Fort Worth takes a big step forward this weekend, as a venue that's already attracting multiple big-name performers hosts its first official event. Other choices in and around Fort Worth will include a kickoff party for a new festival, a new local theater production, two well-known comedians, a new art exhibit, an Oscar-quality movie, great classical music, and a Cowboys celebration.
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, November 7
Heim Barbecue presents River & Blues Festival Launch Party
Heim Barbecue will host the launch party for the inaugural River & Blues Festival, taking place at at Panther Island Pavilion, May 15-16, 2020. At this kickoff party, guests can enjoy brisket, brews, and country blues from a solo acoustic set by Kirk House. The lineup of top country and blues artists will be announced at the party, where guests can purchase tickets, T-shirts, and stickers.
Stage West Theatre presents The Lifespan of a Fact
At a prestigious magazine publication, a young employee is about to be given an opportunity by his demanding editor-in-chief: she wants him to fact-check a groundbreaking piece by an illustrious, albeit unorthodox author. As the deadline approaches and the lines between accuracy and artistic license blur, boundaries are crossed and the high-stakes world of publishing becomes personal. The production will run at Stage West Theatre through December 8.
Improv Arlington presents Pablo Francisco
Pablo Francisco continually pushes the envelope, while constantly refining new material. He weaves together his arsenal of characters, spontaneous outbursts, and clever insights to create a stand-up show that more resembles an hour-long comedic jazz riff. He has the ability to become an off-the-wall, animated character that points out the absurdity in an illogical, pop culture-obsessed world. He'll perform five times through Saturday at Improv Arlington.
Friday, November 8
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents FOCUS: Martine Gutierrez
Martine Gutierrez's photographs and videos explore gender, race, class, and sexuality, as well as conventional ideals of beauty and identity as a social construct. Her most ambitious project to date, Indigenous Woman, 2018, is a glossy, 146-page publication that closely mirrors Andy Warhol's Interview magazine in form and production. For her FOCUS exhibition, running at the Modern Art Museum through January 12, 2020, the artist will present photographs from the Indigenous Woman series.
Magnolia at the Modern: Pain and Glory
Normally Magnolia at the Modern features a new film every weekend, but they're making an exception for the latest from writer/director Pedro Almodóvar. In this thinly veiled autobiographical film, a film director (Antonio Banderas) reflects on the choices he's made in life as the past and present come crashing down around him. Featuring the "special collaboration of Penelope Cruz," the film, which is in Spanish with English subtitles, will screen seven more times through Sunday.
Twenty One Pilots in concert
It's been a long time coming, but Dickies Arena will finally host its first public event when Twenty One Pilots comes to town on Friday night. The duo is emblematic of 21st century music, crossing back and forth between genres like rock, hip-hop, and pop to create a sound that's all their own. They broke out with 2015's Blurryface and have continued their rise with their latest album, 2018's Trench. This is the second-to-last show on the band's five-leg, yearlong tour, so expect them to go all out for their fans.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Barber and Copland: A Salute to America
Guest conductor Garrett Keast salutes American composers in this program featuring works by Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland. Audiences can experience Barber’s powerful Adagio for Strings and Copland’s Third Symphony and the grand Fanfare for the Common Man. Also, Liza Ferschtman will perform Barber’s lush and soulful Violin Concerto. There will be three performances through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.
Jo Koy: Just Kidding
Jo Koy has come a long way from his modest beginnings performing at a Las Vegas coffeehouse. He was given the “Stand-Up Comedian Of The Year” award at the 2018 Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and has four highly rated comedy specials on Comedy Central and Netflix, including his 2019 Netflix special, Coming In Hot. He'll perform at Will Rogers Memorial Center.
Saturday, November 9
Dallas Cowboys presents Rally Day
Rally Days give fans an experience of a lifetime on Dallas Cowboys home game weekends. Before the Cowboys take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, guests can celebrate Dallas Cowboys football past and present at AT&T Stadium. The event includes self-guided tours, appearances by Dallas Cowboys alumni, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and mascot Rowdy, plus on-field games and activities, and more.
Twenty One Pilots will play at Dickies Arena on November 8.
