This weekend in Fort Worth will feature a big local focus, including the fact that all the listed events take place within the city limits. There will be two new local theater productions, a new version of an old opera, an arts festival, a new art exhibition, and more. You can also enjoy visits from an acclaimed comedian, an Oklahoma band, an EDM festival, 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.
Thursday, April 21
Cliburn Concerts: Jennifer Koh and Vijay Iyer
Violinist Jennifer Koh is a forward-thinking artist dedicated to exploring a broad and eclectic repertoire, while promoting diversity and inclusivity in classical music. In 2018, she launched Limitless, a project celebrating the collaborative relationship between composer and performer; duo commissions are played by Koh and the composers themselves. Her partner for this special Cliburn debut is leading-edge composer-pianist Vijay Iyer. They will perform at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Circle Theatre presents Pressure Makes Diamonds
Circle Theatre presents Pressure Makes Diamonds, an original production that will shine a bright light on a diamond’s similarities to life. Denise Lee, recently seen at Circle Theatre in The Glass Menagerie, with the help of her band, will touch audiences' souls with a collection of songs from many classic artists. The production, a collaboration with and directed by Monique Midgette, will run through April 30.
Amphibian Stage presents River Butcher
River Butcher is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer, and podcast host. Butcher is best known for personal, observational comedy focused on his vegetarianism, feminism, love of baseball, and experiences as a queer person. He will perform at Amphibian Stage through Saturday.
Turnpike Troubadours in concert
Oklahoma red dirt country band Turnpike Troubadours have been around since 2007, but they've been hiatus since 2019. Their last two albums, including 2017's A Long Way from Your Heart, each reached the top 3 on the Billboard Country charts, indicating their rising popularity. If their stint at Billy Bob's Texas is any indication, that popularity remains, as they'll play there for three straight nights through Saturday.
Friday, April 22
Fort Worth Opera presents La Traviata
Fort Worth Opera will present La Traviata, the timeless classic that was their first production on November 25, 1946. The emotionally gripping, 90-minute chamber realization of the opera is reimagined through a contemporary lens, bringing into sharp focus the inner conflicts of love and duty, freedom, passion, and self-sacrifice. There will be two performances — one Friday and one Sunday — at Bass Performance Hall.
Saturday, April 23
Fort Worth Botanic Garden presents Spring Japanese FestivalUPDATE: Given the potential for heavy rainfall Sunday, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden has canceled the Spring Japanese Festival on Sunday only.
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden | Botanical Research Institute of Texas will present Spring Japanese Festival, featuring the arts and culture of Japan. Hosted in cooperation with the Fort Worth Japanese Society, the festival includes cultural demonstrations, performances, unique shopping opportunities, and traditional foods. The festival will take place through Sunday.
Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents "Art Making as Life Making: Kinji Akagawa at Tamarind"
Opening on Saturday at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art is "Art Making as Life Making: Kinjia Akagawa at Tamarind," which offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life at Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles in the 1960s. Akagawa collaborated there with more than a dozen leading artists, including Ruth Asawa, Herbert Bayer, and Jose Luis Cuevas. The exhibition, on display through October 30, features more than 40 works from the Carter’s collection of more than 2,500 Tamarind Workshop prints.
Near Southside Inc. presents ArtsGoggle
ArtsGoggle is Fort Worth's premier festival of local arts, featuring more than 1,000 visual artists, 50 musical performances, artistic displays of every kind, food, drink, and more. The festival exclusively focuses on highlighting the work of local artists, musicians, and performers of all mediums and experience levels. Taking place along 21 blocks of Magnolia Avenue, visitors are invited to park their cars and rediscover the revitalized urban neighborhood by foot or by bicycle, including Fort Worth Bike Sharing bikes.
Casa Mañana presents Disney's Descendants the Musical
Based on the popular Disney Channel original movies, Descendants is a brand-new musical comedy featuring the beloved characters and hit songs from the films. Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos — the children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella De Vil, and Jafar — are welcomed to Auradon Prep to attend school with the children of their parents’ sworn enemies. Now entering a completely foreign world and way of life, the four Villain Kids have a difficult choice to make: should they follow in their parents’ wicked footsteps or learn to be good? The production runs through May 8 at Casa Mañana Theatre.
Ubbi Dubbi Festival
Ubbi Dubbi is a two-day, three-stage electronic dance music festival featuring some of the world’s top dance music artists, food and retail vendors, art installations, and more. Performers will include Alison Wonderland, Decadon, Kumarion, Peekaboo, Wreckno, Casmalia, Kyle Watson, Redrum, The Sponges, Zeds Dead, and more. The festival takes place at Panther Island Pavilion through Sunday.
Thunderstorm Artis in concert
Any fan of NBC's The Voice will already be familiar with Thunderstorm Artis, who was a finalist on Season 18 of the reality singing competition. A singer/songwriter hailing from Hawaii, he comes from a musical family, learning at a very young age how to play piano, guitar, harp, and percussion. He'll play at Downtown Cowtown at the Isis.
Sunday, April 24
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents "Recent Acquisitions 2002-2022" closing day
Sunday is the final day to view "Recent Acquisitions 2002-2022," a permanent collection installation focused on works acquired since the building’s opening. Both floors will showcase paintings, photographs, sculptures, and videos by artists from a wide range of cultures and geographies. Artists included in the exhibition include Takashi Murakami, Andy Warhol, Eddie Martinez, Ed Ruscha, Kamrooz Aram, Shirin Neshat, Kehinde Wiley, and more.
ArtsGoggle takes place along Magnolia Avenue in Near Southside on April 23.
