The final weekend in September is shaping up to be a huge one. Not only do you have the start of the single biggest event on the Dallas calendar, but you have no fewer than four big name concerts, two new local theatrical productions, the start of a new classical music season, and a new art exhibit to enjoy.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, September 27
Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Wagner Overtures"
The classical portion of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra kicks off with a program called "Wagner Overtures," featuring Wagner’s overture to Tannhäuser and his prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Those selections are paired with two of Richard Strauss’s most transcendent works, Four Last Songs and Death and Transfiguration. The concert, featuring Soprano Aga Mikolaj, will be presented three times through Sunday at the Meyerson Symphony Center.
Drake in concert with Migos
The "In My Feelings" challenge will be in full effect at American Airlines Center as Drake comes back to town. It's been a couple of years since the Canadian rapper was in the area, giving him enough time to release yet another No. 1 album, Scorpion, and score a few more No. 1 hits like "In My Feelings," "Nice for What," and "God's Plan." He'll be joined by Migos, who featured Drake on their hit, "Walk It Talk It."
5 Seconds of Summer in concert
Since the dissolution of One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer has taken over as the current reigning boy band. This is actually their second stop in the Dallas area in just five months, as they booked a concert at House of Blues Dallas in April before realizing they'd need a much bigger venue for their next concert. They'll play at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving in support of their new album, Youngblood.
Friday, September 28
2018 State Fair of Texas
The 24-day, four weekend extravaganza that is the State Fair of Texas is finally back. Some people can't wait for the festivities, some people dread them, but the one thing it's impossible to do is ignore them. For almost the next month, you can indulge in all the fried food you can handle, carnival rides, concerts, livestock shows, butter sculptures, and all the other fun and weird stuff on display at Fair Park. Learn how to get discounts for it all here. The State Fair will run through October 21.
Uptown Players presents Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika
As one of the great plays of the 20th century, Angels in America, Perestroika picks up right where Millenium Approaches leaves off, with the epic conclusion of the fate of two couples in which one partner has abandoned the other and God has abandoned Heaven. The award-winning play, presented by Uptown Players at Kalita Humphreys Theater through October 7, explores gay culture, race, political injustice, inequality, and the future of America through the lens of the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
Dallas Theater Center presents Steel Magnolias
Every Southern woman knows there are few institutions on earth more important than the town beauty parlor. At Truvy Jones’ salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, neighborhood women gather to swap stories, share gossip, and of course, style their hair. But when tragedy strikes, the community comes together in a bond more powerful than 10 coats of hairspray. Dallas Theater Center will present Steel Magnolias at Wyly Theatre through October 21.
Saturday, September 29
Florence + the Machine in concert with Kamasi Washington
English indie rock band Florence + the Machine is one of those groups that has had an outsized impact on the music world compared to their record sales and hit songs. They have had one No. 1 album and their most recent album, 2018's High as Hope, debuted at No. 2, but their best known song, "Dog Days Are Over," didn't even crack the top 20. They'll play at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory.
Sunday, September 30
Dallas Museum of Art presents Runo Lagomarsino: "Concentrations 61"
"Concentrations 61" is the first solo museum exhibition for Runo Lagomarsino, a conceptual artist of Italian and Argentine descent. Transforming everyday objects and phrases into historically referential works of art, Lagomarsino considers the unstable nature of national identities. "Concentrations 61" spans two galleries and features new commissions and previous works that have been specifically reformatted for the DMA. The exhibit will be on display through April 14, 2019.
Lauryn Hill in concert
For a singer who has been part of only three albums — two with the Fugees, one solo, all released in the '90s — Lauryn Hill still enjoys a reputation as a great artist. She's released a handful of songs in the past 20 years, but has also become known for her erratic behavior. Fingers crossed we'll get the the good Hill when she performs at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Uptown Players presents Angels in America, Perestroika at Kalita Humphreys Theater, September 28 through October 7.
Polish gingerbread at Gourmet European Market.Photo courtesy of GEM