There will be an interesting mixture of events in and around Fort Worth this weekend — a long Easter holiday weekend for many. The biggest event is a college gymnastics championship with some Olympic medalists competing. Other choices include two new local theater productions, a couple of well-known comedians, three concerts, a car festival, the closing of two exhibitions, and more.
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. Sill making Easter dining plans? Find a list of best restaurants with brunches and feasts here.
Thursday, April 14
2022 NCAA Women’s National Collegiate Gymnastics Championship
The 2022 NCAA Women’s National Collegiate Gymnastics Championship will be in Fort Worth for the fifth year. Teams competing include No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Utah, No. 5 Alabama, No. 7 Auburn (which boasts the Olympic all-around gold medalist, Suni Lee), No. 8 Minnesota, and No. 11 Missouri. The top all-around competitor and the top finisher on each event from each regional have also advanced to the national championships. There will be two sessions on Thursday and one Saturday at Dickies Arena. Read more about Lee and other favorite gymnasts from the Tokyo Olympics competing in this story.
Stage West Theatre presents What to Send Up When It Goes Down
Unlike anything you’ve seen before, this play-pageant-ritual-homegoing-celebration blurs the lines between actors and audience. In a series of vignettes, What to Send Up When It Goes Down builds to a moment in which performance and reality collide, a unifying theatrical response to the physical and spiritual loss of Black lives. This singular experience creates a space for catharsis, reflection, and healing, offering a way for us to move forward with greater compassion and care for one another. The production will be at Stage West Theatre through May 8.
Improv Arlington presents Paul Rodriguez
Longtime comedian Paul Rodriguez has been making audiences laugh all over the world (in Spanish and English) for nearly three decades with his unique brand of humor that is a perfect blend of his Latin heritage, the American dream, and his undeniable universal appeal. Rodriguez will perform at Improv Arlington five times through Saturday.
Friday, April 15
Downtown Cowtown at the Isis presents Krendl's Magic of One
Krendl’s extensive magic career includes being one of only three magicians in the world who can perform the Infamous Houdini water torture cell in full view and without a curtain. He has a heartwarming unique style of magic that has been delighting family audiences around the world. The challenge of doing things that are said to be impossible has been the true heart and soul behind all of his work. He'll perform at Downtown Cowtown at the Isis.
Hyena's presents Christopher "Kid" Reid
Christopher "Kid" Reid is best known as one-half of the late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop musical act Kid 'n Play, where he was particularly notable for his extreme high-top fade hairstyle. But comedy has always been part of his repertoire, whether in the House Party movies or elsewhere. Reid now tours as a stand-up comedian, and he'll show off his talents in four shows on Friday and Saturday at Hyena's in downtown Fort Worth.
Stolen Shakespeare Guild presents Something Rotten
In Something Rotten, set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as "The Bard." When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing, and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self, and all that jazz. The Stolen Shakespeare Guild production will run at Fort Worth Community Arts Center through May 1.
Kolby Cooper in concert
Country singer Kolby Cooper came out of the East Texas town of Palestine just three years out of high school, with no label or industry machine in place. Since then, his songs have garnered millions of streams on Spotify, solidifying him as a voice of the future for Texas country music. He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of his 2020 EP, Vol. 2.
Saturday, April 16
FuelFest
FuelFest blends the enthusiast’s passion for the automotive world with celebrities, live music, food, drinks, and art. The show features more than 600 top custom, exotic, rare, and exclusive cars and trucks combined with drift exhibitions and curated and interactive exhibits. FuelFest, taking place at Texas Motor Speedway, will also feature a massive live-action drift course on the infield road course, where spectators can catch race cars drifting all day.
The Band of Heathens in concert
The Band of Heathens returns to Tulips FTW for the first time since they headlined the venue's official grand opening in July 2021. The Austin band has been building up their music bona fides since their debut album in 2008. They've gone on to release seven more albums, with their eighth — Remote Transmissions, Vol. 1 — coming out this past February.
Aaron Watson in concert
Country singer Aaron Watson has been recording music for over 20 years, but it wasn't until 2012 that he hit it big with his 11th album, appropriately titled The Underdog, which went to No. 1 on the country charts. He's been near the top of the charts ever since. He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of his latest album, 2021's American Soul.
Sunday, April 17
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame presents "1883: The Journey West" closing day
After a fake-out a month ago, 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. Read more about the exhibit in this story.
Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents "Sandy Rodriguez in Isolation" closing day
Sunday will also be the final day to view "Sandy Rodriguez in Isolation" at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Illuminating the complexity of art-making amid a global pandemic, the exhibition — a selection of new works on paper conceived by Rodriguez during her Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency in Southern California at the height of COVID-19 — features more than 30 landscapes, protest scenes, maps, and botanical studies, created using Rodriguez’s hand-processed inks and watercolors, which she derived from plants and mineral pigments native to the region.
Suni Lee and other Olympians will compete at the 2022 NCAA Women’s National Collegiate Gymnastics Championship, taking place at Dickies Arena on April 14 and 16.
