Plan It Out

Grab your calendar for this ultimate list of upcoming downtown Dallas events

Lovers of art, fashion, food, and music aren't strangers to downtown Dallas, since most of the city's major festivals and events are held there. Want to make sure you don't miss any of these fun happenings? Get out your calendar now.

Chefs for Farmers, November 3-5
With a mission to bring chefs, artisans, and culinary influencers together to celebrate supporting local and regional farmers, this three-day culinary blowout promises to be even bigger and better than years past. More than 30 nationally acclaimed chefs — most of whom are James Beard nominees and winners — are jetting to Dallas to cook alongside local culinary heroes and Texas farms. Attendees will also sip the best selections from select wineries, local breweries, and top-shelf distillers.

Dallas Bike Ride, November 4
This celebration of bicycling in Big D is the only day you can adventure around the city by bike with no cars. A fun, family-friendly event, the 20-mile ride offers beautiful skyline views and ends at City Plaza with the Finish Festival, hosted by Grammy Award-winner DJ Spinderella, of Salt-N-Pepa fame.

The Edge of Texas, November 10-11
A weekend-long exploration of people, ideas, and subjects shaping the future of Texas and the world, this series of immersive sessions presented by Texas Monthly and VisitDallas will feature artists, innovators, chefs, and musicians who are taking the Texas experience forward. From Friday's opening celebration at Fashion Industry Gallery to Saturday's programming at The Joule to Sunday's grand finale at the Longhorn Ballroom, expect to become engaged about our state's possibilities.

Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot, November 23
Start your Thanksgiving off right with this healthy tradition. There are two courses: a 5K and an 8-mile race, and you have the choice to be timed or not. Trotting is a family affair, with, and even your dog can participate with the right registration.

Reliant Lights your Holidays, December 2
"Oooh" and "aaah" at the thousands of dazzling LED lights that are placed around the AT&T Performing Arts Center's iconic venues and trees, then stay for a free concert and pictures with Santa Claus.

Celebrate the Holidays at Klyde Warren Park, presented by Nissan, December 2
Listen to Big Band classics, create some crafts, write letters to Santa, sample from the food trucks, watch the lighting of the Klyde Warren Park Christmas tree.

Dallas Holiday Parade, December 2
The 30th annual Dallas Holiday Parade will march down Commerce Street to ring in the holiday season, featuring marching bands, festive floats, and fun family activities. This year, the parade features a grand opening in front of The Adolphus Hotel and a grand finale in front of The Statler Hotel.

Shaken and Stirred, December 2
Shaken, stirred, muddled, and mixed — and everything in between — Savor Dallas’s popular event returns for a festive soiree. Seven of the city's best mixologists will sling their best drinks and battle it out to be The Official Cocktail of VisitDallas 2018. Enjoy a truly uncommon experience with cocktail tastings, a live band, and a sneak preview of the restaurants of The Statler, led by chef Graham Dodds and chef Angela Hernandez.

Candlelight at Dallas Heritage Village, December 9-10
With 13 acres of decorated buildings, flickering candles lining the paths, strolling carolers, carriage rides, and crafts for those young and young at heart, Candlelight captures the holiday spirit for all and has been a tradition for 46 years.

Downtown Wanderland, each weekend in December
The pop-up shop Unbranded is returning, this time in a new downtown location, along with a pop-up art gallery by Ro2 Art, movie nights, arts and crafts demos and classes, photo booths, and happy hours. Keep on eye on the website for announcements.

When 2018 hits, keep these major annual events in mind too:

Dallas International Film Festival, April 2018
Dallas Art Fair, April 2018
Deep Ellum Arts Festival, April 2018
Old 97’s County Fair, April 14, 2018
Dallas Arts District Block Parties, April and June 2018
Dallas Book Festival, April 2018
Festival of Ideas, April 2018
Taco Libre, April 2018
Architecture Tours, Saturdays throughout 2018
Homegrown, May 12, 2018
Soluna Dallas, May-June 2018
Reunion Lawn Parties, June-August 2018
DFW Restaurant Week, August 2018
PARK(ing) Day, September 21, 2018
Aurora, November 2018

Loosen your belt for Chefs for Farmers, held November 3-4.

Photo courtesy of Chefs for Farmers

Loosen your belt for Chefs for Farmers, held November 3-4.

festivals holidays event-planner families promoted

Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer is an unappreciated mom in Oh. What. Fun.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Of all the formulaic movie genres, Christmas/holiday movies are among the most predictable. No matter what the problem is that arises between family members, friends, or potential romantic partners, the stories in holiday movies are designed to give viewers a feel-good ending even if the majority of the movie makes you feel pretty bad.

That’s certainly the case in Oh. What. Fun., in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, an underappreciated mom living in Houston with her inattentive husband, Nick (Denis Leary). As the film begins, her three children are arriving back home for Christmas: The high-strung Channing (Felicity Jones) is married to the milquetoast Doug (Jason Schwartzman); the aloof Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz) brings home yet another new girlfriend; and the perpetual child Sammy (Dominic Sessa) has just broken up with his girlfriend.

Each of the family members seems to be oblivious to everything Claire does for them, especially when it comes to what she really wants: For them to nominate her to win a trip to see a talk show in L.A. hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). When she accidentally gets left behind on a planned outing to see a show, Claire reaches her breaking point and — in a kind of Home Alone in reverse — she decides to drive across the country to get to the show herself.

Written and directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You), and co-written by Chandler Baker (who wrote the short story on which the film is based), the movie never establishes any kind of enjoyable rhythm. Each of the characters, including competitive neighbor Jeanne (Joan Chen), is assigned a character trait that becomes their entire personality, with none of them allowed to evolve into something deeper.

The filmmakers lean hard into the idea that Claire is a person who always puts her family first and receives very little in return, but the evidence presented in the story is sketchy at best. Every situation shown in the film is so superficial that tension barely exists, and the (over)reactions by Claire give her family members few opportunities to make up for their failings.

The most interesting part of the movie comes when Claire actually makes it to the Zazzy Sims show. Even though what happens there is just as unbelievable as anything else presented in the story, Showalter and Baker concoct a scene that allows Claire and others to fully express the central theme of the film, and for a few minutes the movie actually lives up to its title.

Pfeiffer, given her first leading role since 2020’s French Exit, is a somewhat manic presence, and her thick Texas accent and unnecessary voiceover don’t do her any favors. It seems weird to have such a strong supporting cast with almost nothing of substance to do, but almost all of them are wasted, including Danielle Brooks in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. The lone exception is Longoria, who is a blast in the few scenes she gets.

Oh. What. Fun. is far from the first movie to try and fail at becoming a new holiday classic, but the pedigree of Showalter and the cast make this dismal viewing experience extra disappointing. Ironically, overworked and underappreciated moms deserve a much better story than the one this movie delivers.

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Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Prime Video.

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