The most anticipated arts event of summer in Dallas-Fort Worth now has an opening date: Meow Wolf will open Friday, July 14 at Grapevine Mills with the intriguing theme "The Real Unreal." Tickets are now on sale.

According to a May 16 release, the immersive experience at the DFW "portal" will take participants on a "journey through a Technicolor wonderland that blends storytelling, technology, and immersive art." Guests will experience different dimensions of perspective and creativity through more than 30 rooms.

They further describe the journey like this: "A missing boy, a chosen family, and Hapulusgarrulus Lophoaquaflori all lie at the center of 'The Real Unreal’s' story, conceived by author LaShawn Wanak. It all begins with a blended family who has unknowingly unlocked portals to a different existence. As participants investigate these portals to the unknown, they will explore rooms that are both unfamiliar yet accessible through unforgettable psychedelic art."

Meow Wolf Grapevine will feature the work of 150 artists and fabricators, including 38 from Texas, who have created the artistic installations for 70 "unique and captivating experiences," they say. The local collaborating artists - muralists, sculptors, photographers, video game designers, and more - include Dan Lam, Emmanuelle John, Mariell Guzman, Lance McGoldrick, XaLaVier Nelson Jr., Riley Holloway, and Nico Salazar (Future Fantasy Delight).

In addition to the exhibition, "The Real Unreal" portal will include a retail store, live event venue, and cafe featuring 15 food purveyors.

Meow Wolf is a wildly popular, Santa Fe-based interactive adventure known for enchanting art lovers and amusement zealots with its mind-bending immersive experiences. The first-ever Texas portal (so called for Meow Wolf’s expertise in transporting visitors to fantastic realms of imagination), in Grapevine, has been in the works for more than a year.

The new Grapevine portal will be located in the Grapevine Mills shopping mall and encompass 40,000 square feet in the space formerly occupied by a big-box store. A Houston portal will follow, in 2024.

Meow Wolf got its start in 2008 as a DIY collective of Santa Fe artists, growing into a full-fledged immersive-art affair with the opening of the permanent Santa Fe location in 2016. In 2021, the company branched out with two additional permanent portals in Denver and Las Vegas. Each location hosts a unique art exhibition.

“It’s an exciting moment to share the opening date of our next exhibition. 'The Real Unreal' ... takes a bold step forward in our evolution of art and storytelling,” says Jose Tolosa, CEO of Meow Wolf, in the release. “As we pursue sustainable and thoughtful expansion, we are beyond excited to bring our unique brand of wonder unveiling this next chapter of the Meow Wolf universe and look forward to having new participants experience Meow Wolf.”

"The Real Unreal" will be open at 10 am daily beginning July 14. (Hours may vary.) Tickets are now available for pre-purchase starting at $50 for general admission ($45 for children). Pre-booking a time slot for entry is required.