Weekend Event Planner

These are the 10 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Compared to recent weekends, the next four days will be relatively calm, event-wise, around Fort Worth. But just because there's not a big festival going on doesn't mean there's nothing to do; events on the docket include comedy, racing, movies, concerts, theater, and more.

Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, May 12

Improv Arlington presents Tiffany Haddish
A co-star in the new hit movie Keanu, Tiffany Haddish takes the stage at the famous Improv and Comedy Club in Arlington. Haddish is an actress and writer best known for Meet the Spartans and The Carmichael Show. Haddish will perform six times through Sunday.

Friday, May 13

Fittipaldi Exotic Driving
Every month, Texas Motor Speedway offers you a chance to live your speed demon dreams with Fittipaldi Exotic Driving. For a relatively affordable price, you can get behind the wheel of luxury cars like a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and others and take a few laps around the infield track at TMS.

Magnolia at the Modern presents Rio, I Love You
Rio, I Love You is an anthology film starring an ensemble cast of actors of various nationalities, including Emily Mortimer, Rodrigo Santoro, and Harvey Keitel. The film is a sequel of sorts to the 2006 film Paris, je t'aime and to the 2009 film New York, I Love You. The film will screen six times at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth through Sunday.

Texas Motor Speedway presents Texas World Dirt Track Championship
After you get your fill of driving fast Friday morning, you can return to the track that evening to see racers drive for money. The two-day show on the dirt track at Texas Motor Speedway will feature the 40-lap ASCS Sprint Car championship on Friday, followed by the 30-lap Factory Stock Championship, 40-lap Limited Modified Championship, and another 40-lap ASCS Sprint Car Championship on Saturday.

Kimbell Art Museum presents State of the Arts Fort Worth
At this special event at the Kimbell Art Museum, the three directors of Fort Worth’s premiere art museums — Andrew Walker from Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Eric M. Lee from the Kimbell, and Marla Price from Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — will discuss the current environment of the museums and their visions for the future. This event marks the first time the three have participated in a public forum together.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Midori Plays Tchaikovsky
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's 2015-2016 season will come to a close with this special concert at Bass Performance Hall. It will include Copland’s Rodeo, Gershwin’s An American in Paris, and two iconic works by Tchaikovsky: the sweeping Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture and the technically demanding Violin Concerto performed by world-renowned violinist Midori. The concert will play three times through Sunday.

Ray Wylie Hubbard and Jonathan Tyler in concert with Aaron Lee Tasjan
If you're a fan of Texas country music, then Ray Wylie Hubbard is something of a god to you. Over the course of his 40-plus year career, Hubbard has worked with musicians both big and small, endearing himself to legions in the process. He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of his 2015 album, The Ruffian's Misfortune, alongside Jonathan Tyler and Aaron Lee Tasjan.

Saturday, May 14

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History presents Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Yes, by this point anyone who wanted to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens has seen it multiple times and owns it on DVD. But when you're given another chance to see the modern classic on arguably the best IMAX screen in Dallas-Fort Worth, it's hard to pass up that opportunity. It will play weekly on Saturdays through the end of May.

Sunday, May 15

Fiesta La Grande 2016
La Grande 107.5 presents the third annual Fiesta La Grande celebration. The festival will showcase live music from today’s top regional Mexican musicians. Aside from the festive music, there will be interactive exhibits, authentic Mexican food, a children’s area, health and lifestyle pavilions, and strolling mariachis at Panther Island Pavilion.

Amphibian Stage Productions presents De Troya
Amphibian Stage Productions presents its first staged reading of the 2016 season, De Troya by Caridad Svich. De Troya is about a mysteriously wounded girl who washes on shore and meets young Mara on the riverbank. That event sets in motion a beautifully mythical story about how the weight of our memories can create an insatiable longing for salvation. It will play two times on Sunday and Monday.

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Comedian Tiffany Haddish will perform six times at Improv Arlington, May 12-15.

Photo courtesy of Arlington Improv

Comedian Tiffany Haddish will perform six times at Improv Arlington, May 12-15.

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Movie review

'Rosaline' updates 'Romeo and Juliet' in clever and modern ways

Photo by Moris Puccio

Kaitlyn Dever and Kyle Allen in Rosaline

Arguably Shakespeare’s most popular play, Romeo and Juliet has been adapted for film innumerable times, from direct adaptations of the work to those inspired by it such as West Side Story, Romeo Must Die, and Warm Bodies. One of the more successful versions was Shakespeare in Love, which told the fictional story of the play being written while Shakespeare himself was experiencing a star-crossed love affair.

The new Hulu film Rosaline has a similar tone to that comedic drama, lovingly poking fun at the 400-year-old play while still mostly adhering to its plot. In this case, the story – taking place in the traditional timeline – is told from the perspective of Rosaline (Kaitlyn Dever), a woman referred to but never seen in the play on whom Romeo has an unrequited crush. Here, Rosaline and Romeo (Kyle Allen) are seen in the midst of a secret relationship.

Rosaline’s father, Adrian (Bradley Whitford), is looking to set up an arranged marriage for her with Dario (Sean Teale). Their initial meeting keeps Rosaline from a planned rendezvous with Romeo at a masquerade party, and Romeo instead meets and immediately falls for Juliet (Isabela Merced), Rosaline’s younger cousin. Determined to get him back, Rosaline does everything in her power to keep the two of them apart.

Directed by Karen Maine (Yes, God, Yes, Obvious Child) and adapted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber from Rebecca Serle’s book When You Were Mine, the film is a hilarious delight from beginning to end, using the well-known story for a series of jokes that almost always land. The film starts off with Romeo speaking in the typical Shakespearean language, but quickly shifts to “normal” speech after Rosaline questions why Romeo is speaking that way.

Photo by Moris Puccio

Kaitlyn Dever and Kyle Allen in Rosaline

Similar examinations of questionable decision-making stemming from Shakespeare’s story dot the landscape as the film parallels that plot. Rosaline is portrayed as someone who is stubbornly out-of-step with how a young woman should act in her day and age, and her butting up against the expectations of her elders and others around her provides much of the charm of the film.

It’s this mixture of the conventional and the modern that keeps the film moving. Everyone dresses as you would in a normal Shakespeare adaptation, but acts and speaks in a fun hybrid manner. The filmmakers throw in occasional pop music to keep things light, sometimes having that music interact with the story in clever ways.

They also have fun changing a variety of other characters to fit the jovial mood. The nurse (Minnie Driver), a minor character in the play, is expanded a bit. She now serves Rosaline instead of Juliet, showing her dedication and exasperation in a variety of ways. Count Paris (Spencer Stevenson) is now Rosaline’s gay best friend, a role that threatens to be a stereotype until the character gets a few choice lines in the second half of the film.

Dever, who’s been on a roll in both TV and movies in recent years, plays Rosaline almost perfectly. Even when the character is behaving badly, her performance keeps her likable. Teale, an under-the radar actor, makes for an appealing alternate romantic lead and could use this to expand his career. Romeo and Juliet are made into kind of goofy and naïve characters, respectively, and Allen (who looks like a young Heath Ledger) and Merced do a great job in exuding those qualities.

The world of Shakespeare can often be impenetrable for the uninitiated, and films like Rosaline are an effective way to keep the stories alive while still appealing to a younger audience. No matter whether you know Romeo and Juliet by heart or have only a passing knowledge of the text, the film makes for a highly enjoyable viewing experience.

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Rosaline is now streaming exclusively on Hulu.

film movies

Concert news

Shania Twain rides into DFW to reclaim her throne on upcoming world tour

Photo by Louie Banks

Shania Twain will play at Dos Equis Pavilion on July 21, 2023 as part of her Queen of Me Tour.

Country music star Shania Twain is embarking on an expansive world tour dubbed the Queen of Me Tour, which will come to Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas on July 21, 2023.

The North Texas date is the second-to-last of 44 North American concerts currently scheduled on the tour before Twain heads to Europe for five final shows. In addition to DFW, she will also play in Houston on July 22.

This is Twain's first tour in nearly five years; she last played in Dallas in June 2018. She'll be joined on the tour by a variety of well-known current female stars; Arlington native Mickey Guyton will be her special guest in both Dallas and Houston.

The tour was announced in conjunction with the news of the upcoming release of her new album, also called Queen of Me, due out on February 3, 2023. Her first album since 2017, it is also the first with her new record label, Republic Nashville.

The sales of that album will add to her record of being the best-selling female artist in country music history, a record she's achieved despite releasing only five albums in her 30-year career.

Twain has remained a star all these years thanks to three massive albums - 1995's The Woman in Me, 1997's Come On Over, and 2002's Up! - each of which sold over 11 million copies in the U.S. alone. She also has seven No. 1 hits and eight more top 10 hits from those three albums.

Tickets for the tour will go on sale starting 10 am Friday, November 4 at LiveNation.com. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning 10 am Tuesday, November 1 until 10 pm Thursday, November 3 through the Citi Entertainment program.

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Holiday dining

Best Fort Worth restaurants for Thanksgiving 2022 dining-in or to-go

Photo by Lauri Patterson, Getty Images

Why cook on Thanksgiving when you can gobble out?

One minute it's January. The next minute, we're thinking about the holidays. It's never too soon to start dreaming about pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and stuffing fragrant with sage and thyme.

While the pandemic continues to slowly fade, it has left behind one legacy: more to-go options. So this list of Fort Worth-area restaurants and their 2022 Thanksgiving offerings includes a mix of dine-in and to-go options. As long as it's Thanksgiving-related, it's on this list. (Or will be, since this list will welcome additions right up until the holiday.)

Here's where to get Thanksgiving 2022 in Fort Worth:

B&B Butchers and Restaurant. 3-course meal plus amuse bouche and choices from butternut squash soup, mixed green salad with apples & candied pecans, prime rib with Yorkshire pudding, turkey with cornbread-sausage stuffing, and family-style sides including Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, yams, and corn souffle, plus choice of pumpkin, pecan, or apple crumble pie, plus complimentary hot apple cider and pumpkin cookies. 10 am-9 pm. $90, or $35 for 11 & under. 817-737-5212.

Blue Mesa. Signature brunch is dressed up for Thanksgiving with Latin-roasted turkey marinated in a 13-spice rub, cranberry-jalapeño relish, Southwest stuffing, mashed and sweet potatoes, green beans, cinnamon roasted butternut squash, and a variety of pies, in addition to the traditional street taco bar, omelet station, waffles, brisket, red chile salmon, mimosas, coffee, tea, orange juice, and soft drinks. 9 am-4 pm. $30, or $10 for 12 and under. Family meal to go is $175, serves 6. Pick up November 22-23. Addison 972-934-0165, Fort Worth 817-332-6372, Plano 214-387-4407.

Capital Grille. Thanksgiving plate featues turkey with brioche stuffing, French green beans with marcona almonds, and cranberry-pear chutney, plus mashed potatoes for the table. $47 or $17 for 12 and under. 11 am-8 pm. Full dinner menu also available. 817-348-9200.

Cru. 3-course dinner includes Amuse of Butternut Squash & Burrata Bruschetta plus options such as Lobster & Saffron Risotto, Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli, Turkey Breast, Pumpkin Cheesecake and Chocolate Molten Cake. 12-9 pm. $52. At all four locations: West Village Dallas, Shops at Legacy Plano, Watters Creek Allen, and Shops at Clearfork Fort Worth.

Del Frisco's Grille. 3-course meal includes butternut squash bisque with maple mascarpone cream & toasted pumpkin seeds, turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, & cranberry sauce, and choice of pumpkin or pecan pie. 11 am-8 pm. 817-887-9900.

Eddie V’s. Traditional favorites include turkey, gravy, brioche sage stuffing, whipped potatoes, butternut squash, cranberry chutney, and French green beans with sundried tomatoes. $47 or $17 for 12 and under. Full menu also available. 11 am-8 pm.

Golden Corral. Endless buffet with more than 100 items including turkey, glazed ham, beef roast, mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, plus steak, pork, seafood, shrimp pot roast, fried chicken, meatloaf, mac & cheese, and salads. 11 am-4 pm.

LAW at the Four Seasons Resort at Las Colinas. Brunch with crab Benedict, pepper soffritto atop shrimp & cheddar cheese grits, seared salmon, turkey, NY strip paired with vegan stuffing, gravy, sautéed forest mushrooms, spiced cranberry chutney, soup du jour, antipasto, farmer’s omelet, cheese & charcuterie, tartare, ceviche, sushi, oysters. Holiday Pie Bar with pumpkin, apple streusel, cherry berry, and chocolate banana cream pie; waffles with dulce de leche, chocolate fudge, fruit, or candied almonds; spiced apple cider, hot chocolate, and candy station; and churro ice cream sandwiches. $130, or $50 for 12 and under. 11 am-3 pm. Dinner a la carte from 5-10 pm with a traditional Thanksgiving plate. 972-717-2420.

Magdalena’s. Upscale Mexican caterer is doing to-go Thanksgiving dinner kits ($160, serves four) with a Latin twist. Includes Acorn Squash Soup with Spanish Chorizo & Crispy Maple Brussels; Turkey Roulade filled with Chestnut Stuffing and Jalapeño-Cranberry Compote; Apple Pecan Molé Pie; and more. Order online November 21.

Omni Fort Worth Hotel. Festive brunch on second level with turkey, pineapple-clove-studded ham, smoked brisket, banana leaf wrapped fish, salads including poached pear & Bibb lettuce, ancient graints & trout, winter harvest, ceviche, lemon shrimp, pastrami salmon on melba toast, cheese & charcuterie, chive-scrambled eggs, Belgian waffles, chicken-leek-bacon tourtiere pies, lobster fennel bisque, bread pudding, flambee'd fruit & ice cream, pies, tarts, pumpkin cheesecake, chai tea latte tres leches, pistachio ricotta cake, Snickers cupcakes. $74 or $44 for 12 and under. 11 am- 3 pm. 817-350-4072.

Panther City BBQ. No turkeys this year due to limited market availability, but they're still offering whole briskets, racks of ribs, or spiral hams to-go for Thanksgiving ($45-$165). Order online, under the Merchandise tab. Pickups are from 9-10 am only, Thanksgiving morning.

Taste Community Restaurant. Turkey brunch is entirely pay-what-you-can. Must RSVP, to avoid wasting food and ensure they have enough for everyone. 9 am-2 pm. 817-759-9045.

Truluck's. Three-course feast with turkey, sides, and dessert. 11 am-8 pm. $59, or $25 for 12 and under. Uptown 214-220-2401, Southlake 817-912-0500.

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this story.

holidays

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 10 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Comedian Tiffany Haddish will perform six times at Improv Arlington, May 12-15.

Texas' dreamiest destination spa unwraps regal $1,000 facial for 25th anniversary

These are the 12 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Cate Blanchett orchestrates Oscar-caliber performance as power-hungry conductor in Tár

Movie review

'Rosaline' updates 'Romeo and Juliet' in clever and modern ways

Texas' dreamiest destination spa unwraps regal $1,000 facial for 25th anniversary

These are the 12 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Cate Blanchett orchestrates Oscar-caliber performance as power-hungry conductor in Tár

Concert news

Shania Twain rides into DFW to reclaim her throne on upcoming world tour

Texas' dreamiest destination spa unwraps regal $1,000 facial for 25th anniversary

These are the 12 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Cate Blanchett orchestrates Oscar-caliber performance as power-hungry conductor in Tár

Holiday dining

Best Fort Worth restaurants for Thanksgiving 2022 dining-in or to-go

Texas' dreamiest destination spa unwraps regal $1,000 facial for 25th anniversary

These are the 12 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Cate Blanchett orchestrates Oscar-caliber performance as power-hungry conductor in Tár

Weekend Event Planner

Comedian Tiffany Haddish will perform six times at Improv Arlington, May 12-15.

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Movie review

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Concert news

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We will not share or sell your email address.

Holiday dining

CultureMap Emails Are AwesomeGet Fort Worth intel delivered daily.

We will not share or sell your email address.

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Fort Worth intel delivered daily.

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Fort Worth intel delivered daily.

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
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