Weekend Event Planner

These are the 19 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Usually we here at CultureMap limit the weekend event roundup to anywhere between 10-15 events so as not to overwhelm you, dear reader. But there are some weekends that are so jam-packed that such a limitation is impossible. With multiple festivals, a big golf tournament, bold-name concerts, and a plethora of local theater productions, we're breaking with form and listing events by category instead of date this week.

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.

Sports

The CJ Cup Byron Nelson
We don't focus much on sports here at CultureMap, but when the PGA Tour makes its lone stop of the year in the Dallas area, we make an exception. The 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson will feature defending champion Jason Day, hometown hero Jordan Spieth, Aaron Baddeley, Stewart Cink, Charley Hoffman, Zach Johnson, Kevin Kisner, Adam Scott, and a slew of other top PGA golfers. It will take place through Thursday through Sunday at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney.

Music

Neil Young + Crazy Horse in concert
Legendary singer Neil Young just passed his 55th anniversary as a recording musician, and it was just one year after his solo debut album that he started his association with the band Crazy Horse. Since 1969, they have released 16 albums together, including the new Dume, released this past February. They also recently put out the live album, Fu##in’ Up, featuring performances of songs from their 1990 album, Ragged Glory. They'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion on Thursday. (UPDATE: This concert has been postponed to September 14 due to severe weather.)

Bad Bunny in concert
Proclaimed the most listened-to artist in the world for the third consecutive year by Spotify, Bad Bunny has had quite the rise since his debut album in 2018. Each of his five albums has finished higher on the Billboard 200 charts than the last, culminating with the No. 1 Un Verano Sin Ti in 2022. The Puerto Rican superstar will perform on both Friday and Saturday at American Airlines Center as part of his "Most Wanted Tour" in support of his latest album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Ring Cycle concerts
Richard Wagner composed four German-language epic music dramas, known as The Ring Cycle, and this week the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will start their effort to play all of them, starting with the first two. Das Rheingold, performed on Saturday, sets the mighty saga in motion and prepares the audience for what is to come: the conflict between love and power, and, ultimately, redemption through love. Die Walküre, with performances on Thursday and Sunday, traces the story of the king of the gods Wotan’s mortal children and the warrior-maid Brünnhilde. Both concerts will take place at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Theatre

Undermain Theatre presents The Persians
Considered the oldest surviving play in theater history, The Persians is unique among extant ancient Greek tragedies in that it dramatizes recent history rather than events from the distant age of mythical heroes. It concentrates on the demise of the Persian empire, lamented by the Persian queen Atossa, by the folly of her son Xerxes which caused the empire’s downfall. The play also includes the appearance of the ghost of Xerxes’ father, Darius, who declaims the ruin of his once-great empire. The production will open on Thursday, running at Undermain Theatre through May 26.

Theatre Three presents Misery
Romance novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While being forced to re-write his latest book at the favor of his captor, Paul realizes that he’s writing as if his life depends on it… and it does. Performances, taking place in the Theatre Too space at Theatre Three, will start on Thursday and run through June 2.

Bishop Arts Theatre Center presents Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer
Actor Liz Mikel returns to Dallas after a year performing on Broadway to play the legendary 1960s civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer in this regional premiere, co-produced by Bishop Arts Theatre Center and Dallas Theater Center. The one-woman show follows Hamer from her humble origins as the daughter of a Mississippi sharecropper to co-founding the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and demanding recognition at the National Democratic Convention. The production will open on Thursday, running at Bishop Arts Theatre Center through May 18.

Uptown Players presents Broadway Our Way
Uptown Players' annual one-weekend fundraiser, Broadway Our Way, showcases the versatility and artistry of Uptown Players' ensemble. With a fresh and contemporary twist, the cast will breathe new life into show tunes, infusing them with their own unique interpretations, vocal styles, and personal flair. Familiar and not-so-familiar songs are reimagined, inviting audiences to see them in a fresh and exciting way. There will be performances Thursday through Sunday at Kalita Humphreys Theater.

Ochre House Theater presents Patti & Theo
In this dark comedy, Patti and Theo are struggling artists in Brooklyn. They are big boozers, and time will tell if the Drinking Religion outlives them. Audiences can wade into the wild and boozy waters of Patti and Theo’s nightmarish world, and bear witness to the unraveling of their lives as they try one last time to love each other. The production runs through May 18 at Ochre House Theater.

Theatre Arlington presents Steel Magnolias
Steel Magnolias is the heartwarming tale of love, friendship, and resilience in a small Southern town featuring a group of women as they gather in a charming beauty salon and share their joys and sorrows, reminding us that the bonds of friendship are unbreakable. The production will open on Friday, running through May 19 at Theatre Arlington.

Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas presents On Golden Pond
On Golden Pond tells the story of Ethel and Norman Thayer, who return to their summer home on Golden Pond for the 48th year. Their divorced, middle-aged daughter and her dentist fiancé go off to Europe, leaving his teenage son behind for the summer. The boy quickly becomes the “grandchild” the elderly couple have longed for, and as Norman revels in taking his ward fishing and thrusting good books at him, he also learns some lessons about modern teenage awareness - and slang - in return. The production will open on Friday, running through May 18 at Irving Arts Center.

Dance

Derek Hough: Symphony of Dance
Dancer Derek Hough will present an all-new Symphony of Dance, a live dance show that is Hough's first-ever solo tour. Fans will journey through a true fusion of dance and music, as Hough explores styles ranging from ballroom and tap to salsa and hop-hop and everything in between, featuring choreography by Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, aka NappyTabs. The performance will be on Thursday at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.

Avant Chamber Ballet presents Snow White
Snow White features magic mirrors, malicious queens, and one of the most famous stories of all time. Audiences will journey with these classic characters as they prove that real beauty comes from within and celebrate the power of friendship and love with this family-friendly ballet. The production features a Tchaikovsky score and charming sets and costumes. There will be one performance Friday and two on Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.

Texas Ballet Theater presents Beauty & the Beast
Hearts will melt as a hideous beast and a young maiden discover that love transcends and ultimately transforms outward appearances in this much beloved fairy tale. All Dallas performances will have live orchestration from The Dallas Opera Orchestra, conducted by Michael Moricz. There will be four performances, Friday through Sunday, at Winspear Opera House.

Comedy

Patton Oswalt: Effervescent
A comedian, actor, and writer, Patton Oswalt has had award-winning comedy specials, memorable film roles, and guest appearances on TV shows like Parks and Recreation. He recently starred on the NBC comedy A.P. Bio, and voices the titular character on the hit SYFY series Happy!. He'll perform on Friday at Majestic Theatre.

Randy Rainbow: The Randy Rainbow for President Tour
Singer, comedian, and author Randy Rainbow will take on the hottest topics and skewer politicos of the day as only he can, bringing his most viral video song parodies to life onstage. Featuring live accompaniment by Broadway musicians, the show will also include live audience interaction and original songs written by Rainbow with Marc Shaiman and Alan Menken. He'll perform on Saturday at Majestic Theatre.

Festivals

Dallas International Guitar Festival
The Dallas International Guitar Festival is the largest and oldest guitar show in the world, blending musicians, fans, collectors and celebrities together into one huge musical extravaganza. Visitors can buy, sell, trade, or just browse among the thousands of music-related items, or enjoy performances by a variety of singers and bands, including headliners Frank Hannon, George Lynch, Sonny Landreth, Greg Koch, Ally Venable, and Andy Wood. The festival takes place Friday through Sunday at Dallas Market Hall.

Cottonwood Art Festival
The Cottonwood Art Festival is a semi-annual event that features works from the nation's top visual artists. It features over 240 artists to exhibit their work in 14 categories, including Mixed Media, Ceramics, Jewelry, Painting, and Wood. There will also features be performances by a variety of local bands. The festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Cottonwood Park in Richardson.

Tacos & Tequila Festival
The Tacos & Tequila Festival will feature some of Dallas-Fort Worth’s best taco chefs and restaurants, handcrafted margaritas, Lucha Libre wrestling, and more. In addition, there will be a live music showcase with performances by 2 Chainz, Juvenile, DJ Skribble, and Travis Porter. The festival takes place on Sunday at Riders Field in Frisco.

Photo by Steven Visneau

Texas Ballet Theater presents Beauty & the Beast at Winspear Opera House, May 3-5.

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Awards Season

CultureMap critic's guide to the 2026 Oscar Best Picture nominees

Michael B. Jordan and Miles Caton in Sinners

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

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The nominations for the 2026 Academy Awards have been announced, with 10 films vying for Best Picture. Leading the way is Sinners with an astonishing 16 nominations, the most in Oscars history.

The other top films include One Battle After Another, which earned 13 nominations, and Frankenstein and Sentimental Value, which each got 9 nominations.

As a refresher, below are links to the full reviews for each of the nominees covered by CultureMap in the past year, as well as brief thoughts on the films and their various nominations.

Movie fans will have plenty of time to catch up with each of the nominees, as this year's Oscars ceremony will not take place until Sunday, March 15.

Here's the list of Best Picture nominees, in alphabetical order:

Bugonia
Yet another off-the-wall film from director Yorgos Lanthimos features two great performances by Emma Stone (nominated for Best Actress) and Jesse Plemons at its center. Written by Will Tracy (nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay), the conspiracy theory film is alternately brutal and funny as the characters played by Stone and Plemons use their form of power to try to manipulate the other. With a fair amount of intrigue and two great actors going head-to-head for much of its running time, it gives even more Oscar pedigree to its filmmakers and stars.

F1
The biggest surprise among the Best Picture nominees has to be the racing movie F1. It was a technical marvel, to be sure, as its nominations in Film Editing, Sound, and Visual Affects attest. But the fact that it has no other nominations in any of the above the fold categories indicates that its other qualities are lacking. As a showcase (aka advertisement) for the sport it depicts, the film works relatively well. As a complete movie, though, there’s not much to recommend, to the point that it almost negates any of the positives that come from the racing scenes.

Frankenstein (not reviewed)
Writer/director Guillermo del Toro (nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay) loves himself a monster movie, and he takes on one of the classics with his new version of Frankenstein (now streaming on Netflix). Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein, who brings to life The Creature, played by Jacob Elordi (nominated for Best Supporting Actor). With a slew of nominations in technical categories, there's a chance this film goes home with a lot of awards at this year's ceremony.

Hamnet (not reviewed)
Writer/director Chloé Zhao (nominated for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay alongside co-writer Maggie O'Farrell) gets back to her Oscar-worthy skills for the first time since 2020's Nomadland (after the unfortunate detour into the MCU with Eternals). A story about love, loss, and grief involving William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, the film is most notable for the performances of its two leads, Jessie Buckley (nominated for Best Actress) and Paul Mescal.

Marty Supreme
There was no other movie this year, or maybe even this century, like Marty Supreme. Directed and co-written by Josh Safdie (nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay alongside co-writer Ronald Bronstein), the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives. At its center is the fast-talking, powerhouse performance by star Timothée Chalamet (nominated for Best Actor), who cements his status as his generation’s movie star one year after playing the polar opposite role of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Look for the film to be a strong contender in the inaugural Best Casting category, as Safdie fills the film with non-actors who are crucial to the film's success.

One Battle After Another
Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (nominated for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay) has an acclaimed career going back 30 years, but has yet to actually win an Oscar. That will change this year, as One Battle After Another is one of the favorites to win Best Picture thanks to Anderson's stellar filmmaking, as well as multiple great performances that earned the film four acting nominations (Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor, Teyana Taylor for Best Supporting Actress, and Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn for Best Supporting Actor). Add in a story with a very timely political critique (that's getting more relevant by the day) and you have the recipe for a big winner on Oscar night.

The Secret Agent (not reviewed)
No foreign country has quite the influence on the Oscars as Brazil, which for the second straight year has gotten one of its films nominated for both Best International Feature Film and Best Picture. Written and directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, the film is anchored by the performance of Wagner Moura (nominated for Best Actor) as a technology expert in the late 1970s who flees from a mysterious past to try to find peace in his hometown.

Sentimental Value (not reviewed)
For the third year in a row, two international films made the cut in the Best Picture race (but whither It Was Just an Accident?). Directed and co-written by Joachim Trier (nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay alongside co-writer Eskil Vogt), the film is tied for the most acting nominations this year, earning nods for Renate Reinsve for Best Actress, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Best Supporting Actress, and Stellan Skarsgård for Best Supporting Actor.

Sinners
It takes a special kind of filmmaker to make movies that are both popular and Oscar-worthy, and writer/director Ryan Coogler (nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay) has done it again, seven years after helming the Oscar-winning Black Panther. Both a tribute to Black music history and a gnarly vampire movie, the film is led by Michael B. Jordan (nominated for Best Actor) in dual roles as twins Smoke and Stack. With a story infused with all manner of subtext and a bunch of great supporting performances, including Best Supporting Actress nominee Wunmi Mosaku, the film demonstrates Coogler's great filmmaking abilities that should keep him in demand for years to come. Amazingly, there was only one category for which it was eligible in which it did not receive a nomination.

Train Dreams (not reviewed)
The second Netflix movie this year to be nominated, Train Dreams is a contemplative film about a logger (played by Joel Edgerton) in early 20th century America who tries to adapt to a rapidly-changing world. Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for the script by director Clint Bentley and co-writer Greg Kwedar, the film is most notable for the work done by Adolpho Veloso (nominated for Best Cinematography), who showcases the Pacific Northwest in all its glory.

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