The slate of events around Fort Worth this weekend is evenly split between ones celebrating the holidays and those with no ties to the season. Choices include a parade, three holiday concerts, a trio of comedians, an anime festival, a family-friendly opera, a couple of Nutcrackers, and three concerts from multiple genres.
Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events. Looking for the best Christmas lights this weekend? Find those lists here and here.
Thursday, December 7
City of Grapevine presents 44th Annual Parade of Lights
The City of Grapevine's annual Parade of Lights features more than 100 lighted floats and marching bands. Visitors are encouraged to come early to claim their spot along Historic Main Street to watch the holiday event.
Marie Osmond: Symphonic Christmas
One night after helping to light the Fort Worth Christmas tree, singer and actress Marie Osmond comes to Arlington to perform her show, Symphonic Christmas, featuring classic Christmas songs accompanied by a symphony orchestra. Osmond, who came to fame in the 1970s alongside her musical brothers, has released 12 albums in her career, including 2007's Magic of Christmas, which featured classics and traditional songs. She'll perform at Arlington Music Hall on Thursday and Friday.
Improv Arlington presents Tip Harris
Rapper Tip Harris is known by T.I., Tip, or TIP, but you may not know that he's also a comedian. In addition to his 11 hit albums, multiple Grammys, Billboard, BET, and American Music Awards, blockbuster movies, and top-rated television shows, he's also been growing his stand-up act, which he'll demonstrate in five shows through Saturday at Improv Arlington.
Amphibian Stage presents Catherine Cohen: Come For Me
Come For Me by Catherine Cohen is an openly glamorous, decidedly horny musical exploration of what it means to enter your thirties as a woman online, in love, and inspired to romanticize the prospect of freezing your eggs. It features sexy stand-up & songs about finding purpose, filling the void, and sending nothing but love and light to anyone who isn’t addicted to one's personality. Cohen will perform three times through Sunday at Amphibian Stage.
Friday, December 8
Anime Frontier
Anime Frontier is a dynamic festival featuring anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment. Attendees can enjoy hololive, special guests, tabletop gaming, and more. The expo floor features more than 120 anime companies and publishers, the Artist Alley, Bandai Collectibles’ renowned Gundam Base with rare model kits and figures, and the itasha car showcase by Senpai Squad. The festival takes place through Sunday at Fort Worth Convention Center.
Fort Worth Opera presents Amahl and the Night Visitors
Amahl and the Night Visitors is a one-act opera that tells the heartwarming story of a young boy named Amahl and his mother who are visited by three kings – Kaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar – on their way to see the newborn baby Jesus. Through their kindness and humility, they ultimately provide the kings with the greatest gift of all: the realization of the true meaning of generosity and love. The production will have four performances through Sunday at Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert
Trans-Siberian Orchestra returns to Fort Worth with “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve – The Best of TSO and More.” The group has released seven albums in their career, most recently Letters from the Labyrinth in 2015, but they're best known for their four Christmas albums. They'll perform twice on Friday at Dickies Arena.
Texas Ballet Theater presents The Nutcracker at Bass Performance Hall, December 8-24.
Hyena's presents Harland Williams
Comedian and actor Harland Williams is known for his hilarious movie roles and outlandish stand-up and sketch comedy routines. He's had roles in films such as Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About Mary, Half Baked, Rocketman, Sorority Boys, Down Periscope, and more. He'll perform four times through Saturday at Hyena's Comedy Club.
Texas Ballet Theater presents The Nutcracker
Featuring dazzling choreography and exquisite sets, The Nutcracker celebrates the season with enchantment, snowflakes, and sweets. Audiences can experience the most magical Christmas tradition of the season as Clara and her Nutcracker Prince battle an army of mice and travel through a winter wonderland to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Kingdom of Sweets. The production runs through December 24 at Bass Performance Hall.
Festival Ballet of North Central Texas presents The Nutcracker
Beginning in 1988, Festival Ballet’s The Nutcracker has become a holiday tradition in Denton. This production will feature the return of Marta Petkova and Nikola Hadjitanev from the Sofia Opera and Ballet, Bulgaria as the principal guest artists. There will be five performances through Sunday at UNT Dance and Theatre.
Vintage Trouble in concert
The saying goes that "everything old is new again," and R&B group Vintage Trouble embodies that idea. Since their debut in 2011, they've become known for delivering new music that's reminiscent of songs from the '50s and '60s. They'll play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of their new album, Heavy Hymnal.
Saturday, December 9
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Handel's Messiah
When Messiah premiered in Dublin in 1742, the reception was mixed. Now, nearly 300 years later, Handel's famous oratorio is an annual tradition for orchestras around the world, a regular celebration of music and holiday cheer. Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Assistant Conductor Taichi Fukumura leads this singular performance at Will Rogers Auditorium.
Rod Wave in concert
The pace at which rapper Rod Wave is releasing albums is unusual in the modern music world. The 25-year-old Florida native got his start in 2016, putting out a series of mixtapes before releasing his debut album, Ghetto Gospel, in 2019. That album was quickly followed by Pray 4 Love in 2020, SoulFly in 2021, Beautiful Mind in 2022, and Nostalgia in 2023, marking his fifth album in as many years. He'll perform at Dickies Arena.
Giovannie and the Hired Guns in concert
Giovannie and the Hired Guns is a rock band out of Stephenville, led by frontman Giovannie Yanez, and has been impressing fans and critics since 2017 with a hard-hitting sound and emotionally raw storytelling. They'll play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of their 2022 album, Tejano Punk Boyz.
