Weekend Event Planner

These are the 13 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Brad Paisley will play at Billy Bob's Texas on September 9 and 10.

Photo courtesy of LiveNation

In a rarity for Fort Worth, this weekend is packed with big-name concerts, including a pair from a huge country star and ones from two big rock bands. There will also be a theater festival, screenings of a great international film, two other concerts, the opening of a new symphony season, a celebration of local art galleries, a tribute to Ol' Blue Eyes, and lots of happenings at the Carter.

Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Friday, September 9

Fort Worth Fringe Festival
The 2022 Fort Worth Fringe Festival will feature 10 different productions from local and regional independent groups and performers. Productions will include a one-woman Henry V from Bare Bones Shakespeare; a modern-day retelling of Homer's The Iliad by Brazosport Center Stages; Once Upon A Tyme When We Were Colored Girlz from The Creative Corner; and more. Taking place through Sunday at Fort Worth Community Arts Center, the festival will feature multiple showings for each production.

Magnolia at the Modern: The Good Boss
Básculas Blanco, a company producing industrial scales in a provincial Spanish town, awaits the imminent visit from the committee that holds its fate in their hands as to whether they merit a local Business Excellence award. Everything has to be perfect when the time comes. Working against the clock, the company's proprietor, Blanco (Javier Bardem), pulls out all the stops to address and resolve issues with his employees, crossing every imaginable line in the process. The film, which is in Spanish with English subtitles, will screen seven times through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

UB40 in concert
Perhaps to the surprise of those who only know them for hits like "Red Red Wine" and covers of "I Got You Babe" and "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You," English reggae band UB40 has been churning out albums continually for over 40 years. They released their debut album in 1980, and they've rarely gone more than a few years before putting out a new one, most recently 2021's Bigga Baggariddim. They'll play at Wild Acre Brewing Company.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "A New Musical Era Begins: Brahms, Beethoven, and Schubert"
In his inaugural performances as FWSO music director, Robert Spano will bring Brahms’ lyric Variations on a Theme by Haydn and Schubert’s mysterious “Unfinished” symphony to life to kick off the season. Pianist Jorge Federico Osorio joins the orchestra as the featured soloist on Beethoven’s “Emperor” piano concerto (Piano Concerto No. 5). There will be three concerts through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.

Brad Paisley in concert
When country star Brad Paisley comes to town, it's typically at a venue that can seat thousands of people, not a relatively intimate place like Billy Bob's Texas. But he'll get back to his roots with back-to-back concerts there on Friday and Saturday. Although he hasn't released a new album since 2017's Love and War, his long list of hits will surely satisfy the crowds this weekend.

Saturday, September 10

Fort Worth Art Dealers Association presents Fall Gallery Night
Twice a year, the Fort Worth Art Dealers Association invites visitors to take in the visual arts and the community’s unique cultural richness during Gallery Night. Most participants are open from 12-9 pm. Guests can take a stroll through participating galleries, museums, retail businesses, and area restaurants, and enjoy the many artists featured during this community event.

Casa Mañana presents My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra
Casa Mañana will celebrate the mystique of Frank Sinatra and the unforgettable music that made him famous with My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra. The production, which features Jackie Burns, Teal Wicks, George Dvorsky, and Curtis Wiley, has powerful music, superb arrangements, classy style, and easy-going comedy. The production runs through September 17.

Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents Party on the Porch
The Amon Carter Museum of American Art will present its annual music and arts festival, Party on the Porch, celebrating the closing weekend of "Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano." The event will include art-making activities, food trucks, extended gallery hours, and live music by Grammy-nominated country music artist Brent Cobb.

Chase Rice in concert
Country singer Chase Rice had quite the interesting life before going into music, playing college football for the University of North Carolina, working as a NASCAR pit crew member, and coming in a close second on Survivor: Nicaragua. He released his debut album following that reality show stint, and he's built a big following, scoring a No. 1 album with 2014's Ignite the Night. He'll play at Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts in support of his 2021 album, The Album.

The Killers in concert
The Killers are one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century, proving that distinction by releasing two new albums during the pandemic — 2020's Imploding the Mirage and 2021's Pressure Machine — while they were forced to take a hiatus from touring. Coming back to the area for the first time in three years, they'll play their first-ever concert in Fort Worth at Dickies Arena.

Sunday, September 11

Amon Carter Museum of American Art closings
Sunday will be the final day to view two exhibitions at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. "Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano" brings to life the Venetian glass revival of the late 19th century and the artistic experimentation the city inspired for visiting artists. "Black Every Day: Photographs from the Carter Collection" explores more than 100 years of photographic representations of Black American experiences, featuring over 50 historical and contemporary art photographs and over 100 vernacular images.

Panic! At The Disco in concert
Las Vegas has moved east for the weekend, as Panic! At the Disco will immediately follow The Killers at Dickies Arena. The "band" is now essentially a solo project for lead singer Brandon Urie after three of the original band members gradually left the band since its formation in 2005. The band's only two No. 1 albums came after Urie went solo, and he's aiming for a third with the just-released Viva Las Vengeance.

Casa Mañana presents My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, September 10-17.

$Casa Ma\u00f1ana presents My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra$

Photo courtesy of Agency Habitat

Casa Mañana presents My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, September 10-17.

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National spotlight

2 Dallas-Fort Worth families charge up for ABC's Christmas Light Fight

Joules-Cornetti, Great Christmas Light Fight

Photo courtesy of ABC

The Joules-Cornetti family's Christmas light display in McKinney is so big and bright, it can be seen from an airplane.

Two festive spectacles in Dallas-Fort Worth will vie for holiday light glory on ABC's hit reality competition The Great Christmas Light Fight on Thursday, December 5.

The Hughes family of Rockwall will appear on the season 12 premiere at 7 pm, and the Joules-Cornetti family of McKinney will be featured on episode 2, at 8 pm. (They will not be competing against each other.) The show will air locally on WFAA/Channel 8, and will be available on Hulu the following day.

On The Great Christmas Light Fight, four families around the country show off their lights extravaganzas for hosts Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak, and the victor is awarded a trophy, $50,000, and over-the-rooftop bragging rights.

Both DFW families host "extreme" light displays at their homes, which the public can visit throughout the holidays. Both have heartwarming stories that will be told on the show, and both benefit local charities. Here's a closer look at the two Christmas light extravaganzas that'll compete in the national spotlight, and how to see them in person.

Hughes family of Rockwall - 'Stay in the Light'
Brenda and David Hughes' display at their home in Rockwallfeatures more than 150,000 lights on every groundcover and all over their house. What really sets it apart, says Brenda Hughes, is a larger-than-life “Candy Land.” Inside the magical candy store are candy canes, cupcakes, elves, gingerbread people, a hot air balloon, and more. Towering over it all are two majestic oak trees in the front yard, each lit up with more than 15,000 twinkling lights.

Great Christmas Light Fight, Hughes, Rockwall, Stay in the Light, Christmas lights display Host Carter Oosterhouse checks out Candy Land with Brenda and David Hughes. Photo courtesy of ABC

But behind the sparkle and shine of the Hughes’ happy holiday display are memories of darker days for the family. The Hugheses call their annual display “Stay in the Light” in honor of Brenda’s son Nathaniel, who, in 2019, “passed away suddenly and tragically after a battle with depression,” his mother says tenderly. He was 29.

They use their display to fundraise for Meals on Wheels of Rockwall County and have pledged $50,000 toward the building of a community center over five years.

“It gives me a purpose now instead of staying in a dark place; I’m now able to bring my darkness into the light,” Brenda says.

See it in person: The Hughes' “Stay in the Light” display is at 1655 Plummer Dr., Rockwall, in The Shores subdivision. It runs nightly 6-10 pm, December 1-25, 2024. Read more about the Hugheses, including behind-the-scenes details of their filming of The Great Christmas Light Fight,in this story.

Joules-Cornetti family of McKinney - 'The Gift of Light'
Dr. Nasheel Joules and her husband, Mark Cornetti, put up a holiday lights display at their McKinney home that's so big and bright, it can be seen from an airplane.

“Our Christmas lights are not done to be the biggest and the best,” Nasheel says humbly. “Our display is done, with love, to show the community the love of God and to inspire people to be joyful and have hope even when life is difficult.”

Nasheel and Mark, for whom life has been exceedingly difficult the past few years, call their display “The Gift of Light” and use it to fundraise for the American Heart Association. This year, their goal is to raise $10,000 for AHA.

Nasheel, a 45-year-old internal medicine physician, suffers from congestive heart failure, as well as a rare autoinflammatory disorder called CAPS disease.

Great Christmas Light Fight, Joules-Cornetti, McKinney, Christmas lights Mark and Nasheel talk about their lights display with host Taniya Nayak. Photo courtesy of ABC

“For those who are saddened during the holidays because of tragedy or loss, we hope our display brings back hope and joy and the spirit of Christmas,” they say.

Their extravaganza, which covers the entire multistory house and surrounding lawns, has a little bit of everything - inflatables, wireframe items, yard art, and dazzling lights, all grouped by sections.

The “elegant” section is a subdued, serene section that gives people a chance to reflect on the season; a “fun” section has inflatables, reindeer, Santa Clauses, penguins, polar bears, some Disney characters, and new this year: a Buc-ee’s inflatable mascot. A "nativities" section has manger scenes, crosses, and a place for visitors to write their prayer requests; Mark and Nasheel say they go through them and pray for them every night.

See it in person: “The Gift of Light” display is at 8624 Palermo Way, McKinney. It runs nightly 5-11 pm, November 28-January 1; follow their Facebook page for updates and information on donating to The American Heart Association. To read a full story about their display and their experience filming The Great Christmas Light Fight, go here.

Photo courtesy of ABC

The Joules-Cornetti family's Christmas light display in McKinney is so big and bright, it can be seen from an airplane.

For a list of the most spectacular Christmas lights around Fort Worth, visit this story.

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