Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Theater takes center stage on the Dallas event calendar this weekend, with three local companies debuting new productions. Also on tap will be a visit from a renowned scientist, a special museum celebration, concerts from two unique acts, the unofficial start to baseball season, and a film festival just for kids.

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, January 18

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents #hearhere: Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson is considered to be one of the foremost astrophysicists in the world. He's become well-known not just for his wide breadth of knowledge about the universe, but for his outgoing and charming personality that makes a deep subject fascinating. In this sold-out illustrated talk at Winspear Opera House, Tyson will discuss how the universe works and the danger of ignorance, culminating in a commentary on the state of science in America today.

Theatre Three presents Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Theatre Three will present a new and shocking version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of depravity, lust, love, and horror. On the fog-filled streets of Victorian-era London, Henry Jekyll's experiments with exotic "powders and tinctures" have brought forth his other self, Edward Hyde, a sensualist and villain free to commit the sins Jekyll is too civilized to comprehend. The many facets of Hyde’s personality will be portrayed by different members of the cast in this production, playing through February 11.

Friday, January 19

Late Nights at the DMA
For this month's Late Nights at the DMA, the Dallas Museum of Art will present its annual birthday celebration and a psychedelic evening exploring the world of Yayoi Kusama. Events will include special tours, films by and about Kusama, concerts by Rockestra and Pearl Earl, and more.

MainStage Irving-Las Colinas presents The Gazebo
After his wife falls victim to blackmail, a writer of TV whodunits himself commits a real do-it-yourself murder. Things don't go exactly as planned, with the blackmailer’s corpse miraculously reappearing in their house after they bury it in their new gazebo’s fresh concrete foundation. Suddenly cops and gumshoes are on the scene, and this writer of crime fiction finds himself on the other side of the typewriter. The play will run at Irving Arts Center through February 3.

Lyric Stage presents Daddy Long Legs
Based on the classic novel which inspired the 1955 movie starring Fred Astaire, a beloved tale in the spirit of Jane Austen, the Brontë Sisters, and Downton Abbey, this heartwarming Cinderella story about a witty and winsome young woman and her mysterious benefactor has charmed audiences of all ages from Los Angeles to London. The play will have four performances through Sunday at Majestic Theatre.

2Cellos in concert
2Cellos are a Croatian cello duo known for playing pop and rock songs, as well as classical and film music. Their music has crossed over from the stage to popular culture, with songs appearing on shows like Glee and The Bachelor. The duo will play at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving in support of their 2017 album, Score, which features songs from movies and TV shows.

Aimee Mann in concert with Jonathan Coulton
How you know singer Aimee Mann depends on your age. If you were in college in the '80s, you know her from her new wave group, 'Til Tuesday. If you came of age in the '90s, chances are it's her solo work, especially from the movie Magnolia, that put her on your radar. Both groups of fans and others can enjoy this concert at the Kessler in support her 2017 album, Mental Illness. She'll be joined by opening act Jonathan Coulton.

Saturday, January 20

2018 Texas Rangers Fan Fest
The beginning of the Major League Baseball season is still a couple of months away, but you can start getting excited at the Texas Rangers Fan Fest at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The daylong event features autograph sessions with current Texas Rangers players, Q&A sessions, on-field events, tours of the Rangers clubhouse and dugout, and more.

USA Film Festival presents KidFilm
The USA Film Festival/Dallas will present KidFilm, the oldest and largest family film festival in the United States. This year's event, presented for free at Angelika Film Center in Dallas on Saturday and Sunday, includes a tribute to children’s book author/illustrator Barney Saltzberg, appearances by authors Ame Dyckman and Jacqueline K. Ogburn, screenings of new live-action and animated films, and more.

Cole Hamels and other Rangers players will be on hand at the Texas Rangers Fan Fest at Globe Life Park in Arlington on January 20.

Photo by Kelly Gavin/Texas Rangers

Cole Hamels and other Rangers players will be on hand at the Texas Rangers Fan Fest at Globe Life Park in Arlington on January 20.

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Big Tex Wrap-Up

State Fair of Texas bounces back with 2.1 million attendees in 2026

Crowds around Big Tex at 2026 State Fair of Texas

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

Almost 2.1 people attended the 2026 State Fair of Texas, up from 2025.

After experiencing its lowest total attendance numbers in seven years in 2025, the State Fair of Texas bounced back in 2026, welcoming nearly 2.1 million visitors, according to an official release.

That represents a slight bump up from the 2,020,064 that came through the gates in 2025. Both numbers are still down significantly from the highs of 2019 and 2022, when more than 2.5 million people attended the State Fair.

The uptick in attendance could be attributed to the concerted effort to make the Fair more affordable this year, including lowering ticket prices, making games and rides cheaper, expanding days for free student tickets, and offering a free day of parking.

As usual, the busiest day of the State Fair was Saturday, October 10, the date of the annual Texas-Oklahoma football game, with more than 203,000 fairgoers in attendance, including the 92,100 fans in the Cotton Bowl.

The average attendance for the other 23 days of the fair was around 82,500.

“We are grateful to every fairgoer who joined us this year, as well as the team members, vendors, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this season possible," said State Fair of Texas President Mitchell Glieber in a statement. "As a nonprofit organization, a successful Fair helps fuel our work throughout the year, and we are proud of the impact we continue to make through agriculture, education, and community.”

Other notable numbers from the 2026 State Fair of Texas include:

An all-new look for Big Tex, standing 55 feet tall, sporting a 95-gallon Resistol cowboy hat, a Cavender’s shirt measuring 245 by 192 inches, Levi’s 501 jeans measuring 380 inches wide by 290 inches long, size 96 Lucchese boots, and a Shiner belt buckle.
The unveiling of an official State of Texas Historical Marker from the Texas Historical Commission for Big Tex, honoring his enduring legacy as a beloved Texas icon and symbol of State Fair tradition.
An estimated 110,655 pounds of food were collected and donated to the North Texas Food Bank.
More than 28,600 members of the military and their families visited the Fair over 24 days, utilizing the special discount offer in gratitude for their service.
Approximately 500,000 prizes, valued at an estimated $1.8 million, were won at the State Fair Midway, enough stuffed animals and prizes to fill approximately 90 semi-trucks.
Approximately 450,000 Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs were enjoyed by fairgoers.
The State Fair of Texas is estimated to generate more than $600 million in economic activity each year, serving as one of the most impactful annual events in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

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