Three venues in Fort Worth have a monopoly on events this weekend. Six out of the nine events will take place at those venues, ranging from music to movies to a science festival. You can also see an actor-turned-singer, a country star of yesteryear, and the final day of a big art exhibition.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, July 19
Fortress presents An Evening with Gingger Shankar
Gingger Shankar is a singer, violinist, and composer who was born into one of the world’s most acclaimed and influential musical families. She was the artist and co-composer behind the poignant score of Mel Gibson’s blockbuster Passion of the Christ, and her music can be heard in Mike Nichols' film, Charlie Wilson’s War. She has also worked with The Smashing Pumpkins, Trent Reznor, and James Newton Howard. She'll perform at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters in concert with Bri Bagwell
If you only know Billy Bob Thornton from his acting career, you're missing half the picture. Sure, the Oscar winner continues to churn out quality work on both the big and small screens, but he's equally passionate about his music career with his band, The Boxmasters. They'll play at Arlington Music Hall in support of their 2017 album, Speck, alongside opening act Bri Bagwell.
Friday, July 20
Magnolia at the Modern presents Yellow Submarine
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the psychedelic landscapes of Yellow Submarine have been restored in 4k digital resolution. The animation was cleaned up by hand, frame by frame, and the audio, which features Beatles songs like "A Day in the Life" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," was remixed in 5.1 stereo sound. The remastered film will screen seven times through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History presents Infinity Festival
The Infinity Festival will explore the latest advancements in virtual reality and other interactive immersive technologies. The weekend of events is designed to introduce guests of all ages to the exciting world of interactive technology, where they can enjoy immersive demonstrations, create 3D scans of artifacts from the museum’s collection, and learn about the latest innovations from area technology experts. The festival will take place through Sunday.
Saturday, July 21
Panther Island Pavilion presents Rockin’ The River: Cody Canada and the Departed
Rockin' The River reaches its halfway point with a concert featuring headliner Cody Canada and the Departed. The rock/country group will be joined at Panther Island Pavilion by opening acts Read Southall Band, Shotgun Rider, Travis Meadows, and Chance Ray and the Good Sinners. Visitors can watch the concert, which also features a fireworks show, from a tube on the river or from the shore.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History presents Jaws
Steven Spielberg's classic movie Jaws started the summer blockbuster era, so it's more than appropriate for the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History to present special screenings of the monster experience on their giant domed screen. The Academy Award-winning 1975 film that tells the tale of a small island community terrorized by a Great White Shark will screen five times through July 28.
Tracy Byrd in concert
Country singer Tracy Byrd was a part of the '90s boom in country music, scoring hits like "Holdin' Heaven," "Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous," "The Keeper of the Stars," and "Don't Take Her She's All I Got." After a 10-year break, Byrd self-released his 10th album, All American Texan, in 2016. He'll play in support of that album at Billy Bob's Texas.
Sunday, July 22
Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents Ellen Carey: "Dings, Pulls, and Shadows" closing day
Sunday is final day to take in Ellen Carey: "Dings, Pulls, and Shadows" at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Since the 1990s, experimental photographer Ellen Carey has been making photographs that defy photographic conventions of depicting identifiable subjects. Instead, her works depict vibrant fields of color that are meditations on the very nature of photography as an image created by the action of light on a light-sensitive surface.
Panther Island Pavilion presents Sunday Funday
We are in a brutal stretch of 100-degree days, so about the best you can do to cool off is find some kind of water in which to dip your body. Thankfully, this is the first weekend for Panther Island Pavilion's Sunday Funday, a day of relaxation and fun in the sun. You can rent tubes, pedal boats, kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddle boards to enjoy the Trinity River. Local craft beer will be sold from Panther Island Brewing.
Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters will play at Arlington Music Hall on July 19.
