Weekend Event Planner

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

This weekend in and around Dallas is full of entertainers who have enjoyed success, but not so much that their fame has overwhelmed them. There will be four concerts with big-name singers or groups, two comedy events, a new local theater production, a detailed look at a hot-button issue, and a revisiting of a classic blockbuster movie.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, August 1

Carly Rae Jepsen in concert
Pop star Carly Rae Jepsen might have remained a local celebrity in her native Canada had not fate and Justin Bieber intervened when he signal-boosted her eventual smash hit, "Call Me Maybe," in 2011. The resulting fame led to other hits like "Good Time" with Owl City and "I Really Like," though neither reached the heights of that first hit. Jepsen will play at House of Blues Dallas in support of her new album, Dedicated.

Friday, August 2

Daniel Sloss: X
Daniel Sloss is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning Scottish comedian. He has performed three solo New York seasons off-Broadway, and Netflix released two hour-long specials, DARK and Jigsaw, in 2018. He's also made appearances on talk shows like Conan and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. He'll perform a one-night-only show at Majestic Theatre.

Hammer's House Party with MC Hammer, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Kid 'n Play, 2 Live Crew, and The Funky Bunch
Rapper MC Hammer was all the rage in the early '90s, unleashing hits like "U Can't Touch This," "Pray," and "2 Legit 2 Quit." After almost 25 years in relative obscurity, he's back to host Hammer's House Party at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, a concert that will feature performances by other '80s and '90s rappers and singers like Sir Mix-a-Lot, Kid 'n Play, 2 Live Crew, Sisqo, and The Funky Bunch.

Blink-182 and Lil Wayne in concert
You wouldn't necessarily put rock band Blink-182 and rapper Lil Wayne together, but that's what this co-headlining tour is offering. Blink-182 will also be performing their pivotal 1999 album, Enema of the State, from start to finish, along with other hits. Lil Wayne, if he actually shows up, is touring in support of his 2018 album, Tha Carter V. The concert will be at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Imprint Theatreworks presents Kentucky
Kentucky is a biting comedy about Hiro, an Asian-American, self-made woman making it in New York. She is also estranged from her dysfunctional family in Kentucky. When her little sister, a born-again Christian, decides to marry at 22, Hiro takes it upon herself to do whatever she can to stop the wedding and salvage any shred of hope she had for her sister's future. The play will run at Arts Mission Oak Cliff through August 17.

Saturday, August 3

Bishop Arts Theatre Center presents Incarceration, Execution, and the Human Face of the Criminal Justice System
Best-selling author Sanderia Faye is joined by Jim Buffington (Bridges to Life Chief Operating Officer), Jay Gumm (Forgiven Felons Founder), and Richard Miles (Miles of Freedom Founder), for a candid conversation that will take the audience behind bars into the criminal justice system. Framing this community conversation at Bishop Arts Theatre Center will be readings from Faye’s new book, Eleven.

Wiz Khalifa in concert
Rapper Wiz Khalifa has been at the top of the hip-hop genre since the release of his 2011 album, Rolling Papers, which contained the inescapable hit "Black and Yellow." Since then, he's fostered collaborations with other artists and songs on not one, but two Fast & Furious movies, including the smash hit "See You Again" with Charlie Puth. He'll perform at Dos Equis Pavilion in support of his new mixtape, Fly Times Vol. 1: The Good Fly Young.

Funnier than a Mutha#*@%!& Comedy Festival: Ladies Night Out
Hosted by NeNe Leakes of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, The Funnier than a Mutha#*@%!& Comedy Festival: Ladies Night Out will feature performances by comedians like Loni Love, Sherri Shepherd, Adele Givens, Jess Hilarious, Kym Whitley, and Janelle James. The festival will take place at The Theatre in Grand Prairie.

Sunday, August 4

Majestic Theatre presents Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope
It's been more than 40 years since the original Star Wars came out and changed the face of movies forever. As we eagerly await the release of the latest but certainly not last Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker, you can travel back to a simpler time when four characters — Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Chewbacca — banded together to try to defeat the evil Empire. The screening will be at Majestic Theatre.

Blink-182 and Lil Wayne will perform at Dos Equis Pavilion on August 2.

Photo by Randall Slavin

Blink-182 and Lil Wayne will perform at Dos Equis Pavilion on August 2.

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Big Tex Wrap-Up

State Fair of Texas bounces back with 2.1 million attendees in 2026

Crowds around Big Tex at 2026 State Fair of Texas

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

Almost 2.1 people attended the 2026 State Fair of Texas, up from 2025.

After experiencing its lowest total attendance numbers in seven years in 2025, the State Fair of Texas bounced back in 2026, welcoming nearly 2.1 million visitors, according to an official release.

That represents a slight bump up from the 2,020,064 that came through the gates in 2025. Both numbers are still down significantly from the highs of 2019 and 2022, when more than 2.5 million people attended the State Fair.

The uptick in attendance could be attributed to the concerted effort to make the Fair more affordable this year, including lowering ticket prices, making games and rides cheaper, expanding days for free student tickets, and offering a free day of parking.

As usual, the busiest day of the State Fair was Saturday, October 10, the date of the annual Texas-Oklahoma football game, with more than 203,000 fairgoers in attendance, including the 92,100 fans in the Cotton Bowl.

The average attendance for the other 23 days of the fair was around 82,500.

“We are grateful to every fairgoer who joined us this year, as well as the team members, vendors, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this season possible," said State Fair of Texas President Mitchell Glieber in a statement. "As a nonprofit organization, a successful Fair helps fuel our work throughout the year, and we are proud of the impact we continue to make through agriculture, education, and community.”

Other notable numbers from the 2026 State Fair of Texas include:

An all-new look for Big Tex, standing 55 feet tall, sporting a 95-gallon Resistol cowboy hat, a Cavender’s shirt measuring 245 by 192 inches, Levi’s 501 jeans measuring 380 inches wide by 290 inches long, size 96 Lucchese boots, and a Shiner belt buckle.
The unveiling of an official State of Texas Historical Marker from the Texas Historical Commission for Big Tex, honoring his enduring legacy as a beloved Texas icon and symbol of State Fair tradition.
An estimated 110,655 pounds of food were collected and donated to the North Texas Food Bank.
More than 28,600 members of the military and their families visited the Fair over 24 days, utilizing the special discount offer in gratitude for their service.
Approximately 500,000 prizes, valued at an estimated $1.8 million, were won at the State Fair Midway, enough stuffed animals and prizes to fill approximately 90 semi-trucks.
Approximately 450,000 Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs were enjoyed by fairgoers.
The State Fair of Texas is estimated to generate more than $600 million in economic activity each year, serving as one of the most impactful annual events in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

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