Weekend Event Planner

Selena Gomez and Polyphonic Spree top best weekend events in Dallas

It's Halloween week, which means the slate for this weekend includes several holiday-themed events. But there is plenty of non-spooky stuff going on, including the opening of a new area in downtown Fort Worth, a big festival in Carrollton and the return of a hometown girl who's now one of the biggest stars on the planet.

Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, October 31

Alamo Drafthouse presents Alaween Halloween Carnival
The folks at Alamo Drafthouse love to play dress up on normal weeks, so you can only imagine what Halloween is like for them. They'll have all sorts of fun stuff going on, including trick-or-treating in the theaters, pumpkin carving, a costume contest with prizes and more. For those of age, you can also stay late for a special screening of Halloween.

Avenue Q Halloween Sing-along
Avenue Q has more-or-less become the permanent show in the Theatre Too space at Theatre Three, playing off-and-on there since September 2012. The latest incarnation with a couple of new cast members just started up again, and they'll celebrate Halloween by inviting the audience to dress up as their favorite characters and sing along to their favorite tunes.

Friday, November 1

Sundance Square Plaza grand opening
Sundance Square has been a huge draw for downtown Fort Worth for decades, and it's about to get another big boost with the opening of Sundance Square Plaza, a walkable open space smack dab in the middle of the square featuring fountains, giant umbrellas and entrances to multiple new buildings. They'll celebrate the opening with a variety of performances and other activities Friday through Sunday.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Black on Black 2013
The 2013-2014 season for Dallas Black Dance Theatre continues with Black on Black, an opportunity for the audience to see DBDT's space in the Dallas Arts District, watch intimate and personal performances by the company's dancers and then possibly get on the action themselves at the after-party.

Saturday, November 2

2013 Travel & Adventure Show
The Travel & Adventure Show is kind of a catch-all title for an event that has a bit of everything. Taking place Saturday and Sunday at the Dallas Convention Center, it features everything from animals from SeaWorld to bubble rollers on a big pool to Bachelor host Chris Harrison. It also has loads of travel experts, a culinary theater and a melange of international music performances.

2013 Carrollton Festival at the Switchyard
If you missed your chance for a little '90s nostalgia when Smash Mouth and Sugar Ray came to Allen a few months ago, you can catch them headlining the entertainment at the Carrollton Festival at the Switchyard. The day-long fest in Historic Downtown Carrollton also has food, shopping, arts and crafts, games, rides and more.

2013 North Oak Cliff Music Festival
Anyone who frequents The Kessler for concerts will find more than a few familiar names at this second annual music festival, taking place at Lake Cliff Park. Artists like Jason Eady, The Relatives, Daphne Willis, Seryn, Ruthie Foster and Bob Schneider will all perform, with your usual array of food trucks and kid-friendly activities rounding out the event.

The Polyphonic Spree presents 1st Annual Halloween Hootenanny
The Polyphonic Spree has occasionally broken out a song or two from The Rocky Horror Picture Show at its concerts, but this will be a full-on Rocky Horror fest at Lakewood Theater, complete with costume contest and a post-concert screening of the film. The Spree will also perform some original songs to close out Halloween in style.

Sunday, November 3

2013 Festival of Church Music
Church-goers can get a full day of church music on Sunday by starting off going to their regular service and then ending the day at Meyerson Symphony Center for the Festival of Church Music. 450 singers from 19 churches, accompanied by a brass ensemble, will sing a variety of hymns and anthems, including several with the audience.

Selena Gomez in concert
Grand Prairie native Selena Gomez has accomplished a lot in her 21 years, including starring in her own Disney Channel series and dating Justin Bieber. Although she's been a hot commodity on the music scene for several years with her band The Scene, her 2013 album Stars Dance marks her first official solo effort. She'll bring all of her talent to the table for this concert at American Airlines Center.

Grand Prairie native Selena Gomez will perform at American Airlines Center on November 3.

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Roller Coaster News

Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington retires 2 roller coasters for newbie

Six Flags

La Vibora roller coaster at Six Flags, RIP.

Amusement park operator Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is investing more than $1 billion in its theme parks over the next two years, with an array of enhancements for Six Flags Over Texas that include a record-breaking dive roller coaster, slated to launch at the Arlington theme park in 2026.

Hurricane Harbor Arlington will also receive the largest investment in its history, with the introduction of a massive interactive kids area, Splash Island.

Waterparks and water features have become an increasingly popular category, aided by technological advancements such as man-made surf machines. According to a report by Hotel & Leisure Advisors, 16 indoor waterparks opened or expanded in 2023, and 12 new outdoor waterparks opened. The largest new outdoor waterpark of the year was Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, featuring 11 slides, a lazy river, pools, and swim-up bars.

“Six Flags is dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences and will be implementing a wide array of enhancements throughout the property. Our park's multi-year expansion plans will bring major investments including cutting-edge thrill rides, revitalized family experiences, elevated dining and expanded events,” says the park's president Richard Douaihy in a statement.

And now the sad news. To make room for the all-new dive coaster they're installing at Six Flags, they're retiring two roller coasters:

La Vibora, a steel bobsled-style roller coaster, which opened in 1986
El Diablo, known as a giga loop coaster, which has been in operation since 2019

The rides’ retirement enables the park to make way for a new generation of thrill machines in the Spain section of the park.

'We understand that saying goodbye to beloved rides can be difficult, and we appreciate our guests' passion. These changes are an important part of our growth and dedication to delivering exceptional new experiences. We look forward to sharing more details this summer,” Douaihy says.

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