Weekend Event Planner

These are the 16 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Every weekend in May around Dallas seems to be bigger than the last, with this one featuring multiple big events taking place at the same time. They include CultureMap's annual Tastemaker Awards, a big country music awards show, three festivals, two well-known comedians, four local theater productions, a symphony concert, a horror movie convention with famous celebrities, a dance production, a big rodeo, and a concert from a huge Latin music singer.

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 16

59th Academy of Country Music Awards
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards will again give fans in Texas and around the world an exclusive invitation to Country music’s Party of the Year with the biggest stars and live performances. Joining host Reba McEntire on stage will be performers like Chris Stapleton, Post Malone, Cody Johnson, Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani, and more. The awards take place at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco.

CultureMap Tastemaker Awards
The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards are the celebration of Dallas' top restaurant and bar talent, as selected by their peers. The mission is to shine a spotlight on the people making the local restaurant scene special and honor their innovation, energy, and creativity. CultureMap's signature tasting event and awards ceremony will celebrate all of the nominees and unveil the winners, and guests will sample bites and sip specialty drinks along the way. It takes place at Fashion Industry Gallery.

Elm Street Music and Tattoo Festival
The Elm Street Music and Tattoo Festival will feature live music, comedy and art shows, brunch deals, and custom motorcycles on display. After kicking off on Thursday with a burlesque show and art exhibition, the centerpiece of the festival will be the tattoo convention, taking place Friday through Sunday at Trees. Other events will take place at Elm Street Tattoo, Brick & Bones, and CheapSteaks.

Michelle Wolf: It’s Great to Be Here Tour
Michelle Wolf has become one of the most influential voices in the comedy landscape. Her most recent Netflix special, Michelle Wolf: Joke Show received high praise, and her first hour-long stand-up special, Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady, which premiered on HBO in 2017, earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special. She'll perform at House of Blues Dallas.

The Firehouse Theatre presents Footloose
The stage musical Footloose features dynamic new songs augmenting the powerhouse hits from the movie's Oscar-nominated score. The production celebrates the exhilaration of youth, the wisdom of listening to one another, and the power of forgiveness. It will run through June 2 at The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini"
Featuring conductor Daniele Rustioni and pianist Behzod Abduraimov, "Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" will include selections like Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and Casella's Symphony No. 2. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will perform the concert four times through Sunday at the Meyerson Symphony Center.

Friday, May 17

40th Annual Main Street Fest: A Craft Brew Experience
The 40th Annual Main Street Fest: A Craft Brew Experience will transform the heart of Grapevine into a family-friendly celebration showcasing a unique blend of craft brews, live entertainment, and community spirit. The weekend festivities include a Carnival Midway, KidZone, and food and shopping vendors, along with Historic Main Street shops, cafes, and winery tasting rooms. It takes place in Historic Downtown Grapevine through Sunday.

Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival
The annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival will include live performances by headliners like Randy Rogers Band, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Sister Sledge, GROUPLOVE, and AWOLNATION. It also includes the Singer Songwriter contest, the family friendly WF! Kids, the WF! Eats, the WF! Marketplace and Performers Row, a Battle of the Bands contest, the Budding Talent Competition, and the Art Guitar Auction. The festival takes place through Sunday at Galatyn Park in Richardson.

Texas Frightmare Weekend
The annual Texas Frightmare Weekend celebrates all aspects of genre films, featuring celebrity appearances, autograph signings, screenings, exclusive parties and horror memorabilia vendors. Among the celebrities on hand will be Scream franchise stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard, Dermot Mulroney, Jamie Kennedy, Marley Shelton, Lee Waddell, and Roger L. Jackson (aka voice of Ghostface); Joe Dante, Kane Hodder, Juliette Lewis, Michael Ironside, Jason Patric, Eli Roth, Tom Savini, Dee Wallace, and more. It takes place through Sunday at Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas.

Pocket Sandwich Theatre presents Four Weddings and an Elvis
Sandy, the four-times-married-three-times-divorced owner of a wedding chapel in Las Vegas, has certainly seen her fair share of matrimonies. The hilarious Four Weddings and an Elvis features four of her funniest: Bev and Stan, who are getting married - by the King himself - as revenge on their exes; Vanessa and Bryce, two arrogant aging stars who are tying the knot as a publicity ploy, and are vexed by an aging Elvis who doesn’t know who they are; and Martin and Fiona, a gentle postal-worker and a tough ex-con trying to get married before the police arrive. The final wedding is the funniest all: Sandy’s fifth and final wedding which reveals a hilarious twist. It runs through June 22 at Pocket Sandwich Theatre in Carrollton.

Nimesh Patel: Fast & Loose Tour
Comedian/writer Nimesh Patel is an entertainment entrepreneur who has built his booming comedy career from the ground up entirely on his own. In November 2023, his Netflix standup set premiered on the streamer’s new series Verified Standup. Also in 2023, Nimesh was included in Variety’s prestigious “10 Comics To Watch” list as well as Vulture’s list of “Comedians You Should and Will Know. He'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Spring Celebration
Dallas Black Dance Theatre's 47th season draws to a close with Spring Celebration. Their multi-faceted artists will be joined by special guests, The DASH Ensemble, as they embrace a spirit of joy and revelry in a showcase of their passion and finesse. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday at Wyly Theatre.

Rodeo weekend in Arlington
The big rodeo weekend in Arlington kicks off with Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, a reimagined rodeo in which six teams will compete head-to-head in bracket-style competition for a $1 million purse, followed by a performance by Kid Rock. It will be followed on Saturday and Sunday by PBR World Finals: Unleash the Beast, bull riding’s most prestigious event that crowns the PBR's next champion rider and bull, featuring 10 rounds of action in a playoff-type format. Both events take place at AT&T Stadium.

Teatro Dallas presents Cloud Tectonics
In the midst of a storm, a lone motorist encounters a pregnant hitchhiker, setting the stage for a mesmerizing tale of love and mystery. As the motorist offers shelter, he unwittingly invites the hitchhiker into his home, where her presence captivates him and his brother, who is home unexpectedly from military duty. Cloud Tectonics explores themes of fate and connection amidst apocalyptic times, weaving realism into a narrative that challenges perceptions of time. The production runs through June 1 at Latino Cultural Center.

Richardson Theatre Centre presents Lost in Yonkers
Lost in Yonkers, a coming-of-age story, centers around two brothers, Arty and Jay, who live with their grandmother and their mentally challenged Aunt Bella, while their father travels, desperately trying to scrape enough money together while working as a salesman to pay off his debts to a loan shark, and their mother has died of cancer. Over the course of the play, the young boys learn lessons about love, responsibility, and the importance of family that will carry them into adulthood. The production runs through June 2 at Richardson Theatre Centre.

Saturday, May 18

Pepe Aguilar in concert
Pepe Aguilar comes to Dallas alongside his family for the Jaripeo Hasta Los Huesos Tour 2024, a show rooted in Mexican tradition, music, and culture. Jaripeo Hasta Los Huesos will take the audience on a visual and musical journey that goes back to the origin of the Aguilar Dynasty through classic and favorite songs spanning several generations, including hits by Antonio Aguilar, up to the latest hits and timeless classics by Pepe Aguilar, the music of Leonardo and Ángela, as well as Antonio Aguilar Jr. The concert will be at American Airlines Center.

The Firehouse Theatre presents Footloose

Photo by Jason Anderson/Pendleton Photography

The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch presents Footloose through June 2.

music awards tastemaker awards festivals comedy theater symphony concerts kids families celebrities dance rodeo event-planner

Nutty Holiday

17 holiday-themed pop-ups across Dallas go crazy for Christmas

Camp Christmas

Christmas is always a festive time but it seems more festive than ever this year with an array of activities around Dallas-Fort Worth that are over the top. Instagram deserves a lot of the credit — everything has to be photo-worthy — but this year has brought a new round of holiday-themed displays and experiences, from Mariah to a campy Christmas to igloos everywhere. It feels like we're all just ready to celebrate like we never have before, and these events provide an opportunity to do just that.

Here's where to take your Christmas fun to the next level this season:

Addison Circle Park and the town of Addison has added a month of new holiday events called Rockin’ Around the Circle. Festivities kick off with the lighting of the Cake Topper, Addison Performing Arts Centre’s two-story glass tower, with red and green lights and caroling from music group Vocal Magic on December 5. There are over 30 events, including a tree lighting on December 6, carriage rides, a holiday paint & sip, and three performances of Frozen Jr. Events will run from December 5-22.

Camp Christmas at AT&T Performing Arts Center is putting a campy spin on Christmas. The exhibit made its Dallas debut from Colorado this year. It features a series of interactive holiday-themed rooms with quirky art and decorations. It all falls into three experience options: the fixed-time entry Classic Camp, Guided Camp, and a Camp Director tour led by creator Lou Hanzon. Prices start at $20. The installation runs until December 29.

Santa at Camp Christmas Camp Christmas at Annette Strauss Square Photo courtesy of AT&T Performing Arts Center

Chicken N Pickle at Grand Prairie's Epic Central is giving lodge vibes right on the courts with a pop-up bar. Called the Holiday Hideaway, it's a 21 and up holiday experience featuring festive decor and outdoor fire pits. It can even be reserved for private parties. The bar features holiday cocktails and a red pepper and hummus charcuterie board for the group. Tables are $5-$10 per person. It lasts until December 31.

Dallas Trail of Lights takes place on the Reunion Tower lawn this year. It's a limited-time holiday event featuring a a giant snow foam pit, nightly drone shows, Ferris wheel, and pictures with Santa. Plenty of photo opportunities are available with all those winter attractions. Tickets are $10-$15. The Trail of Lights runs from November 29- December 25.

Decorator's Warehouse in Arlington treats every day like it's Christmas— literally. They stock all Christmas decoration necessities, from candy cane lights and wreaths to trees and ornaments, including 20 themed areas ranging from rustic to elegant. Even if you're just looking to walk through the 60,000 square-foot space for a winter wonderland, that's an option too, since it's open Monday through Saturday from 10 am-6 pm, and Sunday from 11 am - 6 pm. Though the Christmas shop is open year-round, it closes briefly from April to May to redecorate its winter landscape.

Hilton Anatole, the Design District hotel, is going big for the holiday with a 60-foot Ferris wheel and indoor 40-foot slide. It's been transformed into a Bavarian Christmas Village for the season, featuring an Après Ski lounge pop up, with seasonal bites and drinks, and a tree maze. Tickets are $20 for children and $25 for adults. The event is available through December 31.

Illuvia, at Grand Prairie's EpicCentral, is a Vegas-style water and lights show. It features color-changing lighted fountains shooting 60-feet in the air to synchronized holiday music, such as "Christmas Eve/ Sarajevo," and holiday images will also be projected in the fountain streams throughout the show. The show runs every evening from 6-11 pm through December 31.

La Parisienne, the French bistro at The Star in Frisco, is now a winter wonderland, with snowy pine trees, birch wood, flocked garlands, snow-covered wreaths, and a dining space with winter napkins, candles, and glassware. The space also features specialty winter cocktails.Local artist Mark Majedi curated the winter wonderland decor and design in the space, inspired by owner Mondi Tag’s travels to Paris in the winter three years ago. The experience also features a daily $55 holiday tea time and is available through February 28.

Legacy West in Plano has a whole lineup of holiday festivities planned as part of Legacy North Pole. Activities range from pup photos with Santa to holiday crafting for the kids to a "Witty Elves Discovery Walk," which features an exploration of Legacy West with children's author Rebecca Clark. The events run through December 22.

Mariah Carey Pop-up, at the Commons Club inside Virgin Hotel Dallas, is an immersive experience featuring sips and photo opportunities. Dallas is one of just five locations featuring the Christmas-themed bar, decorated with a Christmas tree, photo booth, and lyric wall. Visitors can even write letters to Carey at the "letters to Mariah station." Special cocktails all feature Carey's Black Irish cream liqueur, such as the espresso martini or martini flight. Tickets start at $20. It's available from 4-11 pm through December 29.

Mockingbird Stationwill have a one-day free ice skating rink pop-up on December 12 from 3-8 pm. It's part of the Skates and Stockings event, which will feature caricature drawings and photos with Santa. A little more about the rink and how they get it up and down for just a day, it's a 30-foot by 40-foot portable synthetic ice rink that can hold up to 45 adults or 50 kids at a time. It's located next to West Elm on the ground level of Mockingbird Station.

Tower Club Dallas is transforming part of the 48th floor of the Santander Tower into a winter ski lodge complete with flocked Christmas trees, wreaths, and a life-sized stuffed bear named Bruce. Plus, they're offering special menu of festive cocktails and photo opportunities. The room can host 100 guests for a standing cocktail reception or 50 guests for a formal seated event. Private holiday party bookings are available to both members and non-members. The special is available through January 2025.

Yellow Rosa Cocktaileria, the Deep Ellum speakeasy, has transformed into a winter wonderland where snow is to be expected. It snows inside every 30 minutes over the lounge decked out for the holidays with decorations and a photo booth. The snow is actually made of a type of soap, so when it lands, it disappears shortly after. There are also new Christmas cocktails, such as the Mexican Olaf margarita in a snowman cup, to pair with Mexico-inspired dishes. It runs until January 15.

Igloos

Chicken N Pickle in Grapevine has brought back their buzzy rooftop igloos. With a choice of either the Rustic Retreat or Snowflake Lounge igloos, it's a 21 and up pop-up featuring 10 festive cocktails, full-service from the regular menu, and room for up to eight people. The bar features holiday cocktails and bites. Igloos are $40 for two hours. It lasts until December 31.

Sixty Vines Uptown will become a winter wonderland with a special private dining experiences starting December 1. Each of the igloos fits up to six people and are made extra cushy with blankets, pillows, Bluetooth speaker, and a space heater. The igloos can be booked for up to two hours, with a minimum food and beverage purchase of $200. Reservations can be made here.

Westin Stonebriar and Resort in Frisco has a snow globe experience inside its Herd & Hearth restaurant that can be booked for groups with up to five people. The igloo-like setting is complete with a bottle of prosecco, s'mores, and a cheese board. It can be booked for up to 90 minutes at a time for $100 per person. Reservations can be made here. The globes will be up until January 29.

Winter Wonderland at Hotel Vin in downtown Grapevine has brought back bubbles on the WineYard lawn. It features nine bubbles decked out with ski-lodge décor, fur blankets, heaters, a bottle of wine, and cheese or chocolate fondue. Each bubble igloo seats up to five people. Plus, it's situated for a view of the historic Grapevine Vintage Railroad. Prices start at $250 for 90 minutes. It runs through February 9.

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