Free for Harvey Victims

Hurricane evacuees get free admission at Dallas entertainment venues

Multiple Dallas-area museums and entertainment venues are offering free admission to Hurricane Harvey evacuees staying at Dallas shelters, through Labor Day weekend and beyond. Here's a look at offers announced so far.

TITAS Presents and AT&T Performing Arts Center are making up to 300 tickets available for MOMIX: Opus Cactus on Thursday, August 31. The family-friendly performance begins at 8 pm at Winspear Opera House.
On Saturday, September 2, Dallas rock band Colt & the Old 45s is making tickets available for its 7:30 pm performance at Wyly Theatre. Free parking also will be offered for both shows. The evacuees will get vouchers at the four official city shelters in Dallas, including the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Samuell Grand Recreation Center, Tommie Allen Recreation Center, and Walnut Hill Recreation Center.
Nasher Sculpture Center is offering free admission for as long as Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center remains open as a shelter. Visitors should mention the offer at the front desk for free admission.
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is offering free admission through September 30. Families who reside in the affected region can receive complimentary tickets for up to seven family members. Proof of residency and photo ID are required. For a list of qualifying counties and other details, go to perotmuseum.org/discounts.
The Dallas Arboretum is offering free admission through September 4. Passes will be distributed at area shelters, but visitors can also show their ID at the gate for admission.
The Dallas Zoo is offering free admission through September 4. Passes are available at area shelters, but visitors can also show their ID at the gate for admission.
All Hawaiian Falls waterparks are offering free admission, September 2-4. Visitors need to show a valid ID with a coastal-area address at the front gate to get in free. Hawaiian Falls has locations in Garland, The Colony, Mansfield, Roanoke, and Waco.
SMU is offering free tickets to its season opening football game against Stephen F. Austin State University at Ford Stadium on September 2. Fans must fill out this online form to secure tickets, which will be available at will call. Requests will be filled as long as inventory lasts, and those fans also will get a voucher for a complimentary hot dog and soda.
Dallas Comedy House, which will put on a special fundraising show on September 3, is offering free admission through the month of September.
The Meadows Museum on the SMU campus is offering free admission through September 30. Visitors need to show a photo ID from one of the affected counties at the box office for free admission for up to seven family members.

In addition, Uber is offering free rides to and from Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for evacuees. Airbnb has also activated its Disaster Response Program, which works with area hosts to offer free housing for evacuees.

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is offering free admission for evacuees through September.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas

Photo by Mark Knight Photography

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is offering free admission for evacuees through September.

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Turn Cancer Upside Down

Figure skating legend Scott Hamilton brings holiday ice show to DFW

Scott Hamilton & Friends Benefiting The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation

Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Scott Hamilton will emcee the ice show.

Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic gold medal-winning figure skater known for his signature backflip, is coming to Dallas-Fort Worth for a holiday ice show and "Frozen 5K" fundraising mega-event.

The fundraiser portion ties into Hamilton's public battle with testicular cancer in the 1990s, which led him to found the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation in 2014. The nonprofit's mission is to fund innovative, patient-centered, targeted treatments that fight cancer while preserving quality of life.

One of its fundraising events is the Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer ice shows, which bring Hamilton and other world-class athletes to rinks around the country.

NYTEX Sports Centre in North Richland Hills is hosting a holiday version on Saturday, December 20 at 7 pm, where Hamilton will emcee and Olympians Mariah Bell, Ashley Cain, and Polina Edmunds will perform.

Tickets range from $32.75 to $79, with proceeds benefiting UT Southwestern Medical Center in addition to the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation.

Mariah Bell, figure skating, Olympian Figure skater Mariah Bell. Getty Images

"This isn’t just an ice show - it’s a celebration of hope, resilience, and community," the city of North Richland Hills says in a Facebook post. "Expect breathtaking performances, holiday cheer, and the chance to see world-class athletes light up the ice, all while supporting a cause that will touch so many."

If you'd like to get out on the ice yourself, you can register for the Frozen 5K on December 21 and skate 35 laps to honor and remember those impacted by cancer. The $35 registration fee includes a T-shirt, or you can donate extra to receive other Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer swag.

DFW-only fundraising incentives include an autographed program ($500), a VIP meet-and-greet plus autographed program ($1,000), or the chance to perform at the holiday ice show (top fundraisers only — see more info here). Better start stretching.

It's the perfect time for Hamilton to bring his ice show to North Texas. Ice rinks are a huge holiday trend for 2025, with kids of all ages gliding and spinning on special pop-up rinks from Grapevine to Garland to the all-new CultureMap City Rink in downtown Dallas.

scott hamilton cancer research fundraising olympians mariah bell ashley cain polina edmunds scott hamilton cares foundation ska8 to elimin8 cancer frozen 5k ice skating city rink