its latest looks at the fun side of math. 2theXtreme: MathAlive! utilizes interactive exhibits themed around video games, sports, fashion, music and more to show how math is used in all walks of life. The exhibit is on display through January 4, 2015.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Sara Evans
Sara Evans has been one of the more popular country singers of the past 20 years, scoring No. 1 hits with "No Place that Far," "Born to Fly," "Suds in the Bucket" and "A Real Fine Place to Start." She teams up with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra to perform those hits and more at this special concert at Bass Performance Hall.

Sunday, September 28

The Dallas Mavericks Foundation presents Aloe Blacc and Mark Curry
We're only a couple of weeks away from the NBA preseason, and there's a decent chance you'll see a few members of the Dallas Mavericks at this event at Majestic Theatre, featuring stand-up comedy from Hangin' with Mr. Cooper star Mark Curryand music from soul/hip hop artist Aloe Blacc. Proceeds from the night benefit the Dallas Mavericks Foundation.

ATTPAC Sunset Screenings: Good Morning, Vietnam
The tragic death of Robin Williams hit many of us harder than expected, but at least we can take solace in the fact that he left a treasure trove of great material behind to entertain us. One of his greatest performances ever, as Adrian Cronauer in Good Morning, Vietnam, is on display for free in this Sunset Screening at Annette Strauss Square.

Theatre Three presents the regional premiere of the musical Hands on a Hard Body through October 19.

Theatre Three presents Hands on a Hard Body

Photo by Jeffrey Schmidt

Theatre Three presents the regional premiere of the musical Hands on a Hard Body through October 19.

unspecified

Closure News

Restaurant-music venue Lava Cantina in The Colony to close in January

Facebook

Lava Cantina

A major music venue and restaurant in Dallas-Fort Worth is closing: Lava Cantina, which has been open in The Colony since 2017, is closing down for what it says wil be a "thorough renovation" of the space.

According to a statement, the renovation will begin on January 1, following a final week of year-end shows including a blowout on New Year's Eve.

Lava Cantina was from father-and-son Steve and Ian Vaughn, who pooled their passions and experience to create Lava Cantina, a restaurant and music venue they debuted in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2013. Steve worked in the music industry for over 40 years, while Ian was previously COO at Raising Cane's who left to focus on opening what he called "his dream restaurant."

The Colony location was a spinoff and the third Lava Cantina at the time. It had a Cajun and Mexican menu, described by Ian as "Creole with a Mexican twist," which incorporated elements from his South Louisiana roots with Mexican and margaritas.

They closed the Baton Rouge location in 2018, but The Colony location prevailed — even surviving a COVID closure, due in no small part to its role as a concert venue: The 28,000-square-foot space with a capacity of 1,800 was a hugely popular musical destination, hosting close to 300 shows a year — everything from local acts like Pat Green, to touring acts like the Bellamy Brothers, to crowd-pleasing cover bands in every genre.

Most shows were free along with your restaurant bill, and if they did charge, they generally kept show admission prices low.

The venture eventually spawned an entertainment company for the Vaughns who booked and promoted tours around the U.S. as well as signing and managing artists.

The venue did not respond to requests for comment but according to their statement, they'll host select private parties and events during the shutdown. However, an employee in the events department said that they were not accepting any reservations for events.

Meanwhile, musicians who'd performed at the venue stated that it had been acquired by Live Nation and would reopen as a live music venue only, with no restaurant attached. Live Nation also did not respond to a request for comment.

A current employee said the staff had received no information about what the new concept would be, but that the projected reopening would be in April.

music closings