Weekend Event Planner

These are the 8 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

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.

Photo courtesy of Fair Park

Fair Park will celebrate its 80th anniversary with a multiday festival, taking place through June 11.

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This Week's Hot Headlines

Dallas sandwich shop specializing in po'boys spices up our top stories

Kathy Tran

Po'boys from PoBoy Shop

Editor's note: The top Dallas news of the week is brimming with restaurant openings, from high-end po'boys to Chicago hot dogs. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then head to our event planner for 4th of July weekend fun.

1. Sandwich shop with high-end po'boys to open in Dallas' Preston Center. A new shop specializing in po’boys is rolling into Dallas. Called The PoBoy Shop, it will open in Preston Center, in the former Yonkers Pizza space at 8421 Westchester Dr., with a target date of July 7.

2. Chicago hot-dog chain Portillo's is coming in red hot to Grand Prairie. Hot dog king Portillo’s is coming to Grand Prairie. The Chicago-style street food chain is bringing its hot dogs and more to a new build location at 3102 S. SH 161, in the Epic West Towne Crossing at West Warrior Trail.

3. Young couple open dream restaurant Donde Los Tacos in Oak Cliff Dallas. A mom-and-pop taqueria is open in a sweet spot in Oak Cliff. Called Donde los Tacos, it’s in the former gas station at 900 W. Davis St., in the triangle at Tyler Street, that was once home to the law offices of Dallas City Council member Chad West, where it opened in April.

Donde Los Tacos is now open in Oak Cliff. Photo courtesy of Donde Los Tacos

4. Rockin' new lakeside restaurant debuts at Grand Prairie marina. A lakeside restaurant has debuted in Grand Prairie just in time for the summer. Called Rockin’ S Bar and Grill, it’s a Cajun seafood spot on the Lynn Creek Marina, taking over the space at 5700 Lake Ridge Pkwy.

5. Ruthie's Cafe in South Dallas opens new coffee bar and gathering spot. A new coffee bar has debuted in South Dallas, at Ruthie's Cafe, the restaurant located at 1632 Martin Luther King Blvd. #100. The restaurant added the coffee bar with a menu of coffee and espresso drinks in response to customer demand.