Weekend Event Planner

These are the 18 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

This weekend across Dallas is another big one, offering a large variety of events to enjoy. They include two festivals, the start of another Halloween event, four local theater productions, seven concerts from across the musical spectrum, a big golf tournament, two dance productions, and a celebration of autumn in the great outdoors.

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, September 19

HEB | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival
The Plano Balloon Festival is an annual four-day event that features nightly balloon glows, skydivers, hot air balloons taking off into the morning sky, concerts, drone shows, fireworks, a kids fun zone, merchandise vendors, corporate exhibitors, and variety of foods. The festival takes place at Red Tail Pavilion in Plano through Sunday.

Addison Oktoberfest
At the annual Addison Oktoberfest, visitors can enjoy a taste of the original Bavarian bash with a purely Texan twist. The four-day event features polka bands and other traditional entertainers on multiple stages, as well as special games for bier lovers, kids of all ages, dachshunds, and more. The festival takes place at Addison Circle Park through Sunday.

Howell Farms presents Pumpkin Nights
At Pumpkin Nights, guests can venture along a half-mile walking path, where they’ll discover the Forbidden City, a Pirate’s Cove, and more fantastical lands built using over 5,000 hand-carved and artificial pumpkins. The celebration continues with entertainment and games in The Village, the festival area. The event takes place at Howell Family Farms in Arlington through October 31.

Fellowship for Performing Arts presents The Screwtape Letters
The Screwtape Letters is a fast-paced, tour-de-force performance of an adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ satiric masterpiece. It follows Screwtape, a senior tempter in Hell, as he schemes to capture the soul of an unsuspecting human on earth and reveals spiritual warfare in vivid, humorous, and powerful ways. The production runs through Sunday on the main stage at Wyly Theatre.

Watering Hole Collective presents I Am An Island
As part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project, Watering Hole Collective will present I Am An Island, a surrealist dark comedy set on an island sinking into the sea. The hero, May, tries to convince others of this truth, but no one will listen. She resorts to a political demonstration by sinking into the sea herself. The play explores the emotional impact of climate change and the struggle to know how to live when it feels out of control. The production runs through Sunday in the Studio Theatre at Wyly Theatre.

Gracie Abrams in concert
As the daughter of filmmaker J.J. Abrams, Gracie Abrams has long been familiar with fame, so her rise in the music industry likely doesn't faze her much. She released her debut album in 2023, a time during which she was also serving as an opening act for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour and nabbing a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2024 Grammy Awards. All of that exposure led to her new album, The Secret of Us, coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. She'll play in support of that album at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

Friday, September 20

Maridoe Golf Club presents LIV Golf Dallas
The golf world was split in two in 2022 when the Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Golf successfully poached some of the best golfers in the world by offering them hundreds of millions of dollars. The league will come to the Dallas area for the first time with its Team Championship, during which 13 teams will vie for the title and millions more dollars. Crushers GC, led by 2024 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, will defend its title, competing against teams led by 2023 Masters Champion Jon Rahm, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson, and more. The tournament goes through Sunday at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton.

Ray LaMontagne in concert
Singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne has been a favorite of folk rock fans for many years, dating back to his debut album, Trouble, in 2004. Since then, he has released seven more albums, including the acclaimed God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise in 2010 and his latest, 2020's Monovision. He'll play at the Music Hall at Fair Park as part of his Long Way Home tour.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Twist and Shout: The Music of the Beatles – A Symphonic Experience"
Beatlemania comes to the Meyerson Symphony Center when Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik, vocalists Paul Loren, Colin Smith, and Rick Brantley, instrumentalists, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four’s appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. The concert will feature some of iconic band's best-loved hits, including “Love Me Do,” “She Loves You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Help!,” and “Yesterday,” joined by projections of rare and previously unseen photos and videos playing above the orchestra. There will be three performances through Sunday.

Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas presents The Children's Hour
An unruly student at a rural Massachusetts boarding school falsely accuses her two female teachers of engaging in a romantic relationship. Suddenly, the two women must navigate the truth among the lies as they fight to save their reputations, their families, and the school itself. But as the schoolgirl’s rumor escalates to scandal and the outraged community quickly withdraws all of their students, a witch hunt ensues that ultimately leads to terrible and tragic consequences. The production runs through October 5 at Irving Arts Center.

Glass Animals in concert
English indie rock band Glass Animals has been on a steady climb since their debut album in 2014. That one, Zaba, didn't gain much traction, but it did produce a minor hit, "Gooey." They finally broke out for real in 2020 thanks to the No. 1 hit "Heat Waves," which led to a Best New Artist nomination at the 2022 Grammy Awards despite them being long past that designation. They'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion in support of their new album, I Love You So F***ing Much.

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents Twyla Tharp Dance
Revolutionary choreographer Twyla Tharp returns to TITAS, celebrating her 60th anniversary with a boundary-breaking program featuring a dynamic revival and two new pieces. Ocean’s Motion (1975) featuring music by rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry, and Brel is an homage to the Belgian vocalist Jacques Brel. Composer Simeon ten Holt’s signature minimalist style in Bi-Ba-Bo intermingles with Vivaldi’s Baroque score in masterful new work The Ballet Master. The performance takes place at Winspear Opera House.

Theatre Coppell presents The Diary of Anne Frank
The memoirs of Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl forced to hide for nearly two years to escape Nazi persecution, are an essential part of how one of the darkest periods of human history is remembered. In spite of her oppressive circumstances and the horrors that surround her, Anne’s spirit transcends, as she voices her belief, “in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.” The production runs through October 6 at Coppell Arts Center.

Saturday, September 21

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Autumn at the Arboretum: Texas Town
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will present the return of its fall festival, Autumn at the Arboretum: Texas Town. Visitors will be immersed in Texas history as the Lakeside Exhibit Area transforms into a celebration of pioneer life, set amidst 100,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash throughout the garden. Guests can explore six pumpkin houses, a pioneer farmstead, a quaint general store, a simple sod house, and a one-room schoolhouse. The event takes place through November 2.

André 3000 in concert
The career of André 3000 is one that is both enviable and mysterious. For over a decade from the mid-'90s to the mid-2000s, he released six albums with the duo Outkast alongside Big Boi, almost all of which came in at No. 1 or 2 on the Billboard 200. In 2007, the rapper want "solo," which mostly consisted of him contributing to other artists' songs. It wasn't until 2023 that he released his first solo album, New Blue Sun, which - of course - was an all-instrumental work of him playing a variety of flutes and percussion instruments. He'll perform at Winspear Opera House.

Avant Chamber Ballet presents The Princess and the Pauper
The world premiere of The Princess and the Pauper brings to life the classic tale with dance and live music with modern storytelling and projection mapping in collaboration with Lightware Labs. The choreography by Katie Puder will seamlessly blend classical ballet techniques with modern movements, offering a fresh interpretation of a beloved tale, inspiring with its timeless message of love and unity overcoming societal barriers. There will be performances on both Saturday and Sunday at Moody Performance Hall.

Junior H in concert
For most of his career, singer Junior H has been a big name in the Latin music market, scoring multiple top 10 albums on the Billboard Latin chart, a few of which went to No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart. But his latest album, $ad Boyz 4 Life II in 2023, made it all the way to No. 14 on the overall Billboard 200, an indication that his appeal is broadening greatly. Another indicator? The fact that he's playing at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Sunday, September 22

Photo courtesy of Visit Plano

The Plano Balloon Festival takes place at Red Tail Pavilion through September 22.

BEAT in concert
Former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin banded together with guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and Tool drummer Danny Carey to create the supergroup BEAT, a creative reinterpretation of three iconic '80s King Crimson albums - Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. They'll play that music (and maybe more) at Majestic Theatre.

concerts dance event-planner families festivals kids music nature oktoberfest sports symphony theater

RIP Don

Don Nelson, legendary Dallas Mavericks head coach, dies at 86

Ronald Martinez /Allsport

Head Coach Don Nelson of the Dallas Mavericks points from the sidelines during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Reunion Arena in Dallas on April 5, 2001.

Former Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history who won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, died Sunday, August 9. He was 86.

Nelson’s family confirmed the death in a statement that did not say where he died or provide a cause.

“On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family,” the statement said. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”

Nelson is one of two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three different franchises — Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State — also serving as general manager for all three franchises. He was a three-time coach of the year and made the playoffs 18 times in 31 seasons. He went to the conference finals three times with the Bucks and once with the Mavericks, never winning a title.

Nelson introduced what is now known as the point forward, and his up-tempo style of offense created a buzz. He said the idea of shifting from the dominant big men of the 1970s to an offense focused on speed and the fast break came from his playing days under Celtics Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach.

“The league really hadn’t seen an offense like the one we were running, and the results were undeniable,” Nelson wrote in 2016 in The Players’ Tribune.

Nelson said that “without Red Auerbach teaching me the mechanics of running the fast break, none of it would have been possible. He deserves all the credit for Nellie Ball, and for how fast the game of basketball is played today.”

Nelson played 11 of his 14 seasons in Boston and was on five Celtics championship teams under four different coaches. He became an assistant coach in Milwaukee after retiring as a player, then took over after coach Larry Costello resigned 18 games into the 1976-77 season. Nelson coached the Bucks for 11 seasons starting in 1976 and won seven straight division titles.

In Nelson’s second season, Milwaukee overcame a 29-point fourth quarter deficit to beat Atlanta 117-115 in regulation.

“I coached the team as though I was still playing for the Celtics, while implementing a few of my own strategies,” Nelson wrote. “I knew I wanted to play unconventional basketball and use speed to my advantage.”

His fast-paced offenses were probably best on display with Golden State in the “Run TMC” era featuring future Hall of Famers Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. Nelson said he wanted them on the court at the same time.

Nelson spent 11 seasons over two stints with Golden State. The first one was punctuated by a rift with rookie star Chris Webber, who was traded away a month into his second season. Nelson, demoralized by the trade, missed nine games that season due to illness and resigned under pressure three months later in February 1995.

In between, Nelson was fired after less than one season in New York in 1995-96, then coached in Dallas for eight seasons, missing 21 games with the Mavericks starting in December 2000 to recuperate from prostate cancer surgery.

Nelson’s son, Donnie, joined his father as an assistant coach with the Mavericks in 1998, later became general manager and remained with the organization until 2021. Together they persuaded 20-year-old German star Dirk Nowitzki to pass up European basketball and join the Mavericks. Don Nelson also developed Steve Nash into one of the NBA’s top point guards before Nash went on to win back-to-back MVPs with the Phoenix Suns in 2005 and 2006.

Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks Don and Donnie Nelson persuaded 20-year-old German star Dirk Nowitzki to pass up European basketball and join the Mavericks. Dallas Mavericks Facebook

“Don Nelson was a true innovator whose influence on the game of basketball is still felt today,” current Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He consistently challenged conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and styles of play and saw possibilities in the game that others often did not. So much of what is now commonplace in the modern NBA can be traced back to the way Nellie approached the game."

At Golden State, Nelson’s “We Believe” Warriors led by Baron Davis upset Nowitzki and the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs in one of the biggest shockers in NBA history. In his final season as a coach, Nelson mentored rookie Stephen Curry in 2009-10.

“One of the big reasons I was drafted by the Warriors was because of Don Nelson. The story is he never liked rookies, but from Day 1 he challenged me and gave me an opportunity to be my best self on the court,” Curry said in a statement released by the Warriors. “He taught me a lot during our one season together and I’ll never forget the night he became the winningest coach in NBA history in Minnesota. We were so happy for him. He had an immeasurable impact on the sport and will go down as one of the greatest minds in the history of the game.”

Davis added: “When I think of Nellie, I’ll always think of the ‘We Believe’ team and our incredible run in 2007. He understood what made us go and made us believe we could beat anybody, ultimately helping us make history as the first No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in a seven-game series. That time in my life and career was truly special, and Nellie was a huge part of making it possible.”

Nelson retired as the NBA’s career coaching wins leader with 1,335, just ahead of Lenny Wilkens’ 1,332. Nelson kept that top spot for nearly 12 years before close friend and now-retired San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich passed him in March 2022.

Nelson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2025, he received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. Miffed that the Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade, Nelson wore a pair of Doncic’s signature Jordan Brand sneakers to the awards ceremony. He called the trade a “tremendous mistake.”

Don Nelson was miffed that the Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade Courtesy photo

Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Nelson attended high school in Rock Island, Illinois, and averaged a double-double in college at Iowa. He spent his retirement years living on the Hawaiian island of Maui and owned several short-term rentals on the island.Dallas

Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont issued the following statement on the passing of Nelson:

“Don Nelson was a true original whose impact on the Dallas Mavericks and the game of basketball will endure for generations. Nellie helped transform this franchise, bringing an innovative spirit, a belief in doing things differently and, most importantly, a winning culture to Dallas. His influence can be seen throughout Mavericks history and across the NBA today.

“On behalf of the entire Mavericks organization, our thoughts are with Don’s family, friends, former players and coaches, and the many people whose lives he touched. We are grateful for all he gave to the Mavericks and to the game he loved.”

Read the Mavericks' tribute to Don Nelson at mavs.com/news/don-nelson-one-of-a-kind.

---

Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this story.

obituary sports dallas mavericks deaths