It looks to be a fun weekend in and around Fort Worth, with events featuring big-time college basketball, two local theater productions, a celebrity saxophonist, St. Patrick's Day, multiple concerts, and the final days of two art exhibitions.
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. Looking for a specific list of St. Patrick's Day events? Find that here.
Thursday, March 17
NCAA Men's Basketball First and Second Rounds
March Madness comes to Fort Worth as Dickies Arena plays host to games in the first and second rounds of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Big name teams competing will include the East No. 1 seed, and defending national champion, Baylor Bears, Midwest No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks, North Carolina Tar Heels, and San Diego State Aztecs. There are two sessions of games on Thursday and one session on Saturday.
Stage West Theatre presents Witch
Mischief lurks in the sleepy village of Edmonton, as a slick young devil arrives in search of a few fresh souls. As the townsfolk reveal their deepest secrets and desires, bargains are struck, tables are turned, and an outcast woman living at the edge of the village proves to be much more than she seems. This inventive and fiendishly funny tale reminds you to be careful what you wish for. Witch, making its regional premiere at Stage West Theatre, will run through April 10.
Friday, March 18
Casa Mañana presents Shrek the Musical
Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek, an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her own rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Shrek the Musical runs at Casa Mañana Theatre through April 3.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Kenny G
At this concert from the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, audiences will get to enjoy the mellow sounds of Kenny G, the Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and highest-selling instrumental musician of the modern era. He will perform hits like "Havana," "Forever in Love," "Heart and Soul," "Silhouette," and "My Heart Will Go On.” There will be three performances through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.
Saturday, March 19
St. Patrick's Day celebrations
What's that, you say? St. Patrick's Day was two days ago? These events say it's never too late to put on some green and have a good time. Cowtown Goes Green in the Stockyards includes a Shamrock beer garden, armadillo races, an Irish-Western parade, and more. Crockett Row's Shamrocks & Shenanigans is a first-time event that will feature rides and photo opportunities with live green miniature ponies, face painting stations, live local DJs, and more. Green beer will be prevalent at Shannon Brewing Company's Saint Patrick's Day Celebration. The Keller brewery will feature some of their seasonal beers and some one-of-a-kind beers brewed just for this event, as well as bagpipes, other live music, food, and more.
Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival
The Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival is a celebration of old-time, jug band, string band, early blues, and jazz music, and is the first-ever festival in the nation for early American traditional music that is Black-led and Black-centered. Artists from around the country will perform at Southside Preservation Hall, including Justin Robinson, Kaia Kater, Jake Blount, and many others.
Jake Hoot in concert
Unlike some other winners of television singing competitions, country singer Jake Hoot, who was the winner of season 17 of NBC's The Voice, has not yet been able to fully capitalize on that success. His winning song, "Better Off Without You," made it to No. 36 on the country charts, and he released a duet with Kelly Clarkson, "I Would've Loved You," in 2021, but he has only put out two EPs so far. He'll play at Downtown Cowtown at the Isis.
Diamond Rio in concert
Country group Diamond Rio had an enviable start to their career in 1991, going to No. 1 with their very first single, "Meet in the Middle." They've had four other No. 1 hits in their career, as well as 14 other top 10 hits, although none since 2002. While they haven't released an album since 2015's I Made It, they're sure to put on another entertaining concert at Billy Bob's Texas.
Sunday, March 20
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame presents "1883: The Journey West" closing day(UPDATE: Due to its popularity, the exhibit has been held over until April 17.)
Visitors to the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame will have one final chance to get up close with props, costumes, and photography from the Paramount+ series 1883 when viewing the exhibition, "1883: The Journey West." 101 Studios, the studio responsible for 1883 and Yellowstone, curated items for the exhibition, including an authentic wagon, a camp set-up, and wardrobe worn by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, and LaMonica Garrett, along with behind-the-scenes photography.
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents Focus: Jill Magid closing day
Sunday will also be the final day to view Focus: Jill Magid at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Throughout Magid’s career, she has carried out extraordinary tasks for her research, such as forging highly intimate connections with faceless, bureaucratic systems. For her exhibition at the Modern, the artist shows the film Tender Balance alongside related works that expand upon her 2020 Creative Time public artwork, Tender.
Defending national champion Baylor will start its title defense at Dickies Arena, as the arena hosts March Madness games on March 17 and 19.
