Thanksgiving weekend around Dallas marks the start of more exciting holiday events, but surprisingly a couple of significant non-holiday events, too. Among the options are two versions of the Scrooge story, two Nutcrackers, lights galore, a great Beatles tribute band, and an MMA/boxing event featuring an appearance by a huge rock band.
Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend.
Wednesday, November 24
Dallas Theater Center presents A Christmas Carol
Three spirits have come to visit the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, and to take him on a fantastic journey through Christmases past, present, and future that annually delights audiences across North Texas. But will it be enough to save Scrooge’s soul? Brimming with joyful songs, magical spirits, and holiday cheer, Dallas Theater Center’s A Christmas Carol boldly reimagines Dickens’ classic tale of joy, redemption, and the spirit of Christmas. The production will run at Wyly Theatre through December 26.
Thursday, November 25
Grand Prairie Parks, Arts and Recreation presents Prairie Lights
At Prairie Lights at Lynn Creek Park in Grand Prairie, visitors will be dazzled with 4 million lights set along two miles of path. Hundreds of all-new displays in shapes of all kinds line and arch over the roads. This year's event, running through December 31, will feature the return of Holiday Village. At the halfway point, guests can exit their vehicle to enjoy carnival rides, concessions, photos with Santa, the magical walk-thru forest, and more. The second half of the drive ends with the new and improved light tunnel.
Friday, November 26
Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau presents North Pole Express Christmas Village
The Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau will present North Pole Express Christmas Village, featuring a winter wonderland in the Snowy Christmas Forest where visitors can take a selfie in the snow in Texas. Visitors can also shop for North Pole Express merchandise, toy trains, and more in the General Store, enjoy holiday treats and cups of hot chocolate, coffee, or apple cider. The Grapevine Christmas Passport, Elf Adventure, invites guests to learn holiday-themed heritage skills and enjoy making fun keepsakes with classic Christmas cookie cutter crafting and other craft activities. The event takes place in downtown Grapevine through December 23.
Grapevine Vintage Railroad presents North Pole Express
Guests can experience the magic of Christmas onboard Grapevine Vintage Railroad’s North Pole Express. Mrs. Claus takes her guests to pick up Santa and bring him to the Christmas Capital of Texas. Along the journey, guests can join in singing along to Christmas favorites and enjoy Santa’s favorite chocolate chip cookies. Mrs. Claus will also give each child a magical “We Believe” silver bell that reminds them of the spirit of Christmas and of all of the goodness and kindness within them. The trains depart from Grapevine Cotton Belt Depot through December 23.
Hilton Anatole presents North Pole Texas
Hilton Anatole presents North Pole Texas, a guided 90-minute interactive event, starting with a Peppermint Park train ride through the light display in the Anatole Sculpture Park. Children of all ages will be able to participate in holiday activities, including writing letters to Santa at the North Pole Mailroom, decorating cookies in Mrs. Claus’s kitchen, attend Elf Academy, creating a take-home teddy bear at the Toy Workshop, dancing at the Reindeer Dance Party, touring the North Pole Mission Control Station, and more. The event takes place through December 24.
Vitruvian Lights
Addison's Vitruvian Park transforms into one of North Texas' most spectacular holiday destinations during Vitruvian Lights, an annual celebration in which 1.5 million sparkling LED lights are wrapped around more than 550 trees to create a blazing wonderland. Once the switch is flipped, the lights will remain on every evening through January 2. Tree lights will be on daily from 5-11 pm.
Enchant Christmas presents The Great Search
Enchant will present The Great Search, the first in a series of five fascinating adventures. Guests embark on a quest within the forest of millions of twinkling lights and a world of art installations as they journey to save Christmas. The adventure includes gliding down the Ice Skating Trail, sampling gourmet holiday treats from around the world, visiting the artisan Christmas market, and meeting the Big Man himself, all before stepping into a magical Christmas light maze. The event will be at Fair Park through January 2.
Heritage Farmstead Museum presents Lights on the Farm
Heritage Farmstead Museum in Plano will be bedazzled with more than a million twinkling holiday lights and filled with animated yuletide displays as part of the venue’s first-ever Lights on the Farm holiday event. The all-outdoor event will feature a quarter-mile trail through the property showcasing holiday light creations and animated displays. Guests will also enjoy a 20-foot Christmas tree, refreshments such as hot cocoa and make-your-own s’mores, and a chance for the youngest guests to visit with Santa. The event takes place mostly on weekends through through December 26.
Chamberlain Ballet presents The Nutcracker
Acclaimed pre-professional company Chamberlain Ballet will perform the holiday classic The Nutcracker. Joining the Plano-based company for the performance will be Ballet West Principal Artists Beckanne Sisk and Chase O’Connell as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her dashing Cavalier, respectively. There will be three performances through Sunday at Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts.
The Fab Four in concert
The Fab Four is elevated far above every other Beatles tribute due to their precise attention to detail. With uncanny, note-for-note live renditions of Beatles' classics such as "Can't Buy Me Love," "Yesterday," "A Day In The Life," "Twist And Shout," "Here Comes The Sun," and "Hey Jude," the Fab Four will make audiences think they are watching the real thing. With The Beatles: Get Back documentary premiering on Disney+ this weekend, their visit to Majestic Theatre seems especially fortuitous.
Pocket Sandwich Theatre presents Ebenezer Scrooge
Pocket Sandwich Theatre will present the 39th production of Ebenezer Scrooge. The show is a musical based on the age-old holiday favorite about the miserly Scrooge, who is visited one Christmas Eve by three ghosts intent on helping him change his ways. This tale of love, redemption, and forgiveness captures the true spirit and magic of the holiday season for the whole family. The production will run through December 23.
Texas Ballet Theater presents The Nutcracker
Audiences can experience the most magical Christmas tradition of the season as Clara and her Nutcracker Prince battle an army of mice and travel through a winter wonderland to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Kingdom of Sweets. Exquisite costumes and dazzling choreography will transport audiences to a world where dreams do come true. The production will run through December 5 at Winspear Opera House.
Saturday, November 27
Triller Fight Club presents Triad Combat
Triller Fight Club presents the debut of Triad Combat, a new combat team sport which incorporates boxing and MMA rules in an aggressive, fast-paced manner with the fighters competing in a specially designed triangular ring over two-minute rounds. It features professional boxers competing against professional mixed martial arts fighters. The event, taking place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, will also feature a special concert by Metallica and other surprise guests.
Texas Ballet Theater presents The Nutcracker at Winspear Opera House, November 26-December 5.
