Things To Do In Dallas

Last week, on a warm and mostly sunny President’s Day, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden was packed. Couples picnicked on the greens. Teenage girls in quinceañera dresses and tiaras posed on garden steps. Parents chased after their kids, who, in turn, climbed statues and fed koi fish in the ponds. Japanese cherry blossom trees were beginning to bud, and neatly planted tulips were sprouting everywhere. 

Four days later, on a quiet, overcast, and cold Friday morning, the Arboretum staff, board, and members of the public gathered inside A Tasteful Place to celebrate spring and the opening of the annual Dallas Blooms festival. Every year, the Arboretum plants 500,000 tulips, azaleas, and more. Over the past 39 years, the Arboretum has planted more than 9 million blooming bulbs, chairman Will McDaniel says. “This is the most tulips outside of Holland in any public garden.”

And while the weather was chilly for the festival’s opening, by mid-March, there will be around 3,000 azaleas, 125 cherry blossom trees, and “120 varieties of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and many other flowering plants,” says Dave Forehand, vice president of gardens. Dallas Blooms is open through April 16. There are plenty of events planned, and flowers will be blooming all season. “You want to come back more than once,” he says. 

The Secret to Dallas Blooms

Outgoing Arboretum president and CEO Mary Brinegar shares her insider tips to navigating the spring festival. 

This year also features eight statues of historical figures like Amelia Earhart, Ruby Bridges, and Mother Teresa, from sculpture artist Gary Lee Price’s Great Contributors series. Price first installed pieces from his Great Contributors series in 2016 at the Arboretum. He returned in 2019 with an installation of 30 life-sized statues of kids, called Celebrate the Children. This year is a sequel to his first Great Contributors show, with a larger focus on female heroes throughout history, he says. 

On display for the next six months, the statues are scattered throughout the grounds. Price says he wanted to remove the deity-like figures from their pedestals and “bring them down to earth,” by placing them on benches. “You can sit with them, and, with a little imagination, you can have a conversation with them.” 

We had our own conversation with Price about Great Contributors and why he keeps coming back to the Dallas Arboretum. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Why choose to sculpt historical figures?

The reason why I bring these deified people down to earth is to help us all realize that we have that same potential to literally change the planet. Make it a better place. Learn to help teach humanity how we should behave. And I hope that these pieces inspire them to bring out the greatness in their own life. 

How did you pick the historic figures to sculpt for this round of Great Contributors?

The first woman I did was Amelia Earhart. My son is a pilot. I love getting in a jet and getting off the earth and being able to look at perspective. And so Amelia Earhart, to me, represented courage, breaking the glass ceilings, all of that stuff. And her being an aviation person—she was a natural. And she’s so beautiful. And to be able to try to get her essence into that inanimate object, it was a challenge. But I wanted, with all my heart, to do it. 

How long does it take to make each statue? 

Of course, the snide answer is all my life. Right? But it’s a process of doing the research on the figure, watching all the videos, all the documentaries, reading everything I can on them. Basically, in a nutshell, it’s probably a couple-of-years process. You know, from doing that, to doing a little teeny study, to the studies that you see here to the life-sized ones. 

How do you want visitors to interact with your statues?

You know, everything is so subjective and individual. I’m just glad, regardless of how they interact—whether it’s touching, whatever it is—that they interact with it. Somehow something is going to touch them and [their] other senses. And for one thing, they might realize, “Oh my gosh, this was a real person. Not just something I read about or a historical figure, this person actually lived.” And “wow, this person maybe actually wore bifocals and actually wrote a book.” So just that interaction alone, I think may be profound for them or maybe it just plants a seed.

This your third exhibition at the Dallas Arboretum in seven years. What keeps bringing you back? 

Oh my gosh, this place. There’s so much energy here. I believe art heals. I believe nature heals. I don’t know if you’ve heard of Eckhart Tolle, he wrote The Power of Now. And in his book, he recommends the idea that [when] we get out in nature more, we get this peace of mind. That we stopped what he calls the “incessant thinking” that we all do. You need to slow down. So, one of his recommendations: get out in nature, go for walks … For me, nature has always been healing. I’ve planted with my five boys thousands of trees and bulbs. I love physical work. I love getting my hands dirty. It’s a grounding process. That’s when the actual creation I think is going on subconsciously. So, those ideas pop in. And then so somehow, I feel that art and nature just are so complementary. And both of them heal us.

Do you have a favorite memory of seeing your statues here seeing people interact with them here?

Yes. One of my favorites [was] when we set up Monet. He’s life-sized on a bench painting. He’s got his paintbrush, got an easel there. He’s painting some water lilies. We just got to set up, when a school class came through. There were probably 50 kids. Probably 15 or 20 of them were climbing all over him, and they were sitting on his hat. And some people are yelling, “don’t sit on it, don’t touch it!” And I’m like, “No, do it, do it!” It was just a fun thing to see them just hoarding around this famous painter. 

I fell in love with haunted houses after first visiting the legendary Reindeer Manor in the woods of Red Oak a few years ago. Ever since, I’ve explored the lively haunted house scene in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and made trips to other cities to see how we stack up. The good news: if you’re thinking of hitting some haunted houses this year, you’re in the right place.

Before I get to the haunts: keep in mind that haunted houses are dynamic attractions, and they change each year. New attractions pop up every season and some pack up and move. Sometimes the scares will be literally above you and sometimes below. Sometimes they’ll hit you with snakes, sometimes with cockroaches. (Relax. They’re not real and it’s all part of the show.)

But we have a pretty good idea of the quality you can expect this season. Let’s get into the best haunted houses North Texas has to offer.

Cutting Edge

This one is sure to spook you. Cutting Edge frequently tops national lists of the best haunted houses in the nation, and this is usually the largest haunt in America. Sometimes Detroit’s Erebus will add another foot or two to its attraction to beat it on a technicality, but that doesn’t matter. it’s great to have a top ghoul within driving distance.

This is single haunt packed with sets. You’ll be walking through a creepy closet one moment and dealing with huge monsters the next. There is usually a live music intermission played by zombies or some other creepy creatures. When you think you’re done, when you think you’ve been let out after having walked to the depths of the old meat packing plant, there’s still more.

What: A 100-year-old former meat packing plant, mostly indoors, that will give you the creeps.

Where: 1701 E. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth

When: Season runs September 30 to October 31, and this year they’ve added a November 7 show. Open Fridays and Saturdays, with some additional Thursdays and Sundays and, of course, Halloween Monday. (Post-Halloween shows are usually dark shows with fewer scares).

Parking: You must pay for parking, but there’s free parking on the street, too.

Tickets:  Standard tickets run about $55.00 and a speed pass is $65.00. You must buy the tickets online, and they are timed. Still, get there early and expect a line, even with the speed pass.

Other entertainment: There’s nothing else to do in this haunt other than the attraction, no food, or places to hang out; so if this is a date, plan on doing something more.

Dark Hour

Head north to Plano for the new kid in the block. Dark Hours is the youngest of all our haunts. Yet, since the day it opened, it’s made an argument for being the best. This is our most professional haunt yet. The sets are movie quality and so are the sound and lighting. Dark Hour used to run year-round with events for Christmas like Wreck the Halls (Krampus running amok), then Leprechauns for March, and Werewolves during summer. This season, the Witches run Dark Hour and you’ll know the moment you step in. There’s a concert while you wait in line.

Dark Hour usually runs two attractions. The second attraction is hit and miss, so save your money.

What: It is set in a building resembling a warehouse, but don’t let that mislead you. Once you step in, you will be in the Witches Coven. The line will be long but the haunt won’t take more than 30 minutes to walk through. Expect to be there for at least two hours. The haunt itself is indoors but the line is outdoors.

Where: 701 Taylor Dr., Plano

When: This is the only haunt that open mid-September this year. The screams come on all Fridays and Saturdays, lots of Thursdays and Sundays, and Halloween Monday.

Parking is free and easy.

Tickets: General admission runs around $46, and the fast pass is $66.

Other Entertainment: there is no food or any place to hang out here after the attraction. Love and War in Texas, a sit-down restaurant with decent food and atmosphere, is in the same parking lot as the haunt.

Reindeer Manor

One of the oldest haunted houses in the nation and probably the oldest in Texas, Reindeer Manor has been running for 49 years. This is its last year in this location, so if you visit just one haunted house this season, head to this one.

The experience starts the moment you drive in. This haunt is out in the woods of Red Oak, and the dirt road is creepy on its own. Reindeer Manor usually runs three attractions, sometimes four. You’ll see the Manor itself, the Dungeon, and the Morgue. This year it will also be running The Bunker.

The best attractions are the Manor and the Morgue. The Manor itself is over 100 years old. The Morgue is set in an old barn, and you will see horror scenes that will stick with you after you leave. They are on opposite sides of the grounds, so if you see either one without a line, do not wait to jump in. Plan to spend about four hours here to get the full experience. There is fair food like nachos, hot dogs, and turkey legs.

What: A house and a barn dating back to the early 1900s. Mostly outdoors.

Where: 401 Houston School Road, Red Oak

When: The haunt is open through Halloween from 8 p.m. to midnight on Fridays, and Saturdays. Plan on being there at 8 p.m. to get all the bang for your buck.

Parking: Free and spooky.

Tickets: $40 for the standard and $60 for the fast pass. If you go early in the month, you won’t need the fast pass, but if you go on Halloween weekend you probably want to spring the extra $20 to see all the attractions.

Other Entertainment: There is sometimes music on the grounds, and they’ll occasionally have movies playing on a pop-up screen. There’ll be creepy monsters walking around while you wait. There is food and park bench tables to sit and take a break. The food and soft drinks are reasonably priced. This a perfect date night haunt.

SCREAMS Halloween Theme Park

The Scarborough Renaissance Festival grounds in Waxahachie are converted into Screams Halloween Theme Park every October. If you’ve been to the Renaissance Festival, then you know how huge the grounds are. This is a made-up village filled with shops, stages, rides, and other structures in the “renaissance” style. While Cutting Edge is considered the longest Haunted House in the region, it is a single haunt. Screams has five. (The themes include Zombies, Time’s Up, Bayou, the Castle, and the Klownz.) Food, drinks, and beer are for sale. There will be shops open, stage shows, and activities like ax throwing.

The haunts themselves vary in quality. I think the best is the Castle. The Klownz has a maze you will surely be lost in for a while. The lines will be long, so I recommend the fast pass if you want to hit all the haunts. Don’t feel bad if you don’t, though. Screams is more about the whole experience: the roasted corn, the beer, and the kids freaking out over the sneaky monsters ambulating about.

What: Scarborough Renaissance Festival grounds goes haunted.

Where: 2511 FM 66, Waxahachie

When: Fridays and Saturdays through October 29. This haunt is not open on Halloween. They are usually open 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., so arrive early and hit the Castle first.

Parking is free and easy.

Tickets run $42 for Fridays, and $52 for Saturday. There is a fast pass option for an additional $20 on Fridays and $30 Saturday. If you intend to go Halloween weekend, then get the fast pass; the lines will be insane. At $92 with fast pass for a Saturday entry, this is the most expensive haunt in the region. But it is also the largest haunt grounds we have. Expect to pay more once inside for food and drinks. 

Other entertainment: Plenty, since you’ll be there from open to close.

THRILLVANIA Haunted House Park

Thrillvania ruled the best haunted house lists for many years. It is set in the middle of the creepy woods in Terrell. The moment you leave the freeway you can sense you’re approaching the sphere of evil in Verdun Manor, the main attraction. This one is a park-style haunted house with three main attractions: the Verdun Manor, the House of Clowns, and the Trail of Torment.

Years and years of scares have packed the Manor with details that its competition often lacks. You will start with the clowns, then the Manor, and close with the Trail of Torment. The Clowns is the weaker feature, but it is fun to start with. The Manor may not have as many scares as you’d expect but take your time looking around. The Trail of Torment will creep you out. Try not to run as it ends; you’ll be unceremoniously spit out into the parking lot.

What: A spooky manor and over 50 acres of rural grounds. You’ll be there for at least three hours.

Where: 2330 Co. Rd. 138, Terrell  

Parking and Tickets: Parking is $10, and you have no other options. Bring cash. Tickets are $50. Lines are long but move fast. You’ll probably spend the whole evening here, so no need to get the speed pass. If you will be doing both Thrillvania and Cutting Edge in Fort Worth, consider getting the combo ticket. These two haunts are owned by the same group. Tickets are timed and must be purchased online at the link above. Once you arrive, you must follow the instructions to gain access. It is not as simple as showing up and walking in. (These two haunts are about at least an hour drive away from each other. Considering wait times, I would plan on doing them on separate evenings.)

When: October 8 through Halloween night.

Other entertainment: This haunt has fair food and places to eat it. There are also plenty of monsters walking around. Expect music, and sometimes a concert. No need to go anywhere else for food, but Buc-ee’s is a 10-minute drive away.

Moxley Manor

This Bedford haunt runs three distinct attractions. The Moxley Manor, the 3D experience Big Top Terror, and Regan’s Revenge. You need only one ticket for all three. Try your best to go as early as possible and go through by yourself and friends, away from larger groups. You’ll get all the scares that way. When you hear the chainsaw, you better run. You’ll finish with the Manor itself, and you’ll be surprised how creepy the sets will get, this haunt has stepped up its game!

What: It’s a fairly short attraction; you probably won’t be there more than a couple hours.  

Where: 510 Harwood Rd., Bedford

When: Weekends on September 30 through Halloween.

Parking is free and easy. One ticket for all three attractions will start around $30. You probably won’t need the fast pass unless you’re there Halloween weekend.

Other entertainment: There’s a space for photos and a truck with some fair food. (But no place to eat it.) You may want to plan to go for dinner or something else after.

Hangman’s House of Horrors

If you’ve ever driven by an old creepy building and thought, “I bet there are ghosts in there,” that’s the vibe Hangman’s is going for. It’s housed in a 100-year-old military installation, and it looks it. It usually runs two haunts: The Zombies and Hangman’s House. You’ll see the zombies first. The military building is long, and it will take you though some horrific scenes. You’ll think about them after you leave.

What: A century-old decommissioned military building. Two haunts, so expect to be there for about three hours.

Where: 4400 Blue Mound Rd., Fort Worth

Parking is $10 and easy. Tickets run about $39 for general and $49 for fast pass. I wouldn’t spring for the fast pass unless on Halloween weekend. A timed ticket is $64, but in my opinion, the timed option is not worth it, so stick to the regular passes.

Other entertainment: there are a few tables where you can sit and eat some nachos, and some other food items. There’s also music playing in the background.

Creekside Manor

Probably the smallest haunt in the list, but it’s also the least expensive. It’s a creepy little house in some equally creepy woods tucked into Midlothian. It does its job well. The monster will creep you out even before you enter. You won’t get a better show for $20.

What: Creepy house in the woods.

Where: 2411 Plainview Rd., Midlothian  

Parking is free and easy. Tickets will run you $20.

Other entertainment: There is nothing else going on at Creekside Manor. You’ll be out of there in no time.

RIP to the Tayman Graveyard

Tayman’s permanently closed this year, but it’s still worth a mention. For at least the last decade this haunted house delivered a unique experience. Out in the middle of nowhere in Midlothian, $25 got you access to a haunt that scared the bejesus out of you. (A donation of a can of food dropped the price to $10.) Zombies came at you the second you exited your car. This was the only “touch haunt” in the DFW area. A zombie once bit me here—you read that right—right in the middle of a wooden mine as lamps glowed orange. The mortuary made you crawl through a furnace. Creepy kids would emerge out of the smoke walking on all fours and backwards. It was the stuff of nightmares—which is the only place we’ll be able to revisit the experience.

Rolando De La Garza is a Dallas attorney and haunted house fanatic.

For anyone who loves the spooky season, Halloween is pretty much the equivalent of Christmas. From getting a good scare at haunted houses, Halloween-themed parties, or maybe just handing out candy with the family, October has a little bit of everything for everyone.

To help guide you on your spooky quest, here is a list of 15 different activities worth checking out this Halloween season.

A Quick Guide to the Region’s Haunted Houses

Dark Hour Haunted House, Plano, Texas

701 Taylor Dr., Plano, TX 75074

Dark Hour is one of the scariest haunted houses in the Dallas Fort-Worth area. Located in Plano, Dark Hour has near movie-quality attractions that will give you a good scare from close or afar. In 2022 Dark Hour added more terrifying scenes, creatures, horrors, and nightmares that are sure to elevate your heart rate. For more information, click here.

Reindeer Manor Halloween Park, Red Oak

410 Houston School Rd., Red Oak, TX, 75154

Reindeer Manor Halloween Park is one of the oldest Halloween parks in Texas. Now in its 49th year, what makes Reindeer Manor so intriguing is that it has four different haunted houses in the park: Reindeer Manor, 13th Street Morgue, Dungeon of Doom, and The Bunker. Each offers patrons a different style of scare. It also helps that the Halloween park is allegedly actually haunted, according to co-owner Alex Lohmann. For more information on Reindeer Manor Halloween Park, click here.

Haunted Shadows Lake Trail, The Colony

7801 Main St, The Colony, TX 75056

The Haunted Shadows Lake Trail is a self-guided haunted walk through the woods. The trail is a little over a mile long, so it takes the average group between 40 and 50 minutes to complete. On the walk, the trail will take you from the woods to the waterside while also providing “unseen horrors.” If you dare to take this walk, check for more information here.

Creekside Manor, Midlothian

2411 Plainview Rd., Midlothian, TX, 76065

If you want a good fright and to give to a good cause, visit Creekside Manor for the “12 Nights of Terror.” With each ticket purchase, the proceeds go to Manna House, which is a non-profit organization that works to give families in need food and financial assistance. For more information, click here.

J & F House of Terror, Garland

205 Cedar Sage Dr, Garland, TX 75040

J & F House of Terror is a haunted maze that will take you up to 45 minutes to get through. Along the way, you are promised to be so scared that you will l “scream for your mama.” For more information, click here.

Spooky Drinks and Assorted Fun

Halloween Bar Crawl, Dallas

Check-in Venue: Reno’s Chop Shop Saloon 210 N Crowdus St Dallas, TX 75226

Gather some friends and head down to Reno’s Chop Shop on Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. to start a six-hour bar crawl at a host of various venues throughout Uptown and Deep Ellum. There will be specialty foods and drinks, a $1,000 Halloween costume contest, a scavenger hunt, and a $10 promo card to use at various venues. If interested, more information regarding tickets is available here.

Dallas Happy Hour Halloweekend Pub Crawl

505 N Good Latimer Expy, Dallas, TX 75226

On Saturday, Oct. 22, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., grab your best costume and be an early bird to the Halloween celebration with the Dallas Happy Hour Halloweekend Pub Crawl. There will be various prizes, up to 50 percent off drinks, 20 percent off select food items, and a costume contest. For ticket prices and participating bars, more information is available here.

Dallas Halloweekend Hangover Pub Crawl

505 N Good Latimer Expy, Dallas, TX 75226

On both Saturday, Oct. 29, and Monday, Oct. 31, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., continue the fun with Dallas Halloweekend Hangover Pub Crawl. There will be 50 percent off drinks and 20 percent off food at participating locations. Make sure to bring your best costume for a contest along with various prizes. For ticket prices and participating bars, more information is available here.

Dallas Zombie Crawl

Harlowe MXM 2823 Main St Dallas, TX 75226

Starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, expect free welcome shots and drink discount vouchers at the Dallas Zombie Crawl in Deep Ellum. One all-access pass will get you into 10-plus bars and nightclubs. Check-in is any time from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the event runs until closing time. For more information, click here.

House of Spirits: Volkov Manor – A Haunted Cocktail Soirée, Dallas, Texas

4607 Ross Ave, 75204

A House of Spirits: Volkov Manor is an immersive “theatrical cocktail soirée, where adults do Halloween in a haunted mansion.” Patrons can enjoy craft cocktails, macabre magic, tarot readings, strange roaming specters, and secret games. They will also be able to free-roam a mysterious haunted mansion. If interested, ticket information is available here.

Family Fun Nights

Halloween in the Park, Garland

Seville Square 1301 NW Hwy Garland, TX 75041

From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m on Saturday, Oct. 29, enjoy this family-centered Halloween in the Park festival. There will be free candy, mini-games, crafts, prizes, music, and more. More information is available about the family festival here.

Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza, Dallas

TBP Athletic Complex: 2524 W Ledbetter Dr, Dallas, TX 75233

Dallas Youth Sports will host a Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza on Sunday, Oct. 30. Five hundred free meals will be provided along with music, games, special activities, and other activities for children. To participate, you must bring candy to distribute at the event. For more information, visit here.

Halloween in the Park, Farmers Branch

2540 Farmers Branch Lane, Farmers Branch, TX, 75234

On Saturday, Oct. 29., from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Farmers Branch Historical Park transforms into a Halloween spectacle full of family activities and candy. Activities include Haunted Hedge, Booville, Cash Midway Games, bounce houses, stage entertainment, a petting zoo, photo buttons, and glow items. Halloween in the Park requests that patrons bring canned food for their canned food drive. For more information, click here.

Family Fun Art. Halloween Skeleton, Plano

1713 Preston Rd, #B Plano, TX 75093

Family Fun Art will take place on Oct. 22, with ages 5-and-up permitted. Patrons will get to paint a Halloween skeleton. For pricing and ticket information, click here.

Klyde Warren Park’s Trick-or-Treating in the Park, Dallas

2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, Dallas, TX 75201

Hosted by Klyde Warren Park’s Corporate Council, Trick-or-Treating in the Park is a completely free trick-or-treating party for the family. There will be costume contests, candy collecting, comedy, and a nighttime showing of Hocus Pocus. The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, click here.

Autumn at the Arboretum

Why carve a pumpkin when you can ride in Cinderella’s carriage? From September 17 through Halloween, the Dallas Arboretum will transform into your favorite storybooks, complete with a pumpkin patch, hay maze, 150,000 flowers, and more. Grab a pumpkin spice latte and a chunky sweater and pretend temperatures aren’t still in the upper 80s.

DFM Pumpkin Patch

A pumpkin on your front porch is gourd-geous (we couldn’t help ourselves). So, as you’re shopping produce this fall at the Dallas Farmers Market, stop by The Shed for your perfect pumpkin. Beginning September 17, DFM is selling more than 25 varieties at its seasonal pumpkin patch every day until Halloween. 920 S. Harwood.

Thrift Studio 

Through September 24, Dwell with Dignity is hosting its celebrated annual pop-up, Thrift Studio. In addition to scoring high-end home goods for a fraction of the retail price, shoppers can also browse wares by other area non-profits as part of the inaugural Social Impact Marketplace, happening on Saturdays. 1506 Market Center Blvd.

Kips Bay Show House

Kips Bay is back! Celebrating its third year in Dallas, the show house will feature 24 esteemed designers from across the country and will run September 22–25. The event benefits the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in New York along with Dallas’ The Crystal Charity Ball and Dwell with Dignity.

Hollywood Santa Monica Home Tour

Just south of Lakewood Hills, Hollywood/Santa Monica conservation district is showcasing five homes during its 29^th annual home tour. Sign up for Friday night’s Wine Walk and Candlelight tour or come during the day Saturday. There will be a silent auction item at each house, and the tour will also feature two art studios to showcase the work of local artists, as well as the Tennison Pollinator Garden. September 30–October 1.

Lakewood Home Tour

The Lakewood Home Tour is back in person for the first time in two years. For $25, you can tour six architecturally significant homes across the neighborhood. Says event chair Stephanie Bowen Wright, “Moms and daughters and grandmothers all get together and actually look forward to this as an annual tradition.” November 12–13.

Mo Sanders comes by his love of roller-skating honestly. His dad, a firefighter nicknamed Cowboy, traversed their town of Tacoma, Washington, via quad skates, even wheeling home from the bar if he had had one too many. According to Mo, roller-skating was “just what you did” in the Northwest in the 1970s and ’80s. 

“Growing up, roller-skating was always the cheap babysitter,” he says. “It was like give a kid 10 bucks and drop him off at the rink at 6 pm, then pick him up at 12:30 am, and then your parents had six hours of free time.” 

Since those early days of freedom at the rink, Mo has had a storied career in the skating world. He has competed in the X Games as an aggressive in-line skater, starred as a jammer on the roller derby TV show RollerJam, coached derby leagues in Washington and Texas, skated in blockbuster films, and designed quads for the biggest names in the business. In November 2020, he added roller skate purveyor to that list. He opened Good Foot Skates, named for the James Brown song, in Oak Cliff. Part of his start-up capital came from selling some of his sneaker collection. 

Sitting in Mo’s shop surrounded by a rainbow of skates straight out of Xanadu, it’s hard not to get nostalgic for simpler times, where evenings spent at the roller rink skating to Prince or Bon Jovi resulted in a meet cute. According to Mo, that nostalgia started driving skate sales during the pandemic.

“You couldn’t do anything during the pandemic,” he says. “You couldn’t go to the gym or go work out, and so it was like, ‘OK, we can walk or ride bikes, or we could roller skate. Remember we used to roller-skate?’ And then it was just an explosion!”

Mo makes the process easy, fitting each skate to the person. Comfortable and sturdy skates start at about $100, and Mo suggests sticking with reputable brands such as Riedell or Von Merlin. His advice to new skaters and people taking it back up is the same: practice. “Look for a smooth place like tennis courts or basketball courts,” he says. Of course, you can always hit up a local rink, where you might catch Mo in action. He advises Gen Xers to be careful and pad up. “That floor is undefeated!” he says. “You will lose!” 

What Makes Mo So Money

1. Mo’s roller derby name is Quadzilla LK, an homage to his love of Japanese pop culture and Lanny, the owner of the rink he grew up skating in. He was often called “Lanny’s Kid,” hence the LK. 
2. Fans of the 2007 film Enchanted will remember Mo as a featured skater during the musical number set in Central Park, “That’s How You Know.” 
3. Mo performed alongside Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in a 2017 commercial for Nike’s Alpha Menace cleats. 
4. Forum Roller World in Grand Prairie, Texas Skatium in Garland, and Thunderbird in Plano are among Mo’s favorite local rinks.
5. Mo skates for the Dallas Derby Devils on the Death Row Rumblers team.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.