There will plenty of fun things to do around Fort Worth this weekend, including Christmas shopping before Halloween, two symphony concerts, a big name singer playing at an unexpected venue, NASCAR playoffs coming to town, monster trucks, and a major new art exhibition, among other options.
Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend.
Thursday, October 14
Junior League of Fort Worth presents Christmas In Cowtown Holiday Gift Market
The Junior League of Fort Worth will present its 15th annual Christmas in Cowtown Holiday Gift Market, where Christmas shoppers can peruse more than 200 merchants from across the country, showcasing home goods, jewelry, clothing, children’s gifts, and more. The market, returning in person from last year's virtual edition, takes place at Will Rogers Memorial Center through Sunday.
Friday, October 15
Artisan Children's Theater presents Matilda the Musical Jr.
Rebellion is nigh in Matilda Jr., a gleefully witty ode to the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination. This story of a girl who dreams of a better life and the children she inspires will have audiences rooting for the "revolting children" who are out to teach the grown-ups a lesson. The production will run at Artisan Center Theater in Hurst through November 13.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "Legends: Paul Simon Songbook"
Rarely does an artist have a global impact on the scale of Paul Simon, named by Time as one of the "100 People Who Shaped the World." The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will explore his catalogue, from the Simon and Garfunkel years on through the solo albums, including Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints. Featured artists in the concert, running at Bass Performance Hall through Sunday, will include vocalists Paul Loren, Emily Drennan, and Daniel Berryan.
Take3 and Company in concert
With a flair for the wild and unexpected, the genre-defying trio Take3 brings the refinement of a rigorous classical music background and infuses it with rock-star charisma. Known for their infectious and down-to-earth onstage personalities, this group performs their arrangements of top pop hits, Americana, oldies, and everything in between. They'll play at Downtown Cowtown at the Isis.
Melissa Etheridge in concert
Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Melissa Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singer-songwriters for over three decades. Best known for the multi-platinum 1993 album Yes I Am, she has released 19 albums in her career, including the just-released One Way Out. She'll play at Billy Bob's Texas.
Saturday, October 16
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "Halloween Spooktacular"
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will play a concert full of treats for the whole family. Selections will include In the Hall of the Mountain King, The Firebird, Danse Macabre, Star Wars, Frozen, Harry Potter, and more. Kids are encouraged to come in costume for the concert, taking place at Bass Performance Hall.
Grapevine Botanical Gardens presents 24th Annual Butterfly Flutterby
Fluttering monarchs will fill the air during the 24th Annual Butterfly Flutterby, which celebrates the migration of the monarch butterfly from Canada to Mexico by way of Grapevine. The event, taking place at Grapevine Botanical Gardens at Heritage Park, will feature a special exhibit, costume contests, and livestream versions of the live butterfly releases.
NASCAR weekend at Texas Motor Speedway
NASCAR will once again set up camp at Texas Motor Speedway to kick off the round of 8 of the playoffs for both the Xfinity series and NASCAR Cup series. The Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 will take place on Saturday, with AJ Allmendinger holding on to a slim lead over Austin Cindric. The main event, the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500, takes place on Sunday, with Kyle Larson trying to hold off Denny Hamlin and others.
Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth presents "Colors of Affection"
Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth presents its second concert of the season, "Colors of Affection." It will include Alexander von Zemlinsky's String Quartet in A Major, Alban Berg's Lyric Suite, and Felix Mendelssohn's String Quartet No. 3 in D Major. The concert, taking place at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, will feature the Dover Quartet.
Monster Jam
Monster Jam, featuring an epic 12-truck line-up of fan favorites, includes the ultimate mix of high-flying stunts and four-wheel excitement with unbelievable action to unexpected thrills. Taking place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, it will include the return of The Monster Jam Pit Party, where fans can see the massive trucks up close, participate in Q&As with the drivers, take pictures, and enjoy other family-friendly fun.
Shane Smith & The Saints in concert
The Austin-based Shane Smith & The Saints is a band that's on the rise, having released their first three albums in the past eight years. They've become a mainstay on the Texas circuit, playing at a wide variety of local venues and festivals. They'll come back to play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of their latest album, 2019's Hail Mary.
Sunday, October 17
Kimbell Art Museum presents "Turner’s Modern World"
"Turner’s Modern World" showcases the astonishing paintings of J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851), one of Britain’s greatest artists. The exhibition explores Turner’s lifelong interest in the inventions, events, politics, society, culture and science of his time, which resulted in many of his most original works and transformed his way of painting. It will remain on display at the Kimbell Art Museum through February 6, 2022.
Melissa Etheridge will play at Billy Bob's Texas on October 15.
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