Forgive us if we sound like a broken record, but the Dallas-Fort Worth area is unparalleled when it comes to the sheer number and breadth of events it offers, especially when the weather turns warm. No matter where you turn this weekend, you're going to have one great option or another staring you in the face, making it hard to go wrong.
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, May 16
Dallas Summer Musicals present Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical
The 2013 Dallas Summer Musicals season has already included some fantastic productions, and the quality doesn't let up with this stage adaptation of the 1994 British film. Featuring show-stopping costumes and sets and popular songs like "It's Raining Men" and "I Will Survive," the musical is an all-out assault on the senses, in a good way. The musical plays at Music Hall at Fair Park through May 26.
Toad the Wet Sprocket in concert
It'll be another '90s flashback when Toad the Wet Sprocket comes to The Kessler Thursday night, but it won't just be a nostalgia trip for the sold-out crowd. That's because the alt-rock band is getting set to release their first new album in 16 years, so you can expect to hear a few new songs in addition to classics like "All I Want" and "Walk on the Ocean."
Friday, May 17
2013 Dallas Comic Con
Dallas-Fort Worth comic book and sci-fi fans no longer have to look with envy at other Comic Cons around the country because this year's version at Irving Convention Center is absolutely stacked with big-name celebrities. Among the many bold names making appearances are William Shatner, Nathan Fillion, Richard Dean Anderson and John Noble. You can stargaze Friday through Saturday, but check the schedule for individual times.
2013 Fort Worth Music Festival
If you don't live in or near Fort Worth, you may not know what a destination venue Panther Island Pavilion is. With a stunning view of downtown and a location right on the Trinity River, it plays host to a variety of music events, including, for the first time, this year's Fort Worth Music Fest. The two-day event features a slew of local and national bands, including Drive-By Truckers, Old 97's and The Walkmen.
2013 Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
Not to be outdone, Galatyn Park in Richardson, right next to Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts, hosts this annual arts and music festival Friday through Sunday. The eclectic event has something for everybody: art on display; kids areas; and six different stages, featuring such bands as Robert Earl Keen, the Toadies, Uncle Kracker and Reverend Horton Heat.
Barry Manilow in concert
If somehow nothing else going on Friday floats your boat, there's one final big star in town: Barry Manilow. The 69-year-old has been churning out music for more than 40 years, and he doesn't appear to be slowing down. He's done pop, classic standards and, with his 2011 album 15 Minutes, a rock opera. All of that is on display at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie.
Saturday, May 18
Dave Matthews Band in concert
Things are about to kick into high gear at Gexa Energy Pavilion, and the Dave Matthews Band is indicative of the level of talent heading to the venue this summer. Their latest album, Away From the World, was their sixth to hit No. 1 in the U.S., one of only two American bands to hold that distinction. You can also commend them for their charitable ways, as they just donated $100,000 to the West, Texas disaster relief efforts.
Majestic Theatre presents Whose Live Anyway
Many lovers of improv comedy have been turned on to the art form by the TV show Whose Line is It Anyway?, either in its British form via reruns on Comedy Central or the American version on ABC. The much-loved show, which last aired in 2007, is about to make a comeback on The CW, and you can catch some of the stars in action live at the Majestic Theatre Saturday night.
Sunday, May 19
2013 Warbirds Over Addison
Aviation buffs have no shortage of flight museums to peruse in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but you want to be at Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison this weekend, as it hosts the annual Warbirds Over Addison. The two-day event, taking place Saturday and Sunday, features a variety of vintage aircraft in flight and opportunities to take a ride of your own.
Marc Cohn in concert
With all the excitement going on with the rest of the events, it's probably best to finish with a low-key outing. That's what you get when Marc Cohn plays at The Kessler, as the singer-songwriter behind the hit "Walking in Memphis" rarely blows you back in your seat. But his music is just as compelling as anyone else playing in the area, and it's the perfect way to cap a killer weekend.
The Dave Matthews Band plays Gexa Energy Pavilion May 18.
