Weekend Event Planner

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

The second weekend in July around the Dallas area is all about music, comedy, and movies. You can see two big-name comedians playing distinctly different types of venues, travel to the suburbs for not one but two concerts from up-and-coming musicians, and see a classic movie after hearing an independent filmmaker talk about her craft.

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, July 7

Jim Gaffigan: Fully Dressed
Comedian Jim Gaffigan is as relatable a celebrity as you'll ever find. His popularity has stemmed from bits involving his struggles as the father of five kids, marriage in general, and, most notably, his love/hate relationship with Hot Pockets. Now star of his own TV Land sitcom, The Jim Gaffigan Show, he's bringing his stand-up tour, Fully Dressed, to Gexa Energy Pavilion.

Improv Addison presents Craig Robinson
If you're a comedy fan, it's been nearly impossible to avoid Craig Robinson in the past decade. He's arguably best known for his role on NBC’s The Office, but he has also starred in films such as Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, the Hot Tub Time Machine series, and This Is the End. He's performing six times through Sunday at Improv Addison.

Friday, July 8

Twenty One Pilots in concert
It's been a bit of a slow rise for the rock/hip-hop duo Twenty One Pilots, who released three albums before hitting it big with 2015's Blurryface and its inescapable hit, "Stressed Out." With a song on the upcoming Suicide Squad soundtrack, they look like they're heading for only bigger and better things. They are playing at Allen Event Center in Allen.

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents #hearhere: Miranda July
As part of the summer speaker series #hearhere, the AT&T Performing Arts Center is presenting filmmaker, artist, and writer Miranda July. July's videos, performances, and web-based projects have been presented at major art museums, and July has written, directed, and starred in two feature-length films: 2005's Me and You and Everyone We Know and 2011's The Future. She is speaking at Winspear Opera House.

2016 Festival of Independent Theatres
The Festival of Independent Theatres returns with six new companies and two festival founders joining forces for a four-week run of summertime entertainment. Presented at Bath House Cultural Center on the shores of White Rock Lake, FIT offers eight different one-acts, presented in rotating pairs, from companies like Cry Havoc Theater Company, Echo Theatre, and WingSpan Theatre Company. The festival runs through July 30.

Saturday, July 9

Dallas Chamber Symphony in concert
As part of its series of community concerts, DCS Live!, the Dallas Chamber Symphony is presenting an outdoor concert at Encore Park, featuring light classical and jazz music from DCS' wind trio: Margaret Shin Fischer (flute), Jonathan Jones (clarinet), and Leslie Massenberg (bassoon), accompanied by Eduardo Rojas (piano).

2nd Annual Dallas Start of Summer Water Gun Fight
It's hot out there. Like, really hot, with temperatures predicted to top 100 degrees for the foreseeable future. If you're desperate for any sort of relief from the heat, you can participate in the 2nd Annual Dallas Start of Summer Water Gun Fight at Klyde Warren Park. This is for water guns only — no water balloons — and none of the guns should look like real guns.

Sunday, July 10

Texas Theatre and Majestic Theatre present Rock 'N' Roll Summer Series
Music and movies have always had a symbiotic relationship, but never more so than in the four classic movies that are part of this special series. The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night will kick things off at the Majestic Theatre, and it will be followed every week by another great music movie, with the Majestic and Texas Theatre alternating weeks hosting screenings. Gimme Shelter and The Last Waltz are also on tap.

Halsey in concert
Unlike Twenty One Pilots, electro-pop singer Halsey has had a relatively rapid rise. After putting out an acclaimed EP in 2014, she toured with Imagine Dragons and others. She quickly followed that up with her 2015 debut album, Badlands, which made it to No. 2 on the Billboard charts. She's also playing at Allen Event Center.

Halsey plays at Allen Event Center on June 10.

Photo by Lucas Garrido

Halsey plays at Allen Event Center on June 10.

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State Fair Discounts

State Fair of Texas drops prices on rides and games for 2026

State Fair of Texas mascot on the Midway at Fair Park

Photo by Kevin Brown

Visitors to the State Fair of Texas will find cheaper prices on most rides on the Midway in 2026.

The State Fair of Texas, which recently announced it is lowering ticket prices for the 2026 event, is going even further to make things more affordable for visitors by reducing the price of games and rides at the Midway, and more.

Through a new program called Every Day Values, the Fair is spotlighting what they call "value-priced options" to help guests make the most of their visit.

According to a release, fairgoers will see, on average, a 17 percent reduction in prices on most rides and games on the State Fair Midway this year. In addition, the fair is bringing back Thrilling Tuesdays, on which most rides are available for four coupons, and select kiddie rides available for three coupons. (The Thrillway and Texas Star Ferris Wheel are excluded, they note.)

The Everyday Values program will provide discounts on a variety of items, including but not limited to the following:

One-coupon bottled water at select locations
Six-coupon cotton candy
Kids’ refillable drinkware for 10 coupons, with five-coupon refills
A commemorative State Fair refillable cup for 13 coupons, with four-coupon refills
Free chocolate milk in the GO TEXAN® Pavilion
An eight-coupon Fletcher’s Original Corny Dog
Six-coupon rides on the historic Midway Dentzel Carousel
Select Midway games where every kid is a winner

In addition to the items listed above, the State Fair has over 200 food and beverage items available for $10 or less (including the Big Tex Choice Award-winning Fletcher's Chocolate Corny Dog), along with value combo meals offered throughout the Fairgrounds. The complete list of items can be found at BigTex.com/Value.

“Value means something different to every Fairgoer,” said Mitchell Glieber, State Fair of Texas President, in a statement. “With Every Day Values, we want to make it easier for our guests to find accessible options throughout the Fairgrounds and create a day filled with fun, memories, and value.”

These savings are on top of the various ticket discounts available to the public through multiple options:

Opening Day Peanut Butter Drive: On Opening day, Friday, September 25, visitors can enjoy the Fair while also helping the North Texas Food Bank by bringing two jars of peanut butter to donate to receive $10 admission at the gate.
Feed the Need Wednesdays: Every Wednesday, fairgoers can receive $7 admission by bringing five canned food items to benefit the North Texas Food Bank.
Dr Pepper Value Days: Every Tuesday and Thursday of the State Fair, Big Tex Insiders can purchase online admission for $12 with a promotional code. Guests can sign up for the Big Tex Insider program at BigTex.com/Insider.
Senior Day: Every Thursday, guests ages 60 and older can receive admission for $7 at the gate.
Military Appreciation Day Presented by Chevrolet: Active-duty military, retired military, and veterans can save $5 off admission any day with valid military identification.
First Responder Discounts: The State Fair honors active and retired law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency services personnel with $5 off admission any day with valid department or organization identification.
McDonald's Discounts: Participating McDonald's locations throughout North Texas will offer State Fair admission discounts through coupons available on tray liners and inside select meal bags. Adults can save $5 on admission any day with a valid coupon. Only one discount may be applied per guest, and discounts cannot be combined, stacked, or used in conjunction with any other offer.
Free Admission for Select Texas Students and Teachers: Students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade at participating school districts receive free admission tickets, and teachers and school faculty for grades 9-12 receive free admission through our voucher program. Teachers must visit the admission ticket sales window, provide a teacher voucher, and show their valid school-issued photo ID to receive an admission ticket to the Fair.

The 2026 State Fair of Texas runs September 25 through October 18 at Fair Park in Dallas.

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