Weekend Event Planner

The Rolling Stones and Tim McGraw top 10 best weekend events in Dallas-Fort Worth

One show lords above all others this weekend in Dallas-Fort Worth, but the first weekend of June promises to be a memorable one whether you're into classic rock or not. Among the other worthy events are a fundraiser with an '80s headliner, two big country concerts and a festival custom-made for people looking to escape the heat.

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, June 4

2015 Cool Thursdays Series: Bruce in the USA
Prior to Bruce Springsteen's appearance at 2014's March Madness Music Festival, it had been six years since he had played a concert in Dallas. You never know when you'll get a chance to see him live again, so the only way to get your fill of "Born in the USA," "Glory Days" and more right now is by seeing tribute band Bruce in the USA at the Dallas Arboretum.

10th Anniversary MetroBall featuring Belinda Carlisle
The annual MetroBall is a fundraiser designed to give money to a variety of organizations that deal with HIV/AIDS patients. To celebrate the event's 10th anniversary, organizers have brought in a blast from the past: '80s pop singer Belinda Carlisle, best known for songs like "We Got the Beat" with the Go-Go's and "Heaven is a Place on Earth." The event takes place at Station 4.

Friday, June 5

Shelby Lynne in concert
There have been two peaks in the career of Shelby Lynne: winning New Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1990 Academy of Country Music Awards, and then somehow also winning the Best New Artist Grammy 11 years later thanks to her most acclaimed album to date, I Am Shelby Lynne. Lynne has reinvented herself again, and she plays at Dallas City Performance Hall in support of her new folk album, I Can't Imagine.

WaterTower Theatre presents Manicures & Monuments
The penultimate production of WaterTower Theatre's 2014-2015 season is Manicures & Monuments, a play from local playwright Vicki Caroline Cheatwood about residents of an Oklahoma nursing home and the young manicurist-in-training, Janann, who comes to volunteer. It runs through June 28 at Addison Conference Centre.

Saturday, June 6

PantherFest 2015
The culture of Fort Worth is celebrated at PantherFest, a free outdoor festival that showcases local craft beer, musicians and restaurants. Also expect something you won't see anywhere else: people sliding down the longest Slip-n-Slide. If you weren't able to secure a ticket to "Slide the City," you can still station yourself on the sidelines and cheer on the participants. The event takes place on Main Street just north of downtown, near Coyote Drive-In.

VolunteerNow presents Voly in the Park
Many people want to volunteer their time, but they're often not sure where to start. Voly in the Park at Klyde Warren Park not only features activities and information for around 75 nonprofits, but it also connects volunteers with more than 1,000 other organizations via VolunteerNow. Expect games, performances and more.

Tim McGraw in concert with Billy Currington and Chase Bryant
There are few things more reliable than country singer Tim McGraw playing a concert at Gexa Energy Pavilion every year. Having put out a new album each of the past three years, including 2014's Sundown Heaven Town, he's certainly given his fans a lot of new songs with which to sing along. He is joined by opening acts Billy Currington and Chase Bryant.

The Rolling Stones in concert with Grace Potter
The legendary rock band kicks off the list of best summer concerts with this blowout at AT&T Stadium. If early reviews are any indication — this is the Stones' fourth stop on their Zip Code Tour — Mick, Keith and the boys still have what it takes to put on a great show. Plus, you get to see the UT Arlington a cappella choir accompany the legends on at least one song. Grace Potter serves as opening act.

Sunday, June 7

Butch Walker in concert with Jonathan Tyler and The Dove & The Wolf
Butch Walker is a 45-year-old rocker who's only just now starting to make it big after years of toiling in bands. Walker's last three solo albums, including 2015's Afraid of Ghosts, all hit No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart. He's joined at Majestic Theatre by local singer Jonathan Tyler and The Dove & The Wolf.

Concerts in the Garden: 1812 Overture and Symphonic Sparklers
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's summer tradition of holding concerts at Fort Worth Botanic Garden returns this weekend with a trio of shows, culminating with this one that includes Tchaikovsky’s popular 1812 Overture set to fireworks. You can also choose to see Pink Martini on Friday night or Classical Mystery Tour on Saturday night.

The Rolling Stones play at AT&T Stadium on June 6.

Photo courtesy of Phil Rudolph

The Rolling Stones play at AT&T Stadium on June 6.

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Rivers wild

Ethan Hawke narrates new documentary that deep-dives into Texas rivers

Cropped still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The Rio Grande is one of the stunning subjects of Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers.

One Texas film icon passes the torch to another for a deep dive on Texas' river ecosystems in the upcoming documentary Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers. Matthew McConaughey narrated the original 2022 film, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story. Now Ethan Hawke narrates the follow-up, which will be in theaters September 25.

Deep in the Heart 2 is directed by Ben Masters, a nature-obsessed Texan who was born and raised in Amarillo and has followed wildlife around the state and beyond. Working with his crew at Fin & Fur Films, Masters explores the Rio Grande, the Sabine River, and the Neches River, a press release says, coming across otters, turkeys, alligator snapping turtles, and more.

This underwater shot was taken in San Marcos.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The original Deep in the Heart took a broad view of Texas — both its landscapes and their inhabitants — while the "sequel," as the release calls it, specifically highlights water. Conservation is an important angle, and viewers will get a chance to consider how they could connect with and protect the ecosystems on their screens.

"Most of my favorite memories are on Texas Rivers," said Masters in the release. "I grew up on the Canadian, fell in love on the Brazos, got married on the Guadalupe, found adventure on the Rio Grande, and am raising my kids on the Colorado."

The filmmaker says that spending three years filming his natural subjects gave him "a newfound appreciation" for rivers and how distinct they are from one another.

Amazing cinematography was a hallmark of the original film, and the sequel offers more beautiful shots.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

"We spent months filming mountain lions on the Pecos, snapping turtles on the Neches, otters on the Sabine, fatmuckets on the Llano, and whooping cranes in the Guadalupe's Estuary," Masters said. "Editing the majesty of Texas Rivers into 80 minutes was a huge challenge, and I'm just incredibly grateful to work with such a talented team of cinematographers, editors, producers, and musicians."

Hawke, born in Austin and raised in Fort Worth, is known for acting in the Dead Poets Society, Gattaca, the Richard Linklater films Boyhood and Blue Moon, and more. He has taken up causes in environmental advocacy for years and appeared in other ecology-focused films, including the intense fictional First Reformed (2018) and a goofy anti-littering PSA with TxDOT (2023).

Some unexpected guests in the Rio Grande.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The film was made in association with H-E-B, a regular supporter of ecological documentaries and initiatives, and conservation organization Texan by Nature. Other collaborators include producer Josh Winkler, editor Sam Klatt, assistant editor Chet Stefan, and composer Noah Sorota. The musical score is performed by Dallas Chamber Symphony.

animals documentaries ecology ethan hawke film matthew mcconaughey movies nature texas wildlife