Holiday happenings

Elf on the Shelf journeys to Dallas-Fort Worth for fun new 2021 Christmas adventure

Elf on the Shelf Magical Holiday Journey

He'll be watching for naughty and nice kids around Dallas-Fort Worth.

Photo courtesy of The Lumistella Company

Santa's spy arrives early this year for an adventure in Dallas-Fort Worth: The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Holiday Journey will be a walk-through experience created and designed specifically for the concourse at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington (formerly Globe Life Park).

Coming direct from the North Pole (okay, no, Los Angeles), the event will run November 18-January 2, and will be family friendly — friendliest of all for good girls and boys, of course.

Here's how organizers describe what's in store: "Santa’s Christmas Compass has gone haywire, and Scout Elf Tiny Tinkerman and the Scout Elves need human help to get Christmas back on course. Audiences will journey into the concourse at Choctaw Stadium, shrink down to elf size, and explore enchanting, Texas-sized scenery showcasing a company of fifty cheer-building performers."

The multi-sensory scenery and lighting promise to be pretty spectacular with a creative team that includes award-winning creative director and set designer David Korins (of Broadway’s Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and the 2019 Oscars); heavyweight director David Alpert; lighting designer David Weiner; and composer Curtis Moore. They're the theatrical collaborators behind the first Elf on the Shelf experience that debuted in Los Angeles last year and attracted 130,000 visitors.

The event is produced by entertainment companies Lumistella Company and Constellation Immersive. Dallas-Fort Worth is only the second location nationwide for an Elf on the Shelf adventure.

“After the events of the past 18 months, people around the world are eager to connect in meaningful ways and create new memories,” says Thao Nguyen, producer and co-head, Constellation Immersive, in a news release. “The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Journey represents the future of family friendly entertainment experiences, and beautifully embodies the holiday spirit in an intimate and innovative setting.”

Because of ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the event is being held in the open-air stadium and will follow social distancing rules and all current health and safety precautions, organizers say.

Tickets start at $19.95 for children and $24.95 for adults and go on sale to the public at 1 pm on Tuesday, September 21; they're expected to sell out. For tickets, packages, and more information, visit elfontheshelfjourney.com. Follow The Elf on the Shelf Experience on social media at @magicalelfjourney.

families holidays

ride-or-die fans

Dallas cheered on as 5th best sports city in America for 2024

Dallas Cowboys Facebook

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There's no denying Dallas is home to some of the most supportive sports fanbases, and a new report has confirmed the city's dedication to its teams. The home of the (3-6) Cowboys ranks as the No. 5 best sports city in America this year, according to a newly released report by WalletHub.

Every year, WalletHub compares 400 U.S. cities for its "Best Sports Cities" report, relying on previous rankings across five different sports categories: Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, and hockey.

Los Angeles is 2024's No. 1 best sports city in America, followed by Boston (No. 2), Pittsburgh (No. 3), and New York (No. 4).

Dallas has maintained its No. 5 ranking for the third year in a row since 2022, earning a score of 43.20 points out of a possible 100.

The city performed the best in the football category after it earned the coveted No. 2 spot in WalletHub's previous report that ranked the best and worst cities for football fans in 2024.

Dallas is pretty serious about its dedication to football, and the Cowboys are well known for having one of the most ride-or-die fanbases year after year. Cowboys fans are also crazy about making every tailgate just as memorable (and expensive) as each home game.

All this, despite the fact that the 'boys have yet to win a home game, and chances are not getting much better with quarterback Dak Prescott's recent season-ending injury.

"Even with technology making major televised games accessible from anywhere, many serious fans still prefer live action — and the best seats in the house," the report said.

Additionally, WalletHub said U.S. sports franchises earn about $40 billion in annual revenue, and America's most valuable team is worth a record-breaking $9 billion. The Cowboys have consistently topped Forbes’ annual ranking of NFL team valuations for 17 years.

Thankfully, Dallas also has the Mavericks and Stars, both of which made deep runs toward championships last season. And the Texas Rangers, of course, who won the World Series in 2023. Here's how Dallas stacked up among the four other sports categories:

No. 15 – Basketball rank
No. 17 – Hockey rank
No. 22 – Soccer rank
No. 258 – Baseball rank

Elsewhere in Texas, only two other cities made it into the top 100. Houston ranked No. 23, and San Antonio came in at No. 40.

"Sports can cause rivalries between cities, but can also give people a deep appreciation for places other than their hometown," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

The top 10 best sports cities in America are:

No. 1 – Los Angeles, California
No. 2 – Boston, Massachusetts
No. 3 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
No. 4 – New York, New York
No. 5 – Dallas, Texas
No. 6 – Miami, Florida
No. 7 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 8 – San Francisco, California
No. 9 – Washington, D.C.
No. 10 – Cincinnati, Ohio

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Avid fans of Dallas sports and Dallas food won't want to miss all the action at CultureMap's exciting sports bash, The Tailgate presented by Verizon, which is coming up on December 9 at the Empire Room. Tickets are available now.

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