It's a rare win for those living in the west end of Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend, as fully half of this weekend's best events will take place in Tarrant County. The slate is also heavy with movies, as it features two film festivals, a groundbreaking of another Alamo Drafthouse and music from classic Hitchcock films.
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, November 6
2014 Lone Star Film Festival
The 2014 edition of the Lone Star Film Festival kicked off on Wednesday, but there are plenty of other great movies to see before it ends on Sunday. They include a conversation with Julian Schnabel and screening of Before Night Falls, Wild starring Reese Witherspoon and Life Partners with Gillian Jacobs and Leighton Meester. Films will screen at both AMC Palace 9 and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Stars & Stripes Film Festival
You won't find any new films at the Stars & Stripes Film Festival, but it'll be worth attending to show your patriotism on Veteran's Day weekend. Thirteen military-themed movies, like Tora! Tora! Tora!, Saving Private Ryan and Platoon, will screen over four days at Angelika Film Center Dallas. You'll also be able to hear real accounts from Medal of Honor veterans who fought in the battles. Proceeds from the festival will benefit Sons of the Flag.
Jay Leno in concert
Love him or hate him, Jay Leno is still one of the most famous comedians on the planet, having served as host of The Tonight Show for 22 years. In advance of his first appearance on The Tonight Show since handing it over to Jimmy Fallon on Friday night, Leno will entertain the crowd at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth to benefit the UNT Health Science Center Foundation.
Friday, November 7
Eli Young Band's 2014 House Party
The Eli Young Band is one of the most successful country groups to come out of the area, forming at UNT in 2000 and going on to have two No. 1 songs and a recent No. 1 album, 2014's 10,000 Towns. For the second straight year, they'll take over Globe Life Park in Arlington for a country festival that will also feature Gary Allan, Pat Green, Cody Johnson and Maddie and Tae.
Fashion X Dallas
It'll be a fashion-filled weekend at Fashion Industry Gallery in downtown Dallas when Fashion X Dallas comes to town. For three consecutive nights, visitors can take in runway shows from a juried selection of emerging designers and nationally recognized contemporary brands, and shop at various pop-up shops.
Saturday, November 8
Alamo Drafthouse presents Dallas groundbreaking and Ferris Bueller's Day Off screening
It was a bolt of exciting and unexpected news when Alamo Drafthouse announced they were building a second location in the Cedars neighborhood just south of downtown Dallas. They'll celebrate an unofficial groundbreaking of the new theater with a party at The Cedars Social, along with an outdoor screening of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Milan Gallery presents The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection
Dr. Seuss is beloved for his extensive collection of children's books, but few know that he took his unique artistic eye off of the printed page and applied it to paintings and sculptures, as well. Milan Gallery in Fort Worth will host an exhibit of his works through November 24, with special receptions being held on November 8 and 9.
Bastille in concert
British rockers Bastille broke out in 2013 thanks to hits like "Pompeii" and "Of the Night." This will be their second visit to the area in 2014, as they were also part of the Edgefest lineup back in April. They'll headline this time around at Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie, with Ella Eyre serving as opening act.
Sunday, November 9
2014 Dallas Sample Sale
It's never too early to start your Christmas shopping, and the annual Dallas Sample Sale will help you do so in style. The sale, taking place at Dallas Market Hall, has a little something for everyone, including gifts, apparel, jewelry, toys, children’s clothing, holiday decorations, home accessories and furniture. The event starts Thursday and goes through Sunday.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Hitchcock
The films of Alfred Hitchcock will likely never go out of style, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will be the latest local group to honor his work with a weekend full of concerts featuring scores from some of his most iconic works. Selections from To Catch A Thief, Vertigo and North By Northwest will be accompanied by scenes from each film played on the big screen at Bass Performance Hall. The series starts Friday and goes through Sunday.
Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon, is one of many great films screening as part of the 2014 Lone Star Film Festival, taking place through November 9 in Fort Worth.
Leela's Holiday House is really three different festive destinations. Leela's/Facebook