It’s that special time of year when celebrities swarm sunny Los Angeles to celebrate achievement in film by handing each other little gold statues. The 96th Academy Awards will be broadcast live on ABC Sunday, March 10, giving viewers another dose of heartfelt acceptance speeches and memorable (or at least memeable) moments.
Whether you’re tuning in to swoon over the glitz and glamor of the red carpet, judge Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue, or just to see if Oppenheimer will sweep, there’s no reason to watch alone.
Throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, venues are rolling out red carpets of their own so you can join in on the fun. These are four watch parties in and around Dallas that you won’t want to miss.
The Texas Theatre
231 Jefferson Blvd.
The Texas Theatre will be hosting its annual Oscars watch party once again. The event is free to attend, with voting ballots available for $10 each. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Oak Cliff Film Society. Ballots will be used in drawings throughout the night, with prizes from local businesses (such as Top 10 Records, Taco y Vino, Wild Detectives, and others) and individual donors up for grabs. These drawings will be tied to guessing individual awards correctly, and whoever guesses the most awards correctly will be entered into a drawing for the night’s Grand Prize: a VIP badge for the 2024 Oak Cliff Film Festival.
The Texas will also have a special drink menu inspired by this year’s nominees with several cocktails on it. “We try to, you know, have fun with it,” says Ashton Campell, a partner at the theater. “We’ll probably have four or five drinks that are specific to some of the movies.”
Speaking on the event, and the appeal of watching with a crowd, Campbell says, “I think that just being in a room and being able to talk and react the same way is what’s fun for me. I like sitting in that environment and seeing what everybody else thinks.”
“It becomes, like, a very communal thing.”
JR’s Bar & Grill
3923 Cedar Springs Rd.
Cassie Nova, drag queen extraordinaire, will be hosting JR’s Bar and Grill’s Oscars watch party this year, bringing maximum glitz and glam to the awards proceedings. Billed as “Texas’ most successful gay bar and grill,” JR’s is poised to deliver a fabulous night of fun and flair for Oscars viewers.
Clifton Club
3333 N Fitzhugh Ave.
The Clifton Club will open its doors at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday for an Oscars watch-along. The show starts at 6 p.m. here and they’re promising a red carpet, plenty of popcorn, and an inspired menu of drinks paired with this year’s Best Picture nominees—including Miller High Life, the champagne of beers, for anyone rooting for The Holdovers.
East Side Denton
1117 E Oak St., Denton
For movie lovers who live further north, Denton’s East Side will be hosting an Oscars watch-along on Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m. With a wide variety of drinks (including over 80 craft beers on tap) and a “Jumbotron viewing experience,” this is an excellent viewing party venue. They’re encouraging patrons to dress up, but it’s not a requirement.
An added benefit to this location is the Austin Street Truck Stop, located directly behind East Side, which features an eclectic selection of D-FW food trucks. If your group can’t even agree on a Best Picture winner, they probably can’t agree on a place to eat. The Truck Stop solves that problem.
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