Hottest headlines of 2025

From Guy Fieri to Princess Di: Dallas’ 10 biggest A&E stories of 2025

"Princess Diana: Accredited Access," featuring photos of Anwar Hussein, ran January 17-April 6, 2025, at Arlington Museum of Art.

Photo by Anwar Hussein via Arlington Museum of Art

Editor's note: Our most-read arts and entertainment stories of 2025 show Dallas' love of pop culture and high culture. Highlights include restaurant visits from Food Network star Guy Fieri and movie star Tom Cruise; a Dungeons & Dragons attraction making its U.S. debut; a blockbuster exhibit of Princess Diana photos taken by royal photographers, and the return of the beloved Hammering Men sculptures to NorthPark Center.

Read on for our top 10 arts and entertainment stories of 2025:

1. Dallas' Starship Bagel breaks silence on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. A Dallas bagel shop in late May revealed that it would be featured on Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Starship Bagel, the artisan bagel shop with three locations in the Dallas area, would appear in the series starring charismatic host Guy Fieri in an episode called “All Kinds of Cookin'," which would debut on June 6 at 8 pm.

Guy Fieri Oren Salomon Guy Fieri and Oren Salomon Courtesy photo

2. Dungeons & Dragons immersive attraction makes U.S. debut in Plano. The classic role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons came to life in a new way when Dungeons & Dragons: The Immersive Quest made its U.S. debut in Plano on October 15. Plano was its second city, giving Texans — and Americans — their first opportunity to literally walk through adventures they’ve imagined at the game table. (It is still open.)

3. Tom Cruise fulfills vow to eat BBQ in Dallas on Mission Impossible tour. Movie star Tom Cruise promised he was going to eat BBQ in Dallas and he stood by that vow: While on a tour through Texas to promote his new film Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning, Cruise hit Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum on May 22, where he was treated to a spread that included a specially-made sausage.

Tom Cruise in Dallas Tribal Cafe

4. Official list of 4th of July events and fireworks around Dallas in 2025. The Dallas area sure knows how to celebrate the 4th of July, with some kind of celebration taking place nearby no matter which city you call home. We gathered as close to a comprehensive list as there can be of the big 4th of July-themed events happening in the Dallas area in 2025.

5. Ultimate guide to spring break 2025 family fun in Dallas-Fort Worth. Spring break fun got super-sized to two full weeks in Dallas-Fort Worth this year. That's because the area's largest districts took back-to-back weeks off. This big guide to fun events and activities helped families plan the perfect staycation.

6. Register now for tickets for 2026 FIFA World Cup games in Arlington. The application period for the first ticket draw for the FIFA World Cup 26 was set to open on September 10, but football/soccer fans could register ery to get their hands on tickets to matches at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and elsewhere.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and other venues in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Photo courtesy of CONCACAF

7. New Princess Diana exhibition brings famous royal photos to Arlington. A new exhibition at Arlington Museum of Art showcased one of the most-loved and most-photographed women in the world: Princess Diana. "Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition," featuring 140 photos by the late official royal photographer Anwar Hussein, ran from January to April, 2025. The exhibition told the story of the world’s most loved Princess "through an intimate new lens."

8. 2 Dallas museums partner on landmark Roy Lichtenstein acquisition. The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) and the Nasher Sculpture Center will present works from the joint acquisition of more than 50 artworks generously gifted by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, showing prints, drawings, and sculptures by the groundbreaking American artist at the two neighboring institutions in the Dallas Arts District. The installations will be on view from January 31 to August 16, 2026 at the Nasher and from January 1 to July 5, 2026 at the DMA.

9. Hammering Men return to NorthPark Center Dallas after 4-year nap. A signature sculpture at Dallas' NorthPark Center returned to its stomping grounds: Five Hammering Men, 1982, a series by American artist Jonathan Borofsky, returned to the mall following a four-year absence, which they describe as "a period of rest" to conribute to its longevity and lifespan.

Hammering Men, 1982 at NorthPark Center Hammering Men, 1982 NorthPark Center

10. Global art exhibit Balloon Museum bounces immersively into Dallas. A new museum tour featuring huge airy installations — also known as balloons — has come to Dallas: Called Let’s Fly – Art Has No Limits, it's a multisensory exhibition from an entity called the Balloon Museum, and it touched down at Dallas' South Side Studios at 2901 Botham Jean Blvd. on Saturday, November 22, where it will reside until April 16, 2026.

museums guy fieri guy fieri dallas tom cruise celebrities spring break 4th of july world cup hot headlines

A Familiar Face

Dallas Theater Center names Jaime Castañeda as new artistic director

Photo courtesy of Dallas Theater Center

Jaime Castañeda is the Tony-winning theater's new artistic director.

The Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center has found its next artistic director: Jaime Castañeda, who has a long history with both DTC and North Texas, will become the regional theater's sixth artistic director beginning July 2026. The 2026-27 season will be the first chosen by him.

Jonathan Norton, DTC’s resident playwright, is currently serving as interim artistic director and will continue to lead the remainder of the 2025-26 season, which culminates in the world premiere of his play Malcolm X and Redd Foxx Washing Dishes at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack in Harlem in May.

“DTC is committed to artistic excellence and community engagement, and we believe Jaime’s experience, creativity, bold vision, and proven leadership, coupled with his dedication to innovation, will guide DTC into an exciting new chapter in the life of the theater," says board chair Lynn Pride Richardson in a release.

In 2012, Castañeda directed DTC’s production of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz. But he began his career more than 20 years ago in Dallas-Fort Worth by founding Firestarter Productions while still attending Texas Christian University. In addition to directing at DTC, other local theater credits include Kitchen Dog Theater, Amphibian Stage, and Circle Theatre. Castañeda is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Directing Fellowship, and holds a BFA from Texas Christian University and an MFA in Directing from University of Texas at Austin.

Most recently, Castañeda directed at such leading theaters across the country as American Conservatory Theater, South Coast Repertory, Huntington Theatre Company, and La Jolla Playhouse, where he previously served as associate artistic director from 2014-2018. He was also artistic associate at Off-Broadway's Atlantic Theater Company from 2009-2014.

"Jaime brings a bold, visceral artistic vision, a deep commitment to new voices, and a collaborative leadership style that inspires artists and audiences alike,” says DTC executive director Kevin Moriarty. “With his Texas roots and national experience, I am thrilled to welcome him home as DTC’s new Enloe/Rose artistic director. I have known and admired his work since 2007, when he was already one of the most exciting emerging directors in North Texas, and I later saw him create unforgettable work for DTC on the Wyly stage and at leading theaters nationwide.”

As artistic director, Castañeda will lead the theater’s artistic vision, direct and produce plays and musicals, oversee DTC’s Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company, and partner with Moriarty, the staff, and the board of trustees to advance DTC’s mission, vision, and values.

Castañeda joins a distinguished line of artistic leadership at Dallas Theater Center, including founding artistic director Paul Baker, Adrian Hall, Ken Bryant, Richard Hamburger, and Moriarty, who served as artistic director from 2007-2022.

“We are extremely pleased with a successful national search that brings Jaime to Dallas Theater Center,” says DTC board member Chris Luna. “His energy is contagious and he understands Texas and Dallas. We look forward to collaborating with Jaime as he continues his innovative approach to regional theater.”

Castañeda was selected for the role following a national search led by Management Consultants for the Arts. The search committee was co-chaired by Luna and Richardson, and included Moriarty, Norton, Jennifer Altabef, Diane Brierley, Lauren Embrey, Sam Holland (Dean, SMU Meadows School of the Arts), Sharron Hunt, Randy Kender, Julie Kosnik, Deborah McMurray, Sam Megally, Liz Mikel (DTC Brierley Resident Acting Company member), Andy Smith, Lily Weiss (executive director, Dallas Arts District) and Donna Wilhelm.

“Growing up in Texas, Dallas Theater Center was one of the first places where I saw what professional theater and excellence looked like,” Castañeda says. “I’m thrilled to come back and build on the history of artists and leaders who have been a part of this organization. I’m eager to join Kevin, the board, and our staff to create lasting theatrical experiences for our audiences.”

Dallas Theater Center's current production of A Christmas Carol runs through December 27 at the Wyly Theatre.

dallas theater center jaime castañeda kevin moriarty theater