Weekend Event Planner

These are the 13 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

This weekend in and around Dallas features a number of big acts, including a unique double concert experience from arguably the best heavy metal band ever. There will be three well-known comedians, a local theater production, a couple of country singers, two musical trips back in time, a live YouTube show, a rising Mexican singer, the closing of an art exhibition, and a major hip hop concert.

Below are the 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.

Friday, August 18

Metallica in concert
There has been no bigger heavy metal band over the past 40 years than Metallica, and their return to the Dallas-Fort Worth area will appropriately be bigger than ever. Just like every other stop on their world tour, they will play two separate shows, promising a "No Repeat Weekend," with two completely different setlists and support lineups at each concert. Joining them on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington will be the reunited Dallas band Pantera (touring for the first time in 22 years) and Mammoth WVH, followed by Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills on Sunday. The tour is in support of the band's new album, 72 Seasons, their first new release in six years.

Improv Addison presents Lil Rel Howery
Lil Rel Howery has been such a presence in movies and TV for so long that it's easy to forget that, like many comic actors, he got his start as a stand-up comedian. He's appeared in a slew of movies in recent years, including Free Guy, Get Out, Bad Trip, and Judas and the Black Messiah, and he also starred in his own Fox sitcom, Rel. He'll perform five times through Sunday at Improv Addison.

The Comedy Arena presents Steven Michael Quezada
Another actor who you may be surprised is a comedian is Steven Michael Quezada. With a career in the entertainment industry spanning more than three decades, Quezada has worked alongside some of the biggest names in show business, most notably Bryan Cranston and Bob Odenkirk when he played DEA Agent Steven Gomez on both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. He'll perform four times through Saturday at The Comedy Arena in McKinney.

Repertory Company Theatre presents The Drowsy Chaperone
The Drowsy Chaperone, a madcap, screwball musical within a comedy, is a lovable send up to the Jazz Age musical. A multiple Tony Award winner, the musical pays tribute to the Jazz Age shows of the 1920s and their power to transport people into a dazzling fantasy and to lift their spirits. The production runs through August 27 at Repertory Company Theatre in Richardson.

Charlie Robison in concert
Anyone who knows Texas country music knows the name of Charlie Robison, as he's the brother of singer/songwriter Bruce Robison and the ex-husband of Emily Strayer of The Chicks. His last album was 2013's High Life, and in 2018 he retired after complications from surgery left him unable to sing at the time. Things have clearly improved in the years since, and fans can see the result when he plays at Majestic Theatre.

Chris Gethard: Franco Danger
Comedian Chris Gethard is an example of persistence. Though he's never become a huge star, he's stuck to his show business aspirations, first as the host of The Chris Gethard Show from 2011 to 2018, and now as the host of two podcasts, Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People and New Jersey is the World. He'll perform his new show, Franco Danger, at Texas Theatre.

Saturday, August 19

Lost '80s Live
There are some '80s bands whose music is iconic and will live forever, and then there are ... other '80s bands. Lost '80s Live at Texas Trust CU Theatre features performances by a host of such bands, including Wang Chung ("Everybody Have Fun Tonight"), The Tubes ("She's a Beauty"), Animotion ("Obsession"), Naked Eyes ("Always Something There to Remind Me"), and more.

Sixtiesmania: A Journey through the Sixties
Sixtiesmania: A Journey through the Sixties is an all-encompassing celebration of the iconic musical decade. The show is a musical roller coaster from the Beach Boys to the British invasion, and everything in between. Hit after hit is performed with complete accuracy to detail to sound exactly like the recordings people know and love. The show takes place at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.

Sam Hunt in concert
If things had shaken out differently for country singer Sam Hunt, he'd be playing in the NFL as a star quarterback. But a 2008 tryout for the Kansas City Chiefs led nowhere, leading him to pursue music instead. Fans have rewarded him with two No. 1 albums - 2014's Montevallo and 2020's Southside - and a bunch of top 10 hits, including four that went to No. 1. He'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Ghost Files Live!
Ghost Files is a YouTube series focusing on visiting haunted places in order to prove the existence of supernatural entities. At this event, the audience can experience the excitement of ghost hunting with the ghoul boys through a special screening of a never-before-seen episode of the series, followed by a Q&A session with the hosts, Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej. The event takes place at Majestic Theatre.

Danna Paola in concert
Mexican singer Danna Paola has been in the public eye for almost her entire life. She started as a child actor, appearing on the Mexican version of Sesame Street and more. She went on to star in the first Spanish-language version of Wicked and, after releasing four previous albums, she's seen her music career take off with albums in 2020 and 2021. She'll play at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

Sunday, August 20

Nasher Sculpture Center presents Thaddeus Mosley: "Forest" closing day
Sunday is closing day for Thaddeus Mosley: "Forest" at Nasher Sculpture Center. The exhibition features five large-scale wooden sculptures, all made after 2015 by the still-practicing 96-year-old artist. Mosley has been making carved and joined wood sculptures since the 1950s. Largely self-taught, the artist works with arborists and local sawmills in the Pittsburgh area to find felled trees which he sculpts using mallets and chisels.

High School Reunion Tour with Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa
The title of Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa's co-headlining tour, the "High School Reunion Tour," might as well have quotes around the first word, since Snoop Dogg is one of the world's leading proponents of marijuana, and Wiz Khalifa named his breakout album Rolling Papers. Snoop, who just released his 20th album, Missionary, and Wiz, whose latest album is 2022's Multiverse, will be joined by Too $hort, Warren G, Berner, and special guest DJ Drama at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Photo by Herring Herring

Metallica will play at AT&T Stadium on August 18 and 20.

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World Cup record

Lionel Messi sets World Cup scoring record as Argentina wins in Dallas

Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images

Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match between Argentina and Austria at Dallas Stadium on June 22, 2026 in Arlington.

Scoring goals and breaking records is what Lionel Messi does, and it’s what he did again Monday, June 22 at the FIFA World Cup at Dallas Stadium in Arlington.

The Argentina captain, who many consider the greatest player of all time, scored two more World Cup goals on Monday in his team's 2-0 victory over Austria. That gave him a record total of 18 at the world's biggest tournament.

The Argentina-Austria group stage match at Dallas Stadium drew 70,649 spectators - an official sell-out crowd and the highest attendance yet for a World Cup match at the venue, officials said.

“Beyond anything I’m so happy for the win," Messi said. "It was huge, tough and difficult. It would allow us to be relaxed to what’s ahead. All matches in this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m enjoying this moment and craving to enjoy with my teammates.”

The first goal against Austria came in the 38th minute and two days before Messi’s 39th birthday, and amid the concern of an ailing father back at home. It was the sixth consecutive World Cup game in which Messi has scored — joining France striker Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho as only players to do so.

Messi had equaled Germany striker Miroslav Klose for the most goals in the World Cup at 16 with his first hat trick at the tournament in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in the Group J opener last Tuesday night in Kansas City.

He first had a chance to set the record in the ninth minute against Austria on Monday, but he missed a penalty kick.

“There were moments when I was really angry about missing the penalty, but I was able to make up for it,” said Messi, who has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards as the best player in Europe.

Argentina advanced to the knockout round by winning its first two group games, with Messi scoring all five of the team's goals so far in his sixth World Cup.

Messi added his 18th World Cup goal in stoppage time when he shot one through several defenders after the first attempt was turned away by goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

Lionel Messi World Cup 2022 Lionel "Leo" Messi and Argentina came into the 2026 World Cup as defending champions. Leo Messi/Facebook

In the first half, the record became Messi's alone when he caught Schlager leaning the wrong way after Thiago Almada let Facuno Medina’s pass go by him and directly onto the Argentina captain’s left foot from about 20 yards.

As the ball went into the net, Messi ran toward a corner and thrust his right arm into the air to celebrate the mark with the decidedly pro-Argentina crowd among the 70,649 fans in Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium) in Arlington, the sold-out home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

There had been a gasp from those same fans when Messi missed the penalty kick in the ninth minute.

His left-footed attempt went just wide of the right post. He is now 4 of 7 on penalty kicks in regulation play at the World Cup with misses in three consecutive tournaments.

Klose scored his 16 goals while playing in 24 World Cup matches for Germany, which wrapped up his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time over Messi and Argentina.

In an interview published on June 12, Klose said he expected Messi to break the scoring record.

“I expect my record to fall in this tournament,” Klose told German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung. “With the larger field of competing teams there are more games and so more chances to score goals. And I assume Argentina and France will go far. That’s perfectly OK, the record will be broken eventually anyhow and Messi is welcome to be the one who does it. I’m a big fan of Messi, always have been. Messi is a genius.”

Messi’s hat trick in the previous game, in his 200th international appearance, came 20 years to the date of his World Cup debut in Germany, when he also scored. Monday was his FIFA-record 28th match in the tournament.

The penalty kick came after Lautaro Martinez was running free in the box and was tackled from behind by Xaver Schlager and Stefan Posch, the defender playing with a broken jaw. Schalger got a foot on the ball, but Posch drew the penalty because he did not touch the ball as Martinez tumbled to the ground.

Play continued for more than a minute with Martinez still on the ground near the goal. When the game was stopped for him, officials reviewed the play.

Messi’s father has been undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, the family said in a statement last week while not providing any specifics. The 68-year-old Jorge Messi has played a key role in his third son’s soccer career, acting as his agent and managing his business affairs off the field.

Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion after scoring his first goal against Algeria, and said after that match his tears came following some tough days not related to soccer.

"Messi Mania" took over Dallas-Fort Worth for days surrounding the match, with passionate Argentina fans filling the Arlington Entertainment District, Fort Worth's Sundance Square, Dallas' Klyde Warren Park, and FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park in Dallas.

The Argentina-Austria game was the third of nine FIFA World Cup matches (more than in any other host city) to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. They started with Netherlands vs. Japan on June 14, followed by England vs. Croatia on June 17, Argentina vs. Austria on June 22, Japan vs. Sweden on June 25, and Jordan vs. Argentina on June 27.

The stadium will also host two Round of 32 matches (June 30 and July 3), one Round of 16 match (July 6), and one Semi-Final match (July 14).

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