Weekend Event Planner

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

The last weekend of May in and around Dallas will feature a lot of fun events across the spectrum. Choices include three local theater productions, five concerts in multiple genres, a showcase of Olympic figure skaters, a legendary comedian, a dance production, a symphony concert, a soccer festival, and a music festival with a little light gambling on the side.

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, May 28

Bishop Arts Theatre Center presents Float
Float is a one-woman show written and performed by Maryum “May May” Ali, daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali. Ali takes audiences on an inspiring journey through the defining moments of her life, revealing rare glimpses into her father’s compassion, discipline, and humanity. The production runs through June 7 at Bishop Arts Theatre Center.

Pegasus Theatre presents Circle of Laughter Festival
A quartet of productions will comprise Pegasus Theatre's Circle of Laughter Festival. The productions include I Was a Really Great Kisser (running May 28-June 12), Washing Garbage (running May 29-June 13), The Hater (running May 30-June 13), and Neil Simon's Last Hit (running May 30-June 14). All productions will take place at Addison Performing Arts Centre.

Yungblud in concert
English rock singer Yungblud has been tearing up the charts in the 2020s, scoring three straight No. 1 albums in his native U.K. He's collaborated with a number of big artists, including Halsey, Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker, Marshmello, Bring Me the Horizon, Avril Lavigne, and Aerosmith. He'll play at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving in support of his 2025 album, Idols.

Friday, May 29

Stars on Ice
The Stars on Ice tour will bring America’s elite figure skaters to Allen to showcase the medal-winning skills they demonstrated at the 2028 Winter Olympics in Milan. Headlining the tour will be Ilia Malinin, aka the “Quad God,” 2026 Olympic Women's Singles champion Alysa Liu, 2026 Olympic silver medalist ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates; and Amber Glenn, who was part of the 2026 Olympic gold medal-winning team event alongside Malinin, Liu, Chock, and Bates. The event takes place on Friday and Saturday at Credit Union of Texas Event Center.

Improv Arlington presents George Wallace
Comedian George Wallace’s most recognized material is his “I Be Thinkin’” lines and jokes about everything from conversational thoughts to political aspirations. In each show, he engages members of the audience in comical banter, and if provoked, he might even throw out a few of his signature “Yo Mama” jokes. He'll perform four times through Sunday at Improv Arlington, joined by opening act Jennifer Holliday.

Company of Rowlett Performers presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. The musical will be presented by Company of Rowlett Performers at Plaza Theater in Garland through June 7.

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents GALLIM
GALLIM, making their Texas debut, is a fresh, fearless dance company that dives deep into the full range of human experience, where movement feels raw, curious, and deeply connected to big ideas. They'll present SAMA, a powerhouse of a performance that has a tribal energy, with dancers on stilts, others grounded barefoot, all moving through a world where the body becomes something more, something beyond. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Dvořák & Korngold"
From the pen of the composer who pioneered the art of original film music, making it symphonic in scope and sophisticated in feel, comes Korngold’s Violin Concerto, featuring Maria Dueñas, an in-demand star of the violin world. To conclude the concert, Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony, filled with Bohemian rhythms, is one of his most beloved works. The concert, conducted by Sebastian Weigle, will have performances on Friday and Saturday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

The Kid Laroi in concert
Australian rapper/singer The Kid Laroi has used social media, including TikTok, to gain notice of his music for years, breaking out in 2020 with hits like "So Done," "Without You" with Miley Cyrus, and "Stay" with Justin Bieber. After finally putting out his debut album, The First Time, in 2023, he released his second album, Before I Forget, earlier this year. He'll perform at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

Saturday, May 30

Harold Simmons Park presents Dallas Soccer Kick-Off Fest
With less than two weeks to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup starts, soccer fans can get in the mood at the Dallas Soccer Kick-Off Fest. Located in Harold Simmons Park at Ron Kirk Bridge and Felix Lozada Gateway, the festival brings together sports, culture, live music, food, art, and neighborhood pride. It will take place on both Saturday and Sunday.

Cover-to-Cover Music Festival
The Cover-to-Cover Music Festival will include performances by three cover bands and casino-style gaming with Choctaw Casino & Resort - Durant game tables. Featured performers include Hard Night's Day, The Meat Sweats, and The Central Standard Band. The event takes place at Klyde Warren Park.

Stayin’ Alive: One Night of The Bee Gees
Stayin' Alive offers audiences the songs and sights of a full Bee Gees playlist, singing blockbusters such as “Night Fever,” “Jive Talkin,’” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “You Should Be Dancing,” “Nights on Broadway,” and “Stayin’ Alive.” In addition, they perform softer poetic ballads such as “I Started a Joke,” “Massachusetts,” “Fanny Be Tender,” “Words,” and “To Love Somebody,” among other hits. They'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Carín León in concert
Mexican singer-songwriter Carín León didn't get much traction with his first two albums, but when he switched to a bigger record label in 2023, his career took off. His next two albums both reached the top 10 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart. He'll play at American Airlines Center in support of his recently released album, Muda.

Sunday, May 31

Turtle Creek Chorale presents Pride As Big As Texas
The Turtle Creek Chorale will get an early jump on Pride Month with Pride As Big As Texas. The concert shines a spotlight on the music and creativity of Texas, featuring works by artists like Willie Nelson, Kacey Musgraves, and Beyoncé, alongside compositions by Marques Garrett, Victor Johnson, and others. The concert takes place at Temple Emanu-El in Dallas.

Getty Images

Stars on Ice, featuring multiple Olympic medalists, will be at Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen on May 29 and 30.

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Movie Review

The Dink aces pickleball with funny, star-filled comedy

Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

Mary Steenburgen and Jake Johnson in The Dink.

While the sport of pickleball was invented way back in the 1960s, it has exploded in popularity in the 2020s. It was only a matter of time before someone figured out a way to make a movie about the craze, and a comedy like the new Apple TV+ film The Dink provides the best way to honor and make fun of the divisive sport at the same time.

Dusty Boyd (Jake Johnson), aka The Hammer, is a former tennis phenom who’s now working as an instructor at a club owned by his dad, Chuck (Ed Harris). While the two don’t always see eye-to-eye, they have a mutual hatred for pickleball, which they have begrudgingly allowed on the property by giving it the worst court.

Dusty is hoping to stop all future pickleball expansion by winning a one-on-one grudge match, but when he injures his wrist, he’s given a prescription of pickleball as a form of rehab. Older women like Candace (Mary Steenburgen) are the only people he can find to play with, and despite his disdain for the sport, he soon falls prey to its low-key charms.

Directed by Josh Greenbaum (Will & Harper) and written by Sean Clements, the film is probably the best advertisement pickleball will ever have. Dusty’s introduction to the sport serves as a lighthearted tutorial for the uninitiated while still getting in some nice digs at its expense. The other players - Candace, Gail (Cleo King), and Judy (Lynn Marie Stewart) - are equally welcoming and critical of Dusty, who initially has trouble adjusting to the game’s different rules.

The film’s approach to the story is silly but never stupid. Dusty is a blowhard, but he’s also able to admit when he’s wrong, especially when Candace introduces him to multiple things he had never considered before. A long-standing feud between Dusty and Andy Roddick provides more than just a goofy cameo for the real-life tennis star. The film also pushes right to the edge of being over-the-top before pulling back, allowing it to keep a semblance of reality to it.

Clements’ story follows a tried-and-true formula, making the film very predictable but enjoyably so. Where it earns its comedy credentials is in its finer details, like Dusty’s love for his 1999 Buick LeSabre with under 200,000 miles on it, his trunk full of old VHS tapes, or his interactions with his assistant PJ (Aaron Chen), who manages to be the comic relief in an already funny film.

Johnson, probably best known for starring in the sitcom New Girl in the 2010s, has the right amount of smarm and niceness to pull off the role, letting viewers laugh at and root for him at the same time. The film is full of comedy all-stars in small roles like Oswalt, Chris Parnell, and Ben Stiller, but Harris steals everyone’s thunder. The line readings by the four-time Oscar nominee give an extra punch to his character’s jokes, especially one that hints at the sordid history of the tennis club.

It’s a shame that The Dink is only playing on a streaming service as there’s a dearth of good comedies like this in movie theaters. With a solid joke-telling approach, a respect for its subject matter, and a cast who all play off each other well, this is a film that deserves to be seen by more than just those with an Apple TV+ subscription.

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The Dink is now streaming on Apple TV+.

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