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

The passage of Labor Day loosed a torrent of events upon the Dallas landscape, each of which takes place or starts its run Thursday or Friday. Choices include seven concerts by a variety of big names, nine theater productions (including the national tour of a Broadway musical), a fan festival featuring a host of well-known celebrities, and the start of an annual Halloween event.

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Mötley Crüe will play Dos Equis Pavilion on September 10.

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

Thursday, September 10

Mötley Crüe in concert
Heavy metal band Mötley Crüe is celebrating their 45th anniversary in style with their The Return of the Carnival of Sins tour. Debuting in 1981 with Too Fast for Love, the band was a mainstay for that entire decade, culminating with the No. 1 album, Dr. Feelgood. Although they have only released four albums since, most recently Saints of Los Angeles in 2008, they have continued to tour extensively, including the 2005-2006 Carnival of Sins Tour which this tour references. They'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion, joined by fellow rock bands Tesla and Extreme.

Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas presents Stupid F**king Bird
Stupid F**king Bird is an irreverent, comedic, and meta-theatrical play by Aaron Posner. Based on Anton Chekhov’s classic drama, The Seagull, the play follows a dysfunctional ensemble of artists and dreamers struggling with unrequited love, generational tension, and the exhausting, desperate pursuit of meaning and happiness. The production runs through September 26 at MainStage Irving-Las Colinas.

Theatre Three presents Spring Awakening
The winner of eight Tony Awards, Spring Awakening is a groundbreaking rock musical that pulses with youthful energy, rebellion, and heartbreak. Set in a world where curiosity is punished and emotion is stifled; it follows a group of young people navigating the thrilling and terrifying path to self-discovery. The co-production with UT Arlington's Department of Theatre and Dance runs through September 27 at Theatre Three.

Chris Brown and Usher in concert
R&B singers Chris Brown and Usher come to Arlington as part ofThe R&B Tour. The double-meaning designation refers both to their genre of music and respective last names, Raymond and Brown. The tour pairs two artists who have been at or near the top of their genre for a long time, with Brown going to either No. 1 or No. 2 on Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop chart with each of his 11 albums, and Usher doing same with seven of his nine albums. Brown is touring in support of his new album, B.R.O.W.N., while Usher's most recent album was Coming Home in 2024. They perform at AT&T Stadium Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Jimmy Eat World in concert
The rock band Jimmy Eat World has been around for over 30 years, which may come as a surprise for those who love their work in the 2000s when they broke out with their 2001 album, Bleed American, which featured the hit song "The Middle." They will celebrate the 25th anniversary that album at this concert at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, joined by Minus the Bear and Sparta.

Kitchen Dog Theater presents The Absentee
Far out in the Milky Way, “Beacons” serve as lighthouses for warping spaceships around the galaxy. When a U.S. Space Force ship explodes near Beacon 44.AR.90, its Operator finds herself alone in deep space with only her ship’s A.I. for companionship. That is, until a persistent canvasser calls, desperate to convince her to vote absentee in the 2088 election. As the Operator finds herself waiting days and weeks and months for the clean up to be over, she finds she has to come to terms with her isolation, grief, and her political voice. The production runs through October 4 at Kitchen Dog Theater.

Broadway Dallas presents The Sound of Music
The Rodgers & Hammerstein classic The Sound of Music tells the tale of Maria and the von Trapp family and features the universal themes of love, resilience, and the power of music. With songs like “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” and “Edelweiss,” The Sound of Music is the iconic tale of a spirited nun who chooses not to live behind closed doors and, by following her heart, learns to climb every mountain. The production runs through September 20 at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Chance the Rapper in concert
In the 2010s, Chance the Rapper was making big waves in hip hop, releasing a series of mixtapes that culminated with Coloring Book in 2016, which not only went platinum on the charts, but also won him three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album. Chance will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Coloring Book at this concert at South Side Ballroom, and perhaps give a taste of his most recent album, 2025's Star Line.

Rover Dramawerks presents A Texas Romance
It’s 1928 and Daisy Wilson has been a widow since her philandering husband was shot by his mistress (an action for which she has some sympathy). In her small Texas town, romance reenters Daisy’s life when she finds Garland Steinholden in the front yard awaiting permission to call on her, to her older sister’s chagrin. Daisy must balance her anger and fear with her need for intimacy and her determination to have a second chance while deciding if Garland is a worthy cause, as he politely but relentlessly pursues her. The production runs through September 26 at Cox Playhouse in Plano.

Friday, September 11

Fan Expo Dallas
The annual Fan Expo Dallas always has a good roster of celebrities on hand for panels, autographs, and photos, but this year may be the best lineup they've ever had. Among many big names on hand throughout the three-day event will be Nicolas Cage; Lord of the Rings stars Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Karl Urban, John Rhys-Davies, and John Noble; The Goonies stars Joe Pantoliano, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, and Robert Davi; Young Guns stars Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dermot Mulroney, and Casey Siemaszko; Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, director Sam Raimi, Jack Quaid, Henry Winkler, the cast of Starship Troopers, and more. The event takes place at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center through Sunday.

Six Flags Over Texas presents Fright Fest
Halloween season gets rolling, picking up momentum with Six Flags Over Texas' Fright Fest, which features five haunted mazes, six outdoor scare zones, multiple live shows, and Halloween-themed food and beverages to celebrate the fall season. The 2026 lineup includes Doc Varnum’s Hybrid Hell Pit, The Conjuring Universe, The Strangers: No Escape, SAW: Legacy of Terror, EverSmile Industries, and Terror at the Polynesian Palm. Fright Fest takes place on weekends through November 1.

Tim McGraw in concert
With more than 30 years in the music business, Tim McGraw remains one of the most popular artists in the country genre. Only three of his 17 albums have failed to make the top two on Billboard's Country chart, with 13 of them going to No. 1. This concert is part of his The Pawn Shop Guitar Tour, named after his most recent single, "Pawn Shop Guitar," which was released in March. McGraw will play that song and many of his hits at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Theatre Denton presents When Hitchcock Met Addams
When Hitchcock Met Addams is a darkly whimsical comedy that imagines an unlikely — and hilarious — encounter between two of pop culture’s most iconic figures: Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, and Charles Addams, the creator of the delightfully macabre Addams Family. The play examines an unexamined friendship and pays tribute to both creators’ legacies. This special presentation, a fundraiser for Theatre Denton, will have three performances through Sunday.

Repertory Company Theatre presents Sherlock Holmes and the Suicide Club
Sherlock Holmes and the Suicide Club is not only a performance but also an immersive evening of mystery, indulgence, and atmosphere. Tickets include wine and chocolate at Intermission. The production runs through September 20 at Repertory Company Theatre in Richardson.

Dallas Theater Center presents Reykjavik86
Reykjavik86 is a gripping Cold War thriller that brings the 1986 nuclear summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev to life on stage. With the fate of humanity in the balance, two vastly different leaders search for common ground while wrestling ideology, history, and the human cost of power. The production runs through September 27 at Wyly Theatre.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "The Music of Elvis with Frankie Moreno"
Five-time Las Vegas Headliner of the Year Frankie Moreno will present a hip-shaking celebration of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Audiences will experience the songs of the original heartthrob, including “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Suspicious Minds,” “If I Can Dream,” and more. The concert, conducted by Enrico Lopez-Yañez, will have three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Coppell Arts Center presents Behind the Lines: A 9/11 Story
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Coppell Arts Center will host Behind the Lines: a 9/11 Story, a live story, music, and theatre performance set against the tragedy and the war that followed. World Trade Center firefighter Bill Spade, the sole survivor from FDNY Rescue Company 5, and Jaymes Poling, a three-tour Afghanistan combat veteran with the 82nd Airborne Division, relive their experiences and find an unexpected bond in strength, meaning, and the weight of what they continue to carry after service. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday.

Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter in concert
The Sex Pistols - original members Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock - and singer Frank Carter come to Dallas as part of their Never Mind the Bollocks tour. They'll play the band’s landmark 1977 album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, in its entirety, along with additional material spanning the group’s catalog. The concert takes place at Longhorn Ballroom.