The Future of Country

ACM Awards hosts free 2-day festival with new artist nominees and up-and-comers in Frisco

New Male Artist of the Year nominee Dylan Scott will be one of the performers at ACM Country Kickoff at the Star.

Photo courtesy of Dylan Scott

The full lineup for the ACM Country Kickoff at The Star festival has been released, featuring a slew of New Artist of the Year nominees and various up-and-coming musicians. The two-day event is free and open to the public.

Taking place on May 9 and 10 at The Star in Frisco, leading up to the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 11, the festival will be headlined by five ACM Award nominees. They include ACM New Male Artist of the Year nominees Dylan Scott and Nate Smith; ACM New Female Artist of the Year nominees Caitlyn Smith and Hailey Whitters; and ACM Music Event of the Year nominee MacKenzie Porter.

Other performers will include up-and-coming artists Chayce Beckham, Chapel Hart, Hannah Ellis, Tiera Kennedy, Corey Kent, Randall King, Erin Kinsey, Chase Matthew, Neon Union, Catie Offerman, Frank Ray, Josh Ross, and MaRynn Taylor.

The event will be held from 3-10 pm on both days, and there will also be special performances at 8 pm on May 9 as part of Live From the ACMs: ACM New Artist Winners Celebration, airing live on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch. The New Female and Male Artist of the Year winners for the 58th ACM Awards will be revealed and celebrated during that show.

The festival is a chance for fans to get up close and personal with some of their favorite Country artists and celebrate the ACM Awards’ return to North Texas. A beer garden presented by Coors Light will be on hand, in addition to a VIP space presented by Lucas Oil with a prime view of the stage.

There will also be food trucks, photo opportunities, ACM Awards show merchandise, and activations by partners like ACM Lifting Lives, Amazon Music, Ashley HomeStore, Kendra Scott, Lucchese, North Texas Ford, and Visit Frisco.

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Soccer and Fireworks

Dallas FIFA Fan Festival replaces Fair Park Fourth with July 3 bash

Argentina fans at FIFA Fan Festival Dallas on June 27, 2026

Photo courtesy of FIFA Fan Festival Dallas

Argentina fans and others can enjoy the Independence Day celebration at FIFA Fan Festival Dallas on July 3.

The FIFA World Cup happening in Dallas at the same time as the America's 250th anniversary makes the 4th of July holiday doubly celebratory - especially as it falls on a weekend. One of the city's biggest annual Independence Day celebrations will fold into the FIFA festivities for 2026, and it will happen a day earlier than usual.

Out is Fair Park Fourth, traditionally held July 4 in Fair Park. In is an Independence Day celebration at FIFA Fan Festival Dallas on July 3 in Fair Park.

Organizers revealed details of the FIFA Fan Fest celebration in a press release on Tuesday, June 30.

The free festival will celebrate Independence Day on Friday, July 3 with a full day of entertainment, community activities, cultural experiences, and fireworks, they say.

It will also feature World Cup watch parties. The date will feature the final three matches of the Round of 32, including the Australia vs. Egypt at Dallas Stadium to start the day's action at 1 pm. Other matches include Argentina vs. Cabo Verde at 5 pm, and Colombia vs. Ghana at 8:30 pm.

Visitors can watch all three matches on big screens, enjoy entertainment, and take part in family-friendly activities. Food and drinks will be available for purchase throughout the day, and several Fair Park museums and attractions will be open.

"Guests are encouraged to spend the day exploring Fair Park including the African American Museum at Fair Park, the Hall of State, Texas Discovery Gardens, the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park, and The Black Academy of Arts and Letters," the release says. "Food and drinks are available at Rousso at the Old Mill Inn."

The evening will end with a fireworks show at the Pavilion after the final match. With matches lasting around two hours, expect the fireworks show to start around 10:30 pm, they say.

The FIFA Fan Festival will open July 4 for the two matches that day - Canada vs. Morocco at 12 pm and Paraguay vs. France at 4 pm - followed by a concert by Turnpike Troubadours at 7:30 pm.

However, there will be no Independence Day celebrations or fireworks at Fair Park on the Fourth; organizers have not indicated why they moved the patriotic festivities up a day. (There are lots more celebrations around Dallas that night, including a big fireworks show at nearby Klyde Warren Park.)

The Midway and Cotton Bowl Stadium will be closed to the public on both July 3 and 4.

Admission is free to the FIFA Fan Festival, but visitors must register in advance for a ticket at dallasfwc26.com/home/fifafanfestival-dallas.

Parking at Fair Park is $30 for the event, but fans can also take the DART Green Line to the Fair Park Station, which drops them right outside of the venue's gates.

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