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Weekend Event Planner

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

Alex Bentley
Feb 13, 2025 | 6:00 am

Local arts groups will be in the spotlight in and around Dallas this weekend, as there will be no fewer than six theater productions, as well as two dance productions. Other choices include comedians, an exhibition about a famous shipwreck, a concert, and a visit from a world-famous basketball team.

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, along with Valentine's Day and its evil twin Galentine's Day.

Thursday, February 13

Sam Morril: The Errors Tour
Sam Morril was a regular on Comedy Central’s This Week at the Comedy Cellar, where he appeared on frequently when not touring cities across the nation. Morril can be heard on the podcast We Might Be Drunk with co-host Mark Normand and seen on Netflix’s That’s My Time with David Letterman. His latest special, Sam Morril: You’ve Changed, can also be streamed on Amazon Prime Video. He'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Theatre Arlington presents In the Heights
Set against the beats of salsa and hip-hop, In the Heights tells the story of Usnavi, who longs to pick up his roots and move away from Washington Heights, the tight-knit New York City neighborhood that shaped him. Featuring music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2008. The production, which started last week, runs through February 23 at Theatre Arlington.

Fair Assembly presents Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night (Or What You Will) is the last of Shakespeare’s warm comedies, and his final exploration of this genre before his greatest tragedies. Viola finds herself shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria and fears she has lost her twin brother Sebastian at sea forever. Dressed in his clothing, and determined to survive, she disguises herself as a young boy to serve the Duke Orsino. While on an errand to win the love of the Lady Olivia on Orsino’s behalf, Viola (now Cesario) wanders in to a harrowing love triangle. The production runs through February 23 at Arts Mission Oak Cliff.

WaterTower Theatre presents Phantom: In Concert
Adapted from Gaston Leroux’s novel The Phantom of the Opera, Kopit and Yeston’s Phantom tells the poignant story of Erik, a disfigured musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opera House. When the Opera is taken over by an untalented diva, Erik discovers Christine Daaé, a young soprano with an astonishing voice, and he is captivated by her talent and spirit. Their connection blossoms into a moving tale of love, longing, and the search for acceptance. The concert production will have six performances through Sunday at Addison Conference and Theatre Centre.

Friday, February 14

Titanic: The Exhibition
At Titanic: The Exhibition, visitors can embark on an immersive, interactive tour of the Titanic, complete with recreations of the ship's interior and exterior. Hundreds of artifacts from Titanic and her sister ships tell the details of the Titanic's sinking, including recovered objects, authentic White Star Line objects, and even props and costumes from James Cameron's 1997 Oscar-winning film. The exhibition will be open through at least May 11 inside a former Steinmart within Pepper Square in North Dallas.

Repertory Company Theatre presents A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder
Repertory Company Theatre will celebrate Valentine's weekend with A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, the murderous Tony Award-winning musical. Based on the comedic novel by Roy Horniman, it is brought to life by Robert L. Freedman (book and lyrics) and Steven Lutvak (music and lyrics). This is the seventh installment in the new theatre series designed to bring Broadway musicals to downtown Plano. There will be three performances through Sunday at Courtyard Theater in Plano.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Cultural Awareness
Dallas Black Dance Theatre's annual Cultural Awareness is a Black History Month celebration featuring a multifaceted array of dance works. The program will include a special revival of …And Now Marvin, Darryl B. Sneed’s tribute that captures Marvin Gaye's passionate artistry and complex legacy through movement. It will be complemented by Testament, an exploration of faith and resilience by Katricia Eaglin, Nycole Ray‘s Love Tri-Tango, and a world premiere by DBDT dancer Brandon Palmer. There will be performances on both Friday and Saturday at Wyly Theatre.

Garland Civic Theatre presents Shakespeare in Love
In 1593 London, Will Shakespeare has writer’s block. Low on funds and out of ideas, the young playwright finds his muse in Viola de Lesseps, a wealthy merchant’s daughter with dreams of the stage. Adapted by Lee Hall from the 1998 film of the same name by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, the production runs through March 2 at Granville Arts Center in Garland.

Avant Chamber Ballet presents Love Stories
Love Stories is a night of new works commissioned through Women’s Choreography Project that showcases the talent and creativity of women in the dance industry with live music. The performances will feature a diverse range of choreographic styles, from classical ballet to contemporary dance, all created by female choreographers. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.

Teatro Dallas presents Nuevo Mundo (A New Directors Festival)
Teatro Dallas will present Nuevo Mundo, a new three-weekend festival to incubate new directors and playwrights. Three young directors will be paired with seasoned directors to mentor and support their selections of plays they believe deserve to be seen. First up on Friday and Saturday will be Como Agua Para Chocolate, written by Laura Esquivel. In 1910, during the Mexican Revolution, Pedro Muzquiz and Tita de la Garza fall in love, but their love is forbidden. When Pedro and his father ask Tita’s mother for her hand in marriage, she refuses, citing family tradition that the youngest daughter must care for her mother in old age. In order to stay near Tita, Pedro reluctantly agrees to marry Tita’s older sister, Rosaura. Performances take place at Latino Cultural Center.

Becky Robinson: Members Only Club Tour
Becky Robinson is an LGBTQ+ LA-based comedian, writer, actor, and voice-over star known as the "Entitled Housewife," the outspoken viral golf character Robinson created during the pandemic. She also hosts the podcast Start at Birth, an original series capturing hilarious memories, behind the scenes stories, and moments of vulnerability. She'll bring an all-new variety show starring her wild cast of original characters to Majestic Theatre.

Saturday, February 15

Howard Jones & ABC in concert
New wave icon Howard Jones and synth pop stars ABC come to Dallas as part of their co-headlining tour. Jones has released 15 albums in his career, most recently Dialogue in 2022, while ABC has released 10 albums in their career, most recently The Lexicon of Love II in 2016. They will be joined by SiriusXM DJ Richard Blade at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Sunday, February 16

Harlem Globetrotters 2025 World Tour
The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters come to Dallas as part of their 2025 World Tour. The Globetrotters, the trick-shot stars of basketball, will show off their signature spins, dunks, and slam as they take on their determined rivals, the Washington Generals. The game takes place at American Airlines Center.

Harlem Globetrotters
Photo courtesy of Harlem Globetrotters

The Harlem Globetrotters will play at American Airlines Center on February 16.

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Big Tex Wrap-Up

State Fair of Texas bounces back with 2.1 million attendees in 2026

Alex Bentley
Oct 19, 2026 | 1:04 pm
Crowds around Big Tex at 2026 State Fair of Texas
Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas
Almost 2.1 people attended the 2026 State Fair of Texas, up from 2025.

After experiencing its lowest total attendance numbers in seven years in 2025, the State Fair of Texas bounced back in 2026, welcoming nearly 2.1 million visitors, according to an official release.

That represents a slight bump up from the 2,020,064 that came through the gates in 2025. Both numbers are still down significantly from the highs of 2019 and 2022, when more than 2.5 million people attended the State Fair.

The uptick in attendance could be attributed to the concerted effort to make the Fair more affordable this year, including lowering ticket prices, making games and rides cheaper, expanding days for free student tickets, and offering a free day of parking.

As usual, the busiest day of the State Fair was Saturday, October 10, the date of the annual Texas-Oklahoma football game, with more than 203,000 fairgoers in attendance, including the 92,100 fans in the Cotton Bowl.

The average attendance for the other 23 days of the fair was around 82,500.

“We are grateful to every fairgoer who joined us this year, as well as the team members, vendors, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this season possible," said State Fair of Texas President Mitchell Glieber in a statement. "As a nonprofit organization, a successful Fair helps fuel our work throughout the year, and we are proud of the impact we continue to make through agriculture, education, and community.”

Other notable numbers from the 2026 State Fair of Texas include:

  • An all-new look for Big Tex, standing 55 feet tall, sporting a 95-gallon Resistol cowboy hat, a Cavender’s shirt measuring 245 by 192 inches, Levi’s 501 jeans measuring 380 inches wide by 290 inches long, size 96 Lucchese boots, and a Shiner belt buckle.
  • The unveiling of an official State of Texas Historical Marker from the Texas Historical Commission for Big Tex, honoring his enduring legacy as a beloved Texas icon and symbol of State Fair tradition.
  • An estimated 110,655 pounds of food were collected and donated to the North Texas Food Bank.
  • More than 28,600 members of the military and their families visited the Fair over 24 days, utilizing the special discount offer in gratitude for their service.
  • Approximately 500,000 prizes, valued at an estimated $1.8 million, were won at the State Fair Midway, enough stuffed animals and prizes to fill approximately 90 semi-trucks.
  • Approximately 450,000 Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs were enjoyed by fairgoers.
  • The State Fair of Texas is estimated to generate more than $600 million in economic activity each year, serving as one of the most impactful annual events in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
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