The first weekend of April should be another beautiful one, but only a couple of big events actually take advantage of the great weather. Even if you won't be outside, you can't go wrong by choosing any of the following events.
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, April 2
2015 Red Bull Paper Wings
Do you have master skills when it comes to making paper airplanes? You can show off — or watch others show off — said skills at this Red Bull-sponsored event at Frontiers of Flight Museum, in which contestants compete to see how far their plane can travel, how long it can stay in the air or how well it can perform acrobatics.
Dallas Theater Center presents Colossal
Since Wyly Theatre opened in 2009, Dallas Theater Center has used the venue's flexibility for a wide array of stage setups. But the design for the latest, Colossal, might be their most impressive, as they've installed part of a football field to tell the story of a football player struggling to move forward after suffering a devastating injury. Colossal runs through May 3.
Friday, April 3
2015 Deep Ellum Arts Festival
The annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival shouldn't be missed, if only because it's one of best things in the area that's absolutely free to attend. Great price aside, it's also notable for the breadth of artwork on display, the number of bands who play on the festival's multiple stages, and food and drink available from local restaurants. The fun lasts through Sunday.
Nickelback in concert with Pop Evil
There's been no bigger musical punching bag in recent years than Nickelback, who are frequently cited for the generic crappiness of their music. But they're still playing at venues like Gexa Energy Pavilion, so it would appear that somebody still buys and appreciates their music. They play alongside opening act Pop Evil.
Performing Arts Fort Worth presents Chicago
Whether you agree with the movie Chicago's winning the 2003 Best Picture Oscar or not, the theater production on which it's based still stands as one of the most popular musicals of all time. If you want to catch this show, you have to act quick: It only plays three times through Saturday at Bass Performance Hall.
Saturday, April 4
Cavanaugh Flight Museum presents Drone Wars
Not to be outdone by paper airplanes at Frontiers of Flight Museum, Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison hosts its own special flying event. Contestants go head-to-head in piloting drones around a series of obstacles. The winner isn't just the fastest but also the one that makes the fewest mistakes.
The Pin Show
The annual Pin Show changes venues this year, taking advantage of the buzz surrounding the reopened Bomb Factory. The fashion extravaganza features clothes from 22 local talents in a showcase for independent and emerging designers, photographers, artists and stylists. Also expect music from Zhora and Friends and an after-party featuring DJ George Quartz.
Sunday, April 5
Luxury Garage Sale Pop-Up Shop
Luxury Garage Sale, a Chicago-based resale store that specializes in brands such as Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton, intends to open a second permanent store right here in Dallas. But while you wait patiently for that, there is this series of pop-up shops at Mecox, showcasing designer goods at discounted prices.
The Deep Ellum Arts Festival features scores of artists and bands on the streets of Deep Ellum through April 5.
