Weekend Event Planner

These are the 13 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

With only one week to go until Christmas weekend, this weekend across Dallas will be holiday heavy. Among others, there will be three separate versions of The Nutcracker, a classic movie accompanied by an orchestra, and a variety of concerts. There will also be a non-holiday theater production and two big college sports showcases.

Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events. Looking for the best Christmas lights in town? That list is here.

Thursday, December 15

Soul Rep Theatre Company presents Travisville
Soul Rep Theatre Company will present the regional premiere production of Travisville, a straightforward and brutally honest statement to the world by African-Americans of their plight in gentrification. Through the efforts of an alliance of black church leaders, a wary peace has been maintained with the city’s white mayor and citizens. But when the mayor partners with a private developer to gentrify the black neighborhood and uproot its residents, the Minister’s Alliance will need to choose between the non-confrontational status quo and standing up for the interests of their community. The production runs through Sunday at Margo Jones Theatre at Fair Park.

Coppell Arts Center presents A Merry Cirque: A Family Holiday Spectacular
A Merry Cirque, presented by Lone Star Circus, features thrilling daredevils, electrifying jugglers, mesmerizing acrobats, and hilarious clowns. It's a holiday show packaged for the whole family to enjoy. There will be six performances through Sunday at Coppell Arts Center.

Friday, December 16

Sammons Center for the Arts presents Making Spirits Bright with Linda & Larry Petty and Friends
Sammons Center for the Arts will present Linda and Larry Petty for a magical evening with nostalgic melodies and audience sing-alongs. Other highlights include seasonal treats and appearances by some of their talented friends and maybe a special visitor from the North Pole.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Home Alone in Concert
A true holiday favorite, Home Alone is a beloved comedy classic. Renowned composer John Williams’ charming and delightful score will be performed live to picture by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who’s accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, and who must defend his home against two bungling thieves. The concert, conducted by Jayce Ogren, will feature the Dallas Symphony Chorus. There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Ballet North Texas presents The Nutcracker
Ballet North Texas will celebrate the magic of the season with their annual production of The Nutcracker. In this distinctly Dallas production of the holiday classic, Clara, her Nutcracker prince, and the Sugar Plum Fairy go on a journey into the Kingdom of Sweets. Five fanciful scenes, more than 150 unique costumes, and Tchaikovsky’s enduring score make The Nutcracker a can’t-miss holiday tradition. There will be four performances through Sunday at Moody Performance Hall.

Saturday, December 17

Tuzer Ballet presents The Nutcracker
Tuzer Ballet presents its annual production of the holiday ballet, Peter Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. Audiences will be transported to the wondrous world of swirling snowflakes, magical gifts, and the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The performances will feature Ukrainian-born dancer Vsevolod "Seva" Maevsky as the guest principal soloist, alongside young dancers performing the choreography by Tanju and Pat Tuzer. There will be performances on both Saturday and Sunday at Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts in Richardson.

Turtle Creek Chorale presents Love is All You Need
Turtle Creek Chorale will present their annual holiday concert, Love Is All You Need. The concert will feature some of the chorale's holiday moments, new works, and selections not expected on a holiday program. The performances takes place at First United Methodist Church in Richardson. (A second performance on December 19 at Meyerson Symphony Center is sold out.)

Plano Symphony Orchestra presents "Home for the Holidays"
With over 150 musicians, “Home for the Holidays” includes seasonal favorites for orchestra, vocalist, and chorus, the popular audience sing-along, visitors from the North Pole, humor, and surprises. Joining the Plano Symphony Orchestra will be singer Fela and the Plano Civic Chorus. There will be one performance on Saturday at Frisco High School and two performances on Sunday at Christ United Methodist Church in Plano.

Allen Civic Ballet and Allen Philharmonic present The Nutcracker
The Allen Philharmonic Orchestra & Symphony Chorus will accompany the Allen Civic Ballet with live music for its 2022 production of Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic, The Nutcracker, featuring guest artist Tiit Helimets, principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. There will be performances on both Saturday and Sunday at Allen High School.

Frisco Bowl: Boise State vs North Texas
The first of four college football bowl games in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this bowl season, the Frisco Bowl will feature a matchup between the Boise State Broncos of the Mountain West Conference and University of North Texas Mean Green of Conference USA. Both teams are making their debut in this bowl game, which is now in its fifth year. It takes place at Toyota Stadium in Frisco.

Sunday, December 18

Pac-12 US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge
Some top flight college basketball will be on display at American Airlines Center on Sunday as part of the second annual Pac-12 US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge, featuring a quadruple-header of marquee men's and women's programs. The afternoon session will feature Stanford vs. No. 7 Texas (men) and USC vs. Texas (women), followed by an evening session featuring No. 20 Arizona vs. No. 18 Baylor (women) and Washington State vs. No. 11 Baylor (men).

Jared's Epic Blaster Battle Holiday Edition
Jared's Epic Blaster Battle, hosted by YouTuber Jared Guynes, will present their first ever holiday edition event for what they promise will be the largest and most incredible foam blaster battle of all time. The event, taking place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, will feature appearances by other popular YouTube and TikTok creators.

Dallas Opera presents Holiday Concert
Dallas Opera, as part of the first partnership with Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, will present a free community holiday concert featuring soprano Sara Gartland, star of the upcoming Così fan tutte, tenor Anthony León, and mezzo-soprano Sabatina Mauro. The concert, featuring members of The Dallas Opera Orchestra, will include holiday favorites like "O Holy Night," "Ave Maria," and selections from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios

Dallas Symphony Orchestra will play live to picture along with Home Alone, December 16-18 at Meyerson Symphony Center.

holidays theater kids families concerts music dance symphony sports-fitness event-planner

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 14 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Photo by Patrick Ecclesine

undefined

The closer we get to Christmas, the more likely it is that weekend events will be almost all about the holidays. That's certainly the case this week, with 10 of the 14 celebrating in one way or another, whether it's theater, concerts, a parade, or a dance production. The four outliers include a concert from a great singer, a weekend of running, a well-known comedian, and a visit from a renowned dance company.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, December 12

NTPA Community Theatre presents Scrooge the Musical!
In this timeless musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes a profound experience of redemption over the course of a Christmas Eve night, after being visited by the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. The production runs through Sunday at the Courtyard Theater in Plano. A second week of performances will take place at the Willow Bend Center of the Arts, December 18-22.

Ben Folds in concert
Singer Ben Folds has created a body of genre-bending music that includes pop albums with Ben Folds Five, multiple solo albums, numerous collaborations, and a recently released holiday album called Sleigher. He comes to Dallas as part of his Paper Airplane Request Tour, in which fans will be invited to launch their song requests to the stage via paper airplanes. The concert takes place at Majestic Theatre.

Sara Evans in concert
Sara Evans ranks as one of the most-played female artists in country radio over the past two decades thanks to No. 1 songs like “No Place That Far,” “Suds In The Bucket, “A Real Fine Place To Start,” “Born to Fly,” and “A Little Bit Stronger.” She comes to town as part of her 21 Days of Christmas tour, and in support of her new album, Unbroke. She'll play at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.

Friday, December 13

BMW Dallas Marathon Festival
The annual BMW Dallas Marathon Festival will feature a Half Marathon (running and walking), 50K Ultra Marathon, 5-Person Marathon Relay, the 2-Person Half Marathon Relay, Eight K, 5K (running and walking), 5K Team Challenge, Kid’s 100M Dash, Oncor Kid’s Race, and the Friday Night Lights Mile. Events will take place through Sunday throughout downtown Dallas.

The Dallas Opera presents Holiday Concert
The Dallas Opera's Holiday Concert will feature soprano Kathleen O’Mara and bass Keron Jackson singing a variety of holiday songs, including "You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" and "Ave Maria." The concert takes place at National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Improv Addison presents Jay Pharoah
Jay Pharoah is an actor and stand-up comedian who is best known for his wide array of uncanny celebrity impressions, including President Barack Obama, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Stephen A. Smith, Kanye West, and Chris Tucker, all of which he showcased during his stint on Saturday Night Live. He'll perform five times through Sunday at Improv Addison.

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents Alonzo King LINES Ballet
Alonzo King LINES Ballet collaborates with noted composers, musicians, and visual artists from around the world to create performances that alter the way we look at ballet today. Alonzo King creates works that draw on a diverse set of deeply rooted cultural traditions, imbuing classical ballet with new expressive potential. The company will perform for one night only at Winspear Opera House.

Saturday, December 14

Lightwire Theater presents A Very Electric Christmas
Achieving nationwide acclaim on TV’s America’s Got Talent, Lightwire Theater combines the arts of puppetry, theater and dance with timeless holiday hits. The performance features moving-light characters, including toy soldiers, caroling worms, and performing poinsettias that magically appear out of complete darkness. They will perform twice on Saturday at Coppell Arts Center.

Rotary Clubs of Plano presents Plano Holiday Parade
The 2024 Plano Holiday Parade will feature Olympic Gold Medal gymnast and Plano resident Hezly Rivera as the Holiday Spirit Ambassador. The parade will highlight Plano’s high school marching bands, drill teams, and color guards alongside festive floats from local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and clubs, as well as an appearance from Santa Claus. The parade takes place through downtown Plano.

Irving Symphony Orchestra presents "Home for the Holidays"
The Irving Symphony Orchestra's "Home for the Holidays" concert will feature favorite carols performed by the ISO musicians, joined by tenor Charles Billingsley, the Irving Chorale, and an audience singalong. The concert takes place at Irving Arts Center.

A Merry Little Christmas Show with Ricki Derek
Ricki Derek is a crooner in the style of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett who has entertained audiences around Dallas-Fort Worth for many years. At his A Merry Little Christmas Show, Derek will be joined by the Ho, Ho, Ho Orchestra and some very special guests. The concert takes place at Granada Theater.

Derek Hough: Dance for the Holidays
Dance for the Holidays from celebrity dancer and Dancing with the Stars judge Derek Hough is a celebration of the most festive time of the year. Fans will get to see Hough and his cast of dancers bring holiday tunes to life through dance, from the well-sung classics to modern pop hits. The performance, taking place at Texas Trust CU Theatre, is choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, also known as NappyTabs.

Sunday, December 15

Robert Earl Keen: Lights, Camera, Christmas
Texas Country singer Robert Earl Keen's Lights, Camera, Christmas holiday tour includes non-traditional Christmas songs alongside perennial favorites. This year’s holiday tour, coming to House of Blues Dallas, will evoke memories of favorite’s scenes from films across decades.

Michael W. Smith in concert
Christian pop singer Michael W. Smith comes to Dallas as part of his Every Christmas tour, joined by special guest Riley Clemmons. Smith has released 15 original albums in his career, most recently 2020's Still, Vol. 1. He has also released four holiday albums, most recently The Spirit of Christmas in 2014. He'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Photo by Patrick Ecclesine

Derek Hough: Dance for the Holidays will be at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie on December 14.

holidays theater music kids families concerts races comedy dance symphony event-planner