Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 best things to do in Dallas this Fourth of July weekend

Although the holiday events are the big draw on the Fourth of July weekend, there's definitely more to do than sit and watch fireworks. Choices in and around Dallas include a pro golf tournament, two big concerts, comedy from a '90s star, two new theater productions, a chance to enjoy the Rangers' home stadium while they're away, and last call for a fun art exhibition.

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

Thursday, July 1

Volunteers of America Classic
The Volunteers of America Classic, taking place at Old American Golf Club in The Colony through Sunday, is the only official LPGA Tour event in Texas. The four-day tournament will feature some of the top LPGA stars, including 2020 champion Angela Stanford, world No. 1 player Jin Young Ko, Sei Young Kim, Hall of Famer Juli Inkster, and more.

American Aquarium in concert
Alt-country band American Aquarium has lived up to its alt status over the last 15 years, rarely cracking through the barrier between their chosen genre and mainstream country. But that changed with their 2020 album, Lamentations, which made it to No. 16 on the Billboard Country charts, giving them their highest profile yet. They'll play at The Kessler in support of that album and the recently-released Slappers, Bangers & Certified Twangers, Vol. 1.

Improv Arlington presents Marc Curry
Marc Curry is an American actor, comedian, and host who is best known as the star of the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper and as one of the various hosts of the syndicated series It's Showtime at the Apollo. Although he's maintained a presence on the small screen in recent years, he also continues to tour with his stand-up act, which he'll bring to Improv Arlington through July 3.

Shakespeare Dallas presents The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised]
Written by the Reduced Shakespeare Company and directed by Raphael Parry, in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised] three actors parody Shakespeare’s entire library of plays in comically shortened form. Shakespeare Dallas will present the production at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre through July 24.

Friday, July 2

Second Thought Theatre presents Goat Song
The beauty of art is that it captures the present moment and preserves it. But what happens when an artist moves on from the art they create? Marcus is back with new music, but it soon becomes clear that his fans miss the old music, made by a man who no longer exists. Goat Song, which is set during a Facebook Live concert and stars STT Director of Operations Drew Wall, attempts to reconcile the tension between the past and the present. The production will be available to view at any time through July 17.

Saturday, July 3

Fourth of July events and fireworks
Most people's focus on the Fourth of July weekend will naturally be on holiday events and fireworks. There are a multitude happening around Dallas-Fort Worth; check out this link for a full rundown of the best events taking place on both July 3 and 4.

Texas Rangers present Family Field Day
While the team is on the road in Seattle, the Texas Rangers will host a Family Field Day to celebrate Independence Day weekend. Guests can participate in the Wiffle Ball Homerun Derby, run the bases, play catch on the field, and enjoy tons of yard games and inflatables. Attendees will also be able to explore the new Rangers ballpark with self-guided tours.

Tyrese in concert
Tyrese Gibson can be considered a huge 21st century success on multiple fronts. Not only has he released six albums in his career, with his latest being 2015's Black Rose, he's also a bonafide movie star, with parts in both the Transformers and the Fast & Furious franchises, including the just-released F9. He'll sing and rap some of his greatest hits at this special concert at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Sunday, July 4

Dallas Museum of Art presents "For a Dreamer of Houses" closing day
Sunday will be the final day to view "For a Dreamer of Houses" at the Dallas Museum of Art. Inspired by philosopher Gaston Bachelard’s concept of the psychological, emotional significance of rooms and houses, the exhibition features immersive installations by Alex Da Corte, Francisco Moreno, and Do Ho Suh, as well as large-scale works by Pipilotti Rist and Janine Antoni and a broad selection of works from the permanent collection.

The LPGA's Volunteers of America Classic will take place at Old American Golf Club in The Colony, July 1-4.

Photo courtesy of Volunteers of America Classic

The LPGA's Volunteers of America Classic will take place at Old American Golf Club in The Colony, July 1-4.

event-planner museums theater holidays concerts sports

Movie Review

Lust eclipses romance in new adaptation of 'Wuthering Heights'

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights.

Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights is one of those classic books assigned in high school English classes, and it has received a number of film adaptations over the years, each of which differ in numerous ways from the source material. Purists won’t receive any reprieve from Emerald Fennell’s 2026 adaptation, with a title that is stylized as "Wuthering Heights” for good reason.

Cathy (played as an adult by Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) have known each other their entire lives, with Cathy’s alcoholic and inveterate gambler father (Martin Clunes) taking in Heathcliff on a whim when he was a boy. The two bond as they grow up together, although Cathy always seems to have an eye on moving up in society from their relatively impoverished lifestyle.

Cathy finally gets her wish when the rich Linton familyled by Edgar (Shazad Latif), moves in down the road, Despite discovering she has feelings for the now grown-up Heathcliff, Cathy sees Edgar as her way out and agrees to marry him. A scorned Heathcliff flees, returning years later as mysteriously wealthy. His reappearance ignites something in Cathy’s soul, and the two engage in a perhaps unwise affair.

Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn) infuses the dusty material with an energy that’s not typically present in stories set in this particular time and place. Aside from the occasional Charli XCX song (the singer created a whole concept album for the film), the film looks and feels like a period piece, albeit one that doesn’t get bogged down in the drudgery that can sometimes come from films set in the distant past.

Much of that has to do with the lust the filmmaker puts into the story. Even if you’re not familiar with Brontë’s book, you can rest assured that Fennell has strayed far from the text, giving Cathy and Heathcliff thoughts and actions unthinkable in the 19th century. Fennell plays with expectations by opening the film with audio featuring creaking noises and a man grunting, conjuring up a situation far different than what is actually happening, and she also makes liberal use of rain, sweat, and tears to make the actors enticing.

What she can’t do, however, is make the two lead characters compelling. Cathy is a striver who never seems to know what she wants out of life, and Heathcliff goes from a bore to a brute over the course of the film, with no clear indication that he likes anybody, much less Cathy. Anyone expecting some kind of grand romance will be disappointed as Fennell is much more interested in making the film weird, like having the walls of Cathy’s room look like her skin, complete with freckles.

Robbie and Elordi do well enough with the material, and it’s clear that both of them are committed to bringing Fennell’s vision to life. Their styles tend to balance each other out, and if the story had been committed to their characters’ relationship, they might be lauded for their chemistry. In the end, though, the supporting actors feel more interesting, including ones played by Hong Chau, Alison Miller, and Clunes.

This version of Wuthering Heights should never be construed as an alternative to reading the book for any high schoolers out there. While Fennell makes the film interesting with her technical filmmaking choices, the story never finds its footing as it fails to sell the one thing that it seems to promise.

---

Wuthering Heights opens in theaters on February 13.

movies film