Happy holidays

Dallas lands on list of best cities to celebrate Christmas in 2023

Photo courtesy of Downtown Dallas Inc.

Dallas loves the holidays and now a report confirms its status as a festive place to be: According to this list of Best Cities for Christmas, Dallas comes in on the top 50 of best cities for to celebrate the holiday.

The report by WalletHub identifies the most festive and affordable cities for Christmas celebrations, ranking the 100 most populous cities across five categories: Christmas traditions, holiday observance, generosity, shopping, and costs.

Dallas came in at No. 34, which also made it the most festive city in Texas.

The city earned its spot in the top 50 thanks to its heap of holiday happenings. From local restaurants putting their all into creating the most festive holiday dinners, to the most spectacular lighting displays all over North Texas, there's plenty to enjoy.

Dallas restaurants are also hustling towards 2024 with a plethora of New Year's Eve dinners and New Year's Day brunches.

Despite inflation woes, Dallas households have bigger holiday budgets this year ($943) than they did in 2022 ($845), according to another WalletHub study.

"Inflation is weighing heavily on consumers’ minds as well as their budgets this holiday season, but it doesn’t have to spoil the occasion," said WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe. "Whether you find yourself in what amounts to a humble modern-day manger or one of the best cities for budget-friendly Christmas celebrations, the most important thing is to spend quality time with loved ones and create lasting memories. By doing so, you can find joy and inspiration in the true spirit of the season."

Elsewhere in North Texas, Fort Worth ranked No. 50, Plano earned No. 63, Irving came in at No. 86 with Garland (No. 87) right behind, and Arlington ranked No. 92.

The 10 best cities to experience Christmas are:

No. 1 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 2 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
No. 3 – Orlando, Florida
No. 4 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 5 – San Francisco, California
No. 6 – St. Louis, Missouri
No. 7 – Seattle, Washington
No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 9 – Miami, Florida
No. 10 – Birmingham, Alabama

The full report can be found on wallethub.com.

wallethub reports holidays christmas

Rock News

Iconic indie group Death Cab for Cutie puts Dallas stop on 2027 tour

Photo by Shervin Lainez

Death Cab for Cutie are touring in support of their new album, I Built You A Tower.

Death Cab for Cutie, one of the most iconic groups in indie rock, has announced a new headlining tour in support of their newest album, I Built You A Tower. The tour will stop in Dallas on March 24, 2027 at The Bomb Factory.

The North American tour follows other tour legs in the UK, Europe, Japan, and Australia. It starts January 19 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and ends April 16 in Asheville, North Carolina. Before hitting Dallas, the tour will stop in Houston on March 22 and Austin on March 23. All three Texas tour dates will have support from Australian indie band Swapmeet.

Death Cab for Cutie have been active since 1997 and now have 11 studio albums and eight Grammy nominations under their belts. The group first became known for introspective and poetic songwriting, and they were at the forefront of indie rock as it emerged as a genre.

More than 20 years after Death Cab's last truly independent album, Transatlanticism, they've left the major label Atlantic Records and re-established their indie credentials with Anti-, through which they released I Built You A Tower in June 2026. The band — Benjamin Gibbard, Nicholas Harmer, Jason McGerr, Dave Depper, and Zac Rae — retain their core character as immortalized on albums that won mainstream success, like Narrow Stairs and Codes and Keys.

Ticket sales begin with an artist presale Wednesday, September 23, at 10 am. Local presales start Thursday, September 24, followed by a general on-sale date of Friday, September 25. Fans sign up for updates connected to their local tour stop at deathcabforcutie.com.

Along with the tour announcement, Death Cab shared a new lyric video for "Stone Over Water."

“I normally animate music videos for my own songs, but I found this song incredibly personal, even though it wasn’t mine," said musician and animator Sean Solomon in a press release. "I think everyone can relate to the little man in the video having a bad day. But I wanted the video to ultimately have a positive message even though it’s sad. Everyone is going through something, and sometimes helping others can be a way to get out of our own heads and remember we’re not alone.”

Death Cab for Cutie's 2027 North American Tour dates (dates with ^ feature Swapmeet):

January 19, 2027 - Honolulu, HI - Blaisdell Arena
March 11, 2027 - Nashville, TN - The Truth ^
March 12, 2027 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theatre ^
March 14, 2027 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern ^
March 15, 2027 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern ^
March 17, 2027 - St. Augustine, FL - The St. Augustine Amphitheatre ^
March 18, 2027 - Miami Beach, FL - The Fillmore Miami Beach at The Jackie Gleason Theater ^
March 20, 2027 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live ^
March 22, 2027 - Houston, TX - 713 Music Hall ^
March 23, 2027 - Austin, TX - TBA ^
March 24, 2027 - Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory ^
March 26, 2027 - New Orleans, LA - The Saenger Theatre ^
March 27, 2027 - Huntsville, AL - The Orion Amphitheater ^
March 30, 2027 - Pittsburgh, PA - Citizens Live at The Wylie ^
April 1, 2027 - Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple ^
April 3, 2027 - Niagara Falls, ON - OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino ^
April 4, 2027 - Ottawa, ON - HISTORY ^
April 5, 2027 - Montreal, QC - MTELUS ^
April 7, 2027 - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway ^
April 8, 2027 - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway ^
April 9, 2027 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena ^
April 11, 2026 - Portland, ME - State Theatre ^
April 13, 2027 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall ^
April 16, 2027 - Asheville, NC - ExploreAsheville.com Arena ^

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