Weekend Event Planner

These are the 10 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

This weekend around Dallas will be almost split in two, starting with lots of theater before ending with loads of music. There will be five separate theater/performance pieces, including three that are non-traditional in various ways. Three concerts featuring big names headline the latter half of the weekend, as well as a fundraising music festival and an anniversary celebration of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

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

Thursday, July 17

Infinite Arts Movement presents Unveiling Echoes: A Journey of Self-Discovery
Unveiling Echoes is a transformative journey of self-discovery, an immersive show that blends poetry, dance, theater, and music, transcending boundaries to celebrate resilience, transformation, and embracing authenticity. Eloquent poetry weaves a rich emotional tapestry, enchanting dance sequences express the narrative’s essence, and theatrical elements blur the lines between performer and spectator. The production, part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project, will take place at Hamon Hall inside Winspear Opera House through Saturday.

Sierra Club Dallas Group and The Writers Garret presents Buzzed!
Buzzed! is an original, over-the-top, pop-rock creature-feature musical satire. The setting is the late '50s: It's the middle of the Cold War, rock 'n' roll is coming, and the threat of the bomb hangs over everything. Worse yet - bees have stopped mating, crisis ensues, and the heroes must step up. The production, running through July 27 at Theatre Three, features eight players, 15 hilarious roles, and 90 minutes of funny, far out, and fast-paced musical action with Bigfoot, boners, and a cannabis sparked bee-in to save the day.

Friday, July 18

Artstillery presents Lux: A Solo Show
Lux: A Solo Show is a new performance piece by Dallas-based actress Meagan Harris, developed through an international collaboration with Manifesto Poetico. Step into the world of Sally deLux, a woman confronting her deepest fears in a whirlwind of comedy, tragedy, and physical theatre. Told through a unique blend of English and Spanish, with live original music, puppetry, and clown-inspired performance, Lux invites audiences on a visceral, hilarious, and heart-wrenching ride, all in one fast-paced act. The production runs through Sunday at Artstillery.

Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas presents Noises Off
Noises Off takes a fond look at the follies of theatre folk, whose susceptibility to out-of-control egos, memory loss, and passionate affairs turn every performance into a high-risk adventure. This play-within-a-play captures a touring theatre troupe’s production of Nothing On in three stages: dress rehearsal, the opening performance, and a performance towards the end of a debilitating run. The production runs through August 2 at Irving Arts Center.

Uptown Players presents Everybody's Talking About Jamie
Inspired by true events, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie celebrates acceptance, belonging, and the power of unconditional love a mother has for her child. It tells the inspiring story of Jamie New, a 16-year-old boy from Sheffield who dreams of becoming a drag queen. His loving mom showers him with endless support, but it's not all rainbows for Jamie as his deadbeat dad and some ignorant school kids attempt to rain on his sensational aspirations. Faced with societal pressures and the challenges of self-discovery, Jamie overcomes obstacles and embraces his true identity. The production runs through August 3 at Kalita Humphreys Theater.

Saturday, July 19

Frontiers of Flight Museum presents Moon Day
The Frontiers of Flight Museum will host its annual Moon Day event, a day of space exploration featuring interactive activities, one-of-a-kind exhibits, and space-themed presentations. The event will feature a keynote presentation by retired U.S. Navy Commander and former NASA Astronaut Tony Antonelli, space-themed activities, panels, and displays, food trucks, and more.

Gone Country Summer Music Fest
The 2nd Annual Gone Country Music Fest is a community celebration supporting the Senior Life Center Capital Campaign. The lineup will be headlined by Billie Jo Jones, fresh off her win as Female Vocalist of the Year at the Texas Regional Radio Awards, as well as other Texas-based acts like Nate Burnham, Matt Fisher, Johnny Lyons, and Austin Valladarez. Legendary pit-master Eddie Deen will also be on hand to serve up dinner. The event takes place at Summerfield at Tate Farms in Rockwall.

Parker McCollum in concert
Country singer and Texas native Parker McCollum has been a fixture on the local festival scene since releasing his debut album in 2015, but in 2021 he skipped over all the smaller venues in the area and went straight to Dos Equis Pavilion. Now playing there for the fourth time in five years, McCollum comes to town as part of his What Kinda Man tour. He has released five albums in his career, most recently Never Enough in 2023. He'll be joined by Steve Earle, Reckless Kelly, and Vincent Mason.

Sunday, July 20

Kansas and 38 Special in concert
Two classic rock bands, Kansas and 38 Special, will team up for a co-headlining concert. Kansas, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of their debut album in 2024, has released 16 albums in their career and are best known for hits like "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind." 38 Special also got their start in the 1970s, releasing 12 albums in total. Their highest-charting songs include "Caught Up in You" and "Second Chance." The concert will be at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

Rick Springfield in concert
If you prefer music from about a decade later, Grammy Award-winning musician Rick Springfield comes to town as part of his I Want My '80s Tour. Even though the start Springfield's career pre-dates both Kansas and 38 Special, he hit his stride in the '80s thanks to hits like "Jessie's Girl" and "Don't Talk to Strangers." He'll be joined by special guests Wang Chung, John Waite, and Paul Young at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Photo courtesy of Rick Springfield

Rick Springfield will play at the Music Hall at Fair Park on July 20.

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Weekend Event Planner

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

Photo by Jordan Fraker

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With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, plenty of people will spend their weekend celebrating the holiday by trick-or-treating, attending parties, or going to haunted houses. But there are plenty of other things to do, including six theater productions, three concerts, a timely dance production, an opera production, and a Día De Los Muertos-themed symphony concert and festival.

Photo by Jordan Fraker

Avant Chamber Ballet presents Dracula at Moody Performance Hall on October 30 and 31.

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

Thursday, October 29

Bishop Arts Theatre Center presents Fade
Fade by Tanya Saracho is a play about Lucia, a Mexican-born novelist who lands her first job in a predominantly white Hollywood writers’ room, and Abel, the Mexican-American custodian working in her office building. What begins as an unexpected connection grows into a complicated friendship as they navigate identity, class, culture, ambition, and the question of who gets to tell whose story. The production runs through November 8 at Bishop Arts Theatre Center.

NTPA Repertory Theatre presents The Rocky Horror Show
In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. There they meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rock-n-roll biker and a creepy butler, who are celebrating Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s newest creation. The production of the kitschy rock ’n’ roll sci-fi gothic musical will have six performances through Sunday at North Texas Performing Arts in Plano.

Shakespeare Live presents Macbeth
Shakespeare Live in Arlington is celebrating Halloween with the bloody good show of Macbeth, Shakespeare's classic tragedy about a Scottish general who murders his way to the throne and is haunted by supernatural visions. The outdoor production, which will have three performances through Saturday at Levitt Pavilion, will be complemented by the inaugural Shakespeare RenFest, a community arts event on Saturday afternoon that will feature live entertainment, artists, craftspeople, food trucks, performers, and Renaissance-inspired festivities.

Inclusion Productions presents El Exorcista
Performed entirely in Spanish, El Exorcista is an adaptation of John Pielmeier’s play that follows a mother’s desperate fight to save her daughter from a mysterious and terrifying force. As faith, fear, and the supernatural collide, audiences are drawn into a suspenseful journey that explores love, sacrifice, and the battle between good and evil. The production will have five performances through Sunday at Kalita Humphreys Theater.

Undermain Theatre presents for the rest of our lives
Does love last longer than a lifetime? for the rest of our lives, Erin Malone Turner’s poetic exploration of love and relationship, follows a young couple through multiple incarnations, from ancient times to present day. The love they share is reborn along with them as they encounter one another in life as well as in between lives. The production runs through November 22 at Undermain Theatre.

A.R. Rahman in concert
Composer A.R. Rahman comes to town as part of his The Symphonic Experience tour. A Grammy and two-time Academy Award winner, Rahman is one of the world’s most prolific music composers, known best for composing the score for Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman has released 20 albums in his career, most recently The Flying Lotus in 2017. The concert takes place at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.

Friday, October 30

Avant Chamber Ballet presents Dracula
Avant Chamber Ballet's production of Dracula, with a score by Philip Glass, features stark modern costumes and scenery and the dramatic score created by Glass to accompany the 1931 horror film classic Dracula. The production tells the suspenseful and gripping thriller reimagined to reflect the minimalist score and our current times. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.

The Dallas Opera presents The Cunning Little Vixen
In The Cunning Little Vixen, composer Leoš Janáček tells the story of a young fox, trapped by the forester as a cub. She makes a dramatic escape in search of what a wild animal’s life should be, including hunting, true love, and always looking over your shoulder. Australian director Barrie Kosky’s bold and glitzy new production brings vibrant theatricality to the classic story. There will be four performances through November 7 at Winspear Opera House.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Dia de Los Muertos"
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will presents a vibrant Day of the Dead concert, celebrating lost loved ones with a colorful affirmation of life. The DSO’s annual tradition features pan de muerto and hot chocolate, traditional Mexican dancers, and vibrant music. The concert takes place at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Saturday, October 31

Fellowship for Performing Arts presents C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up & Further In
C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up & Further In uses Lewis’ own words to explore what convinced Lewis of the divinity of Christ; why the BBC gave him a huge audience to deliver wartime talks that would become Mere Christianity; how Hitler influenced the writing of The Screwtape Letters; and how his profound insights on prayer, heaven, and the Second Coming of Christ influenced The Chronicles of Narnia. There will be three performances through Sunday at Wyly Theatre.

Dallas Día De Los Muertos Parade & Festival
The Dallas Día De Los Muertos Parade & Festival will feature live music, food concessions, arts and crafts, vendor booths and a parade. The procession will begin and end at Dallas City Hall, bringing colorful costumes and pageantry to downtown in honor of the traditional Mexican holiday. The celebration welcomes families from across the Dallas community to share in a tradition rooted in remembrance. Guests and parade participants are encouraged to wear attire that honors Día de los Muertos.

Little Big Town in concert
Country group Little Big Town is used to playing in arenas, including their last tour which came to Fort Worth. But they're downsizing for their current tour, dubbed For The Art Of It Tour, playing in relatively small theaters like the Music Hall at Fair Park. The band will play music from their latest album, It's a Dying Art, as well as hits from throughout their nearly 25-year career.

Sunday, November 1

RNB X Live: Dallas
RNB X Live in Dallas is the biggest expression of Spotify’s RNB X to date, bringing the platform’s flagship destination for R&B discovery and fandom to life. Created in partnership with Live Nation Urban, the event brings together generations of R&B, including Erykah Badu, H.E.R., kwn, Destin Conrad, Jai'Len Josey, and rjtheweirdo. The concert takes place at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

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