It's a low-key weekend around Fort Worth, but there will still be fun stuff to see and do. Among the choices are a big fitness competition, a festival of anime films, an appearance by a rising comedian, two local theater productions, and concerts by two country singers.
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, August 8
CrossFit Games
The greatest athletes in the sport of fitness will take on the competition in a bid to become the fittest at the CrossFit Games. The top 40 men and 40 women in the world, as well as the top 30 teams in the world, will compete at Dickies Arena in a variety of different strength, speed, and agility events. The event, coming to Fort Worth for the first time, takes place through Sunday. UPDATE 8-8-2024: Due to the death of an athlete during Day 1 of competition, the competition event schedule has been amended.
Friday, August 9
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents Masterpieces from Studio Ghibli Film Festival
Masterpieces from Studio Ghibli will feature an all-Ghibli festival, showcasing seven films from the animation masters who founded the studio - Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Selections include Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, The Boy and the Heron, and Spirited Away. All films will be introduced by Dr. Marc Hairston, a research scientist at the University of Texas at Dallas. The festival takes place through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Improv Arlington presents Josh Johnson
Josh Johnson is an Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up, actor, and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago. He is currently a writer on The Daily Show, and is a former writer and performer on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017. Johnson’s most recent stand-up special, Josh Johnson: Up Here Killing Myself, premiered on Peacock. He'll perform eight times through Sunday at Improv Arlington.
Theatre Arlington presents Big Fish
Big Fish tells the story of Edward Bloom, whose incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him. Overflowing with heart and humor, itis an extraordinary musical that makes for an experience that’s richer, funnier, and bigger than life itself. The production runs through August 25 at Theatre Arlington.
Hip Pocket Theatre presents Raft Project
Topsy-turvy upon open waters. Seeking solace from troublesome days. For want of balance and burdens unbound. Adrift upon a floating stage. To beat the August heat, Hip Pocket Theatre will move from their outside stage to the air-conditioned Southside Preservation Hall with this newly devised work by Lake Simons and John Dyer. The production runs through August 25.
Josh Ward in concert
Country singer Josh Ward has had a big presence in the Texas country music world over the past 15 years or so. Over that time, he's released five albums (including 2019's Live at Billy Bob's) and charted nine consecutive No. 1 songs in the state. He'll return to one his favorite venues, Billy Bob's Texas, for another turn at entertaining the masses.
Saturday, August 10
Charles Wesley Godwin in concert
Country-folk singer Charles Wesley Godwin is a rising star in the genre. Hailing from West Virginia, he released his debut album, Seneca, in 2019 and has slowly but surely been gaining notice ever since. He collaborated with Zach Bryan on the song "Jamie" in 2022, and contributed "Winter's Come and Gone" to the soundtrack of The Hunger Games: The Ballads of Songbirds & Snakes. He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas.
Josh Ward will play at Billy Bob's Texas on August 9.
Leave the car at home and ride the TEXRail.
Courtesy photo