This weekend in and around Fort Worth is a chance to celebrate music in its many forms. Ten out of the 14 events featured have musical elements, including four country concerts, a cabaret-style concert, two musicals, and three classical music events. Other choices include two other (non-musical) theater productions, a chance to do some holiday shopping, and a visit from a well-known comedian.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. If you want more options, check out the calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, October 8
The Red Clay Strays in concert
Alabama band The Red Clay Strays have seemingly manifested their success, self-releasing their debut album — the aptly titled Moment of Truth — in 2022. That spawned the hit "Wondering Why," which led to a record deal and two more albums and counting, including the new, appropriately titled Grateful. The rising stars will play the second of back-to-back-nights at Dickies Arena on Thursday.
Casa Mañana presents Thank God I'm a Country Boy: The Music of John Denver
One of the most popular artists of the 1970s, John Denver was an acclaimed singer, songwriter, and actor. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a charming folk sound, Denver wrote songs celebrating the beauty of the natural world and the human spirit. In this cabaret concert, singers Andy Christopher, Taylor Isaac Gray, and Esther Stilwell will sing Denver’s greatest hits, including “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Rocky Mountain High,” “Thank God I’m A Country Boy,” and “Annie’s Song.” It runs through November 1 at Casa Mañana.
Theatre Wesleyan presents Clue
It’s a dark and stormy night, and the cast of oddball characters has been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias; the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well, dead. So, whodunit? Visitors can join the iconic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up. The production will have five performances through Sunday at Texas Wesleyan University.
Theatre Denton presents The Addams Family
The Addams Family is a musical comedy that depicts a ghoulish family of quirky characters who embrace all things macabre. They include the head of the family, Gomez; the love of his life, Morticia; their children, Pugsley and Wednesday; as well as Grandma, Uncle Fester, and their loyal butler, Lurch. The production runs through October 18 at Theatre Denton.
The Cliburn presents Yekwon Sunwoo
In the near decade since his Cliburn win, 2017 Cliburn Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo has performed around the globe, including concerto appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, and Houston Symphony. He returns to Fort Worth with a program featuring Respighi’s Six Pieces for Piano, Rachmaninov’s Moments musiceaux, and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. The event takes place at Kimbell Art Museum.
Hip Pocket Theatre presents Mega Python vs Gatoroid (the musical)
Mega Python vs Gatoroid (the musical) features lascivious squirming, agonizing squeals from antagonized patrons; the rancid aroma of giant perspiring juggernauts battling, biting, gnawing, and clawing; many nutria wrangled together in a tight space; and the entire audience rising up in unison and screaming “Oh no! Not that!” The production runs through November 1 at Hip Pocket Theatre.
Friday, October 9
The Junior League of Fort Worth presents Christmas in Cowtown Holiday Gift Market
The Junior League of Fort Worth will present their annual Christmas in Cowtown Holiday Gift Market, featuring more than 230 merchants offering holiday décor, stylish finds, unique gifts, gourmet goodies, and more. This year’s market proceeds will benefit nine local organizations. It runs through Sunday at Will Rogers Memorial Center.
Brooks & Dunn in concert
There has been no more successful duo in country music history than Brooks & Dunn. Their debut album in 1991, Brand New Man, had four No. 1 hits, including "Neon Moon," for which this tour is named. Those four songs started a remarkable streak that saw 24 of their first 25 singles reach the top 10 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, 14 of which went to No. 1. They'll finish their current tour with two concerts at Dickies Arena on Friday and Saturday
John Mulaney: Mister Whatever
Comedian John Mulaney is one of the busiest men in his business, most recently hosting the new Netflix talk show, Everybody's Live With John Mulaney. Mulaney's latest Netflix stand-up special, 2023's Baby J, earned him 2023 Emmy nominations in Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) and an Emmy win for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special. Baby J also received the 2024 Critics' Choice Award for Best Comedy Special (non-televised). He'll perform at Will Rogers Auditorium.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "The Classical Style"
Mozart cobbled together his “Haffner” Symphony from music he wrote to celebrate the young Sigmund Haffner’s ascension to nobility. After the symphony, FWSO music director Robert Spano will conduct American composer Steven Stucky’s The Classical Style: An Opera (of Sorts), a comedy in which Mozart is a character alongside other famous composers like Beethoven and Haydn, all portrayed by the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera, under the direction of Peter Kazaras. There will be three performances through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.
Stolen Shakespeare Guild presents As You Like It
The search for true love takes Rosalind and Orlando on separate journeys into the enchanting Forest of Arden. In the woods, each seeks refuge and adventure only to discover a wondrous world of wit, friendship, transformation, and imagination. The production runs through November 1 at Stolen Shakespeare Guild.
Blackberry Smoke in concert
Country rock band Blackberry Smoke is now in the third decade of their career, having released their debut album in 2003. They experienced their best run of success in the 2010s, when they had five straight top 10 albums on the Billboard Country chart, including two that went to No. 1. Their most recent album was Be Right Here in 2024. They'll play at Billy Bob's Texas.
Saturday, October 10
Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth Ensemble in concert with Yekwon Sunwoo
Pianist Yekwon Sunwoo makes his second appearance of the weekend in this concert with Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth. He will perform along with Artistic Director Gary Levinson, violin; Michael Klotz, viola; and Inbal Segev, cello in a program that includes Antonín Dvořák's Piano Trio in F Minor, Op. 65; Johannes Brahms' Piano Trio No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 101; Franz Schubert's String Trio No. 1 in B-flat, D. 471; and Johannes Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 60. The concert takes place at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Tyler Farr in concert
Country singer Tyler Farr started his career as a songwriter, with artists like Cole Swindell and Joe Nichols recording his songs. He went out on his own in 2012 and had a string of hits, including "Redneck Crazy," "Whiskey in my Water," and "A Guy Walks Into a Bar" — we're sensing a theme here. He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of his 2025 EP, Quit Bein' Country.
