• Home
  • popular
  • Events
  • Submit New Event
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • News
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Home + Design
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • Innovation
  • Sports
  • Charity Guide
  • children
  • education
  • health
  • veterans
  • SOCIAL SERVICES
  • ARTS + CULTURE
  • animals
  • lgbtq
  • New Charity
  • Series
  • Delivery Limited
  • DTX Giveaway 2012
  • DTX Ski Magic
  • dtx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Your Home in the Sky
  • DTX Best of 2013
  • DTX Trailblazers
  • Tastemakers Dallas 2017
  • Healthy Perspectives
  • Neighborhood Eats 2015
  • The Art of Making Whiskey
  • DTX International Film Festival
  • DTX Tatum Brown
  • Tastemaker Awards 2016 Dallas
  • DTX McCurley 2014
  • DTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • DTX Beyond presents Party Perfect
  • DTX Texas Health Resources
  • DART 2018
  • Alexan Central
  • State Fair 2018
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Zatar
  • CityLine
  • Vision Veritas
  • Okay to Say
  • Hearts on the Trinity
  • DFW Auto Show 2015
  • Northpark 50
  • Anteks Curated
  • Red Bull Cliff Diving
  • Maggie Louise Confections Dallas
  • Gaia
  • Red Bull Global Rally Cross
  • NorthPark Holiday 2015
  • Ethan's View Dallas
  • DTX City Centre 2013
  • Galleria Dallas
  • Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty Luxury Homes in Dallas Texas
  • DTX Island Time
  • Simpson Property Group SkyHouse
  • DIFFA
  • Lotus Shop
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Dallas
  • Clothes Circuit
  • DTX Tastemakers 2014
  • Elite Dental
  • Elan City Lights
  • Dallas Charity Guide
  • DTX Music Scene 2013
  • One Arts Party at the Plaza
  • J.R. Ewing
  • AMLI Design District Vibrant Living
  • Crest at Oak Park
  • Braun Enterprises Dallas
  • NorthPark 2016
  • Victory Park
  • DTX Common Desk
  • DTX Osborne Advisors
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • DFW Showcase Tour of Homes
  • DTX Neighborhood Eats
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • DTX Auto Awards
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2017
  • Nasher Store
  • Guardian of The Glenlivet
  • Zyn22
  • Dallas Rx
  • Yellow Rose Gala
  • Opendoor
  • DTX Sun and Ski
  • Crow Collection
  • DTX Tastes of the Season
  • Skye of Turtle Creek Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival
  • DTX Charity Challenge
  • DTX Culture Motive
  • DTX Good Eats 2012
  • DTX_15Winks
  • St. Bernard Sports
  • Jose
  • DTX SMU 2014
  • DTX Up to Speed
  • st bernard
  • Ardan West Village
  • DTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Taste the Difference
  • Parktoberfest 2016
  • Bob's Steak and Chop House
  • DTX Smart Luxury
  • DTX Earth Day
  • DTX_Gaylord_Promoted_Series
  • IIDA Lavish
  • Huffhines Art Trails 2017
  • Red Bull Flying Bach Dallas
  • Y+A Real Estate
  • Beauty Basics
  • DTX Pet of the Week
  • Long Cove
  • Charity Challenge 2014
  • Legacy West
  • Wildflower
  • Stillwater Capital
  • Tulum
  • DTX Texas Traveler
  • Dallas DART
  • Soldiers' Angels
  • Alexan Riveredge
  • Ebby Halliday Realtors
  • Zephyr Gin
  • Sixty Five Hundred Scene
  • Christy Berry
  • Entertainment Destination
  • Dallas Art Fair 2015
  • St. Bernard Sports Duck Head
  • Jameson DTX
  • Alara Uptown Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2017
  • DTX Tastemakers 2015
  • Cottonwood Arts Festival
  • The Taylor
  • Decks in the Park
  • Alexan Henderson
  • Gallery at Turtle Creek
  • Omni Hotel DTX
  • Red on the Runway
  • Whole Foods Dallas 2018
  • Artizone Essential Eats
  • Galleria Dallas Runway Revue
  • State Fair 2016 Promoted
  • Trigger's Toys Ultimate Cocktail Experience
  • Dean's Texas Cuisine
  • Real Weddings Dallas
  • Real Housewives of Dallas
  • Jan Barboglio
  • Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
  • Hearts for Hounds
  • Okay to Say Dallas
  • Indochino Dallas
  • Old Forester Dallas
  • Dallas Apartment Locators
  • Dallas Summer Musicals
  • PSW Real Estate Dallas
  • Paintzen
  • DTX Dave Perry-Miller
  • DTX Reliant
  • Get in the Spirit
  • Bachendorf's
  • Holiday Wonder
  • Village on the Parkway
  • City Lifestyle
  • opportunity knox villa-o restaurant
  • Nasher Summer Sale
  • Simpson Property Group
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2017 Dallas
  • Carlisle & Vine
  • DTX New Beginnings
  • Get in the Game
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • Dallas DanceFest
  • 2015 Dallas Stylemaker
  • Youth With Faces
  • Energy Ogre
  • DTX Renewable You
  • Galleria Dallas Decadence
  • Bella MD
  • Tractorbeam
  • Young Texans Against Cancer
  • Fresh Start Dallas
  • Dallas Farmers Market
  • Soldier's Angels Dallas
  • Shipt
  • Elite Dental
  • Texas Restaurant Association 2017
  • State Fair 2017
  • Scottish Rite
  • Brooklyn Brewery
  • DTX_Stylemakers
  • Alexan Crossings
  • Ascent Victory Park
  • Top Texans Under 30 Dallas
  • Discover Downtown Dallas
  • San Luis Resort Dallas
  • Greystar The Collection
  • FIG Finale
  • Greystar M Line Tower
  • Lincoln Motor Company
  • The Shelby
  • Jonathan Goldwater Events
  • Windrose Tower
  • Gift Guide 2016
  • State Fair of Texas 2016
  • Choctaw Dallas
  • TodayTix Dallas promoted
  • Whole Foods
  • Unbranded 2014
  • Frisco Square
  • Unbranded 2016
  • Circuit of the Americas 2018
  • The Katy
  • Snap Kitchen
  • Partners Card
  • Omni Hotels Dallas
  • Landmark on Lovers
  • Harwood Herd
  • Galveston.com Dallas
  • Holiday Happenings Dallas 2018
  • TenantBase
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2018
  • Hawkins-Welwood Homes
  • The Inner Circle Dallas
  • Eating in Season Dallas
  • ATTPAC Behind the Curtain
  • TodayTix Dallas
  • The Alexan
  • Toyota Music Factory
  • Nosh Box Eatery
  • Wildflower 2018
  • Society Style Dallas 2018
  • Texas Scottish Rite Hospital 2018
  • 5 Mockingbird
  • 4110 Fairmount
  • Visit Taos
  • Allegro Addison
  • Dallas Tastemakers 2018
  • The Village apartments
  • City of Burleson Dallas

    Game Night

    Get out of the house for a different type of game night at Choctaw

    CultureMap Create
    Oct 12, 2017 | 12:01 pm
    Dallas_Choctaw resort
    It's like Go Fish, only with money on the line.
    Photo courtesy of Choctaw Casino & Resort–Durant

    It’s time for a different type of game night — one that gets you out of the house. So clear off your table and come play on Choctaw’s. Whether you’re a fan of wagering on a certain combination of cards, as in Go Fish, or placing your bets on more classic board games like Monopoly, Life, Clue, or Candy Land, Choctaw Casino & Resort–Durant in Durant, Oklahoma, has a table game with a similar strategy or chance.

    Ask your dealer for advice when you arrive at the table; he or she will be happy to show you how to play.

    Three Card Poker
    Three card poker combines the excitement of poker with the speed of traditional casino games like slots. It requires less attention and and is a smaller time commitment, making it an ideal initiation for the novice. Players are dealt three cards. You have the option to bet against the dealer, bet on the value of your own three-card hand, or bet both.

    Let It Ride
    The objective of Let It Ride is to get the best possible poker hand using your three cards and two "community" cards. Played at a more relaxed pace, it’s a variation of five-card stud, except the player is given two opportunities to withdraw exactly one-third of their initial wager.

    Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em
    Texans are no stranger to this game. Increase the excitement of "poker night" by heading to Choctaw, where playing with new people and real money raises the stakes.

    Pai Gow Poker
    This is a casino version of Chinese dominoes, but played with cards. Traditionally a tile game popular in Macau’s gambling dens, Pai Gow is adapted to be played like a poker hand. Pai Gow poker utilizes a 52-card deck, plus a joker that acts as a wild card (but only serves as an ace), or to complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush.

    Blackjack
    Blackjack requires some strategy to be successful. It’s a decision-driven game: when to hit, when to stay, when to split or double down. The crux of the game is beating the dealer — and not busting on 21.

    Baccarat
    In baccarat, two hands of cards are dealt (the banker’s and the player’s), and you wager on which hand will total the closest to 9.

    In a way, baccarat is akin to Clue; you’re placing bets based on little information. You can glean some info from the cards that were played in the last hand, and bet based on the likelihood that a certain card might be drawn.

    Roulette
    Legends abound about this Parisian favorite, which is rumored to be a preferred pastime with French monks in their monasteries. While many believe roulette is an adaptation of a French board game, the Greeks have also tried to stake a claim to the game’s origin.

    Roulette, meaning "little wheel" in French, is similar to the games of Life and Monopoly in that you can’t predict what you’ll roll. Sometimes you’ll win big; other times, you’ll lose it all.

    Craps
    Think of craps like Candy Land. It literally requires no skill — you could lose to anyone with a lucky throwing hand.

    promotedvacation
    news/entertainment
    promoted
    series/choctaw-dallas

    Skating into the holidays

    Downtown Dallas debuts CultureMap City Rink at dazzling tree lighting

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Dec 1, 2025 | 2:23 pm
    CultureMap City Rink tree lighting 2025
    Photo by Ashley Gongora
    Amber Barth from Skate VIDA performs during the CultureMap City Rink Tree Lighting Ceremony.

    A rainy Thanksgiving-weekend forecast wasn't going to stop the official grand opening of the first-ever CultureMap City Rink, presented by Verizon, at Main Street Garden in downtown Dallas.

    On Friday, November 28, representatives from Downtown Dallas, Inc., Verizon, and CultureMap gathered with the community for a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the outdoor ice rink that has transformed the downtown park into a magical winter wonderland.

    Just after sunset, at 6 pm, guests were welcomed from center ice by CultureMap editorial director Stephanie Merry; Downtown Dallas, Inc. VP of marketing and communications Monica Gonzalez, and Keli Ferguson of the Verizon team. As they were about to begin the countdown to light the tree, Santa and Mrs. Claus skated out to surprise the crowd.

    "I've made my list and checked it twice, and it turns out Dallas is very, very nice," Santa told the delighted audience. Then he counted down, "5-4-3-2-1!" and flipped the switch to illuminate the sparkling 35-foot tree.

    The majestic sounds of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Carol of the Bells" filled the air, and a group of young skaters from the Skate VIDA skating school glided onto the rink. They twirled, spun, and jumped like future Olympians on the ice.

    Amber Barth, a U.S. Figure Skating national-level competitor from Skate VIDA, gave a mesmerizing solo performance.

    CultureMap City Rink tree lighting 2025 Amber Barth of Skate VIDA performs after the tree is lit.Photo by Ashley Gongora

    When the rink re-opened to the public, kids (and their parents) slid and scurried onto the ice for the chance to skate and take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

    Families fueled up at Rudolph's Rinkside Cafe, presented by DRG Concepts (the folks behind Wild Salsa, Chop House Burger, Wicked Butcher). Warm barbacoa tacos, fried chicken sliders, nachos, churros, and hot chocolate hit the spot as the night grew chillier.

    Guests who were 21-and-up lingered at the Après Chalet lounge on the other side of the rink. The cozy gathering area features nooks with inviting Adirondack chairs next to pipe-stoves - the perfect place to warm up with cocktails showcasing Shiner Spirits or sip on a Yuegling beer.

    The CultureMap City Rink, nestled beneath the colorful tall buildings downtown, brings the fun and festive feel of Rockefeller Center to Dallas. (It's the only ice rink in downtown Dallas this holiday season - and yes, it is real ice.)

    CultureMap City Rink tree lighting 2025 The rink will be open through January 5, 2026.Photo by Ashley Gongora

    The rink will be open through January 5, 2026. Visitors can expect themed pop-ups and a full slate of programming designed for every kind of holiday reveler. From romantic Date Skate Wednesdays to Family Movie Nights and Shop + Skate Saturday Markets, there’s something new happening each week:

    • Dallas Holiday Parade Activation — Saturday, December 6
    • Cheap Skate Mondays — Select Mondays
    • Date Skate — Select Wednesdays
    • Family Movie Night — Select Fridays
    • Shop + Skate Night Market — Select Saturdays
    • Santa Skate — Select Sundays

    CultureMap City Rink tree lighting 2025

    Photo by Ashley Gongora

    Amber Barth from Skate VIDA performs during the CultureMap City Rink Tree Lighting Ceremony.

    Regular hours are Monday-Friday from 4-10 pm, Saturdays 10 am-10 pm, and Sundays 10 am-8 pm. During school holidays (December 19-January 4), hours expand to 10 am-10 pm Monday-Saturday and 10 am-8 pm on Sundays. Special holiday hours will take place December 24 & 31 (10 am-7 pm) and December 25 & January 1 (1 pm-7 pm).

    Tickets are $18 for all ages, and include skate rentals and 75 minutes of ice time. Advance tickets, group reservations, and private rink rentals are available at cityrink.culturemap.com.

    Scroll through the photos, above, to see highlights of the Tree Lighting Ceremony.

    holiday attractionschristmasdowntown dallascity rink
    news/entertainment
    promoted
    series/choctaw-dallas
    Loading...