Weekend Event Planner

These are the 8 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

The first weekend of the new year is traditionally light on new events as organizers and eventgoers recover from the holiday onslaught. Still, there's always something going on, including the last gasp of holiday events, a symphony concert, a local theater production, visits from two comedians, an astronomy exhibition, monster trucks, and a concert with lasers.

Below are more best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, January 4

Final call for holiday events
Some holiday events wrapped up their runs last week, and this weekend will see every other big event in the Dallas area come to a close. If you want to wring every last drop of holiday joy out of the season, you can still go to Holiday at the Arboretum, The Trains at NorthPark, Snowday at Galleria Dallas, Peace Plaza Ice Rink in Grapevine, and The Colony Christmas Spectacular. The first two close on Friday, while the latter three close on Sunday.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Elgar Cello Concerto"
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra opens 2024 with "Elgar Cello Concerto," featuring conductor Marie Jacquot and cellist Maximilian Hornung. Selections include Schmidt's Intermezzo from Notre Dame, Elgar's Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4. There will be four performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Junior Players presents Legally Blonde The Musical
Elle Woods appears to have it all. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors, and her ex. With the support of some new friends, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove to herself and to the world that being yourself never goes out of style. Junior Players' production runs through Sunday at Moody Performance Hall.

Friday, January 5

Improv Arlington presents Jay Pharoah
Jay Pharoah is an actor and stand-up comedian who is best known for his wide array of uncanny celebrity impressions, including President Barack Obama, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Stephen A. Smith, Kanye West, and Chris Tucker, all of which he showcased during his six-season stint on Saturday Night Live. He'll perform five times through Sunday at Improv Arlington.

Hyena's presents Daryl Felsberg
There is no mistaking when Daryl Felsberg is on stage, as the larger-than-life comic commands a room everywhere he goes. His storytelling approach, littered with jokes and heaps of laughs, always has a big payoff. His sarcasm is as rich and thick as his brisket-infused bloodstream. He'll perform four times through Saturday at Hyena's Comedy Nightclub at Mockingbird Station.

Saturday, January 6

SciArt Exchange presents Sensing Deep Space: Pandora's Cluster
Sensing Deep Space: Pandora’s Cluster is a multisensory experience that merges art and science while taking visitors on a tour through new discoveries in the Pandora’s Cluster region of space to help us truly grasp what’s out there. The James Webb Space Telescope revolutionized deep space exploration, offering humanity a portal into the inaccessible cosmos. It also allowed the creation of an installation that shatters the boundaries of earthly experience, enabling visitors to traverse the untraversable. The event takes place through February 4 at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.

Monster Truck Wars
Monster Truck Wars is a high-energy monster truck show where trucks compete in nonstop, head-to-head competition. The all-new Robot Battle is joining the action this year, where three-story-high transforming robots Galactron and Reptar battle on the arena floor. The event also includes kid’s power wheel races and a chance to take a ride in a real monster truck. There will be two performances on Saturday at Fair Park Coliseum.

Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular
The Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular is a multimedia show featuring the original music of Pink Floyd, carrying fans on a mind-expanding journey driven by cutting-edge laser, lighting, and video effects. The concert takes place at House of Blues Dallas.

Photo by Abby Stigler / courtesy of Junior Players

Junior Players presents Legally Blonde The Musical at Moody Performance Hall through January 7.

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Gamer News

Dallas gamer bar leaves Deep Ellum for new address on Greenville Ave

Select Start

A unique gamer venue in Dallas' Deep Ellum is leaving after six years for a new home. Select Start, a game arcade and cocktail bar, is leaving its Deep Ellum address at 2811 Main St. and opening in a prized location at 4503 Greenville Ave., at the corner of SMU Boulevard. They're taking over the former Bangkok Thai restaurant, which had been there for 30 years before closing in 2025 — joining a neighborhood known for being a big SMU hangout.

According to a release, the new location is now open.

"Deep Ellum was our home for years, and it will always be a special part of Select Start's story," says co-owner Danny Wilson in a statement. "We wanted to find a location where we could keep everything people love about Select Start while introducing the experience to a new audience. Greenville Avenue gives us that opportunity, and we're excited to bring something different to an already incredible nightlife scene."

Select Start initially opened in Deep Ellum in 2018, with a unique profile that combined modern arcade games, cocktails, DJs, and interactive entertainment. Plus a bar serving ice cream and floats with soda, beer, and booze like a Jack Daniels & Coke float.

The new Select Start spans approximately 3,500 square feet, centered around an island bar. Features include Tetris-inspired floor tiles, and a 7-by-11-foot LED wall adjacent to the DJ booth that will showcase sporting events, DJ visuals, and private party entertainment.

Modern arcade games offered include Mario Kart, NBA Smash N Win, Aliens Armageddon, Halo Fireteam Raven, four-player Pac-Man Battle Royale, Guitar Hero and Whack a Clown.

Additional attractions include four basketball shooting games, two Skee-Ball lanes, a punching bag game, pool table, air hockey, photo booth, and nine claw machines stocked with everything from stuffed animals and Labubus to mystery boxes and oversized ducks. Six televisions at the bar are equipped with Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch consoles.

One major addition: a full kitchen with a walk-up ordering window, serving bar bites and late-night snacks until 2 am.

Select Start is part of Blender Brands, a hospitality, nightlife, and entertainment group founded in 2015 by Danny Wilson and Jacob Cox, whose growing portfolio includes Assembly Park in Plano (home to Cliff Coffee, Three Links, and Assembly Ice House); COBA After-Hours in Dallas; and Good Side Pizza Pub.

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