Weekend Event Planner

These are the 16 best things to do in Dallas this Halloween weekend

With the fall weather finally settling in this Halloween weekend, you would hope for a bunch of outdoor events to take advantage of the coolness. Alas, the top events in and around Dallas this weekend all take place indoors, including two theater productions, five concerts, a well-known comedian, three dance productions, the opening of a new art exhibition, a Halloween/fall-themed festival, a Disney film in concert, and a live version of a favorite game show.

Photo courtesy of Globe Life Field

Globe Life Field will present its Fall Festival on November 2.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. If you want more options, check out the calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, October 30

L.I.P. Service and Auriga Productions presents Richard III
This staging of Richard III reimagines one of Shakespeare’s most notorious villains through a contemporary lens - one that celebrates diversity, provokes dialogue, and refuses to shy away from controversy. In this interpretation, Richard III becomes more than a tale of ambition and deceit; it becomes a mirror reflecting today’s debates about power and representation. The production runs through November 16 at Bath House Cultural Center.

NBA YoungBoy in concert
The rapper NBA YoungBoy returns to Dallas for the second time in two months. He has become as well known for his music as he has his brushes with the law. His top-selling albums, including the new MASA, have had to compete with headlines about federal drug and gun charges, for which he was recently pardoned by President Donald Trump. He'll perform at American Airlines Center, joined by Offset, NoCap, DeeBaby, Mellow Rackz, and Baby Mel.

Friday, October 31

Halloween happenings
For some people, Halloween is the best holiday of the year. Dallas restaurants are ready to serve with spooky events, sweet treats, and special themed dinners. For a list of haunted houses, click here, and for thrills on stage, go here. Ahead of the holiday, be sure to read up on some of Dallas' most famous ghosts here.

Broadway Dallas presents Maria Callas in Concert: The Hologram Tour
State-of-the-art holographic technology will bring world-renowned opera star Maria Callas to life on stage. The concert will feature the legendary soprano’s digitally remastered recordings, and include arias from Bellini, Bizet, Verdi, Puccini, Gounod, and more, with live accompaniment from The Dallas Opera Orchestra. The concert takes place at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Dallas Comedy Club presents Jerrod Carmichael
Comedian Jerrod Carmichael has had a pretty good last few years after paying his dues for the first 15 years of his career. He directed his first movie, On the Count of Three, in 2021; released the acclaimed Rothaniel special in 2022; got nominated for an Emmy for hosting Saturday Night Live in 2022; hosted the Golden Globe Awards in 2023; and appeared in the Oscar-winning Poor Things in 2023. He'll do what he does best - comedy - in two shows on Friday at Dallas Comedy Club.

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents Ballet Preljocaj
TITAS will welcome back France’s Ballet Preljocaj with their work, GRAVITÉ, an exploration of gravity. One of France’s most celebrated contemporary dance companies, the troupe is known for its bold, dramatic choreography, brought to life by skilled dancers and music. They will put on performances on Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.

Theatre Denton presents Dial M for Murder
This fresh version of the thrilling murder mystery Dial M for Murder, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, depicts where one man’s jealousy results in a web of deception and danger. The production runs through November 9 at Theatre Denton.

Saturday, November 1

World Ballet Company presents Cinderella
World Ballet Company’s production of Cinderella is performed live by a multinational cast of 40 professional ballet dancers, featuring over 150 hand-sewn costumes, handcrafted sets, and choreography by Marina Kesler. It's an enchanting story for all ages with a dose of humor, majesty of classical ballet, and the promise of "happily ever after." The performance takes place at Majestic Theatre.

Ballet Ensemble of Texas presents Dracula: Ballet with a Bite!
The annual production of DRACULA: Ballet with a Bite has become a tradition for the Ballet Ensemble of Texas, featuring unique twists to the traditional story. In addition to the performances, guests can participate in “The Vein Drain” (a blood drive in collaboration with the Carter Blood Center), “Drinks with Dracula” prior to the performance, and a “Fiendish Frock Fashion Fantasy,” a costume parade for the audience at the performance. The event takes place at Coppell Arts Center.

Dom Dolla in concert
Grammy-nominated Australian music producer Dom Dolla emerged with a string of critically acclaimed club hits, including "Define," "You," "Be Randy," "Take It," "San Frandisco," 'Pump The Breaks," "Moving Blind," and "Strangers" ft. Mansionair. His latest song, "No Room for a Saint" (with Nathan Nicholson) appears on the soundtrack for F1 the Movie. He'll perform at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Patty Griffin in concert with Rickie Lee Jones
Singer Patty Griffin has had a long and successful career as a folk musician. Even though her career dates back to 1996, she had her best run in the 2010s, in which she won two Grammy Awards and scored a No. 1 album with 2010's Downtown Church. A prolific songwriter, her songs have been recorded by Linda Ronstadt, The Chicks, Bette Midler, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, and more. She'll perform at Longhorn Ballroom, joined by Rickie Lee Jones.

Maná in concert
Mexican pop rock band Maná is one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time, having sold over 45 million records worldwide. Initially recording under the name of Sombrero Verde for their first two albums, they have released 11 albums in their career, most recently Cama Incendiada in 2015. Each of their last five albums went to No. 1 on the Billboard Latin chart, also landing high on the overall Billboard 200. They'll play on both Saturday and Sunday at American Airlines Center.

Sunday, November 2

Dallas Museum of Art presents "International Surrealism" opening day
Dallas Museum of Art will present "International Surrealism," featuring over 100 works by an international array of artists, all drawn from the impressive collection of Tate in London. The exhibition highlights the wide range of practices, techniques and perspectives from across the globe that came to define the movement, emphasizing the endless reach of the surrealist mindset through a rich display of works by celebrated artists and writers, including André Breton, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dalí, and René Magritte, as well as their peers. The exhibition will remain on display through March 22, 2026.

Globe Life Field presents Fall Festival
Globe Life Field's second annual Fall Festival will feature a wide array of fall-themed activities directly on the field at the home of the Texas Rangers. Guests are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes and bring their own trick-or-treat containers. Events will include trick or treat stations, hourly costume parades around the bases, carnival games, run the bases, wiffle ball, free play on the field, pitch in the bullpen, face painting, yard games, photo ops in the dugouts, and more.

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Disney's Moana Live-to-Film Concert
Disney’s Moana Live-To-Film Concert features a full-length screening of the beloved movie accompanied by live performances of a unique on-stage musical ensemble of top Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters, and vocalists. The event, taking place at Majestic Theatre, celebrates the music and songs from the award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios’ film.

Wheel of Fortune Live
Hosted by a celebrity guest host, Wheel of Fortune LIVE! brings the excitement of the favorite TV game show to life, giving fans the chance to solve puzzles, win prizes and possibly become a Wheel of Fortune TV contestant. Audience members will be randomly selected to come up on stage to spin the famous Wheel and show their skill to win prizes. They will also be able to audition on-site for the chance to appear as a contestant on a future episode of the TV show. It takes place at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.

theater music concerts comedy dance exhibitions-visual-arts festivals kids families movies event-planner

Ooky and spooky

A Halloween-season list of the most famous ghosts of Dallas

Vecteezy.com

Scary ghost like character on a foggy night.

Dallas may lack the bones and brooding of a classic ghost story — no cliffside mansions, rolling fog, or lonely swamps — but we’ve still managed to attract a few hauntings between the freeways. If you’re in the mood for a local ghost story, here are a few of Dallas’ most classic spooky tales:

The Lady of the Lake, White Rock Lake
Dallas’ take on the vanishing traveler legend is perhaps its best-known ghost story. A young woman in evening wear — sometimes said to have come from “The Store,” better known as Neiman Marcus — is spotted walking near the lake after dark. A couple in a passing car stop to offer her a ride. She gives an address — Oak Cliff in some accounts, Lakewood in others — then vanishes when the good Samaritans arrive, leaving only a puddle of water.

When the motorists knock on the door to explain, an older man or woman — sometimes a couple — reveal that the description of the girl matches their daughter, who drowned in a boating accident. “It happens every year on this night,” they say. “The girl was our daughter, who died in a car accident on her way to a dance.” It’s one reason — along with stunning fall sunsets over the water — that I always feel drawn to the lake this time of year.

Karl Hoblitzelle, Majestic Theatre (1925 Elm St.)
Step into the Majestic Theatre and you’re transported to its glamorous heyday, when the venue hosted stars like Mae West, Jimmy Stewart, and Duke Ellington before converting to a concert and comedy venue in the 1980s. Built in the early 1920s, the Renaissance Revival-style movie palace was the grand dame of Dallas’ now-vanished Theater Row, rich with baroque detailing and romantic flourishes, including an auditorium ceiling of clouds and twinkling stars.

The Majestic was the crown jewel in a chain of theaters owned by vaudeville impresario and philanthropist Karl Hoblitzelle, whose spirit, some say, still keeps watch over his masterpiece. Employees and visitors have reported scenery shifting on its own, an office door unlocking and swinging open, phone lines lighting up without cause, and a sudden chill in the air. Perhaps some incidents can be explained by old wiring and vivid imaginations, but I like to think Karl is still in his happy place, enjoying the never-ending applause.

The Miller Ghosts, City Park (1515 S. Harwood St.)
It doesn’t get more classically haunted than the Civil War-era Millermore Mansion at City Park, where tales of cold spots, an uneasy sense of being watched, and a mysterious woman in a long brown dress have circulated for decades. Some say the Greek revival-styled mansion with the troubled past is haunted by the spirit of a former caretaker; others believe the woman is one of the three wives of cotton planter and slave owner William Brown Miller, the home’s original owner.

Replete with period furnishings, marble-top tables and original fireplaces, Millermore is one of several 19th-century preserved buildings across the 22-acre City Park.

The Jilted Bride, The Adolphus Hotel (1321 Commerce St.)
The disappointed bride of the Adolphus, said to haunt the hotel since the 1930s, is a must-include on any list of Dallas ghosts. Stories recount incidents of disembodied crying and footsteps, elevator doors that open on their own, faint strains of unseen music, and a figure in a white gown drifting about.

Opened in 1912 as Dallas’ first European-style luxury hotel, the Adolphus quickly became the city’s grandest destination — and for a time, its tallest building — hosting presidents, tycoons, and entertainers. The vintage opulence is wonderful: ornate exterior gargoyles, artwork, hardwood floors, the famed French Room, and sweeping views of downtown.

The Spirits of Hermann, The Sons of Hermann Hall (3414 Elm St.)
Home to the Dallas chapter of the German fraternal organization of the same name since 1911, the Sons of Hermann Hall is the city’s oldest bar. The historic venue is an excellent destination for swing dancing, beer drinking, and live music — and, according to Deep Ellum lore, for ghosts. In addition to the usual cold spots and spooky feelings, people have claimed to witness objects move or disappear, doors slam, phantom footsteps echo, and children’s laughter drift through empty rooms.

One legend tells of a woman whose spirit lingers after she fell from a staircase. Another claims that long-departed members of the Sons of Hermann still show up for meetings. My favorite story involves a couple in Victorian dress who walked past a group of people and climbed the stairs toward what was assumed to be a themed wedding rehearsal. When they failed to reappear, someone went to check — only to find the door upstairs locked and no one inside.

Haunted Burgers, Snuffer’s Restaurant & Bar (3310 Greenville Ave.)
The original Snuffer’s building is gone, but the ghosts of the beloved burger joint are believed to carry on. In both its original and current buildings, staff and guests have noticed strange disturbances: echoing voices, flickering lights, objects moving on their own, and children’s laughter late at night. Some believe the eerie activity traces back to a murder that allegedly took place decades ago, when the property was still a neighborhood pool hall; others claim the site was built atop a children’s cemetery.

Whatever the back story, Snuffer’s has embraced its friendly haunted ambiance — which may be why I wasn’t too spooked one New Year’s Eve in college when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder while walking to the powder room, even though I turned to find no one there. Maybe the ghost just wanted to know if I planned to finish my cheese fries.

Rhonda Aghamalian is a North Texas freelance writer and lover of local history and spooky stories.

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