Event Planner

State Fair of Texas tops our list of must-do events in Dallas this weekend

Ann Richards' Texas plays September 27, as part of the Dallas VideoFest 25.
Ann Richards' Texas Facebook page
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons perform at the Winspear Opera House September28.
Photo courtesy of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons
Kevin Costner & Modern West play on the Chevrolet Main Stage at the State Fairof Texas September 29.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Costner & Modern West

There's never a shortage of things to do on any given weekend in Dallas, but this one seems particularly packed. Interesting theater, movie and music options abound, with the State Fair of Texas looming over all of them when it kicks off Friday.

Below are some of your best options for 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 27

Performing Arts Fort Worth presents Les Miserables
The classic musical, which also hits movie screens this Christmas, is making a short but sweet stop at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. Susan Boyle has gotten the most recent attention for her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream," but the full impact of that and other songs can't be known until you see the full production. Les Mis runs through Sunday.

Dallas VideoFest 25: Ann Richards' Texas
The 2012 edition of Dallas VideoFest gets going Thursday night with a documentary looking at the life of one of Texas' most memorable governors, Ann Richards. That a state as staunchly Republican as Texas would elect not only a Democrat, but a female Democrat at that, is still remarkable. DVF shows this and many, many more films throughout the weekend at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Friday, September 28

State Fair of Texas
It shouldn't take any convincing to get people out to the State Fair; thousands look forward to it all year long. But it doesn't hurt to be reminded of all the great things the fair brings to town, from new fried foods to fun concerts to rivalry football games to the rides and midway games. New this year is the Chinese Lantern Festival, which lights up at night to provide an extra glow to Fair Park. But don't dawdle: The fair's only around until October 21.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons in concert
With all the attention that Jersey Boys has received since opening on Broadway in 2005, it's easy to forget that the real Frankie Valli is alive and well and touring with the reformed Four Seasons. A one-night-only appearance at the Winspear Opera House is a great reason to dust off that falsetto voice and sing along to classics like "Sherry," "Walk Like a Man" and "Oh What a Night."

Saturday, September 29

Shakespeare Dallas presents Macbeth
Shakespeare in the Park has become a great tradition in Dallas, and this production of Macbeth is your last opportunity to see the Bard's work at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre in 2012. With the weather promising to cool down — and stay cooled down this time — there's no better time to get some culture in the open air.

Kevin Costner & Modern West in concert
Kevin Costner never really went away, but his star shines slightly less bright than it did in the '80s and '90s. However, he made a comeback of sorts with the recent Hatfields & McCoys miniseries, even earning an Emmy for his work. Costner and his band Modern West provided some of the music for that production, and they play that and other selections for the State Fair crowd Saturday.

Sunday, September 30

Dallas VideoFest 25: Breaking Down Breaking Bad with Matt Zoller Seitz and Ed Bark
There's no doubt that we are in the midst of a golden age in television, and few shows exemplify that high standard like Breaking Bad. Because the interminable wait for the final half of the show's last season just started, there's no better time for experts like Zoller Seitz and Bark to discuss its place in television history and what we can expect when it makes its final bow next summer. The discussion takes place at the Crow Collection of Asian Art, and only festival pass holders can attend.

Florence and the Machine in concert with The Maccabees
The dog days of summer have come to an end, but Florence and her machine sing "The Dog Days are Over" and other hits Sunday night at Gexa Energy Pavilion. Fellow Brits The Maccabees open the show, although whether or not they pay homage to Jewish history is up for debate.

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Hottest headlines of 2024

Alamo Drafthouse saga leads Dallas' top entertainment stories of 2024

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

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Editor's note: The biggest movie drama of 2024 in Dallas starred the theaters themselves. Local Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas closed abruptly, then reopened. Plano lost a beloved art house theater, too. Also among this year's hottest entertainment headlines: The opening of an art-focused park in Frisco and the groundbreaking of a cool new aquatic park in Garland. Here's a look back at our most-read entertainment stories of the year.

1. All 5 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations in Dallas-Fort Worth close. June 6 was a sad sad day for Dallas moviegoers: All five Dallas-area locations of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain closed. Two is One, One is None, LLC closed the six franchised Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas that it (and its affiliates) operated, and had filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Local movie lovers lamented the end of the Alamo Drafthouse era. But that wasn't the end...

2. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema to re-open all 5 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth. On June 27, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain was back in business in Dallas-Fort Worth: The company announced it would reopen all five locations in Dallas-Fort Worth as well as a location in the Twin Cities in summer 2024. They would all be back open by the end of August.

3. Dallas woman wins 2024 Miss Hooters International beauty pageant. A Dallas woman won the Hooters crown: Cassidy Welch, a server at a Dallas-area Hooters, was named Miss Hooters International 2024 at the 27th Annual Miss Hooters International Pageant which took place on August 22 at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth.

Meet the 2024 Miss Hooters International winner Cassidy Welch. Hooters

4. Construction to begin on new theme-park-style aquatic park in Garland. A splendid new water park was finally underway in Garland in mid-July: The Surf & Swim Aquatics Facility, coming to 440 W. Oates Rd. in south Garland, was set to begin construction in summer 2024, with an opening anticipated for summer 2026.

5. Mark Cuban reveals mystery behind why he sold the Dallas Mavericks. After two decades as a passionate and hands-on owner, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban took many by surprise in December 2023 when he sold his majority share in the team without explanation. But in three media appearances, he shared the reasons behind his decision, which involved family as well as the new reality of owning a team in the NBA.

6. Where to see the most marvelous Christmas lights around Dallas in 2024. The big, beautiful holiday light displays that Dallas is known for switched on earlier than ever this year, promising an extra long season of sparkle and shine. This is our guide to the most spectacular Christmas lights of 2024 all around Dallas. We also made a separate list for the best homes and neighborhoods to see dazzling lights.

Vitruvian Lights in Addison The famous Vitruvian Lights at Vitruvian Park switched on in November. Photo by Stevan Koye

7. Plano loses arthouse movie theater Angelika after 20 years. An acclaimed independent movie theater in Plano closed: Angelika Film Center & Cafe - Plano, which had been open at The Shops at Legacy shopping center since 2004, closed its doors on June 3. The theater was one of the nicest in DFW, arriving at the Plano shopping center three years after it opened, and three years after Angelika made its DFW debut when it opened at Mockingbird Station in Dallas.

8. Stars of Dallas TV show return to Southfork Ranch for grand reunion. Fans of the iconic TV soap opera Dallas would get a chance to be up-close-and-personal with some of the show's stars during the Southfork Experience, a three-day event to be held at the iconic Southfork Ranch in Parker. Taking place October 25-27, it would consist of a variety of events, including a VIP Cocktail Reception at Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel, a meet-and-greet at Southfork Ranch, a chance to break bread with the actors, and more.

Josh Henderson, Linda Gray Dallas stars Josh Henderson and Linda Gray would be among the celebrities on hand at the Southfork Experience. Photo by Marty Perlman

9. Much anticipated Kaleidoscope Park to debut with fanfare in Frisco. A splashy new park with public art and gardens was finally opening in Frisco in October: Called Kaleidoscope Park, it was a new green space opening inside Hall Park, the mixed-use development off Gaylord Parkway and Dallas Parkway, where it was being billed as the second-biggest park opening in DFW since Klyde Warren Park opened in downtown Dallas in 2012.

10. Official list of 4th of July events and fireworks around Dallas in 2024. When it came to Independence Day events in the Dallas area, our cup ranneth over in a big way. Whether it was Dallas proper or the surrounding suburbs, almost every city in the area held some kind of event in the days leading up to July 4 or on the day itself. This was as close to a comprehensive list as there was on 4th of July-themed events happening in the Dallas area in 2024.

4th of july alamo drafthouse cinemas celebrities christmas lights christmas lights dallas closings dallas tv reunion hot-headlines kaleidoscope park frisco mark cuban mavericks miss hooters international movies parks plano angelika theater theater