Weekend Event Planner

Holiday traditions dash into the 16 best events in Dallas this weekend

Although the first weekend of November brought some holiday events, mid-November is when things really kick into high gear, with four traditional holiday events in Dallas make their debut. Other choices includes a Netflix truck, a new theater production, three comedians, two concerts featuring big name singers, a symphony concert, a unique festival aimed at Gen Z girls, a music/barbecue festival, an opera aimed at kids, and a special screening of a renowned concert film.

Photo courtesy of Snowday Dallas

Snowday Dallas opens at Galleria Dallas on November 14.

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, November 13

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Holiday at the Arboretum
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will present the return of Holiday at the Arboretum, which blends beloved holiday traditions with new features, including the new Night Glow by AURORA, which transforms the garden into a living canvas of color and movement. There will also be a few other new activities, as well as the returning The 12 Days of Christmas Gazebos and The Christmas Village. The event runs through January 4, 2026.

Netflix House Moving Truck
Ahead of the opening of Netflix House at Galleria Dallas on December 11, the Netflix House Moving Truck will stoke anticipation with a couple of stops around Dallas. The truck invites fans to take part in a scavenger hunt adventure, unlocking clues from their favorite stories. Guests can explore the Stranger Things, Squid Game, and Netflix Bites boxes to uncover hidden clues and sensory surprises. It will stop at AT&T Discovery District on Thursday and Klyde Warren Park on Sunday.

Theatre Three presents Goblin Market
What lived under your bed when you were a kid? Goblin Market is a brilliantly atmospheric, totally original musical which probes into the sexually charged fantasies of two sisters who relive their childhood experiences in an imaginary world peopled by seductive goblins. The production, which will be in the Theatre Too space at Theatre Three, runs through December 7.

Hannah Berner: None Of My Business
Hannah Berner is a stand-up comedian and New York Times bestselling author known for her relatable humor and charismatic crowd work. She rose to prominence with her debut comedy special We Ride at Dawn, which premiered at No. 2 on Netflix. She'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Bryan Adams in concert
Rock singer Bryan Adams is creeping up on his 50th anniversary in the music business, having released his debut album in 1980. Over those 45 years, he's released 16 albums, including Roll with the Punches earlier in 2025. His heyday in the U.S. was in the '80s and early '90s, but he's maintained a huge popularity in his native Canada, scoring a No. 1 album there as recently as 2019. He'll play at American Airlines Center, with support from Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.

Friday, November 14

Gaylord Texan presents Ice featuring Elf
The Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine will present the return of the Christmas tradition, Ice, featuring the holiday classic Elf. The larger-than-life frozen showcase features more than two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures, for a walk-through winter wonderland filled with multiple immersive scenes, two-story ice slides, and passageways. There will also be activities like ice tubing adventures and interactive scavenger hunts, festive character dining, and photo ops with Santa. The event will be open daily through January 4, 2026.

Galleria Dallas presents Snowday and Santaland
Snowday takes guests on an explorable adventure through imaginative rooms and hundreds of surprises. It features unique photo opportunities for guests to have fun, strike a pose, and snap a picture. Next to Snowday is Santaland, where visitors can enjoy a simulated train ride to the North Pole and take an enchanted path through a magical moonlit forest filled with starry lights, polar bears, and photo ops leading to Santa's majestic chalet, where Santa Claus is waiting. Snowday will be open at Galleria Dallas through January 4, 2026, while Santaland will be open through December 24.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Pops Through Time: Iconic Scores & Classic Hits"
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 125th anniversary this season, and that makes it the perfect occasion for revisiting the most popular music that Pops fans have enjoyed over the years. Former Principal Pops Conductor Richard Kaufman, who served the DSO in that role for 14 years, will return dig into the vast treasure trove of beloved pops hits, from the movies to Broadway, from jazz to seasonal celebrations. There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Improv Addison presents Trae Crowder
Comedian Trae Crowder first gained attention (or notoriety, depending on your politics) in 2016 for his viral series of “Liberal Redneck” comedic rant videos. Since then, Crowder has written two books, toured the country many times, appeared on HBO, ABC, MTV, WTF with Marc Maron, and in the Veronica Mars reboot, among others. He released his latest special, Trash Daddy, on YouTube earlier in 2025. He'll perform at Improv Addison five times through Sunday.

Saturday, November 15

Hello Sunshine presents Sunniefest
Hello Sunshine, the media company co-founded by actress Reese Witherspoon, will present the inaugural Sunniefest, an event designed exclusively for Gen Z girls ages 13 to 18 to connect, create, and empower one another to shape the future. It will feature next generation voices like Pressley Hosbach, Chandler Kinney, Dr. Sara Kuburic, Lexi Minetree, Gabrielle Policano, Raegan Revord, Kiernan Shipka, Neha Shukla, Francesca Tarantino, Dai Time, Sloane Weinstein, and more. The event takes place at Pegasus Park.

Troubadour Festival
The Troubadour Festival showcases the best in Texas barbecue and country music. The event will feature 30 of the best barbecue joints from all over Texas, who will sample smoked meats in an all-new barbecue concept. There will also be performances by eight artists on two stages, including Clay Walker, Braxton Keith, Randall King, Cody Canada & The Departed, Silverada, Bottomland, Presley Haile, and Chloe Kimes. The festival takes place at Old Celina Park in Celina in north Collin County.

The Dallas Opera presents The Little Prince
The magic of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s children’s story, jumps off the page and onto the stage in a charming production created especially for young audiences. The little prince and his pilot friend learn important lessons about caring and friendship from wondrous creatures, including a fox, a snake, and a very chatty rose. This is a 50-minute family version of the full-length opera, featuring The Dallas Opera Orchestra. The performance takes place at Winspear Opera House.

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Stop Making Sense
Newly restored in 4K to coincide with its 40th anniversary, the 1984 film Stop Making Sense is considered by critics as the greatest concert film of all time. Starring band members David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, and Tina Weymouth, the live performance features Talking Heads’ most memorable songs. The live event at Texas Theatre will feature a public screening of the re-release and be hosted by Harrison, who will deliver introductory remarks, post screening comments, and audience Q&A.

Nate Jackson: Big Dog Tour
In his high-energy debut one-hour special, Super Funny, comedian Nate Jackson delivers bold, unfiltered comedy as he tackles everything from racially questionable cookies to everyday absurdities. Known for his sharp crowd work and undeniable charisma, Jackson fearlessly dives into taboo topics, leaving no subject off-limits. He'll perform for one night only at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

Andy Bell of Erasure in concert
For 40 years, Andy Bell has been lead singer of the synth-pop duo Erasure, which hit its peak in the late 1980s/early '90s thanks to hits like "Chains of Love," "A Little Respect," and "Always." Since 2005 Bell has also been releasing the occasional solo album and other projects outside of Erasure. He'll play at Majestic Theatre in support of his new solo album, Ten Crowns.

The Trains at NorthPark
The annual Trains at NorthPark includes 1,600 feet of track rolling from coast to coast on a whimsical rail journey across America. The Trains travel from the autumn foliage of New England to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge with stops along the way to see New York City, Washington DC, Dallas, and the desert Southwest, including the Grand Canyon and the Garden of the Gods. A new addition is Choo-Choo Tales, a theatrical story-time experience featuring weekly live performances in NorthCourt. The event will be open at NorthPark Center through January 4, 2026.

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Charged up

Magical Plano Elf Town to compete on ABC's Great Christmas Light Fight

Elf Town, Loders, Deerfield Plano, Great Christmas Light Fight

Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder

David and Melissa Loder's Elf Town is in on Pembroke Court in the Deerfield subdivision of Plano.

A family from one of Dallas-Fort Worth's most famous Christmas-light neighborhoods is stepping into the national spotlight: Melissa and David Loder, who present a spectacular "Elf Town" display in Plano's Deerfield subdivision, will compete on ABC's holiday competition show The Great Christmas Light Fight on Thursday, December 18.

The Loders will be one of three U.S. families battling for a trophy, $50,000, and major holiday-light bragging rights; co-host Taniya Nayak is the judge.

Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder

David and Melissa Loder's Elf Town is in on Penbrook Court in the Deerfield subdivision of Plano.

The episode will air at 9 pm (CDT) on ABC stations, but unfortunately for local viewers, WFAA will pre-empt it for the Dallas Mavericks basketball game. Light Fight will stream on WFAA+ channel 8.2 at 9 pm and later on WFAA / Channel 8 at 3:11 am. It will be available to stream on Hulu beginning Friday, December 19.

"[Filming the show] was surreal at times, but we also knew we had created something special with Elf Town," says Melissa Loder.

Elf Town, Loders, Deerfield Plano, Great Christmas Light Fight The Elf Town Depot, with mayor Elfus standing guard.Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder

Exploring Elf Town
The Loders, who moved to Deerfield in 2008, have been creating and evolving Elf Town since 2011. They use it as a platform to raise money for the Susan G Komen Foundation, an organization especially dear to Melissa, a breast cancer survivor.

They call Elf Town "a place where holiday elves live, work, and play."

"Like any town, we have a Main Street with a school, shopping, a bakery and a tavern all leading to a mega tree in the town center," Melissa says. "New this year is the Elf Town Museum that has photos of the evolution of Elf Town."

"We also have industry - the toys travel via train, and there is a train depot for the elves to get their tickets and wait for the train," she adds. "We also have an entertainment area with a Ferris wheel and a disco for the elves."

Standing guard over it all is The Mayor of Elf Town, a 20-foot elf named Elfus. And for the show, they created an all-new special feature: Santa's Spa in the backyard - "an area where no elves are allowed," she says.

David and Melissa, who call themselves the "head elves" of Elf Town, work all year on their DIY display. "Woodworking, welding, painting, design and installation," they say, "are all done on site by our little band of elves," which include their daughter and son-in-law Alex and Joel Loper and their grandsons, Kade (8) and Tristan (5); nieces and nephews Sophie Polma (25), Maxine Polma (23), Beckett Polma (21), and identical twins Marlowe Polma and Julian Polma (19).

"We also have amazing friends who materialize when we are putting up and taking down the display," they say. "Additionally, friends Roger and Rita Reynolds made guest appearances [on the show] as a famous couple from the North Pole."

Getting on the show
The Loders light their display up nightly for the public each holiday season. They were "discovered" by The Great Christmas Light Fight when a casting producer tracked them from a stranger’s TikTok video in spring 2022.

Dallas-Fort Worth is a popular location for the show. The Loders now join the ranks of other Light Fight-famous homes, including the Burkman Holiday Home of Frisco (2021); the Ward family of Sky Elements Drone Shows in Keller (2023); the Hugheses' "Stay in the Light" in Rockwall (2024); the Joules-Cornettis' "Gift of Light" in McKinney (2024); and the Mach Christmas Display in Ennis (2024).

"Of course we had seen the show from its first season, but since our focus is less about just lights and more about creating a magical world, we didn’t think we were a fit," Melissa says.

Elf Town, Loders, Deerfield Plano, Great Christmas Light Fight The Loders have been presenting Elf Town since 2011.Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder

They shot an audition video in 2023 and soon found out they made the cut. The show filmed at their house over three days in November 2024.

"The process was three very long days of filming with a very sharp learning curve," Melissa says. "Our on-site producer was an amazing asset in the process. Her tips and tricks helped us all embrace the process, relax in front of the cameras, and hopefully come off well in the show; it was a whirlwind but so much fun.

"I think the best part of filming was getting to learn so much about another industry that was so foreign to us. I am a clinical psychologist in private practice, and David is in sales with Porsche Plano, so we aren’t 'performers.'"

Fighting on
The Loders can't reveal whether they won the Great Christmas Light Fight, of course. (They'll be watching Thursday at a big party at Legacy Social Room.) But they can say with certainty that their display will continue to aid in the fight against breast cancer.

"We participate in the 3 Day 60 Mile walk each year and the money donated goes to our 3 Day fundraising accounts," Melissa says. "Collectively, our little family of elves have raised over $180,000 to help fund vital cancer research and contribute to patient care and advocacy."

Elf Town will light up daily from 5:30 pm to midnight through New Year's Eve 2025, with special nights offering hot cocoa, candy canes, or photos with Santa. While it's free to view and experience, visitors are invited to donate via fundraising links on their Facebook page and through Melissa's Susan G. Komen 3 Day fundraising page.

"I think the most important part of our display is that David and I do this together as a hobby and a gift to the community," she says. "We love that we were able to do The Great Christmas Light Fight, but our true motivation for the time, energy, and money that we pour into the display comes from the stories we hear year after year of families who count on us to be part of their tradition."

She says those include visitors finding the display as solace in hard times, along with marriage proposals, baby's first visit with Santa, and more.

"We have even been brought to our knees by a woman who brought her infant daughter and took photos all around the display because she had a terminal cancer diagnosis and wanted her daughter to have 'magical' pictures with her so 'when she was an angel,' her daughter 'will know I believed in magic,'" Melissa says. "All of these stories and so many more are part of the legacy of Elf Town. These are our 'why' to the question we are often asked 'Why would you do this?'"

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The Great Christmas Light Fight will air at 9 pm December 18 on ABC and will stream December 19 on Hulu. Find Elf Town at 4641 Penbrook Ct., in the Deerfield subdivision of Plano. It's open nightly, 5:30 pm-midnight, through December 31. Follow the Elf Town Facebook page for updates. Visitors are encouraged to park on a less busy street, or at the elementary school off Quincy, and walk through the neighborhood.

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