Events News

The latest event cancellations in Dallas-Fort Worth due to coronavirus concerns

The annual Dallas Art Fair, which had been rescheduled to October 1-4, has been canceled. It will return in 2021.

Photo by Mei-Chun Jau

As concerns regarding the spread of the coronavirus and government restrictions on group gatherings continue, more event cancellations, postponements, and reschedulings are being announced every day in Dallas-Fort Worth. In an effort to keep you as up-to-date as possible, we'll compile a list of different announcements every week.

New in-person and virtual events are on the uptick, so we may be able to occasionally present the regular weekly events roundup. Still, to be sure you're up to speed, you may want to check with the presenting organization or venue regarding the status of any particular event.

Dallas

Dallas Art Fair: The annual large-scale art show, which had been postponed from April 16-18 to October 1-4, has now been canceled. It will return April 15-18, 2021.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra: The orchestra announced a reduced 2020-2021 season, postponing, cancelling, or rescheduling multiple concerts. There are now only 15 scheduled concerts in fall 2020, with the spring 2021 schedule to be determined at a later date.
Girls Gotta Eat: This live performance of the popular podcast, scheduled for September 10 at Majestic Theatre, has been postponed to an undetermined date.
The Kessler: The concert venue has rescheduled a number of concerts, including Bob Schneider (was August 7, now May 14, 2021), James McMurtry (was August 13, now June 4, 2021), and The Polyphonic Spree: Jukebox Jamboree (was August 21-22, now February 27-28). They have also postponed Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (August 15) to an undetermined date.
The Last Podcast on the Left: This live performance of the popular podcast, scheduled for August 24 at Majestic Theatre, has been rescheduled for June 4, 2021.
The Read Live: This live performance of the popular podcast, scheduled for September 5 at Majestic Theatre, has been canceled.
Undermain Theatre: The theater company has canceled all live performances through the end of 2020, which includes Athena (September 9-October 4) and Hedda Gabler (November 11-29). At this time, it has not been announced if those productions will be rescheduled. In lieu of live performances, Undermain will present multiple streaming series, including In Concert Undermain (featuring music performances), Archives Undermain (revisiting previous live productions, starting with the 2014 production of We Are Proud to Present a Presentation... by Jackie Sibblies Drury), and Virtual Undermain (new streaming-only productions).

Fort Worth

Billy Bob's Texas: While the music venue has postponed two more concerts, including Gretchen Wilson (August 7) and Drake White & The Big Fire (August 14), they have plans to open up under restaurant guidelines starting August 14 with a concert by The Bellamy Brothers (who moved up their scheduled December 4 date). Upcoming concerts will be limited to 1,200 tickets, although that could change given the circumstances.
Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth: The classical music group has canceled the first three concerts of its 2020-2021 season, scheduled for September 12, October 10, and November 21 at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. The five concerts in 2021 are still scheduled, and the group is finalizing plans for three live-streamed concert performances by local artists.
Fort Worth Opera: The arts group has officially canceled its annual McCammon Voice Competition, originally scheduled for April 3 and 4. In lieu of the prizes the competitors could have won, each of the 30 semi-finalists will be given a grant of $300 to provide some financial relief during these challenging times.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra: The symphony has postponed a number of events in its 2020-2021 season, including Wild Wild West (September 12), Legends: The Paul Simon Songbook (September 25-27), Audra McDonald (November 6), The Music of John Williams (November 13-15), The Snowman (November 21), Handel's Messiah (December 4-6), and America's Wonders (January 2, 2021). Other programs throughout the season have been adjusted for content, performers, dates, and times.
Hip Pocket Theatre: After cancelling most of its season in June, the theater company has now postponed its final production, The Slam Bang Story of Icky Twerp (scheduled September 11-27), to September 10-26, 2021. Each of the other productions planned for 2020 will now take place in 2021, as well.
The Killers: This concert, scheduled for September 11 at Dickies Arena, has been postponed to an undetermined date.
Water Lantern Festival: This event, which had been postponed from April 4 to November 7, has been canceled. The event will return for its annual visit sometime in 2021.

Grand Prairie

Iliza Shlesinger: The Forever Tour: The appearance by the comedian, scheduled for August 21 at The Theatre at Grand Prairie, has been rescheduled for September 18, 2021.

Lewisville

Kelly Willis and Jamie Lin Wilson Song Swap: This concert, scheduled for August 9 at MCL Grand Theater, has been postponed to an undetermined date in spring 2021.

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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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