Music dominates the landscape in and around Fort Worth this weekend. It's available in a variety of forms, including the end of a landmark classical music competition, two summer series, two concerts set amid nature, and one of the most laid-back singers on the planet. You can also enjoy a great Texas play, a fun indie movie, or some high-speed car racing.
Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, June 8
The Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
After cutting down the competitors from 30 to six over the past couple of weeks, the Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition comes to a close this weekend. Three of the six finalists, which include Georgy Tchaidze, Kenneth Broberg, Daniel Hsu, Rachel Cheung, Yury Favorin, and Yekwon Sunwoo, perform every day through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall, with the winner declared shortly thereafter. Sunday's final round and awards ceremony will also be simulcast for free in Sundance Square Plaza, followed by a closing party.
Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts Summer Series
The Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts in Arlington is in the midst of presenting a series of free concerts and movies all summer long. This weekend offers a screening of Moana on Thursday, followed by performances by Bri Bagwell and Reckless Kelly on Friday, The Gibbonses and Orleans on Saturday, and Dylan Chambers and Black Violin on Sunday.
Friday, June 9
Near Southside Inc. presents Friday on the Green
Friday on the Green is a free monthly concert series at Magnolia Green Park that features live music, tasty food and drinks from Near Southside eateries, and the fun and relaxed atmosphere of a big neighborhood picnic. The final event before a two-month summer break features performances by Katsuk, Vodeo, Kevin Aldridge & the Appraisers, and Vandoliers.
Magnolia at the Modern presents Paris Can Wait
The latest in the Magnolia at the Modern series is Paris Can Wait, the first feature directed by Eleanor Coppola, wife of Francis Ford Coppola. When her director husband (Alec Baldwin) is occupied with work in Paris, an American woman (Diane Lane) takes a jaunt with his business associate, a charming Frenchman who is happy to squire her on a tour of some of the finest meals in Provence. The film screens six times through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Stage West Theatre presents Ann
Texas' brassy blue governor Ann Richards is back and brought to vivid life in this tour-de-force one-woman show. Ann, playing at Stage West Theatre through July 8, is an inspiring and hilarious play that brings you face-to-face with a complex, colorful, and captivating character bigger than the state from which she hailed.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Concerts in the Garden: A Tribute to Elvis with Kraig Parker
Kraig Parker, making his 10th Concerts in the Garden appearance since 2004, has toured with Elvis Presley’s original vocal groups The Jordanaires, the Stamps Quartet, and the Sweet Inspirations. He channels the King in this special outdoor concert at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, accompanied by members of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
Saturday, June 10
Poetic Visions presents Jazz On the Trinity
Jazz on the Trinity is a concert, a festival, and everything that jazz lovers have been missing. It’s a jam-packed day of musical styles, food from over 30 vendors, and an array of other on-site vendors at Panther Island Pavilion. The concert features Lalah Hathaway, the Robert Glasper Experiment, the Foreign Exchange, Maysa, Ahyonz featuring Kenya C, Dionne, Avery Sunshine, and more.
Jimmy Buffett & the Coral Reefer Band in concert with ZZ Top
For Parrotheads, attending a Jimmy Buffett concert isn't just an experience; it's a way of life. The parking lots around Toyota Stadium in Frisco will turn into Margaritaville well before the concert on Saturday night, as thousands of people gather to celebrate Buffett's easygoing lifestyle. The concert itself is no slouch, with Buffett & the Coral Reefer Band joined by Houston legends ZZ Top.
Rainguard Water Sealers 600
The Rainguard Water Sealers 600 is the Verizon IndyCar Series' original night race, where the best drivers in the world go wheel-to-wheel on the mile-and-a-half banks at Texas Motor Speedway. The first 20,000 fans in attendance receive a limited-edition Graham Rahal bobblehead presented by Fox Sports Southwest.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Concerts in the Garden: ABBACADABRA
The music of ABBA returns to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as ABBACADABRA, the Ultimate ABBA Tribute, play timeless favorites like “Super Trooper,” “Dancing Queen,” “S.O.S.,” and more alongside the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
Friday on the Green, taking place at Magnolia Green Park on June 9, features a headlining performance by Vandoliers.
