Hottest headlines of 2024

Alamo Drafthouse saga leads Dallas' top entertainment stories of 2024

All Dallas-area Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas closed briefly in 2024.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Editor's note: The biggest movie drama of 2024 in Dallas starred the theaters themselves. Local Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas closed abruptly, then reopened. Plano lost a beloved art house theater, too. Also among this year's hottest entertainment headlines: The opening of an art-focused park in Frisco and the groundbreaking of a cool new aquatic park in Garland. Here's a look back at our most-read entertainment stories of the year.

1. All 5 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations in Dallas-Fort Worth close. June 6 was a sad sad day for Dallas moviegoers: All five Dallas-area locations of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain closed. Two is One, One is None, LLC closed the six franchised Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas that it (and its affiliates) operated, and had filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Local movie lovers lamented the end of the Alamo Drafthouse era. But that wasn't the end...

2. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema to re-open all 5 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth. On June 27, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain was back in business in Dallas-Fort Worth: The company announced it would reopen all five locations in Dallas-Fort Worth as well as a location in the Twin Cities in summer 2024. They would all be back open by the end of August.

3. Dallas woman wins 2024 Miss Hooters International beauty pageant. A Dallas woman won the Hooters crown: Cassidy Welch, a server at a Dallas-area Hooters, was named Miss Hooters International 2024 at the 27th Annual Miss Hooters International Pageant which took place on August 22 at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth.

Meet the 2024 Miss Hooters International winner Cassidy Welch. Hooters

4. Construction to begin on new theme-park-style aquatic park in Garland. A splendid new water park was finally underway in Garland in mid-July: The Surf & Swim Aquatics Facility, coming to 440 W. Oates Rd. in south Garland, was set to begin construction in summer 2024, with an opening anticipated for summer 2026.

5. Mark Cuban reveals mystery behind why he sold the Dallas Mavericks. After two decades as a passionate and hands-on owner, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban took many by surprise in December 2023 when he sold his majority share in the team without explanation. But in three media appearances, he shared the reasons behind his decision, which involved family as well as the new reality of owning a team in the NBA.

6. Where to see the most marvelous Christmas lights around Dallas in 2024. The big, beautiful holiday light displays that Dallas is known for switched on earlier than ever this year, promising an extra long season of sparkle and shine. This is our guide to the most spectacular Christmas lights of 2024 all around Dallas. We also made a separate list for the best homes and neighborhoods to see dazzling lights.

Vitruvian Lights in Addison The famous Vitruvian Lights at Vitruvian Park switched on in November. Photo by Stevan Koye

7. Plano loses arthouse movie theater Angelika after 20 years. An acclaimed independent movie theater in Plano closed: Angelika Film Center & Cafe - Plano, which had been open at The Shops at Legacy shopping center since 2004, closed its doors on June 3. The theater was one of the nicest in DFW, arriving at the Plano shopping center three years after it opened, and three years after Angelika made its DFW debut when it opened at Mockingbird Station in Dallas.

8. Stars of Dallas TV show return to Southfork Ranch for grand reunion. Fans of the iconic TV soap opera Dallas would get a chance to be up-close-and-personal with some of the show's stars during the Southfork Experience, a three-day event to be held at the iconic Southfork Ranch in Parker. Taking place October 25-27, it would consist of a variety of events, including a VIP Cocktail Reception at Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel, a meet-and-greet at Southfork Ranch, a chance to break bread with the actors, and more.

Josh Henderson, Linda Gray Dallas stars Josh Henderson and Linda Gray would be among the celebrities on hand at the Southfork Experience. Photo by Marty Perlman

9. Much anticipated Kaleidoscope Park to debut with fanfare in Frisco. A splashy new park with public art and gardens was finally opening in Frisco in October: Called Kaleidoscope Park, it was a new green space opening inside Hall Park, the mixed-use development off Gaylord Parkway and Dallas Parkway, where it was being billed as the second-biggest park opening in DFW since Klyde Warren Park opened in downtown Dallas in 2012.

10. Official list of 4th of July events and fireworks around Dallas in 2024. When it came to Independence Day events in the Dallas area, our cup ranneth over in a big way. Whether it was Dallas proper or the surrounding suburbs, almost every city in the area held some kind of event in the days leading up to July 4 or on the day itself. This was as close to a comprehensive list as there was on 4th of July-themed events happening in the Dallas area in 2024.

4th of july alamo drafthouse cinemas celebrities christmas lights christmas lights dallas closings dallas tv reunion hot-headlines kaleidoscope park frisco mark cuban mavericks miss hooters international movies parks plano angelika theater theater

The Joke Has Landed

New comedy club at Toyota Music Factory in Irving gets set for laughs

Photo by Anna Dolmany

This is the fifth Punch Line location.

It's almost time for Punch Line Irving to open its doors, and Dave Chappelle is at the ready. The famous comedian will christen the new comedy club with four sold-out shows on December 17 and 18, but there's plenty more funny business in store for 2026.

First announced in November, this is Punch Line's fifth location — and second in Texas, the first opened in Houston in 2024 — and it's taking up residence at the Toyota Music Factory. The 240-seat club plans to host more than 350 shows and private events annually, featuring a blend of high-wattage celebrity and homegrown talent.

Its decor nods to the brand's belief that comedy is a sport, with feature wall showcasing punching bags and boxing bells signed by "heavy hitter" performers.

The menu also echoes the theme, with such cocktails as the Bellringer (bourbon, lemonade, and Liquid Death half-and-half iced tea), Ringside Ranch Water (blanco tequila, hibiscus, lime, and soda), and the Espresso All-Star, their take on the espresso martini. Food includes Punch Line favorites like the Mic Drop Burger, Punch Line Nachos, and Homemade Punch Pop Tarts in bourbon apple or strawberry cream.

There is also a second, more flexible space outside the main showroom called The Callback Bar that's designed to host smaller performances, as well as a furnished patio.

Punch Line Irving The Callback Bar.Photo by Anna Dolmany

Photo by Anna Dolmany

This is the fifth Punch Line location.

The talent gets treated as well as the audience, with a private comics lounge in place of a traditional dressing room. Designed as a shared gathering space, it sports a custom media wall showing the live-show feed, a dressing table, a private ensuite restroom, and a hospitality station.

Punch Line makes it a point to support the local comedy scene, and its Irving location will be no exception. Twenty-five cents from each ticket at participating shows benefits Comedy Gives Back, a nonprofit organization providing financial grants and resources to stand-up comedians in need. The club also hosted its first open mic on December 9 to welcome the community, with participating comics donating nonperishable items to the North Texas Food Bank.

Don't fret if you didn't snag tickets to Dave Chappelle — big names like Leslie Jones, Tone Bell, Pete Holmes, and Christina P. all have shows scheduled in the first few months of 2026 and tickets are on sale now.

openings dave chappelle punch line irving comedy club stand-up comedy comedians toyota music factory comedy