Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

The circus is back in town — actually, two circuses — to headline another week of events in and around Dallas. Other choices include two big concerts in Arlington, a couple of comedy events, two new local theater productions, and a performance by one of the world's top mediums.

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, July 25

Morgan Wallen in concert
Few entertainers have had a better start to their careers than country singer Morgan Wallen. His 2018 debut If I Know Me went double platinum and yielded a No. 1 hit, "Whiskey Glasses." His next two albums, most recently One Thing at a Time, each went to No. 1 on both the Billboard Country and overall Billboard 200 charts, resulting in a slew of awards at the Billboard Music Awards. His big-time status will be on display with concerts on back-to-back nights at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, where he'll be joined by other big names like Jelly Roll and Koe Wetzel.

UniverSoul Circus
One of two circuses in Dallas this weekend, UniverSoul Circus will celebrate 30 years with its interactive “Family Reunion Tour,” bringing together big names from five continents all backed by the beat of world music, including sounds and dance styles spanning the African diaspora. The circus, taking place at The Shops At RedBird through August 11, stopped using animals in 2023, and features circus arts, theater, and music that spans genres, including pop, classic R&B, Latin, hip hop, jazz, and gospel.

Improv Addison presents Dan Soder
Dan Soder is a New York City-based comedian who’s best known as ‘Mafee’ on the Showtime series, Billions, and as co-host of Sirius XM’s The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson from 2015-2023. He is also known for his frequent appearances on MTV2's Guy Code. He'll perform six times through Saturday at Improv Addison.

Friday, July 26

Bucket List Productions and Lewisville Playhouse present Long Day's Journey into Night
Bucket List Productions will present the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neill. The play is a brooding masterpiece about the pain of forgiving, and the impossibility of forgetting. The Tyrone family puts the not-so-fun in "dysfunctional," as the family tell their entire life’s progression story over the course of just one long day. The production runs through August 11 at Lewisville Playhouse.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey The Greatest Show On Earth
The second circus of the weekend is the long-awaited return of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey The Greatest Show On Earth, an immersive experience filled with acts that push the limits of human potential. The reimagined circus, which no longer features animals, is an action-packed production with modernized acts. Audiences will see never-before-seen stunts, acrobatic displays, and comedic acts from a globally diverse cast that includes 75 performers hailing from 18 countries. There will be six performances through Sunday at American Airlines Center.

Comedy Bang! Bang!: The Bang! Bang! Into Your Mouth Tour
Comedy Bang! Bang! has had a few different lives, first as radio show that started in 2009, then as an early podcast that has been put out weekly since 2010. It also had a five-season run as a TV show on IFC from 2012-2016. At this live show, host Scott Aukerman, along with Paul F. Tompkins and The Comedy Bang! Bang! All-Stars, will perform a totally improvised version of the award-winning podcast at Majestic Theatre.

Theatre Coppell presents Greater Tuna
Greater Tuna is a comedy about a small town named Tuna, Texas' third smallest town. The wacky inhabitants of this town - men, women, children and animals - are all played by two skillful, transformative actors who must change parts at a rather breakneck speed and use inventive voicework. The play features two actors, 20 characters, and a barrel of laughs. The production runs through August 11 at Coppell Arts Center.

Saturday, July 27

Matt Fraser: America’s Top Psychic Medium
The readings of medium Matt Fraser lead guests through a rollercoaster of emotions from laughing to crying, turning skeptics into believers with stunning details. His dynamic readings frequently include names, dates, and locations he couldn’t possibly know, only adding to his long-established reputation. He'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Sunday, July 28

Photo courtesy of Scott Aukerman

Scott Aukerman and others from Comedy Bang! Bang! will perform at Majestic Theatre on July 26.

Ateez in concert
South Korean boy band Ateez joined the K-Pop movement back in 2018, quickly gaining fans in both their native country and Japan by releasing a series of EPs and albums in both languages. They've been extremely popular in both countries, and now they're spreading their love to the United States with their world tour, Towards the Light: Will to Power in support of their 2023 album, The World EP.Fin: Will. They'll perform at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

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Movie Review

Rose Byrne fights for her life and car in new movie 'Tow'

Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Rose Byrne in Tow.

Actor Rose Byrne had a banner year in 2025, getting her first Oscar nomination for her starring role in If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You. Although she came up short in that race, she’s getting another chance to prove her acting bona fides in the new film, Tow.

In the “inspired by a true story” movie, Byrne plays Amanda, a down-on-her-luck woman who lives in her car and can’t find a job. Living in Seattle, she tries to stay in touch with her daughter, Avery (Elsie Fisher), who lives with her dad in another city, but circumstances sometimes limit their communications, especially when her car is stolen.

The good news is that her car is found relatively quickly. The bad news is that the tow company is charging her to get her car back, money she can’t afford. Now truly homeless, she does everything in her power to right the wrong, even taking the company to court. Without much luck, she has to start staying in a women’s shelter run by Barbara (Octavia Spencer), where she makes friends with Nova (Demi Lovato) and Denise (Ariana DeBose), among others.

Directed by Stephanie Laing and written by Jonathan Keasey and Brent Boivin, the film has relatively low stakes going for it and never really tries to make the story feel deeper than it is. The situation Amanda finds herself in is clearly a tough one, and any empathetic person would feel for her and want her to overcome her plight. But the filmmakers keep things light and never try to up the drama in any significant way.

The issue Amanda is dealing with, being price gouged by a predatory towing company, is one with which many people can relate. But aside from helpfully underscoring Amanda’s frustration by showing the increasing number of days she is without a car, they never establish why they felt this particular story was one worth telling. Her personal issues, including a growing estrangement with her daughter, fail to conjure any big emotions.

The filmmakers are very loose with their storytelling, especially when it comes to side characters. The presence of the women she meets at the shelter, and Kevin (Dominic Sessa), the young lawyer who offers to help her, never makes full sense other than a need for her to have other people with whom to interact. A tighter focus on what Amanda was going through would’ve helped both her and people around her feel more important.

Byrne is a dynamic performer who’s shown great skill at both drama and comedy, but there’s nothing special about her performance here. Hampered a bit by a blonde wig and false teeth, she feels out of sorts for much of the film. The unusually high-powered supporting cast - both Spencer and DeBose are Oscar winners - makes things interesting on first blush, but none of them outside of Sessa is given much to do, so they’re mostly wasted.

Tow will be a disappointment for anyone hoping to see more great stuff from Byrne. While she remains a fine actor, her performance and the story as a whole are nowhere near the level shown in her previous film. The real life predicament shown in the film also never rises to the level of being of something worth showing to the masses.

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Tow is now showing in theaters.

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