Weekend Event Planner
These are the 9 best things to do in Fort Worth this Christmas weekend
With Christmas right around the corner, there are relatively few new events taking place in and around Fort Worth. So now is the perfect time to take in one of the many theater productions that have been running in the area in recent weeks, all of which will come to an end this weekend. There will also be screenings of a new film with an artistic bent, a college football bowl game, and a weekly murder mystery show.
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, December 20
Texas Ballet Theater presents The Nutcracker
After a three-week run, Texas Ballet Theater's definitive production of The Nutcracker will come to an end. A magical Christmas Eve comes to life in the ballet that features Clara and her Nutcracker Prince battling an army of mice led by the evil Rat King, and traveling through a winter wonderland to the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Kingdom of Sweets. The production runs through Monday at Bass Performance Hall.
Jubilee Theatre presents The First Noel
This Harlem-based holiday musical, which has been running since Thanksgiving, features music that crosses genres, from pop to jazz to gospel, to tell a universal story of love and belonging. It’s a story that follows three generations affected by the tragic loss of a loved one. Time is slow to heal this family’s wounds until an unexpected visit from Grandma reveals some long-absent Christmas joy. The production will play at Jubilee Theatre through Sunday.
Artisan Center Theater presents Meet Me in St. Louis
Based on the heartwarming MGM film, Meet Me in St. Louis is a wholesome portrait of a turn-of-the-century American family whose mutual respect, tempered with good-natured humor, helps them through romance, opportunity, and heartbreaks. The musical, featuring songs like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Boy Next Door,” and “Meet Me in St. Louis,” will play at Artisan Center Theater in Hurst through Saturday.
Stage West Theatre presents Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol
Condemned to a shackled eternity, Jacob Marley’s spirit is given one chance to change his fate and escape his eternal chains — by returning to the world he scorned one Christmas Eve night to redeem his old business partner, Scrooge. Scrooge’s heart is indeed opened, but not before Marley discovers his own in this delightful twist on the iconic Dickens classic. The production will run at Stage West Theatre through Sunday.
Casa Mañana presents Santaland Diaries
Santaland Diaries is a sardonic, irreverent holiday tale of Crumpet, the grumpiest elf at Macy’s in New York at Christmastime. What began as a way for an out-of-work writer to pay the bills quickly becomes an absurd and hilarious quest through the trials and tribulations of a middle-aged elf dealing with cynical Santas, greedy children, and their harried parents. The production, suitable for mature audiences, will run at Casa Mañana Theatre through Saturday.
Casa Mañana presents 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Molly is having trouble finding her Christmas spirit. Determined to make it a Christmas to remember, Molly’s mother takes her on a magical treasure hunt through New York City from Radio City Music Hall to Macy’s, where they encounter dancing elves and even Santa Claus himself. Featuring a score of beloved Christmas songs, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas is a yuletide spectacular that will put audiences in the holiday spirit. It will play at Casa Mañana Theatre through Sunday.
Friday, December 21
Magnolia at the Modern Film presents At Eternity's Gate
Julian Schnabel's At Eternity's Gate is a journey inside the world and mind of Vincent Van Gogh (Willem Dafoe), who, despite skepticism, ridicule, and illness, created some of the world's most beloved and stunning works of art. Schnabel has made not just an exquisite film but an argument for art. The film will screen both this weekend and December 28-30 at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Houston vs. Army
While TCU waits to play in the Cheez-It Bowl in Phoenix next Wednesday, you can get one final local taste of college football for the year courtesy of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Houston Cougars, making their fifth appearance in the bowl game, will face off against the Army West Point Golden Knights, the defending champions who are making their third appearance.
Saturday, December 22
Billy Bob's Texas presents Lone Star Murder Mystery Dinner and Show
This semi-regular show at Billy Bob's Texas isn't advertised as holiday-themed, but there are bound to be a few special touches along the way. In the suspenseful and hilarious production, Fallen Angel, Rebecca Angel has been murdered. She had fallen on hard times and started committing various crimes, one of which might have led to her death. The show will also play on December 29 and 31.