It's a busy weekend in and around Fort Worth, especially at the city's largest venue, which will host three concerts in three nights. Other choices include the start of another Halloween event, six other music events, screenings of a new film, a local dance production, a group clean-up of the city, and a new exhibition aimed at young kids.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, September 19
Howell Farms presents Pumpkin Nights
At Pumpkin Nights, guests can venture along a half-mile walking path, where they’ll discover the Forbidden City, a Pirate’s Cove, and more fantastical lands built using over 5,000 hand-carved and artificial pumpkins. The celebration continues with entertainment and games in The Village, the festival area. The event takes place at Howell Family Farms in Arlington through October 31.
The Cliburn presents Joyce Yang
Pianist Joyce Yang first came to international attention in 2005 when, at 19, she took home the silver medal at the quadrennial Cliburn International Piano Competition, along with special prizes for best chamber music and new work. Yang returns to Fort Worth to open The Cliburn's season with a program featuring Tchaikovsky's Seasons, Rachmaninov's preludes, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The concert will take place at the Kimbell Art Museum.
Casa Mañana presents Live at the Apollo
Live at the Apollo features the music that wove the fabric of American culture and launched countless iconic careers at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Performers Curtis Wiley and Destinee Rea will sing the work of luminaries like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, and more. The production runs in the Reid Cabaret Theatre at Casa Mañana through September 28.
Fuerza Regida in concert
Regional Mexican band Fuerza Regida has been at or near the top of the genre since their 2019 debut album, Del Barrio Hasta Aquí, which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart. Since then, the band has released seven more albums, including the new Pero No Te Enamores, four of which also went to No. 1. They'll play at Dickies Arena.
Friday, September 20
Magnolia at the Modern: I'll Be Right There
Wanda (Edie Falco) wants to take care of everyone in her life. Her heavily pregnant daughter wants a wedding, which Wanda’s ex-husband is flaking on paying for. Her mother thinks she's dying. Her wayward son is either going into rehab or the army. Her long-time boyfriend doesn't excite her, and her new girlfriend doesn't either. She barely has time for herself - not that she’d know what to do with it anyway. The film will screen seven times through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Iván Cornejo in concert
It's apparently regional Mexican weekend at Dickies Arena, as another one of the genre's stars will hit the stage there on Friday. Just like Fuerza Regida, Iván Cornejo hit the ground running with his 2021 debut album, Alma Vacía, which went to No. 2 on the Billboard Regional Mexican chart. His next two albums, including the new Mirada, both went to No. 1, and both also made a dent in the overall Billboard 200, with Mirada finishing at No. 17.
Texas Ballet Theater presents Cinderella
Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella transports audiences to a magical realm of fairy dust, glass slippers, and hilariously wicked stepsisters. The beloved story of love triumphant is choreographed to the score of Sergey Prokofiev, promising a performance of unparalleled beauty and grace. The production will have four performances through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.
.38 Special in concert
.38 Special is an original '80s Southern Rock band formed by Donnie Von Zant, brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd singers Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant. The band is known for their arena-pop rock smashes like “Hold On Loosely,” “Rockin’ Into The Night,” “Caught Up In You,” and “Fantasy Girl.” They have released 12 albums in their career, most recently 2004's Drivetrain. They'll play at Billy Bob's Texas.
Saturday, September 21
Texas Conservation Alliance presents Tarrant Regional Water District Trash Bash
At the annual Tarrant Regional Water District Trash Bash, participants can join thousands of volunteers to remove litter throughout Fort Worth to preserve water quality and protect wildlife. When the trash is all bashed, participants can join the after party featuring food, entertainment, door prizes, and more. The event kicks off at the Crystelle Waggoner Trailhead.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History presents "Wild Kratts: Creature Power!" opening day
"Wild Kratts: Creature Power!" is an interactive exhibit based on the PBS Kids series. The exhibit focuses on cultivating STEM skills in children ages 3 to 9, inviting kids and families to explore animal habitats from around the globe, discover incredible creature powers, and go on a mission to foil the villains’ nefarious plans. Visitors will explore the Tropical Rainforest, the Antarctic, an Australian Outback Desert, and their very own neighborhood. The exhibition will remain on display at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History through January 5, 2025.
Near Southside Arts presents Lost 'N Sound
Lost 'N Sound is a series of events featuring live musician performances in South Main Village. The event transforms businesses all throughout the district into one-day music venues hosting local musicians across genres and at different stages of their career. Visitors are invited to enjoy the performances while exploring both traditional music venues and unexpected spaces like architecture offices, art galleries, retailers, recording studios, and film studios hosting stages. Down ‘n Out. Pouring Glory, and The Cicada will be among the venues.
Avatar: The Last Airbender in concert
At this special concert, a live orchestra will bring Avatar: The Last Airbender’s musical score to life, in harmony with highlights and favorite moments from the series. Asian instruments like taiko and erhu will share the spotlight with violins and clarinets while the series' scenes play out on screen. There will be two performances on Sunday at Will Rogers Auditorium.
Cigarettes After Sex in concert
You can be forgiven if you've never heard of the band Cigarettes After Sex. After all, their preferred genre - dream pop - is an alternative that has yet to cross over into the mainstream. Still, they've gained their fair share of fans since their 2017 debut, with their new album, X's, making it to No. 34 on the Billboard 200, so maybe they're getting closer to a larger popularity. And it's not every band that has the juice to play at Dickies Arena, which they will do on Saturday night.
Elle King in concert
Country/rock singer Elle King's decade-long career has been a relatively tumultuous one. She got off to a good start with 2015's Love Stuff, which featured the hit song "Ex's & Oh's," for which she received two Grammy nominations. Although she's gone on to work with artists like Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley, she hasn't been able to recreate that success. Her fight with sobriety has led to some messy headlines, including a bad performance at Dolly Parton tribute that led to this concert at Billy Bob's Texas being postponed for eight months. She'll play in support of her 2023 album, Come Get Your Wife.
Photo courtesy of Texas Ballet Theater