Things To Do In Dallas

Thursday, August 11

Harwood Arms hosts its 2nd Annual Irish Slammer Party. Join the pub as it attempts to set an unofficial world record. The party starts at 6:30 p.m. RSVP.

Friday, August 12

Anime at the Modern opens at the Modern Art Musuem of Fort Worth. The three-day festival begins with screenings of Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko and Belle. Click here for schedule of events.

Enjoy the musical stylings of Dylan Bishop in the AT&T Discovery District. Bishop will serve as the night’s musical entertainment at JAXON Beer Garden. His set begins at 6 p.m.

Saturday, August 13

Support youth entrepreneurs at The Boho (Mini) Market in Klyde Warren Park. The open air market starts at 10 a.m. More info.

Vince Gill performs at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. His performance starts at 10 p.m. Purchase tickets.

Sunday, August 14

School is out for the summer, so why not take the family to the Arboretum? Summer at the Arboretum returns with floral peacock displays, mural paintings, and live music. The summer series lasts until August 14. More info.

Have a day of family friendly fun at ‘Pirates Ahoy!’ in LEGOLAND Discovery Center. The exhibit closes on August 14. Buy tickets.

Recurring Things To Do

Visit the Inaugural Exhibition of Texas Sculptors at ArtCentre of Plano. The exhibit ends on August 27. More info.

August brings Dollar Days to the Dallas Arboretum. For the month of August, enjoy reduced admission to the botanical garden. The special ends on August 31. Purchase tickets.

Explore Disney Art from Private Collections at the Arlington Museum of Art. The exhibit displays artworks from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Alice in Wonderland, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and more classic Disney films. The exhibit runs until September 4. Reserve tickets.

Head to the AT&T Discovery District for ‘The Pictures Generation.’ The postmodern exhibition features multimedia works from various artists. The exhibit runs until September 5. More info.

Attend the opening of “Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity” at the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibition is a collection of Louis Cartier’s designs and the influence of Islamic art on the French luxury brand. The exhibit runs until September 18. Get tickets.

Thursdays on Tap launches at the Perot Museum. The after-hours experience allows 21+ visitors to eat and drink while touring some of the museum’s latest exhibitions. The weeknight event runs until October 13. Get tickets.

“Spirit and Form,” Octavio Medellín’s exhibition opens at the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibit is a homage to the influential artist and art educator who impacted generations of Latinx artists in Dallas and Texas overall. The exhibit, which is free to the public, runs until January 15, 2023.

Rhapsody

Mar. 5 | Meyerson Symphony Center

Theater legend Audra McDonald headlines this year’s benefit gala for the Turtle Creek Chorale, which begins its 42nd season in July. McDonald—a six-time Tony Award winner and the only performer to nab a trophy in all four acting categories—will bring her classical soprano to a mix of standards from Broadway and the Great American Songbook. It’s probably safe to assume at least one of those will be a song made famous by Billie Holiday, since McDonald won her most recent Tony portraying the singer in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill. This is a benefit, so, in addition to McDonald’s performance, there will be a live auction to raise funds for the chorale’s philanthropy and educational programs. Proceeds from the event will also go to Black Theatre United, an advocacy organization that supports Black professionals in the performing arts, which McDonald helped found. As a reward for opening their wallets, guests will be treated to a set by the IDT Band at the official after-party.

---

Arts & Letters Live: Christine Pride and Jo Piazza

Mar. 1 | DMA Horchow Auditorium

As part of the DMA’s long-running literary series, Pride and Piazza, the co-authors of last year’s We Are Not Like Them discuss their novel and the nuances of the interracial friendship at the core of it. Friends since childhood, Jen and Riley find their relationship challenged when Jen’s husband is involved in the murder of an unarmed Black teenager in their shared hometown of Philadelphia. 

---

Jazmine Sullivan

Mar. 2 | The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

Upon its release last January, Sullivan’s album Heaux Tales inspired critical and cultural conversations about femininity and sex positivity. By the end of the year, it had landed on best-of-2021 lists from Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Time, NPR, Pitchfork, and other notable outlets. Now the R&B singer-songwriter gets to see what happens when she brings those songs to the stage. 

---

North Texas Irish Festival 

Mar. 4–6 | Fair Park

One of the largest celebrations of Irish music, dance, and entertainment in the world returns to celebrate its 40th year. Dance alongside nationally and regionally known Celtic performance troupes, learn about ancient Irish tales from an array of storytellers, and immerse yourself in Celtic culture. 

---

Whither Goest Thou America: Festival of New American Play Readings

Mar. 5–27 | Undermain Theatre

Every week in March, Undermain will host staged readings of a new work from an American playwright that explores concepts such as chosen family and identity. The lineup: Parker Davis Gray’s Incarnate (Mar. 5 & 6); Erin Malone Turner’s Spaced Out (Mar. 12 & 13); Zander Pryor’s Parent, Legal Guardian, Angel, Other; and The Punk Pan Indian Romantic Comedy from Pyramid Lake Paiute artist and activist Gregg Deal (below) (Mar. 25–27). 

---

Cautious Clay

Mar. 10 | Trees

A favorite of Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, John Legend, and John Mayer, the Cleveland-raised, Brooklyn-based producer and musician (aka Joshua Karpeh) is one of the main architects of contemporary pop and R&B. Clay’s tour features songs from Deadpan Love, his first full-length album. 

---

Dua Lipa

Mar. 13 | American Airlines Center

At the age of 26, the singer and model has already collaborated with Elton John, Miley Cyrus, and Madonna, among others. That’s why she is one of the biggest pop stars in the world. She stops in Dallas to perform songs from Future Nostalgia, her second critically acclaimed studio album, after a COVID-related delay. 

---

Spirit Lodge: Mississippian Art from Spiro

Mar. 13—Aug. 7 | Dallas Museum of Art

Learn about the various Indigenous tribes and cultures of the Mississippian peoples, a technologically advanced society that spread out from the Mississippi River Valley and thrived from around 800 to 1600 C.E. The Mississippian peoples were known for their large, flat-topped earthen mounds that served as spiritual places of worship and communal places of gathering. This is the first major exhibition dedicated to them, featuring almost 200 works.

---

Come From Away

Mar. 8–20 | The Music Hall at Fair Park

On September 11, 2001, 38 planes were directed to land in Gander, Newfoundland, in response to the terrorist attacks in New York City. When the planes landed, the small town was overwhelmed with thousands of visitors from across the globe. On that day, at a local bar, strangers became friends and family as they mourned those who were lost. Maybe it doesn’t sound like the makings of Canada’s longest-running musical, but that’s exactly what it is.

---

Dallas Literary Festival

Mar. 18–22 | SMU

Nikole Hannah-Jones, David Treuer, and Jelani Cobb bring their award-winning journalism and critical analysis to this year’s edition of the Dallas Literary Festival. “Resilience” is the theme, and programming will emphasize the place of literature and journalism in the world’s
social and political movements. 

---

Colbie Caillat

Mar. 19 | Majestic Theatre

To commemorate the 15th anniversary of her debut, Coco, Caillat will open her concert with a pre-show conversation about making the bestselling album, which got its title from her childhood nickname.

---

Alexandra Farber Dance Performance

Mar. 19 & 20 | Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

In this free-to-the-public performance, the artist and choreographer uses modern and contemporary dance to show the development of personality from childhood to adulthood. The six-movement piece is accompanied by music selections from Fever Ray, the alias of the Swedish nonbinary musician Karin Dreijer.

---

John Mulaney

Mar. 25 | American Airlines Center

The standout stand-up comedian returns to the stage following a tumultuous time in his life that included a trip to rehab, divorce, and the birth of his first child. Early reports suggest the result is, perhaps unsurprisingly, his most personal material to date. 

---

Lucky Daye

Mar. 29 | House of Blues

For years, the New Orleans singer-songwriter with an old-school voice has penned tunes for R&B’s hottest stars. But now the Grammy Award-nominated musician is keeping the spotlight on himself for this 26-city tour. 

A new mixed-use development is drawing a decidedly hipper contingent to Fort Worth’s historic Stockyards district. Dubbed Mule Alley (a nod to the converted mule bars that now house shops, restaurants, and live entertainment venues), the development has helped make the once-touristy area a revitalized destination—”not just for when your cousin comes to town,” as Kayla Wilkie, lead of design and development for Stockyards Heritage Development Co., puts it. 

Shop

Take home a piece of Texas.

Flea Style & Wide Brim

Just as with its locations in Deep Ellum and The Star in Frisco, Flea Style’s Fort Worth outpost—and its little sister, Wide Brim, tucked inside Hotel Drover—is stocked with owner Brittany Cobb’s signature mix of jewelry, apparel, home decor, and locally made goods. But perhaps the biggest draw—particularly for hotel guests looking to take home a piece of Texas—are the in-store hat bars, where you can custom design a Stetson hat with scarves, feathers, and charms.

Cobb jumped at the chance to be a part of Mule Alley, saying, “When I toured the development, I instantly understood the magic.” Look for an Heirloom Haul to open inside Flea Style next year with beer, wine, and a “rainbow of frozés.” Flea Style: 128 E. Exchange Ave., Fort Worth; Wide Brim: 200 Mule Alley, Fort Worth.

Stay

Kick off your boots and stay awhile.

Hotel Drover

Anchoring the development is Hotel Drover, an Autograph Collection western luxury hotel that opened in March 2021 and “looks like it’s always been there,” says Tiffany DiPasquale, the property’s executive director for sales and marketing. Designed by HKS, the hotel features a barn as its event space, with ranch-style architecture wrapping the rest of the building. “We really wanted this to feel more like an estate, like someone’s home,” says managing developer Craig Cavileer, who, together with Wilke, sourced furniture and art for the property—70 percent of which, he estimates, was made by Texas leatherworkers and metalsmiths. (The rest was sourced from major western cities such as Aspen, Park City, and Santa Fe.) The result is a stunning feat. 200 Mule Alley, Fort Worth. 817-755-5557

Dine & Drink

Get a taste of the new Cowtown.

Sweet ‘n’ Flaky 

The Biscuit Bar

You might work up an appetite while exploring the Stockyards, so stop into The Biscuit Bar for some refreshment. “When you think of the rodeo, you think of Old Cowtown and Texas and drovers and barbecue, but biscuits are in there, as well,” says owner Janie Burkett. With a few other locations already open through Dallas-Fort Worth, the Stockyards edition opened its doors in August 2020—still during the height of the pandemic. But despite some debut nerves, “it just keeps getting better and better,” Burkett says. She recommends The Hoss—named after her late father—which includes fried chicken, bacon, jack cheese, gravy, and honey butter. The biscuit nuggets (edges of biscuits that are deep fried and dipped in caramel and sugar) are good any time of the year, but in November, all proceeds from nuggets go to March of Dimes, in honor of Bryce, Janie’s late daughter. 128 E. Exchange Ave., Ste. 640, Fort Worth. 817-912-5922

Saddle Up 

Sidesaddle Saloon

Though Sidesaddle Saloon celebrates cowboys and cowgirls alike, there’s definitely an emphasis on the ladies; cocktails are named after famous cowgirls, and a weekend visitor might bump into a bachelorette party or two. But that doesn’t mean you can’t stop in for a cozy drink with your beau. Amid all the antlers and neon signs, you’ll find quiet banquettes with tabletop lamps. “We wanted it to have that rustic, old-timey saloon feel but … something the female eye would enjoy,” says Marc McBride, director of front of house operations for Neon Light District Hospitality, the group behind the concept. 122 E. Exchange Ave., Ste. 240, Fort Worth. 817-862-7952

Pour Me Somethin’ Tall and Strong 

Second Rodeo Brewing

Fans of Truck Yard will love Jason Boso’s newest concept, Second Rodeo Brewing. Stop in for a drink crafted by brewmaster Dennis Wehrmann (of Franconia Brewing Company fame) or a bite to eat, then pick a spot on the upper balcony or the covered “bar garden” to listen to some live music. Zoning in on the heritage of “outlaw country,” Boso books local talent as well as touring musicians from Austin, Oklahoma, or Louisiana. As you ascend the stairs to the upper level, you’ll see the brewing process taking place to your left. Want to know more? Book a tour or a tasting. Because, as the t-shirts say, “This sure as hell ain’t my first rodeo.” 122 E Exchange Ave., Ste. 340, Fort Worth. (817) 240-4959

Frida: Immersive Dream

Through Apr. 17 | Lighthouse ArtSpace Dallas

The production team behind the immersive Van Gogh exhibition projects a series of Frida Kahlo’s most well-known paintings across three rooms in the downtown Masonic temple. The magical realism of the artist’s works is accompanied by a musical score. 

Politics, Protest and Black Progress in Dallas in the 1980s: The Photographs of George Fuller

Through Feb. 15 | African American Museum

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, George Fuller and his camera were there to witness historic events in Dallas. When Queen Elizabeth visited the city in 1991, he caught protesters denouncing the royal family’s history of colonialism and racism against people of the African diaspora. He documented Marvin Crenshaw’s campaign to rename Oakland Avenue after Malcolm X as well as local celebrations to commemorate the civil rights leader’s legacy. He was present for the convening of the Rev. S.M. Wright, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, and Commissioner John Wiley Price at the funeral of Rep. Mickey Leland. His images made these events more substantial and more personal at once, by providing a broader context and zooming in to the details. Fuller, an alumnus of South Oak Cliff High School and Bishop College (whose site is now occupied by Paul Quinn College), captured the Black community’s journey toward equitable representation in local politics, its protests against racially biased discrimination and mistreatment, and its leaders who defined an era. More than any other photographer of his time, Fuller encapsulated Black Dallas, chronicling moments of deep sadness, liberation, and joy for the community. 

---

Care

Through Feb. 12 | Galleri Urbane

Via her still lifes and text-based paintings, Lori Larusso wants viewers to think about food and its socioeconomic implications. The exhibition mimics the aesthetic of Instagram grids and product shots, even as some of her images depict the messiness of kitchen sinks and the behind-the-scenes nature of the titular idea. It is all a way to draw the viewer in as the Louisville artist touches on domestic work, the mistreatment of farm workers, and the true cost of eating habits. 

---

Cirque du Soleil OVO

Feb. 16–20 | Comerica Center

This latest Cirque du Soleil touring production takes its cue from nature in lieu of Vegas-themed pyrotechnics. The troupe’s signature acrobatics animate the largely unseen daily lives of the spiders, dragonflies, ants, and other insects that build worlds inside our world. 

---

The Fool

Through Mar. 12 | The Warehouse

The dreamlike paintings of poet and artist Justin Caguiat have been likened to Japanese woodblock prints, manga, and even primordial soup. You’ll want to take your time with these seven large-scale works, finding your own meaning in the shifting shapes of this Rorschach test of sorts.

---

Drifting on a Memory

Through Jul. 10 | Dallas Museum of Art

Artist Guadalupe Rosales sees art as an archival method to document the cultural productions of her hometown, East Los Angeles, as well as various Latinx neighborhoods across the country. This installation paints the museum’s walls in the alluring, eye-catching colors of lowriders, a pivotal expression of Mexican American creativity. 

---

Kacey Musgraves

Feb. 14 | American Airlines Center

Musgraves may be country music’s most effective chameleon, becoming one of Nashville’s biggest successes based on her genre-blending songs and LGBTQ-affirming videos. That is, if country music is smart enough to still claim the Texas-born singer-songwriter. Last year, she was the subject of conversation at the Recording Academy, which removed her album Star-Crossed from country music categories. 

---

Tyler, The Creator

Feb. 16 | American Airlines Center

For more than 15 years, Tyler, The Creator has shifted and evolved hip-hop’s conception of masculinity through his lyrics, style, and wildly open interviews. Call Me If You Get Lost, his latest studio album, is his personal homage to one of contemporary hip-hop’s golden eras, Atlanta-based DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz mixtape series. 

---

Bad Bunny

Feb. 18 & 19 | American Airlines Center

Honored by Billboard as one of the Greatest Pop Stars of 2021, Bad Bunny has made history with his record-breaking, all-Spanish-speaking albums and songs. His success helped the crossover of Latin trap—a Puerto Rican interpretation of Southern hip-hop with reggaeton influences—into mainstream music.

---

Aminé

Feb. 19 | South Side Ballroom

For the past five years or so, Portland rapper Aminé has positioned himself as one of rap’s most eclectic and unique talents. TwoPointFive, his latest mixtape, reintroduces fans to his buoyant, joyful sound. 

---

Carne y Arena (Virtually present, Physically invisible)

Through Apr. 18 | Fair Park

Brought to life by the Oscar-winning Mexican director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Carne y Arena is a 20-minute virtual reality experience adapted from the stories of Mexican and Central American immigrants and refugees making the difficult journey to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. As it immerses you in their lives, the project has a noble aim: attempting to humanize the physical, mental, and emotional toll this journey has taken on countless individuals and families in pursuit of a better life. 

---

Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form

Feb. 6, 2022–Jan. 15, 2023 | Dallas Museum of Art

This exhibition surveys the works of renowned artist and teacher Octavio Medellín, a Mexican American sculptor. Medellín’s art replicates the cultural art traditions of his Otomi Indian family and various Indigenous communities in Mexico, his country of origin. His works influenced generations of Latino artists such as Dallas-raised sculptor Tomas Bustos, who trained under Medellín as a high school student at Skyline. 

Elton John

Jan. 25 & 26 | American Airlines Center

After postponements caused by the pandemic and a hip injury, the former Reginald Dwight is finally on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. The appropriately named set of goodbye shows brings him to town for two dates, so fans have no excuse to miss him play “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer” one last time.

This Is Dallas

Jan. 17–May 30 | Dallas Heritage Village

Keying on the “heritage” here, this exhibition highlights the lives of eight individuals who made local and state history in their respective time periods, from Dr. M.C. Cooper, who opened his practice in Dallas in 1896, thus becoming the first Black dentist in Texas, to Rodd Gray, aka drag queen Patti Le Plae Safe, who was crowned Miss Gay America 1995. The other featured groundbreakers include Grace Danforth, a prominent suffragist; Anita N. Martinez, founder of Ballet Folklorico; businessman and philanthropist Alexander Sanger; Maggie Wu, founder of The Asian Magazine; civil rights activist A. Maceo Smith; and Comanche Nation leader Quanah Parker. The common thread? These folks defied the social norms of their time to initiate social, cultural, and political change.

Our Town

Jan. 27–Feb. 20 | Kalita Humphreys Theater

The Dallas Theater Center modernizes Thornton Wilder’s classic American play into a multilingual theater experience. Directed by Tatiana Pandiani  and featuring translations by Nilo Cruz and Jeff Augustin, this version reimagines Grover’s Corners as an international community, with English-, Spanish-, and Creole-speaking residents.

Stephanie Syjuco: Double Vision

Jan. 15–Dec. 2022 | Amon Carter Museum of American Art

The Filipino American artist reinvents several images from the museum’s extensive collective to produce new narratives of the American West and American identity. The multimedia, site-specific installation challenges viewers to question the museum’s role in the perpetuation of colonial myths and Manifest Destiny ideologies.

What the Constitution Means to Me

Jan. 4–9 | Winspear Opera House

Heidi Schreck’s play centers on her personal relationship with the country’s founding document. Her story ranges from a high school debate to earn a college scholarship to the Constitution’s direct impact on her, her female forebears, and modern-day America.

Ballet Hispánico

Jan. 14 | Winspear Opera House

The New York-based dance company brings choreographers and dancers from Venezuela, Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia to Dallas for its 50th anniversary tour, displaying the rich diversity of Latinx cultures and nationalities.

Sandy Rodriguez in Isolation

Through Apr. 17 | Amon Carter Museum of American Art

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and protests against police brutality, painter Sandy Rodriguez escaped to the high desert to unpack societal themes of trauma and communal healing in nature. Reflecting her time at the Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency, the 30 new works include landscapes and illustrated maps made with handmade inks and watercolors.

The Friends Experience: The One in Dallas

Through Jan. 17 | The Shops at Willow Bend

This nostalgia-fueled interactive attraction includes 12 rooms of re-created sets (including Central Perk) from the beloved ’90s sitcom, so you can act out the scenes you’ve watched 100 times. And, of course, make sure to get a snap of the iconic fountain from the opening credits.

FOCUS: Jill Magid

Jan. 21–Mar. 20 | The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Magid’s performance-based practice has led her to train as a spy and exhume the dead. For Tender, she took 120,000 newly minted 2020 pennies, the equivalent of a stimulus check, and scattered them among bodegas in New York’s five boroughs, setting them free with “THE BODY WAS ALREADY SO FRAGILE” engraved on the side of each. It is all documented in the accompanying film, Tender Balance.

Macbeth

Jan. 27–30 | Arts Mission Oak Cliff

Fair Assembly, an actor-led theater company known for its adaptations of Shakespeare’s works, adopts an interdisciplinary approach here, reinventing the Bard’s classic tragedy with original music and dance.

SOUTH/REALISM/X

Through Jan. 8 | Ro2 Art

“SOUTH/REALISM/X” is Edgar Cano’s first solo exhibition in the United States. The celebrated Mexican painter’s work draws from his experience in dance and theater; his compositions center on the body, and his paintings operate as a foil to its natural movements.

Glitterville Pop!

Through Dec. 26.

This might be what the Christmas Eve baby shower for Tim Burton and Kameron Westcott’s love child would look like. Where else could you find princess wands and crowns, party-hatted camels, and a tree constructed of oversize papier-mâché tacos and pink avocados? Swoozie’s founder Kelly Plank-Dworkin wanted to give a gift to the city she once called home when her late husband was CEO of Neiman Marcus. So she took over the former We Yogis space on Lovers Lane, painted the whole thing pink, and brought in Glitterville creator Stephen Brown to pack it with his whimsical creations. And voila: the only holiday pop-up in the nation by Oprah’s decorator.

5600 W. Lovers Ln., Ste. 150.

Enchant Christmas
Nov. 26–Jan. 2.

After last February’s big freeze, we’re ready for a kinder, gentler world of artificial ice and snow. Fair Park has it covered with a magical frost-free wonderland of twinkly lights galore. Chocolate-drizzled soft pretzels and literally lit-up cocktails are all the icing we need. Tickets start at $19 for kids and $20 for adults.

The Esplanade at Fair Park, 3809 Grand Ave.

The Nasher & AMEICO Holiday Pop-Up Shop
Nov. 3–Jan. 9.

The museum’s gift shop has been shuttered for much of the pandemic, but a seasonal collab with design distributor AMEICO will reopen its doors. You’ll find artful gifts such as Kumagai ceramics, IZIPIZI eyewear, Yamagiwa lighting, and—for the person with too many nutcrackers—a handcrafted Sophie Taeuber-Arp marionette.

Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St.

Holiday at the Arboretum
Nov. 9–Dec. 31 | Dallas Arboretum

This holiday festival features the Dazzling Musical Tree—50 feet tall, adorned in 42,000 lights, and, as the name would suggest, playing holiday tunes—to celebrate the season. Stop by the Christmas Village to purchase gifts for the family at more than a dozen European-style shops. While there, enjoy food and beverages at Edelweiss Haus and alcoholic libations at the large biergarten in the village’s performance area. Stop by the historic DeGolyer House for a view of “The Artistry of the Nativity” exhibition. Close out the day with a walk through “The 12 Days of Christmas,” which features a dozen 25-foot-tall gazebos with leaping lords, partridges in pear trees, and so on.

---

The Rolling Stones
Nov. 2 | Cotton Bowl Stadium

The Stones finally roll into Dallas for their No Filter Tour, scheduled for last year and postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trek is their first without longtime drummer Charlie Watts, easily one of the most influential stickmen in the history of rock and roll, who died in August. Watts’ absence leaves Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as the only remaining original members of the group—not that they show signs of stopping any time soon. Not that they should.

---

Hamilton
Nov. 16–Dec. 5 | Music Hall at Fair Park

The award-winning musical sensation, as you may have heard by now, retells the story of Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Fathers, utilizing hip-hop and a racially and ethnically diverse cast that reflects current-day America. The Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned show pays tribute to contributions made by the nation’s immigrants and first-generation Americans.

---

Milton Avery
Nov. 7, 2021–Jan. 30, 2022 | Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

[img-credit align=”alignright” id=” 865912″ width=”330″][/img-credit]

Classified as one of North America’s greatest 20th-century colorists, Avery emerged in the artistic period between American impressionism and abstract expressionism. Instead of owing anything to either, his harmonic landscapes and portraits served to influence those who followed. The exhibition consists of 70 paintings created over a 50-year period.

---

First Friday at the Modern
Nov. 5 | Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Daniel Stone, who leads the First Friday House Band, always brings a special guest or two with him. While politely grooving to their tunes, partake in a new cafe menu created by executive chef Jett Mora, highlighting seasonal Texas ingredients and local spirits.

---

Bamana Mud Cloth: From Mali to the World
Nov. 13, 2021–Dec. 4, 2022  | Dallas Museum of Art

The exhibition highlights bogolanfini (mud cloth), a symbol of cultural and national pride for the Bamana people of Mali. The cultural designs found on bogolanfini have been used in several Western products. “Bamana Mud Cloth” explores the migration of the fabric and the labor-intensive process required to produce it.

---

[img-credit align=”alignnone” id=” 865924″ width=”677″][/img-credit]

Chefs for Farmers Main Event
Nov. 7 | Dallas Heritage Village

The 10th annual Chefs for Farmers Main Event transforms Heritage Village into an open-air market of food, drinks, and culinary experiences. The city’s top chefs, restaurants, wineries, distilleries, and breweries congregate for exclusive bites and sips. From the rosé garden and tailgate party to the Go Texas area, guests can enjoy cocktails and chef demonstrations. Twenty-five dollars from each ticket sale will go to Trigger’s Toys, which provides toys and other items to hospitalized kids.

---

Carolyn Brown and Palmyra: An Ancient City Through the Lens
Through Jan. 2, 2022 | Crow Museum of Asian Art

Dallas-based photographer Carolyn Brown traveled to the Syrian Desert in 1989, making the first of many trips to photograph the ancient caravan city of Palmyra. In 2015, the UNESCO World heritage site was subjected to ISIS attacks. Accompanying photos from New York Times photographer Brian Denton document the cultural loss.

---

The World Food Championships
Nov. 5–7 | Centennial Hall at Fair Park

More than 1,500 chefs compete in three days of nonstop cooking until one is crowned (drumroll, please) the world food champion. The competition will be televised, but those in attendance will have special access to unique tasting experiences, a family-friendly fun zone, and chef demonstrations.

---

FOCUS: Frances Stark
Nov. 19, 2021–Jan. 9, 2022 | Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

L.A.-based interdisciplinary artist Frances Stark ascribes to the Nora Ephron ethos that everything is copy—or, in Stark’s case, everything in her life can be material for art. Relationships, colleagues, motherhood, sex, bedside table reading: it’s all gold. She will discuss this and more at a lecture in the Modern’s auditorium on November 16 at 7 pm.

---

Ho Tzu Nyen: The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia
Through Jan. 30, 2022 | Crow Museum of Asian Art

It is difficult to sum up what Ho Tzu Nyen is doing here. We can say this marks the U.S. debut of a moving-image installation that uses an algorithm to analyze terms related to Southeast Asia and recontextualize them. Just go see it. Each time is different.

---

Conservation Spotlight: Vincent Van Gogh
Nov. 18 | Dallas Museum of Art

Conservator Laura Eva Hartman educates patrons about her work on Van Gogh’s paintings featured in the museum’s “Van Gogh and the Olive Groves” exhibition. Her talk will touch on her discovery of the original color used by Van Gogh and information embedded in the paintings’ surfaces.

---

Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester
Nov. 6 | Music Hall at Fair Park

Fresh off two seasons of his well-received Netflix series, Patriot Act, Minhaj returns to the road for a night of narrative-led joke telling. Note: Minhaj requests that patrons place their phones in a secured pouch so guests can focus solely on the show.

---

[img-credit align=”alignright” id=” 865929″ width=”330″][/img-credit]

Sepia: Past. Pride. Power.
Through Feb. 15, 2022 | African American Museum

The exhibition includes images of African American politicians, community leaders, and entertainers featured in Sepia, a photojournalism magazine founded by Horace J. Blackwell in 1946, under the moniker Negro Achievements. Blackwell, an African American clothing merchant in Fort Worth, created what has been called a “poor man’s Ebony.” Images of Aretha Franklin, Huey Newton, Ray Charles, Cicely Tyson, and more are featured here.

---

Terry Hays and Kathy Robinson-Hays: Side by Side
Through Nov. 13 | Ro2 Art in The Cedars

“Side by Side” presents works by Texas visual artist Kathy Robinson-Hays and her husband, fellow artist Terry Hays. The Hays’ paintings and paper drawings focus on the cyclical nature of decline, rebirth, and restoration.

---

The History of the Prairie View Interscholastic League: Black High School Sports in Texas in the Era of Segregation
Through Feb. 15, 2022 | African American Museum

The Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association donated memorabilia from the state’s Black high schools for this exhibition, which shows the resilience and passion of Black student-athletes, who lacked resources and funds due to segregationist policies.

FAME Fest | October 2

Dallas’ first experiential fitness festival, FAME Fest, is set to take place on October 2. The one-day event is a partnership between Omni Dallas Hotel and Fitness Ambassadors. Though FAME Fest focuses heavily on health and wellness, the acronym stands for ‘fitness, arts, music, and experience,’ so workouts are just the beginning.

Attendees can experience 10 express studio classes, each just 35 minutes long, from Dallas mainstays like CYCLEBAR and Grit by Brit. The roster includes silent disco yoga flow, mobility deep stretch, and outdoor spin. Each is infused with art and music for a sensory-driven fitness experience. Take a break from breaking a sweat to peruse vendor booths, get a quick treatment from local favorites like Miniluxe and FaceHaus, and sample bites from one of the Omni’s nearby restaurants on Lamar Street.

“Our goal is to create an experience that really brings the community together by spotlighting amazing studios, local businesses, artists, and more,” said Mai Lyn Ngo, the founder and CEO of Fitness Ambassadors. “We are such a fit city with a really diverse fit culture. We hope that FAME Fest will be the perfect balanced experience for attendees to break a sweat, experience the arts and music, and indulge in well-earned food and beverages.”

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and tickets are on sale for $85. Don’t forget sunscreen, a towel, a water bottle, and a mat.

Feel Good AF Festival | October 30

Feel Good AF founder Kenneth Paul spent 20 years in a high-stress corporate job and put wellness on the backburner. In 2019, the Philadelphia native had an epiphany and started on a journey toward a more balanced life. During the pandemic, he left his job, sold his Brooklyn apartment, and focused on finding a solution for our society’s growing rates of anxiety and depression amid stay-at-home orders. Paul used his professional event production experience to develop the Feel Good AF brand and festival.

Sure, fall doesn’t officially start until the equinox next Wednesday. But as far as North Texans are concerned, autumn begins as soon as the Dallas Arboretum kicks off its beloved seasonal event.

Autumn at the Arboretum comes alive this Saturday, September 18, and will run through October 31. As always, the acclaimed festival includes a Pumpkin Village filled with 20-foot-tall decorated pumpkin houses; the display incorporates 90,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash sourced from the West Texas town of Floydada. You’ll also find 150,000 fall-hued flowers–marigolds, chrysanthemums, and more–blooming across the Arboretum’s 66 acres.

The festival, which is now in its 16th year, has adopted a Bugtopia theme for 2021. Expect to see photo-worthy displays like towering insect topiaries, a bug-themed maze, and an 18-foot-long dragonfly crafted from plants. An Insect Encounters tent will feature hands-on programming like live insect demonstrations, nature-inspired art projects, expert chats, and a beneficial insect release, where attendees can handle and release bugs that will pollinate the Dallas Arboretum. On Mommy and Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays, kids are treated to face painting, a petting zoo, music classes, and a shoppable pumpkin patch. Family Fun Weekend (October 9-10) and Halloweekend (October 30-31) will include similar family-friendly offerings.

Adults will find plenty to do, too. In A Tasteful Place garden, guests can sample bites prepared with seasonal produce like figs, rosemary, and sweet potatoes. On Mondays, enjoy complimentary cooking classes with Chef Aaron Hubbard. On Tuesdays, attend demonstrations on everything from flower arranging to vegan baking. Wine Wednesdays will feature wine tastings and pairing tips. Each weekend features live music from local bands.

The six-week Autumn at the Arboretum festival is rounded out with guided walking tours, horticulture demonstrations, harvesting classes, and a plethora of other fall-themed activations. Check out the entire itinerary here, and keep an eye on the Dallas Arboretum Instagram account, @thedallasarboretum, for a first look at this year’s displays.

Event admission is $17 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 and older, $12 for children ages 2 to 12, and free for Dallas Arboretum members and children under two.

New Stories: New Futures
Aug. 20 & 21, 9 pm–1 am | Pioneer Tower

AURORA and The Arts Council of Fort Worth team up for this two-day exhibition curated by Dr. Lauren Cross and DooEun Choi. New media works by the Turkish-born Refik Anadol and the Italian artist Quayola will be projected on all four sides of the tower in the Cultural District. At its base will be installations by a group of 10 North Texas artists, meant to be in dialogue with the works above, that include historical and contemporary narratives of Fort Worth.

---

Casablanca
Aug. 1 | Rooftop Cinema Club

Rooftop Cinema Club is revitalizing the drive-in, setting itself apart from competitors with an outdoor music festival-​​
inspired vibe at its Heritage Village location. Wireless headphones allow attendees to lounge in stylish deck chairs and beanbags for romantic date nights or family trips to the movies. (We think this screening of the 1942 Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman classic is made more for the former.) For the 21-and-up crowd, the venue has a cocktail bar in the back, near the luxurious air-conditioned restrooms; on your way back, stop by a wooden table for a quick game of Connect 4 or Jenga, pre- or post-flick. Popcorn and snacks are available for purchase, or you can hit up the local food trucks parked at Rooftop Cinema’s entrance.

---

Spinning in the Clouds: Summer DJ Series
Aug. 6, 13 & 20, 7:30–11 pm | Reunion Tower

Reunion Tower hosts a Friday night DJ series in its GeO-Deck after the tour groups and looky-loos have left the observation deck for the day. The lineup for this month: DJ Zamora (Aug. 6); DJ K-Sprinkles (Aug. 13); and DJ Reave (Aug. 20). At 470 feet above the city streets, name a better view for a party anywhere in town.

---

August Dollar Days
Aug. 1–31 | Dallas Arboretum

For the entire month, visitors can tour the Arboretum’s grounds (including A Woman’s Garden, with its sculpture and infinity pool) for $2, with parking discounted to $5. Food and drink specials include $1 sodas, juice, and Popsicles; $2 root beer floats and hot dogs; and $4 brownie sundaes.

---

Dog Days of Summer
Aug. 4, 11, 18 & 25 | MUTTS Canine Cantina

Every Wednesday, the dog-friendly food-and-drink franchise provides ice baths and refreshing water activities for pets to combat the summer heat. Their owners can cool off with $4 draft beer specials.

---

Vitruvian Nights Live
Aug. 12 & 26 | Vitruvian Park

Catch Matchbook 20 (a Matchbox Twenty tribute band, naturally) on August 12 at this free music and entertainment series at Vitruvian Park in Addison. Two weeks later, Emerald City headlines to close out the month.

---

Committed: Mad Women of the Asylum
Aug. 1, 2 pm | South Side on Lamar

Cry Havoc Theater Company presents an immersive production about the lives of six women who were wrongly institutionalized in the late 1800s. Set in the basement, the production leans on the creepy location to emphasize the horrific act of women being removed of their agency.

---

Arts & Letters Live: Charlotte McConaghy

Aug. 4, 7 pm | Virtual

International bestselling author Charlotte McConaghy joins Arts & Letters Live for a discussion about her new book, Once There Were Wolves, scheduled to hit shelves the day before her appearance. This is one of three national events for her follow-up to 2020’s Migrations. Join the author as she takes readers inside the story of a woman’s mission to save wolves in the wild Highlands of Scotland. (Recording will be available until August 18.)

---

Anime at the Modern
Aug. 20–22 | The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Marc Hairston and Christine Veras curate this three-day celebration of anime. The celebratory event opens with Mind Game (2004), is followed by Patema Inverted (2013) and Earwig and the Witch (2020), and ends with Masaaki Yuasa’s Ride Your Wave (2019, pictured). Hairston and Veras introduce each film with critical and thoughtful commentary about the films’ societal themes.

---

Wunder Series
Ongoing | Harwood District

The Harwood District’s bars, restaurants, and—of course—samurai museum have banded together to make sure there is a reason to visit seven days a week. Find the schedule of free live music and interactive exhibitions on the website.

---

Addison After Dark: Pints & Pups
Aug. 21 | Addison Circle Park

You can find local beer tastings, pet supply vendors, and a dog trick contest at this canine-​concerned edition of Addison’s monthly After Dark festival series. Bring your dog for a concert by Burning Hour (led by Dave Sharrock and Eddie Allen) at 7:30 pm. If you don’t have your own pup, you can rent one for the night.

---

Focus On: Henry Ossawa Tanner
Aug. 17–Jan. 2, 2022 | Dallas Museum of Art

This exhibition of painter Henry Ossawa Tanner’s work demonstrates how the artist’s utilization of biblical themes grew throughout his acclaimed career. The Thankful Poor and Christ and His Mother Studying the Scriptures (pictured) are key examples of his incorporation of familial and religious upbringings in his practice.

---

Public Works Dallas: A Little Less Lonely
Aug. 10 | Dallas Theater Center

Normally around this time, the Dallas Theater Center puts together a big summer pageant, with a cast drawn from regular Dallasites. This year, because of the pandemic, it has been replaced by a filmed theatrical production, A Little Less Lonely, directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo. The cast is smaller than usual but will still manage to involve some 60 community members from across Dallas.

---

Better
Through Aug. 15 | Dallas Museum of Art

Social practice artist Mel Chin details the importance of solidarity between Asian Americans and Black Americans in a public banner on the DMA’s Ross Avenue Plaza (the third in a series of artist-designed banners hung there). Chin’s design, a visual expression of “Black Lives Matter” in Chinese, highlights the communal plight of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities against societal injustice.

Whether you prefer a straightforward workout class in a community park or a fancy fitness event followed by shopping, one of these free summer happenings is sure to please. Here are a dozen ways to break a sweat without breaking the bank this June and July.

CRISP & GREEN x Fit Social Club Class

Saturday, June 26, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. | CRISP & GREEN in University Park | Free

Healthy fast-casual restaurant chain CRISP & GREEN is continuing its free workout series all summer. Attendees will enjoy complimentary agua frescas and can pick up a CRISP & GREEN salad for a post-workout lunch. Tomorrow’s high-intensity ‘Ignite’ class from Fit Social Club promises to offer a total body burn. Bring your own mat.

CRISP & GREEN x BEYOND Studios Pilates Hybrid Interval Training Class

Sunday, June 27, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | CRISP & GREEN in University Park | Free

BEYOND is combining its two signature classes, BEYONDPilates and BEYOND500, for a workout that’ll burn your whole body. Bring your own mat.

CRISP & GREEN x Camp Gladiator Class

Saturday, July 10, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | CRISP & GREEN in University Park | Free

This full-body boot camp workout is suitable for all levels; beginners are welcome and can modify the routine if needed.

CRISP & GREEN x Title Boxing Club Class

Saturday, July 17, 10 to 11 a.m. | CRISP & GREEN in University Park | Free

Beginners are welcome at this high-intensity, equipment-free shadowboxing class. Bring your own mat.

CRISP & GREEN x PureBarre Barre Class

Sunday, July 18, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. | CRISP & GREEN in University Park | Free

Experience PureBarre’s infamous muscle toning and lengthening exercises with this barre class.

Zumba Class at Fabletics

Saturday, July 3, 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | Fabletics at Legacy West | Free

This Zumba workout promises to be an intense and energetic class that’ll make you sweat.

Dance2Fit Class at Fabletics

Sunday, July 4, 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. | Fabletics at Legacy West | Free

High-energy music will drive this aerobics-meets-dance workout.

Session Pilates Class at Fabletics

Saturday, July 10, 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | Fabletics at Legacy West | Free

After Session Pilates leads this workout, attendees can shop at Fabletics with an exclusive discount.

Jazzercise Class at Neighborhood Goods

Sunday, July 18, 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. | Neighborhood Goods at Legacy West | Free

Though this workout is again hosted by Fabletics, it will take place inside Neighborhood Goods. After class, enjoy discounts at both retailers.

Summer Bod Saturdays with Camp Gladiator

Every 4th Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. | The Boardwalk Pavilion in Plano | Free

These full-body strength and cardio workouts are hosted by coaches from Camp Gladiator Plano. Bring your own mat and water.

CorePower Yoga Sculpt Classes at Mockingbird Station

Saturday, June 26 and Saturday, July 10, 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. | Mockingbird Station | Free

Mockingbird Station’s Summer Strong series is a health and wellness-focused activation with free fitness classes and spa services, shopping discounts, raffles, food vendors, and a DIY flower arrangement bar. Each event in the series runs from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., with the workout starting at 9:30. The June 26 and July 10 iterations include yoga sculpt classes from CorePower Yoga.

9Round Kickboxing Class at Mockingbird Station

Saturday, July 17, 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. | Mockingbird Station | Free

The final event in the Summer Strong series includes a high-energy, 30-minute workout from Mockingbird Station’s kickboxing studio, 9Round.