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The month of June is designated as Pride Month to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and various groups and businesses around Dallas-Fort Worth are showing their support in a multitude of ways.

Here's our list of the best ways we've found for members of community and allies to participate in Pride Month in style. We start with the festivities that are running June 3-4, followed by other celebrations that will occur all month long.

Dallas Pride Weekend
June 3-4: Start the month off right at the biggest official celebration taking place at Fair Park. This annual event, which used to be in the Oak Lawn area before moving to Fair Park in 2019, includes a music festival featuring headliner Allison Ponthier on Saturday; the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade on Sunday; plus other activities celebrating the LGBTQ community.

Pride Day at Reunion Tower
June 3-4: The little ball in the downtown Dallas sky is celebrating Pride month, too. It'll kick off on June 3 with a splendid rainbow flag show that'll run all weekend long, and will continue to pop up during the month with dynamic rainbow displays on most Fridays and Sundays in June.

"Party with the Queens” Pride Brunch at El Chingon
June 3, 2-4 pm: El Chingon, Fort Worth’s “Bad Ass Mexican” restaurant, will host an exclusive “Pride Brunch” as part of its recurring “Party with the Queens” series. The brunch will feature live drag performances, mimosa specials, and more.

Pride Pool Party at Adolphus Hotel
June 3, 7 am-11 pm: Pool Adolphus at Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas will host an all-day Pride Pool Party, featuring colorful cocktail specials, rainbow Jell-O shooters, and a local DJ.

Lakewood Brewing Co. presents Pride Vendor Fair + Yas Queen! ReleasePride Vendor Fair + Yas Queen! Release
June 3, 12-4 pm: Lakewood Brewing Co. will host a party at its taproom with Wandering Roots Markets celebrating the release of Yas Queen, a taproom-exclusive Raspberry Wheat ale. There will also be Pride Vendor Fair featuring local artists and vendors, as well as on-site flash tattoos.

Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum presents “Voices of LGBTQ+ Dallas”
June 7, 7 pm. The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is hosting “Voices of LGBTQ+ Dallas,” a special exhibition program for Pride Month highlighting trailblazers in the Dallas area LGBTQ+ community. The program featuring speakers such as Chris Luna and Naomi Green is already sold out, but the Museum’s current special exhibition, Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement, is on display through June 18.

Arttitude presents OutLoud: A Night of Pride
June 8, 6 pm: OutLoud: A Night of Pride is an inclusive event where artists and performers can fearlessly share their stories and experiences. The event will include poetry, burlesque, and a music performance by special guest Gina Chavez. At the Latino Cultural Center.

Dallas Wings Pride Night
June 9, 7 pm: Pride Night for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA. They'll be taking on the Phoenix Mercury, who feature Brittney Griner as their star player. All attendees at College Park Center in Arlington will receive a special rally towel for the occasion.

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Pride in Bloom
June 10-11: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will highlight Pride Month with its second Pride in Bloom celebration, featuring a full weekend of LGBTQ+ artisans, entertainers, chefs, and small businesses. Visitors can shop items at the vendor market, pack or purchase a picnic, listen to live entertainment, and enjoy Gary Lee Price’s Great Contributors’ bronze exhibition. Admission to the Children’s Adventure Garden will also be free.

Dallas Arts District presents Pride Block Party
June 16, 6 pm: The Pride Block Party in the Dallas Arts District features a variety of activities at the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and Crow Museum of Asian Art, and throughout the district. Activities include gallery tours, drag performers, comedy, dancing, and a fashion show.

Dallas Comedy Club presents "Stand-Up for Hope"
June 17, 5 pm: Stand-Up for Hope is a stand-up comedy show featuring all-LGBTQ performers and benefiting Dallas Hope Charities, which helps provide food, shelter, and services that instill dignity, stability, and Hope For All. Hosted by Stefan Newman, host of Queer Factor, the event will feature performances by Kim Wadsworth,Kerry Day, Charlotte Parker, Lucia Hardaway, and Jamie Zeske.

Ride for Pride
June 24, 9 am: Ride for Pride is a four-mile bike ride down the Katy Trail and back, starting at Reverchon Recreation Center. There will also be Health and Safety fair from 10 am-2 pm.

Monthlong celebrations

Pride Month screenings at Rooftop Cinema Club
Rooftop Cinema Club on top of the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in downtown Fort Worth will screen a variety of films with LGBTQ+ themes or characters throughout the month of June, including Mamma Mia!, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Birdcage, Moulin Rouge!, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and The Devil Wears Prada.

Special Pride drink from Gong cha
Gong cha, which has seven stores in the DFW area, will donate a portion of every purchase of their special Lemon Ai Love Yu bubble tea to the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) in name of #Equalitea. The special Pride drink is a sweet and tart Lemon Ai Love Yu bubble tea with white pearls and (edible) glitter for some extra festive sparkle. The limited time promotion will run through June 30.

Luckys Pride Celebration
A Dallas institution off Oak Lawn Avenue for more than 35 years, Luckys has long been a supporter of the LGBTQ community. They'll celebrate Pride Month throughout June with a special commemorative T-shirt and a celebratory cocktail, the Pride ’Rita, featuring El Jimador Blanco tequila blended with Chambord, lime juice, and agave nectar.

Electric Shuffle Pride Brunches
Every Sunday in June starting at 12 pm, Electric Shuffle in Deep Ellum will host a Drag Brunch and donate 10 percent of those brunch sales to DIFFA. There will be big-name performers, a Drag Race Royalty special guest, high-tech shuffleboard, live DJs, and more. Additionally, $1 of each purchase of their new summer cocktail, the Prickly Pear Margarita, will be donated to DIFFA.

Photo by Preston Meneses

These are the 17 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Weekend Event Planner

This weekend in and around Dallas is jam-packed with events, to the point that it was difficult to pare down the list. Choices that made the cut include five theater productions, a music festival, several big concerts, art openings, the annual Pride celebration, and more.

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. Find some big food and drink events here.

Thursday, June 1

Josh Gates: An Evening of Legends, Mysteries and Tales of Adventure
Adventurer, television personality and author Josh Gates is the host and executive producer of the Discovery Channel series Expedition Unknown. The show follows Gates as he sets out on a global journey to explore archaeological discoveries, historic mysteries, and scientific breakthroughs. Gates immerses himself in each story, conducting his own investigations, showcasing the work of dedicated explorers while also highlighting vibrant cultures and fascinating destinations. He'll talk about his experiences during this event at Winspear Opera House.

Undermain Theatre presents The Way She Spoke
The Way She Spoke is a haunting and theatrical one-woman play which travels from the stage to the treacherous streets of Juárez, Mexico, where thousands of women have been murdered in an epidemic of violence that has yet to stop. The play is a raw and riveting exploration of responsibility: one playwright's journey to give voice to a city of women silenced by violence, fear and a world that has turned a deaf ear to their stories. The production runs through June 18 at Undermain Theatre.

Uptown Players presents Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical
In an epic game of cat and mouse, two diabolically charming step-siblings place a bet, and vow to destroy anyone who gets in their way. Seduced by passion and revenge, this devious duo spins a web of dangerous liaisons and find themselves entangled in the cruelest game of all: love. Based on the cult classic film and featuring favorite '90s hits, the production runs through June 11 at Kalita Humphreys Theater.

Belle Sauvage presents The Last Flapper
Is she mad… or just angry? Alone in a mental hospital, Zelda Fitzgerald, icon of the Jazz age, asks the questions her doctor should have. Did F. Scott steal her words? Did he claim she was insane just to gain his freedom? Can a woman decide her own fate? In this poignant, playful and truthful one-woman show, Zelda finally gets to tell her side of the story. The historical play wrestles with issues that are not at all a thing of the past. The production runs through June 11 in Theatre Too at Theatre Three.

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Poems for Broken Screens
Part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project series, Poems for Broken Screens is a transmedia performance art project spanning multiple genres and disciplines. It is an adventurous expression of 21st century poetry, broadly interpreted: the poem as sound, as image, as movement, as media. This ambitious project is an avant-garde interpretation of poetic forms translated through technology and experimental performance. There will be three performances through Saturday at Hamon Hall inside Winspear Opera House.

Theatre Three presents Next to Normal
The Goodman family is just a “normal” family: Dad's an architect, mom packs lunches and makes birthday cakes, and their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens. Under the surface, their family is anything but. Next to Normal is an emotionally charged Tony-Award winning musical that explores a family’s raw and emotional journey with a mother struggling with chronic bipolar disorder as they navigate a world of therapists and medication. The highly anticipated production runs through July 2 at Theatre Three.

Friday, June 2

Dreamhack
At Dreamhack, guests can participate in a variety of activities, including esports tournaments featuring Counter-Strike and Halo, cosplay contests, shopping expo, visiting with content creators, and more. The event runs through Sunday at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

Stonebriar Centre presents Disney and Pixar’s Elemental Experience
Disney and Pixar’s Elemental Experience invites fans into the world of the new film Elemental, featuring fun film-themed activities like photo and video opportunities, a chance to draw with Pixar artists, a movie-ticket grab in a wind tunnel, plus giveaways and special film content. The event runs through Sunday at Stonebriar Centre ahead of the film's opening on June 16.

KHYI 95.3 The Range Radio presents Texas Music Revolution
KHYI 95.3 The Range Radio presents the 27th annual Texas Music Revolution, a two-day event featuring over 75 bands on 15 stages throughout downtown McKinney. Performers will include Charlie Robison, Kevin Fowler, Chris Knight, John Baumann, Shane Smith & the Saints, Robert Earl Keen, Adam Hood, Micky & the Motorcars, and more.

Spark presents Prismatic
Prismatic is a pop-up experience where visitors can immerse themselves in rooms decorated with one single color and theme, designed and built entirely by local high school students. Taking place on weekends through August 27, the event is open to all ages, but will also include a variety of adult-only nights.

Janet Jackson in concert
Janet Jackson comes to Dallas as part of her ninth concert tour, Together Again. The tour will celebrate Jackson's 50th anniversary in entertainment and spotlight milestones for two of her most critically acclaimed albums - 25 years of The Velvet Rope, and 30 years of janet, featuring her biggest chart-topping hits, plus new music. The concert will be at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Lady A in concert
What's in a name? Lady A has seemingly found out since shortening the former "Antebellum" part of their name in 2020. Prior to the change, each of their seven albums had reached No. 1 or 2 on the Billboard Country charts, and come in near the top of the Billboard 200. Their only album since the name change, 2021's What a Song Can Do, charted at No. 12 and 135 respectively, a far cry from their previous heights. And after playing at Dos Equis Pavilion in each of their three most recent visits to Dallas, they'll play the far more intimate Majestic Theatre this time around.

Rodney Crowell in concert
The soon-to-be 73-year-old Rodney Crowell has been a mainstay in country music since his debut album in 1978. Since then, he's gone on to release 22 albums, reaching his highest heights in 1988 and 1989, when all five singles off his album Diamonds and Dirt went to No. 1 on the Billboard Country charts. He'll play at Longhorn Ballroom in support of his new album, The Chicago Sessions. He will be joined by Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley.

Heather McMahan: The Comeback Tour
A beloved standup comedian, storyteller, and the best friend everyone wants, Heather McMahan has seen her popularity skyrocket with fans and the industry falling for her voice, wit and southern flair. Her podcast, Absolutely Not With Heather McMahan was named one of the 10 Best Podcasts of 2021 by Entertainment Weekly. She'll perform at Winspear Opera House on Friday and Saturday.

Saturday, June 3

Arlington Museum of Art openings
Even though it's an art museum, music will be the centerpiece of two new exhibitions at the Arlington Museum of Art. Piggybacking on the recent visit by superstar Taylor Swift, they'll host Taylor Swift: "The Eras Tour Collection," curated by the museum from Swift’s own private collection and featuring original costumes, photographs, and concert videos drawn from her creative periods, or "eras." Also opening is "Girl in a Country Song: Women of Country Music," featuring intimate portraits of female country music legends like Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Tanya Tucker, LeAnn Rimes, and others. Both exhibitions will be on display through September 24.

Dallas Pride Weekend
Dallas Pride Weekend is a two-day event that includes a music festival headlined by Allison Ponthier on Saturday, the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade on Sunday, and other activities celebrating the LGBTQ community. The celebration takes place around Fair Park on both Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, June 4

Janet Jackson

Photo by Preston Meneses

Janet Jackson will play at Dos Equis Pavilion on June 2.

Mary Chapin Carpenter in concert
Country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter debuted in the late 1980s, but she hit her peak in the 1990s with hits like "Passionate Kisses," "He Thinks He'll Keep Her," "I Take My Chances," and "Shut Up and Kiss Me." Those songs are more than enough to keep her relevant 30 years later even though she's continued to release new albums, most recently 2020's The Dirt and the Stars. Carpenter will play at Majestic Theatre.

Photo by Mark Thompson

Dallas' Deep Ellum debuts new community arts fair Memorial Day weekend

Festival News

Memorial Day weekend will be lit in Deep Ellum with the first inaugural Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair, a community-run three-day event featuring local artists, artisans, musicians, performers, and neighborhood businesses.

The "community-run" is a very soft elbow jab at the festival that preceded it: The Deep Ellum Arts Festival, which took place in Deep Ellum for decades but was not entirely locally focused, often featuring vendors from outside the area.

That festival faltered during the pandemic, and finally got canceled in 2022. But the community still loved having a festival; they just wanted one that would favor local artists and performers.

"Rather than turning to vendors from outside the neighborhood, we want to encourage attendees to explore Deep Ellum," organizers say.

Thus, about 90 percent of the participants at this year's event are from North Texas; the rest are regional artists.

Musical performances include Dorrough Music, Tumzilla, Wolfie, Dezi 5, RAVS, Cure for Paranoia, Loners Club, Jake Quillin, Children of Indigo, Glitter, The Wee-Beasties, King Clam, and Gluestick. Set times are listed on the website.

There are appoximately 130 artist booths featuring artists and artisans such as Benjamin Wright Coleman, Dennis Casey Photography, Fred & Janis Tate Designs, Jim Brightwell, Jose Angel Art, Joshua Weiss, Vulgar Teacups, Steffie Molla, Chelseascreename, Glass Jeanne Design, and Holi Michener Art.

Many restaurants are also creating special menu items for the event.

When: Saturday May 27, 11 am-10 pm; Sunday May 28 and Monday May 29, 11 am-8 pm

Where: The event will be on Crowdus Street, between Clover and Indiana Streets, with two stages, one at either end, plus outdoor booths.

Photo by Casey Howes and Krystal Butler

These are the 10 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Weekend Event Planner

There is quite the variety of events going on across Dallas this long Memorial Day weekend, with multiple outdoor events and celebrities of all different types. Choices include a (literally) major golf tournament, dance in a (sculpture) garden, two local theater productions, a horror convention, two big rock concerts, a classical concert, a unique musical performance, and an arts festival.

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.

Thursday, May 25

Pilobolus in the Garden
Photo by Casey Howes and Krystal Butler

Pilobolus in the Garden will be at Nasher Sculpture Center on May 25 and 26.

KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
Major Championship golf is coming to Frisco for the first time with the playing of the 83rd KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort. Twenty-five major champions will be part of the 156-player field, including John Daly, David Duval, Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, Pádraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard. Davis Love III, Jose Maria Olazabal, Vijay Singh, Mike Weir, and more. The tournament takes place through Sunday.

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents Pilobolus in the Garden
Pilobolus in the Garden is a special TITAS-commissioned site-specific project created for, and in, the Nasher Sculpture Garden. The magical work involves the famed Pilobolus dancers performing with Booker T. Washington HSPVA’s student dancers, moving throughout the entire the Nasher garden landscape. The dancers, and audience, move quietly through the sculpture garden in an outdoor experience. There will be four performances through Friday.

Pocket Sandwich Theatre presents How the Other Half Loves
How the Other Half Loves follows three married couples whose lives are hopelessly, hilariously, entwined. Chaos ensues following the consequences of an adulterous affair between a married man and his boss' wife and their attempts to cover their tracks by roping in a third couple to be their alibi, resulting in a chain of misunderstandings, conflicts, revelations, and laughter. The production runs through June 17 at Pocket Sandwich Theatre in Carrollton.

Friday, May 26

Texas Frightmare Weekend
The annual Texas Frightmare Weekend, the Southwest’s premier horror convention, celebrates all aspects of genre films. The event features a variety of celebrity appearances, including filmmaker John Carpenter; filmmakers Sam and Ted Raimi; Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, and Dane DiLiegro from Prey; actor/dancer Amie Donald from M3GAN; and more. There will also be autograph signings, screenings, exclusive parties, and horror memorabilia vendors from all over the country. The event takes place through Sunday at Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas.

Dead & Company in concert
Dead & Company comes to Dallas part of their final tour since forming in 2015. The band - Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, and Bob Weir, with Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti – will perform two sets of music drawing from the Grateful Dead’s historic catalog of songs. The concert is at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Liszt & Ligeti"
The final concert in Dallas Symphony Orchestra's 2022/2023 classical series will be "Liszt & Ligeti," featuring conductor Jaime Martin and pianist George Li. The program will include Ligeti's Concert Românesc für Orchester, Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major for Piano and Orchestra, and Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra. There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Bush in concert with Our Lady Peace
British rock band Bush is a rarity in the music industry, in that they've consistently been more popular in the United States than their native country. Their debut albums, 1994's Sixteen Stone, went to No. 4 on the Billboard 200, but only No. 42 in the UK, a trend that has remained the same throughout their career. They'll honor that special relationship with U.S. fans at this concert at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, which is in support of their 2022 album, The Art of Survival. They will be joined by Our Lady Peace.

Richardson Theatre Centre presents No Sex Please, We're British
A young bride who lives above a bank with her husband, who is the assistant manager, innocently sends a mail order off for some Scandinavian glassware. What comes is Scandinavian pornography. The matter is considerably complicated by the man's mother, his boss, a visiting bank inspector, a police superintendent, and a muddled friend who does everything wrong in his reluctant efforts to set everything right, all of which works up to a hilarious ending of closed or slamming doors. The production runs through June 11 at Richardson Theatre Centre.

Jess Garland presents Luminescence
Part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project series, Luminescence is a performance featuring Jess Garland on a laser-harp created by frequent collaborator Eric Trich. The performance shows the connection between light, sound, and visual arts. There will be three performances through Sunday at Wyly Theatre.

Saturday, May 27

Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair
Taking the place of the now-defunct Deep Ellum Arts Festival, the inaugural Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair seeks to highlight the wide variety of artists, performers, and entertainers in the Dallas area. Taking place through Monday, the event will be filled with curated exhibits, concerts, and food showcasing the talent and businesses inside of the community. The layout of the fair will run down Crowdus Street to bring more foot traffic to Deep Ellum businesses.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

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

Weekend Event Planner

It's another big weekend in and around Dallas, with all sorts of significant events taking place. There will be four new theater productions, including a national Broadway tour, a genre movie celebration, a visit from the premier acrobatics troupe, three big festivals, two dance productions, an orchestra playing live to a classic movie, and the annual return of a great rock band.

Richard Thomas in the national tour of To Kill a Mockingbird
Photo by Julieta Cervantes

Broadway Dallas presents To Kill a Mockingbird, playing at the Music Hall at Fair Park through May 28.

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.

Thursday, May 18

Lyric Stage presents Tarzan
Adapted from the 1999 Walt Disney Animation Studios film of the same name, Tarzan follows the journey from "boy to man" of an infant who is raised by gorillas in the jungles of West Africa. As Tarzan develops feelings for a young woman who suddenly appears in his jungle, he discovers that his animal upbringing clashes with his human instincts, causing him to struggle with not only his love for Jane but how to protect his family. The musical, with music & lyrics by Phil Collins, will have five performances through Sunday at Majestic Theatre.

Echo Theatre presents I and You
Caroline doesn’t do school. And she hates poetry. Home-bound due to a life-threatening illness, Caroline has isolated herself in her room as she awaits an organ transplant, which seems fated to never arrive. But then classmate Anthony, a devoted Walt Whitman enthusiast, bursts into her life armed with an urgent homework assignment, waffle fries, and his own vivacious love of life. The production runs through June 3 at Bath House Cultural Center.

Dallas Noir Fest
The 2nd annual Dallas Noir Fest includes three days of films, books, and events, all tied together by a mutual love of great Noir stories. Taking place at Violet Crown Cinema in Dallas, the festival will include screenings of Hell or High Water,Dial M for Murder,Point Blank, Strangers on a Train, Cape Fear (1962), The Getaway (1972), and The Maltese Falcon.

Broadway Dallas presents To Kill a Mockingbird
Set in Alabama in 1934, Harper Lee’s enduring story of racial injustice and childhood innocence centers on one of the most venerated characters in American literature, small-town lawyer Atticus Finch (played by Richard Thomas). The cast of characters includes Atticus’s daughter Scout, her brother Jem, their housekeeper and caretaker, Calpurnia, their visiting friend Dill, and a mysterious neighbor, the reclusive Arthur “Boo” Radley. The touring production, adapted by Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin, will run through May 28 at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Cirque du Soleil presents Corteo
Corteo, which means "cortege" in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The Cirque du Soleil production runs through Sunday at Comerica Center in Frisco.

Friday, May 19

39th Annual Main Street Fest: A Craft Brew Experience
Main Street Fest: A Craft Brew Experience in Historic Downtown Grapevine is a fun event for all ages, with a carnival, artisans, shopping, A Taste of Texas, the Craft Brew Experience, and more. Live music will be featured along Main Street from headliners Vertical Horizon and Little Texas, as well as tribute bands like Blaze of Glory, Dunn & Brooks, and King George. The festival takes place through Sunday.

Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival
The annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival will be headlined by bands like X Ambassadors, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and Jimmie Vaughan & The Tilt-a-Whirl Band. Taking place through Sunday at Galatyn Park in Richardson, the festival also features the Singer Songwriter contest, the family friendly WF! Kids, the WF! Eats, the WF! Marketplace and Performers Row featuring strolling entertainers, buskers and acrobats, a Battle of the Bands contest, the Budding Talent Competition, and the Art Guitar Auction.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Spring Celebration
Spring Celebration from Dallas Black Dance Theatre will feature the world premiere of T A B E R N A C L E by Chanel DaSilva, which takes the audience on a journey through layered emotions and concepts, paying homage to the many facets and complexities of Black Culture. In Furtherance, Kirven Douthit-Boyd created a work that portrays overcoming a personal struggle from anguish to bliss. DBDT veteran dancer McKinley Willis choreographs her first mainstage work for the company. SMILE is a ballet filled with whim and wonder, suspense, and unpredictability. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday at Wyly Theatre.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in Concert
Filled with unparalleled magic and imagination, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial follows the moving story of a lost little alien who befriends a 10-year-old boy named Elliott. Audiences can experience all the mystery and fun of their unforgettable adventure in the beloved movie, complete with John Williams’ Academy Award-winning score performed live by a full symphony orchestra in sync to the film projected on a huge HD screen. There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Texas Ballet Theater presents Alice in Wonderland
Audience can go down the rabbit hole with Texas Ballet Theater this weekend, as the dance company presents their final production of the season, Alice in Wonderland, a family-friendly ballet that showcases charming characters and a fantastical journey narrated by Alice herself. There will be four performances through Sunday at Winspear Opera House before the production moves to Fort Worth next weekend.

The Core Theatre presents Portal to the Keep
Portal to the Keep is a mind-bending melodrama of epic proportions. When John and Lacey find an old watch in an antique store, they have no idea that it is about to send them on a life-changing adventure, one that will pit them against the ghastliest villain of the universe bent on controlling time itself. The production runs through June 11 at The Core Theatre in Richardson.

Saturday, May 20

Exodus Music and Arts Festival
Iconic gospel artist Kirk Franklin and Live Nation Urban will present the return of the Exodus Music & Arts Festival. The event, taking place on Saturday and Sunday at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, is the preeminent festival for gospel music and culture, spotlighting the genre’s superstars and elevating the vanguard of its next era. Franklin will host and headline the show, leading a lineup that includes Yolanda Adams, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Tamela Mann, Natalie Grant, Naomi Raine, Taya, and more.

Dave Matthews Band in concert
If it's the third weekend in May, that means it's time for the annual visit from Dave Matthews Band. The group has consistently played the same venue, Dos Equis Pavilion, on virtually the same weekend in May 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 always score No. 1 albums, including (most likely) their new album, Walk Around The Moon, which is being released on May 19, just in time for this concert.

Photo by Herring Herring

These are the 16 must-see concerts for summer 2023 in Dallas-Fort Worth

Summer Concert Preview

Musical acts go on tour all year-round but there's no concert season like summer concert season: Outdoor arenas and sheds open their doors, and major tours head out on the road, seizing on the more favorable weather to put on a big show.

Concert attendance is up up up in 2023: In a clear sign that the appetite for in-person music and entertainment events is back to normal, Live Nation Entertainment reported a 73 percent rise in revenue for 2023 so far, with predictions that this will be their best year ever.

This summer's lineup in Dallas-Fort Worth is especially packed, with big concerts coming through town almost every week.

Below are some of the most-anticipated concerts of the summer, listed in chronological order. While not a comprehensive list of every concert taking place, it should serve as a guide to the musicians people want to see the most. (For more listings, check our event calendar.)

Janet JacksonJune 2, Dos Equis Pavilion
R&B star Janet Jackson makes a rare appearance in Dallas as part her ninth concert tour, Together Again. The tour will celebrate Jackson's 50th anniversary in entertainment and spotlight milestones for two of her most critically acclaimed albums - 25 years of The Velvet Rope, and 30 years of janet, featuring her biggest chart-topping hits, plus new music.

Koe WetzelJune 9, Dickies Arena in Fort Worth
There aren't many well-known people to come out of the East Texas small town of Pittsburg, but singer (and Fort Worth bar owner) Koe Wetzel is one of them. With a blend of music that mixes together country and rock, he's experienced a leap in popularity the last few years, with his latest album, 2022's Hell Paso, making his biggest impact yet, going to No. 3 on the Billboard Country charts.

Fall Out BoyJune 28, Dos Equis Pavilion
Now 20 years into their career, Fall Out Boy remains almost as popular as they were at their peak. Best known for hit songs like "Sugar, We're Goin' Down," "Dance, Dance," and "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race," each of their albums since 2005, including the new So Much (for) Stardust, has made the top 10 on the Billboard 200, showing that their fans are still showing up even as they get into middle age.

Bryan AdamsJune 29, Dickies Arena, with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Rocker Bryan Adams can officially be considered a classic act, as he's been releasing music for over 40 years. With hits in the '80s like "Cuts Like a Knife," "Run to You," and "Heat of the Night," and hits in the '90s like "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You," "Please Forgive Me," and "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?," Adams could easily rest on his laurels. But he's continue to put out new albums every few years, most recently 2022's So Happy It Hurts.

Outlaw Music Festival with Willie Nelson and FriendsJune 30, Dos Equis Pavilion with Whiskey Myers, Flatland Cavalry & Particle Kid
With the legendary Willie Nelson having just turned 90, every opportunity to see him in concert should be heeded. One of the most prolific singers of all time, Nelson recently released his 99th album I Don’t Know A Thing About Love, a staggering number that still only hints at the impact he's had on musicians far and wide.

blink-182July 5, American Airlines Center
The version of blink-182 that fans grew to love in the late '90s/early 2000s hasn't been available for almost 10 years since singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge left the band in 2015. His return puts the band back at full force, with a new album rumored to be released later this year. For now, fans can revel in hits like "All the Small Things," "I Miss You," and "Up All Night."

Shania TwainJuly 21, Dos Equis Pavilion
For about 10 years, from the mid-'90s to the mid-2000s, there were few country singers bigger than Shania Twain. During that stretch, she had seven No. 1 songs - including "Any Man of Mine," "You Win My Love," "You're Still the One," and "Honey I'm Home" - that helped her sell tens of millions of albums around the world. After a 15-year break in recording, she's picked up right where she left off with her last two albums, including the new Queen of Me.

Erykah BaduJuly 23, American Airlines Center
Fans in Dallas are used to seeing plenty of Erykah Badu, whether it's at one of her yearly birthday bashes at the Factory in Deep Ellum, or just around town as the Dallas resident goes about her day. For the first time in a long time, Badu is going on a big tour, playing arenas in 25 cities, culminating with a stop in her hometown. She's not promoting any new music, but chances are fans won't mind a trip down memory lane, especially with special guest Yasiin Bey along for the ride.

Jason MrazJuly 26, Music Hall at Fair Park
Singer/songwriter Jason Mraz is one of those musicians who has maintained a good amount of popularity through the years despite never becoming a superstar. He's released eight albums in his career, including the upcoming Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride, with his biggest success coming between 2008 and 2012 thanks to hits like "I'm Yours," "Lucky," and "I Won't Give Up."

Eric ChurchJuly 28, Dos Equis Pavilion
It didn't take long for country singer Eric Church to get to the top of the mountain in the genre. His 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me, made the top 10 on the Country charts, and he's been at No. 1 or in the top 5 with his six subsequent albums, including his most recent release, the 2021 triple album Heart & Soul. With lots of hits to draw upon, like "Drink in My Hand," "Springsteen," "Give Me Back My Hometown," and "Hell of a View," fans will have plenty to sing along to.

Boy George & Culture ClubAugust 10, Dos Equis Pavilion
Music icons Boy George and Culture Club come to Dallas as part of their 2023 tour, The Letting It Go Show, featuring special guests Howard Jones and Berlin. The prolific band, which just passed its 40th anniversary, will perform all of their big hits, including "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me," "Karma Chameleon," and "Church of the Poisoned Mind."

MetallicaAugust 18 and 20, AT&T Stadium in Arlington
Making their first DFW appearance since 2017, the legendary heavy metal band Metallica will make it count, performing two concerts in three days at AT&T Stadium in support of their new album, 72 Seasons. The band promises a "No Repeat Weekend," with two different setlists and support lineups at each concert: They'll be joined by the reunited Dallas band Pantera (touring for the first time in 22 years) and Mammoth WVH on August 18, and Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills on August 20.

Beck & PhoenixAugust 21, Dos Equis Pavilion, with Chloe
Both Beck and the French band Phoenix have had solid careers despite making music that's rarely broken through to the mainstream, so it's no surprise that they're teaming up for this co-headlining tour. Beck is best known for '90s songs like "Loser," "Where It's At," and "Devils Haircut," while Phoenix scored with 2000s hits like "1901" and "Lizstomania."

LL Cool J: The F.O.R.C.E. Live with The Roots, DJ Jazzy JeffAugust 24, Dickies Arena
Rapper LL Cool J will headline his first arena tour in 30 years dubbed The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live. Honoring the 50th anniversary of the creation of hip hop, he'll be joined by The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip, as well as Rakim, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Juvenile, Goodie Mob, and MC Lyte. Unlike the traditional “opening act – headliner” format, the show will be a nonstop musical mash-up with performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots.

50 CentAugust 25, Dos Equis Pavilion, with Busta Rhymes and Jeremih
Rap fans will have a full weekend, as 50 Cent comes to Dos Equis Pavilion one day after LL Cool J, as part his "The Final Lap Tour." 50 will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of his 2003 debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', performing dozens of fan-favorite and chart-topping hits along with select tracks that have not been performed live in years.

Jonas BrothersAugust 30, Globe Life Field in Arlington
Wrapping up the summer will be Jonas Brothers, who are self-styling their 2023 output as important, labeling their tour as simply The Tour and their new album as The Album. Fans at this concert will get much more than just The Album, though, as the brothers promise to play five full albums at each stop on the tour, turning the evening into something approaching epic length.

Metallica
Photo by Herring Herring

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

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CultureMap Emails are Awesome

3 Dallas restaurants appoint new chefs, while another chef gets on TV

Chef news

It's a big week for big chef news in the Dallas restaurant world.

Three high-profile restaurants have made major new chef appointments. There's also a celebrity Dallas chef who will appear on TV this week.

Here's all the Dallas chef news you need to know:

Adolphus Hotel
Chef Rolf J. Weithofer has been appointed Executive Chef of culinary operations at the Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas, where he'll oversee restaurant, bar, and catering including Rodeo Bar, City Hall Bistro, Otto’s, in-room dining, and banquets. (The hotel's acclaimed French Room has still not fully reopened post-pandemic, although it is open for tea Wednesday-Sunday, 11 am-3 pm.)

Weithofer has 22-plus years of experience, most recently as Executive Chef at Stone Harbor Golf Club in New Jersey, where he led two restaurants and banquets. Prior to that, he worked at restaurants and hotels in New York, Maui, Germany, Japan, Los Angeles, Venezuela, Miami, and Puerto Rico, including Maxim’s de Paris in New York. Weithofer has also racked up awards including a Gold Medal in the Culinary Olympics.

Ocean Prime Dallas
Charlie Tkacik has been appointed Executive Chef at Ocean Prime Dallas, the upscale seafood and steakhouse from Cameron Mitchell Restaurant (CMR) which opened in Uptown in 2009.

Tkacik was born in Rhode Island and the Northeast is his major influence, particularly in preparation of seafood such as the restaurant's Texas redfish. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, he interned at Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York, and has more than a decade of experience at upscale restaurants across New England, including a four-year stint at the iconic Boston Grill 23 & Bar. He joined Cameron Mitchell Restaurant several years ago and was most recently Executive Sous Chef at Ocean Prime Boston.

Mexican Test Kitchen
Matt McCallister is executive chef at Mexican Test Kitchen, a new pop-up restaurant at the West Village in Dallas from Local Favorite Restaurants, the group from restaurateur Mike Karns that also encompasses El Fenix, Snuffer's, Meso Maya, Taqueria La Ventana, Tulum, Village Burger Bar, Jalisco Norte, and Twisted Root. Mexican Test Kitchen took over the former Honest Taco space and is an interim concept to be replaced by a new restaurant in the fall. McCallister is now working with Local Favorite Restaurants full time.

A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, McCallister began his Dallas career at Stephan Pyles, where he served as executive chef and had his own tasting room. In 2012, he opened FT33 in the Dallas Design District, which earned accolades locally and nationally in magazines such as Bon Appétit and Food & Wine. In 2019, he opened Homewood on Oak Lawn Avenue which had its own on-site garden. The restaurant made Texas Monthly's Best New Restaurant list in 2020, and Best New Restaurant in CultureMap's 2020 Tastemaker Awards.

Fox TV MasterChef
Tiffany Derry joins Fox TV series MasterChef as a guest judge, appearing on an episode on Wednesday, June 14, airing at 8 pm.

Derry, who owns Roots Southern Table, appears on United Tastes of America in an episode called "Regional Auditions - The South." Contestants have 45 minutes to prepare a dish that will secure them one of five remaining spots in the top 20. The show is hosted by Gordon Ramsay, with judges Aarón Sánchez and Joe Bastianich. Derry will be the week's Guest Judge.

Dallas nails ranking as No. 1 U.S. market for new built-to-rent homes in 2022

THE RISE OF THE RENTAL

With the increasing demand for housing and rising popularity of constructing homes for rent, Dallas has topped the charts as the metro area with the highest number of single-family rentals built for all of 2022.

Nearly 2,800 build-to-rent homes were completed in Dallas in 2022, which is a 10-year high, according to a new study by RentCafe.

The study also found the number of rental homes skyrocketed five times higher last year than in 2021, when only 500 rentals were completed and Dallas ranked No. 3 in the nation.

The study analyzed build-to-rent data from RentCafe's sister site, Yardi Matrix, for communities that had at least 50 single-family rental units.

Phoenix (which outpaced Dallas last year) ranked No. 2 in the latest findings with only 1,527 units completed last year. After Phoenix, single-family rentals in other American metro areas only went into the triple digits, with Atlanta, Georgia (No. 3) at 808, Greenville, South Carolina (No. 4) at 584, and Charlotte, North Carolina rounding out the top five with 475 units completed.

Dallas also had the second highest number of single-family rentals completed in the country within the last five years, totaling 3,955 units. The city ranked higher than every other Texas metro area. Phoenix took the No. 1 spot with over 6,000 build-to-rent homes completed in the same time period.

Other Texas metros that appeared in the top 10 with the highest number of build-to-rent units between 2018 to 2022 include Houston (No. 4), Austin (No. 7), and San Antonio (No. 8).

The study's findings support a growing demand for flexibility among renters who may not want the high cost and maintenance associated with home ownership, RentCafe says.

“More and more people are deciding they want the best of both worlds: the flexible lifestyle of the renter, with no maintenance commitments and costs, and the comfort and privacy offered by living in a house,” the study’s author wrote. “In this case, build-to-rent homes check all of the boxes, while high home prices and rising interest rates make them even more appealing.”

The number of single-family rentals is expected to continue rising dramatically in 2023. Currently, 4,350 units are under construction in Dallas, second only to Phoenix (again) which has nearly 5,500 units underway.

Overall, there are 44,700 build-to-rent homes being built this year throughout the nation; three times more than the number of completed homes in all of 2022, the study says.

Top Dallas chef re-emerges at upscale Mexican pop-up at West Village

Chef News

There's culinary action brewing in Dallas' West Village with an award-winning chef turning out some amazing Mexican food. It's a new restaurant pop-up called Mexican Test Kitchen, located at 3699 McKinney Ave. #307, and it stars Matt McCallister, one of Dallas' most high-profile chefs.

Mexican Test Kitchen is the working title for a new concept in the works between McCallister and restaurateur Mike Karns, who recently took ownership of the West Village. It occupies the space that was previously Honest Tacos (and before that, Taco Diner); Honest Taco closed in April.

For now, they are doing a pop-up, with a menu that McCallister has designed, featuring tacos, bowls, and salads, plus inventive margaritas.

"I didn't want to see the West Village get hurt with the closure of a restaurant, so we mobilized our team and opened Mexican Test Kitchen as a pop-up," Karns says.

Their plan is to be open this summer with an interim menu of dishes they are developing, while they reconcept and redesign the space.

"It'll still be Mexican but leaning a little more healthy than Tex-Mex — more like healthy Mex, with a lower price point and a little more casual," Karns says. "We feel like it will bring some energy to West Village."

McCallister is the award-winning chef who at age 31 founded FT33, an acclaimed restaurant in the Design District. It earned numerous accolades both locally and nationally in magazines such as Bon Appétit and Food & Wine. He followed that up with Homewood, a restaurant he opened on Oak Lawn Avenue in 2019, which made Texas Monthly's Best New Restaurant list in 2020, and Best New Restaurant in CultureMap's 2020 Tastemaker Awards.

McCallister is now working with Karns' Local Favorite Restaurants group (El Fenix, Snuffer's, Meso Maya, Taqueria La Ventana, Tulum, Village Burger Bar, Jalisco Norte, Twisted Root) full time. He joined following the untimely closure of Homewood in February.

"When Homewood closed, I reached out to Matt," Karns says. "He works with us now as well as Alex Urrunaga (Plan B Group, Reach Restaurants)."

That team will help create their fun new concept. Karns says they'll close the pop-up in late August, then re-open in September after the remodel is complete.

"Mike is a super cool guy, it's kinda crazy I get to work for him," McCallister says. "At the end of the day I just want to contribute my slice of the pie to Mike's vision for the company."

Those craving McCallister flavors can meanwhile enjoy the current pop-up menu featuring:

  • Citrus pig with citrus-braised carnitas, griddled onions, pineapple, cotija cheese, & mint
  • Brisket, barbacoa style with rajas, blistered corn, & chipotle mayo
  • Asada Steak with cilantro, caramelized onion, peanut salsa macha
  • Grilled chicken with smoky chipotle marinade, chiles toreados
  • Habanero lime shrimp with pickled red onion & watermelon radish
  • Tempura cod with Mexican tartar sauce, & green cabbage crunch
  • Griddled Camote (sweet potato) with goat cheese, toasted pepita sprinkle, charred green onions
  • Mexican mushroom with caramelized creminis, maitakes, trumpets, & oyster mushrooms, griddled onion, cilantro, & watermelon radish

Chips & queso feature a pale whipped queso fresco with peanut salsa macha and pumpkin seed crunch. Guacamole comes topped with pomegranate and toasted pistachio.

Salads and bowls include a beautiful ensalada rossa with wild arugula & matchstick beets; a “shades of green” salad with hearty greens, spinach, tri-color quinoa, crispy chickpeas, avocado, roasted corn, dried cranberries, & green Carognola olives; and a Ranchero bowl with black beans, white rice, sweet potato, marinated beets, crispy Brussels sprouts, Mexican kimchee, hearty greens, & mojo.

If all that's not enough, everything's crazy-cheap: Tacos come in at $4-5, and salads and bowls at $12.