Weekend Event Planner

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

The last weekend in the short month of February brings a little of everything in and around the Dallas area. The event choices include a classic piece of classical music, an appearance by a legendary band, a harbinger of spring, a celebration of the best of movies, and a party with a top local singer.

Below are the best options for your precious free time 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, February 23

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Also Sprach Zarathustra
Jakub Hrůša conducts the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as part of its Texas Instruments Classical Series. Featuring violinist Vilde Frang, selections for the concert at Meyerson Symphony Center include the DSO premiere of Martinu's The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca, Britten's Violin Concerto, and Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra. There are four performances through Sunday.

Bon Jovi in concert
There are very few bands that can maintain a certain level of popularity for more than 10 years, much less 30, but Bon Jovi is in that rare group. Since their breakout album in 1986, Slippery When Wet, each of their albums has reached the top 10, including their latest, 2016's This House is Not for Sale, which debuted at No. 1. They play at American Airlines Center.

Dan Savage: Savage Love Live
Dan Savage is media pundit, gay and equal rights activist, author, writer, podcaster, and syndicated columnist of Savage Love. He brings his unique perspective to The Kessler for a live advice show, answering questions about love, sex, and more. The event is presented by WordSpace, a nonprofit literary events organization that produces over 50 interdisciplinary programs a year citywide.

Friday, February 24

Snap Judgment Live!
Snap Judgment, which has appeared on NPR stations for the past five years, delivers a raw, intimate, musical brand of narrative, daring audiences to see the world through the eyes of another. Snap Judgment Live!, taking place at the Majestic Theatre, features some of the world’s finest storytellers on stage, backed by Snap Judgment band.

Eisemann Center presents A Carlin Home Companion: Growing Up with George
In her solo show, A Carlin Home Companion: Growing Up with George, Kelly Carlin reveals what it takes to go from living in the shadow of her father, iconoclastic comedian George Carlin, to standing in the light. During the show, Carlin weaves together amusing and poignant family stories with classic video footage of her father’s career and family memorabilia. Performances take place both Friday and Saturday at Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts in Richardson.

Saturday, February 25

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents "Dallas Blooms: Flower Power"
You know that spring is around the corner when Dallas Arboretum brings out its annual Dallas Blooms exhibit. This year's is dubbed Flower Power and features more than 500,000 spring blooming bulbs, florally decorated topiary VW vehicles, and much more. The exhibit is on display through April 9.

Arts & Letters Live: Jessi Klein
Jessi Klein is the Emmy and Peabody award-winning head writer and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Inside Amy Schumer. In her new book, You’ll Grow Out of It, Klein compiles a perceptive collection of confessional essays that offer readers a relatable glimpse into exactly what it means to be a woman in today’s world. Klein will talk about the book at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Sunday, February 26

Oak Cliff Film Festival presents Oscars Party
Any film fan worth his or her salt will be tuning into the Oscars on Sunday night, and you can join a large group of them at this annual Oak Cliff Film Festival event at Texas Theatre. The free watch party features an Oscars pool with prizes, including VIP badges to the 2017 Oak Cliff Film Festival, a special live-sketch performance by House Party Theatre, themed drinks, and a photo booth.

Erykah Badu presents Sauceizm, Another Badu Birthday Bounce
When it comes to celebrating birthdays, few people do it better than Dallas' own Erykah Badu. The unique singer-songwriter-activist celebrates another voyage around the sun with a special birthday concert featuring her band, The Cannabinoids, at the Bomb Factory. Expect the unexpected, along with some great music.

Bon Jovi plays at American Airlines Center on February 23.

Photo by Norman Jean Roy

Bon Jovi plays at American Airlines Center on February 23.

Movie Review

Shaun the Sheep gets PG-spooky in new movie for the Halloween season

Photo courtesy of Aardman / Sky UK LTD / StudioCanal 2026

Shaun the Sheep in Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom.

Since his introduction over 30 years ago, the Aardman Animations character Shaun the Sheep has been almost as popular as the studio’s flagship characters, Wallace and Gromit. There is never a shortage of trouble Shaun can get into as he leads his flock and proves to be a thorn in the side of his farmer and Bitzer, the farmer’s loyal sheepdog.

His antics lead everyone down some slightly spooky roads in the new film, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. At first, things are only slightly awry as Shaun and the flock are growing a secret pumpkin patch to have their own jack-o-lanterns. But when the farmer accidentally destroys the pumpkin patch, Shaun tries to regrow it quickly with a Frankenstein-esque experiment.

However, disaster looms when Shaun uses an old bottle of Hair-Gro as the container for the serum he creates. Naturally, the balding farmer uses it on his head, and everyone soon discovers how truly successful it is, with pumpkins growing out of control and the farmer sprouting hair all over his body. Through a series of mishaps, the farmer becomes the titular beast, creating mayhem while Shaun and others try to stop him.

Directed by Steve Cox and Matthew Walker, and written by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow, the film goes down just as easy as every other Aardman project has. They get the Halloween vibes started from the opening credits, with things like the sheep doing the “Thriller” dance, and continue the fun throughout, referencing everything from Psycho to Friday the 13th in a nice, PG way.

With no script — every character is mute save for reaction noises — the movie relies on sight gags for its humor, and the Aardman team is endlessly inventive in that respect. Sometimes it’s small things like a sheep using toilet paper rolls as binoculars, and sometimes it’s something like forcing the Bigfoot-like farmer to be shaped into a rectangle as he escapes through a window. But there’s a never-ending stream of such moments, so even if one doesn’t tickle your funny bone, chances are the next one will.

The biggest benefit of the characters not talking is that there’s no need for deep character development. The filmmakers do a great job of giving the basic traits of each character, and then use those attributes to color everyone’s actions for the rest of the film. Shaun is the troublemaker, the farmer is a bumbling fool, Bitzer is preternaturally smart, and the town’s vet is empathetic, and the combination of those characters and others makes for a highly entertaining blend.

Like all Aardman creations, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is a fun lark that doesn’t make its audience think too hard. With just enough references to keep viewers engaged but not so many as to be overbearing, the film puts its well-worn characters to good use once again, delivering a Halloween season story that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

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Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is now playing in theaters.

movies film

Weekend Event Planner

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

Bon Jovi plays at American Airlines Center on February 23.

Movie Review

Shaun the Sheep gets PG-spooky in new movie for the Halloween season

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