As May gives way to June, this weekend in and around Dallas will feature high-profile concerts, festivals, and more. Choices include no fewer than five big concerts, two local theater productions, a gaming convention, an annual food and music festival, a dance performance, a unique art experience, Dallas Pride Weekend, a film screening with a celebrity, and a fundraising music event.
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, May 30
Hootie & the Blowfish in concert
If you want to make anyone who came of age in the '90s feel old, you just have to tell them that Hootie & The Blowfish released their debut album, Cracked Rear View, 30 years ago. Even as lead singer Darius Rucker has become a mainstay in country music, the band has never officially broken up, coming together for one-off gigs and tours like this, which will feature fellow '90s throwbacks Collective Soul and Edwin McCain. They'll play - weather pending - at Dos Equis Pavilion.
Rover Dramawerks presents Tons of Money
Aubrey is an unsuccessful, broke inventor with creditors at his heels. His brother dies, leaving him a fortune but even this won’t make a dent in what he owes. Next in line to inherit is his cousin George, who is believed to be dead, so Aubrey’s wife Louise decides that he should “die” and resurrect himself as his cousin to avoid paying his enormous debts. Hilarious complications arise in the form of George's wife, another imposter (the butler's brother), and the real George himself. The production runs through June 15 at Cox Playhouse in Plano.
Friday, May 31
DreamHack Dallas
DreamHack Dallas will highlight everything gaming under one roof in a three-day immersive festival. Visitors can connect, explore, win, and more in a celebration of gaming culture, cosplay, entertainment, tabletop, esports, and more. Activities include a retro arcade area, a bring-your-own-computer LAN party, artist alley, celebrity meet-and-greets, and major international esports competitions. The event takes place through Sunday at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
Taste Addison
A celebration of food, music and fun, Taste Addison features music from headliners Sugar Ray, The Toadies, and Hunter Hayes, top-notch Addison eateries, wine and spirits tastings, special performances, activities for the whole family, and more. The festival takes place through Sunday at Addison Circle Park.
Art Centre Theatre presents Escape to Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville is a musical comedy featuring the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Fins,” “Volcano,” and more. Featuring a book by Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley, the production runs through June 16 at Art Centre Theatre in Plano.
Maggie Rogers in concert
The origin stories of singers are as varied as you can get, but Maggie Rogers' career got started in a unique manner that can be watched at any time. In 2016, Rogers - then an NYU student - played her song "Alaska" for Pharrell Williams as part of a school seminar. The viral video showing Williams' ecstatic reaction went viral, and Rogers was soon signed to a record deal, which is now on its third album, including the recently-released Don't Forget Me. She'll play at The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory in Irving.
TITAS/Dance Unbound presents TL Collective
Ignited by her passion to create engaging, diverse work, Micaela Taylor founded the TL Collective in 2016. It is now on the rise as one of the hottest tickets in the contemporary dance world. The company, making their Texas debut in Dallas, will perform on both Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.
Saturday, June 1
Spark! and Meow Wolf present Prismatic Art Pop-Up Experience
Spark! Dallas will present their second Prismatic Art Pop-up Experience, featuring 28 area high school artists’ creations. The exhibition will showcase the students’ creativity through a variety of themed areas imagined, designed, and built in a single color and theme. In addition to being the presenting sponsor and major funder for this initiative, Meow Wolf Grapevine is offering mentorship to the students and an opportunity to show the community their artistic creations come alive when the exhibition opens. The experience will be open Thursday-Sunday through September 29.
Dallas Pride Weekend
June is Pride month for the LGBTQ+ community, and Dallas will kick it off with a weekend full of events. First up on Saturday will be the Dallas Pride Music Festival, featuring performers on multiple stages, a Teen Pride & Family Pride Zone, vendors, and more. On Sunday will be the Dallas Pride Parade & Festival, featuring outrageous costumes, inventive floats, bands, groups, and more, including Broadway star Billy Porter as the event's first-ever Honorary Grand Marshal. Both events take place at Fair Park.
Texas Theatre presents Wildcat with Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke is primarily known as an actor, but his latest film - Wildcat, starring his daughter, Maya Hawke - is actually his fifth feature film as a director. The film weaves in and out of celebrated Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor's mind as she ponders the great questions of her writing. There will be two special sneak preview screenings of the film at Texas Theatre, with Ethan Hawke on hand at both to participate in a Q&A after the film.
Turtle Creek Chorale presents Rhapsody
Grammy Award winner and punk glamour icon Cyndi Lauper will headline Rhapsody, Turtle Creek Chorale’s annual benefit gala. The evening will offer an opening reception, seated dinner, luxury live auction, and an exclusive private concert by Lauper with full band and featuring a selection of her greatest hits. The fundraiser event takes place at Omni Dallas Hotel.
Dave Matthews Band in concert
If it's late May/early June, that means it's time for the annual visit from Dave Matthews Band. The group has consistently played the same venue, Dos Equis Pavilion, at the same time of year every year since at least 2013. Though their days of delivering hits like "What Would You Say," "Crash Into Me," and "The Space Between" are behind them, they still sell albums as well as anyone, including 2023's Walk Around The Moon, which made it to No. 5 on the Billboard 200.
NF in concert
Rapper NF (aka Nathan Feuerstein) was promoted as a Christian artist early in his career, going to No. 1 on the Billboard Christian charts with his first two studio albums. He has seemingly tried to avoid that pigeonholing recently, separating from Capitol's Christian Music Group in favor of his own label, NF Real Music, a decision that has led to three albums finishing at or near the the top of the overall Billboard 200 chart. He'll perform at American Airlines Center in support of his 2023 album, Hope.
Sunday, June 2
The Kid Laroi in concert
Australian rapper/singer The Kid Laroi may embody the new world order in the music industry better than anyone else. He 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. He finally put out his debut album, The First Time, in 2023, but he has proven that he doesn't need that construct in order to succeed. He'll perform at The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory. (UPDATE 6-2-24: This concert has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.)
Photo courtesy of Hootie & the Blowfish
Hootie & the Blowfish will play at Dos Equis Pavilion on May 30.
