There's a little something for everyone happening around the Dallas area this weekend. Activities include a huge event at Fair Park (that's not the State Fair), a stellar Broadway musical, sports heroes playing an unfamiliar game, a throwback concert, and more.
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 9
Fair Park 80th Anniversary Celebration
Fair Park is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Centennial Exposition this summer, with a festival filled with fun and engaging activities for the entire family. The event includes performances by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Brave Combo, the Quebe Sisters, and The Mavericks, as well as games on the midway, free Ferris wheel and tower rides, fireworks, and more. The celebration goes through Saturday.
AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend, she was Carol Klein, a Brooklyn girl with passion and chutzpah. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, playing at Winspear Opera House through June 19, tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history.
Friday, June 10
Dirk Nowitzki’s 2016 Heroes Celebrity Baseball Game
Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is once again headlining this charity event at which pro basketball and football players, along with other celebrities, try their hand at hitting the hardball at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco. While not all will be playing, you can expect to see celebrities like Nowitzki, Deron Williams, Cole Beasley, J.J. Barea, Devin Harris, Wesley Matthews, Rick Carlisle, Michael Young, David Murphy, and Chace Crawford.
Arts & Letters Live: Justin Cronin - Literary Super Thrillers
Author Justin Cronin took the book world by storm back in 2010 with The Passage, a manuscript that sold for $3 million. It was quickly followed up in 2012 by the sequel The Twelve. The first two books depict the fall of civilization and humanity’s desperate fight to survive, and now, the series is coming to a close with City of Mirrors. Cronin will discuss his final book and the series as a whole at this special event at the Dallas Museum of Art.
Saturday, June 11
BrickUniverse Lego Fan Expo
Release your inner builder at BrickUniverse Lego Fan Expo, the ultimate Lego lover's paradise taking place on Saturday and Sunday at Plano Centre. This fun, family-friendly event offers tons of amazing Lego creations to gawk at; building zones to unleash your creative energy; guest speakers and more in the Lego theater; and vendors selling the latest Lego sets, mini-figures, and accessories.
Jane Lynch: See Jane Sing
Although she has credits dating back to the 1980s, it wasn't until actress/comedian Jane Lynch appeared in The 40-Year-Old Virgin in 2005 that she truly hit the big time. Since then, she's starred in a slew of great movie and TV projects, including Glee, Party Down, and Hollywood Game Night. Lynch brings her comic and musical skills to the stage at House of Blues Dallas for two separate shows.
Salt N Pepa in concert with Coolio, All 4 One, Color Me Badd, Kid 'n Play, Rob Base, and Young MC
If you loved hip-hop in the 1980s or '90s, chances are one (or more) of the performers at this concert was on your playlist. Come to Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie to take a trip back in time and enjoy music by Salt N Pepa featuring Spinderella, Coolio, All 4 One, Color Me Badd, Kid 'n Play, Rob Base, and Young MC.
Sunday, June 12
AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Tony Awards Watch Party
You can make it an all-Broadway day on Sunday by taking in the matinee of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which won a Tony for its original star, Jessie Mueller, and then heading to Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson for a free Tony Awards Watch Party — aka the awards show where Hamilton: An American Musical will win everything.
Fair Park will celebrate its 80th anniversary with a multiday festival, taking place through June 11.
Braniff Airlines flight attendants decked out in stylish uniforms.Courtesy photo