Weekend Event Planner

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

While in-person events have been happening for a while now, this weekend might signal a true "back to normal" moment, with big concerts happening at two major venues, as well as a trio of early 4th of July events. There will also be a big film festival, a concert combining acrobatics with classical music, a significant new museum exhibition, the return of a local music institution, and more.

Below are the best to spend your precious free time this weekend.

Thursday, June 24

Bishop Arts Theatre Center presents Br'er Peach
Inspired by Southern African-American and Japanese folktales and playwright Andrew Saito’s multicultural family, Br'er Peach is a radio play that follows Momotaro, a magical Japanese boy born to an elderly Black couple after an encounter with a power-filled peach. While his mother Vonda resists the encroachment of a billionaire ogre's capitalist mega-corporation, Momo wanders the wilds of Georgia, meeting animal friends and foes along the way. Can they reunite and thrive together as a family, against all odds? The production will be available to stream at any time through July 17.

Oak Cliff Film Festival
The Oak Cliff Film Festival, taking place through Sunday, will include 23 feature-length films, with 15 of them having their Texas premiere. Headlining the festival will be opening night film Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), a documentary directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots. Other notable films will include Mogul Mowgli, starring recent Oscar nominee Riz Ahmed; the 4K restoration of the lost Dennis Hopper punk classic Out of the Blue; a free 35th anniversary screening of David Byrne's Texas-set True Stories; and more. Venues for the festival will include the historic Texas Theatre, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Kessler Theater, and others.

Friday, June 25

Early 4th of July events
Most 4th of July events will take place next weekend, but a few places are getting a jump start on the holiday festivities. The City of Colleyville's Stars & Guitars on Friday features kids activities, a concert by Jo Dee Messina, and fireworks; Klyde Warren Park's Independence Day Celebration on Saturday features live music, family activities, and a pyrotechnics display; and the Market Street Allen USA Celebration will include music performances by Eli Mosley and Emerald City Band, followed by fireworks finale.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Troupe Vertigo: Circus, Dance, Theater
Fusing together elements of cirque acrobatics, classical dance, and contemporary theater, Troupe Vertigo will present a spellbinding journey through the world of artistic movement. Accompanied by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, they will highlight world-class aerial artists, contortionists, and ballet dancers. There will be two performances — one Friday and one Saturday — at the Meyerson Symphony Center.

Saturday, June 26

African American Museum presents "Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth" opening day
The African American Museum at Fair Park presents the Smithsonian Institution’s "Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth," a traveling exhibition that heralds the achievements of notable African American men from across the decades and highlights the deep parallels between past and present. It profiles revolutionary men — Muhammad Ali, James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates, W.E.B. Du Bois, Kendrick Lamar, LeBron James, and more — who have altered the history and culture of this country. The exhibition will remain on display through September 12.

An Evening with Chicago and Their Greatest Hits
Over their 50+ year career, the rock band Chicago has racked up numerous hits, including "25 or 6 to 4" from 1970; "If You Leave Me Now," their first No. 1 hit in 1976; 1982's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry"; 1984's "You're the Inspiration"; "Look Away," their final No. 1 hit in 1988; 1989's "What Kind of Man Would I Be?"; and more. All will be showcased at this concert at Dos Equis Pavilion, the first concert at the venue since 2019.

Texas Summer Jam
Texas Summer Jam, taking place at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, will feature performances from a variety of Texas singers, including Robert Earl Keen, Hayes Carll, Kat Hasty, Tristan Marez, and more on the main stage, as well as Cody Hibbard and David Adam Byrnes on the Texas Lottery Stage at the Pre-Party.

Sunday, June 27

Turtle Creek Chorale presents "Holidays Interrupted"
The Turtle Creek Chorale is kicking off the 2021 season with their first in-person performance in 18 months, and since they couldn't perform this past holiday season, the group will perform favorite holiday songs at Fair Park Coliseum. The audience is encouraged to come decked in their favorite (and seasonally appropriate) holiday attire for the free event, which will include a sing-along, as well as Fletcher's Corny Dogs, snow cones, funnel cakes, beer, wine, and soda available for purchase.

Troupe Vertigo will perform alongside the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at Meyerson Symphony Center, June 25 and 26.

Photo courtesy of Troupe Vertigo

Troupe Vertigo will perform alongside the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at Meyerson Symphony Center, June 25 and 26.

concerts museums movies event-planner holidays

Racket sports

Trendy Austin padel club Padel39 lobs first DFW location into Carrollton

Photo by Juan J Valdes

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A popular padel club from Austin is serving up its first location in Dallas-Fort Worth: Padel39 has purchased and taken over the existing Dallas Padel Club, at 3000 Belmeade Dr.

According to a release, multimillion-dollar renovations are underway and are expected to be complete by summer 2026. The revamp includes:

Seven new outdoor courts are being added to the current three indoor courts (with completion expected by March 2026).
Full food and beverage capabilities for a premium sports bar that is open to the public.
A fitness area for members that is affiliated with HYROX, recovery areas, wellness facilities (sauna, cold plunge, etc.), upscale locker rooms.
Upscale lounging and coworking space.

For those not up on their racket sports, padel is a cousin of pickleball, tennis, and racquetball. The sport has been wildly popular in Spain and Latin America for decades and is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. Like pickleball, it's a doubles game played on a small court, and players hit off glass walls.

Padel was invented in Acapulco, Mexico, by Enrique Corcuera; Padel39 bears the first two numbers of all Acapulco ZIP Codes.

Padel39 co-founders Will and Naomi Boyce.Photo by Juan J Valdes

The company was founded in 2024 by husband-and-wife William Boyce and Naomi Boyce; William played tennis for the University of Texas at Austin.

Padel39 currently has two locations in Austin, with a third opening in March. They say they aim to open 12 to 15 Padel39 clubs in Austin, Dallas, and Houston by 2028. After Carrollton, a location will open in central Dallas in late 2026/early 2027, they say.

“We currently introduce 200+ new players to the sport each month, while maintaining a core group of repeat clients who return for the fitness, competition and vibrant community,” William Boyce says in the release. “Each new location fulfills our vision to put Padel39 and Texas at the epicenter of the padel community.”

In addition to offering courts to play on, Padel39 features on-court programming, tournaments, social events, and physical wellness opportunities such as courtside Pilates and morning yoga.

Padel39 Padel39 courts and lounge areas at a location in Austin. Photo by Josh Graziadei

While Padel39 offers memberships, all guests are welcome to play, they say. According to the website, each club is priced differently. At the flagship location in Austin, Padel39 memberships start at $89 per month or $890 per year, but players can also rent courts as needed for 90 minutes at $30.

“We set out to create a modern take on a country club; a place where members and guests could ‘play and stay,’” Boyce says. “We’ve built that and more. We work to improve the experience for our guests each day.”

Outdoor construction on the Carrollton club is expected to be completed by March. Indoor food and beverage, fitness and lounging renovations will be finished by summer, they say. The club will remain open during renovations.

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