These are the 8 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

This week in gluttony

Fred's Texas Cafe

Burgers take center stage this week. Two popular burger joints are hosting celebrations – one, a grand opening of a new location, and the other, a new pint night partnership with a off-menu feature. There are also two tequila tastings, two foodie festivals (one vegan, and one with a legendary drum battle), and an opportunity to dine out for a good cause.

Tuesday, September 26

Lori’s Day at Newk’s Eatery
The Mississippi-based sandwich, salad, and soup will celebrate its third annual ovarian cancer fundraiser in honor of Lori Newcomb, wife of Newk’s founder Chris Newcomb, who passed away of the disease in 2019. Through Newk’s Cares, founded by Lori in 2014 after her diagnosis, all locations will donate 20 percent of sales to Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance. Newk’s is located at 3556 Highway 114 in Fort Worth’s Alliance area.

First Responders Appreciation Day at B&B Butchers & Restaurant
The annual event treats all on-duty first responders, including firefighters, police officers, EMTs and paramedics, to a complimentary three-course lunch at the Shops at Clearfork steakhouse. Berg Hospitality Group founder and CEO Benjamin Berg started the event in Houston in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey. Menu highlights include the iceberg wedge with crumbled blue cheese, the Butcher Shop burger with applewood smoked bacon, and New York cheesecake. Guests of first responders may partake in the menu for $25. The menu is available from 11 am-4 pm and reservations are recommended.

Pint Night with Panther Island Brewing at Fred’s Texas Café
The longtime burger joint has launched a new monthly pint partnership with Panther Island Brewing Company. Each month, patrons can order an off-menu specialty burger paired with a Panther Island beer. This month, it’s the Elotes Burger – a half-pound Black Angus patty with grilled pepperjack cheese, elotes, and finished with spicy Cheetos dust, cilantro, and Valentina hot sauce. The burger is paired with Panther Island’s Pantera Loco Mexican Lager and the combo is available at both Fred’s locations (Camp Bowie Boulevard and Western Center Boulevard) for the rest of September. Visit either location for live music on Tuesday and Wednesday this week for Panther Island Pint Night, when patrons can keep the pint glass. On October 1, Fred’s will debut the Oktoberfest burger, to be served on a pretzel bun with caramelized onions and Panther Island Brewnette amber ale beer cheese poured atop tableside.

Wednesday, September 27

Rodeo Goat Grand Opening in Denton
Worth the drive: a new location of Rodeo Goat in Denton, especially this Wednesday. That’s when the funky-fun burger joint will host a fundraiser for the Denton Community Food Center as part of its grand opening celebration. The $25 ticket includes burgers and other menu items and two drink tickets good for beer, wine, and cocktails. Note the restaurant will not be open to the public during the fundraiser celebration, which will run from 5:30-8 pm.

Thursday, September 28

Meet the Maker at Toro Toro
The Worthington Renaissance Hotel restaurant will feature the flavors of Milagro Tequila during this complimentary tasting. Visit anytime between 5-7 pm for tequila sampling and bar bites. Valet parking is complimentary.

Saturday, September 30

Fort Worth Veg-Fest
Hosted by vegan restaurants Belenty’s Love and Vida Café, this vegan food festival and market will feature nearly two dozen vendors offering everything from vegan soul food to skin care. The event will take place from 11 am-4 pm at SouthSide Bar & Party Hall, and admission is free.

Tequila & Margarita Festival at Fort Worth Botanic Garden
As part of its month-long ¡Celebramos! A Celebration of Latin American Culture & Heritage, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden will host a late-night party fueled by tequila and margaritas. The $45 ticket ($30 for Fort Worth Botanic Garden members) will include tequila tastings, margs, and bites from local Latin restaurants along with dance demonstrations and DJ music. The event will take place from 8 pm-12 am.

Sunday, October 1

Fort Worth Eatz Food Fest
It’s a Sunday Funday paired with a legendary drum battle. Visit Trinity Park (near the Fort Worth Dream Park) for a food festival featuring performances by alumni of Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University drum lines. Food vendors will feature barbecue, fried fish, snow cones, and more. Admission is free with advance tickets or pay $20 and get two mimosas. The event will run from 11 am-6 pm.

Fort Worth Oktoberfest

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

This week in gluttony

Dust off your lederhosen – Oktoberfest arrives in Fort Worth this week for an annual three-day celebration of all things German. Practice stein hoisting and your best polka moves, then partake in complimentary salsa dance lessons at a local brewery. Also on the list, a Keller wine tasting, meat and beer pairing, and museum happy hour.

Wednesday, September 20

3V Tasting: Orin Swift
3 Vino Wine Bar & Bottle Shop in Keller will host a wine tasting featuring varietals by Orin Swift. The $29 price includes five wines and a cheeseboard. Visit anytime between 3:30-8 pm. No reservations required.

Harvest Season Wine Dinner at Bonefish Grill
A four-course dinner paired with select varietals from Napa Valley's Duckhorn Vineyards will include: spinach salad with goat cheese, cranberries, and apples; linguine with clams; apple chutney pork tenderloin & swordfish with pumpkin ravioli: and pumpkin spice lava cake with a cream cheese molten center, served warm. Starts at 6:30 pm, $55 per person, at 1201 E. Southlake Blvd. in Southlake. Call 817-421-3263 to RSVP.

Thursday, September 21

Fort Worth Oktoberfest
Prost! Fort Worth’s aMunich-style celebration of German culture is back at Trinity Park. Fort Worth Oktoberfest kicks off Thursday featuring loads of German fare (including those soft Bavarian pretzels), carnival games and rides, stein hoisting, barrel racing, dachshund parades, polka music, and plenty of Spaten beer. (Don’t miss Happy Hour Oktobefestband, visiting all the way from Bavaria.) Admission is $10 on Thursday and $15 on Friday and Saturday. Or pay $20 for a three-day pass. A commemorative stein glass is guaranteed when purchasing tickets in advance. Admission is free for children under 12 with a paying adult. The festival runs from 5-11 pm Thursday and Friday, and 11 am-midnight on Saturday.

Meat & Beer Pairing Class at Funky Picnic Brewery & Café
Funky Picnic will partner with The Meat Board butcher shop for an exploratory pairing of meats and beer. Menu items include German sausage, jalapeno sausage, and bacon-wrapped bourbon sugar bourbon quail legs. Beers will range from pilsner to Prostoberfest. Tickets are $41 and the pairing will begin at 7 pm.

Salsa Dance Lessons at Neutral Ground Brewing Co.
Spice up your dance moves with free salsa lessons at the Race Street brewery. The folks at Neutral Ground Brewing Co. will push the tables aside for a makeshift dancefloor and pour up pints for some liquid courage. No partner needed. The lessons will run from 7-8 pm.

Friday, September 22

Kimbell Happy Hour
Friday means it’s time for happy hour at the Kimbell Art Museum. The museum will open after hours for cocktails, bites, and live music. The Allegro Guitar Society will provide tunes while guests can enjoy beverages and bites available for purchase. (Members receive a 10 percent discount.) Admission is free and the event will run from 5-7 pm.

Grace/Facebook

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

This week in gluttony

Glimpses that fall is on the horizon appear in this week’s tasty lineup. There’s an “end of summer” wine flight night, one very official steinholding competition (Oktoberfest is approaching), and a football watch party that features an unusual main course. Save room for hand-made pasta, and a multicourse Mediterranean wine dinner.

Thursday, September 7

End of Summer Wine Flight Night
It’s the first Thursday of the month, which means it’s flight night at WineHaus. This edition will feature selections well suited to wrap up summer. The $25 price includes three wines from Brazil, France, and Italy. The tasting will be available from 6-9 pm.

Mediterranean Wine Dinner at Grace
Wine dinners are back at the elegant downtown steakhouse, and this one won’t disappoint. Guests will start with hot and cold mezze selections before moving to swordfish kebobs, octopus with black chickpea puree and tabbouleh, then Colorado lamb with saffron apricots and artisan cheese for dessert. Mediterranean wines will be flowing with each course. Dinner is $165, plus tax and gratuity. Arrive at 6:30 pm for sparkling rose and tray-passed canapes before dinner at 7 pm.

Pasta Making Class at il Modo
The Italian restaurant on the ground floor of The Kimpton Harper hotel downtown will host its monthly hands-on pasta-making class in its dedicated pasta-making room. Participants will learn how to mix, roll, and cut pasta before the chef prepares their finished product for sampling. The hour-and-a-half class is $70 and starts at 7 pm.

Saturday, September 9

U.S. Steinholding Association Competition at Turning Point Beer
Oktoberfest season is nearly upon us, which means steinholding competitions will soon pop up all over town. But Bedford’s Turning Point Beer brewery is home to the area’s only official competition sanctioned by the U.S. Steinholding Association. Participants will compete in a bracket “hoist-off” to see who can hold a hefty beer stein the longest. The top male and female will move on to the state finals at Alstadt Brewery in Fredericksburg, where German roots run deep. The $15 entry free includes a 15 percent discount on Turning Point beers for the day. Winners from each bracket will also receive a Turning Point gift pack valued at $100. The competition will run from 3-5 pm.

Sunday, September 10

Lola’s Community Market
Every second Sunday of the month, Lola’s Fort Worth hosts an all-local farmers market. Visit to shop more than 30 vendors, eat bar bites and food truck fare, and enjoy live music. The event is pet-friendly, kid-friendly, and free. The market runs from 11 am-4 pm.

4^th Annual Gator Roast at Twilite Lounge
Calling all New Orleans Saints fans: your local Big Easy-inspired bar will smoke two whole alligators (and plenty of chicken) to kick off the first Saints game of the season. Saints fans or not, all are welcome to partake in the cookout and enjoy drink specials, giveaways, and the full kitchen menu. (But practice your best “Who dat?” battle cry.) The party starts at 11:30 am.

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Cool off from Dallas-Fort Worth's hot summer with cheery Christmas in July events

Sleigh the heat

It's beginning to look a lot like - well, nothing resembling Christmas around Dallas-Fort Worth. But local bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues are hauling out the holly anyway because here, in the sweltering days of July, we need a little Christmas right this very minute.

With the holidays barely five months away, these "Christmas in July" events will bring merry little cocktails, festive feasting, seasonal movies, and photo ops with Santa. (Hint, hint: Family Christmas card prep.) If you dream hard enough, those screeching cicadas outside might even start to sound like jingle bells.

Here are some holly jolly events for your enjoyment in July:

Bars and restaurants

Holly Jolly Bar at Hotel Vin, Grapevine, July 1-31
Hotel Vin's Harvest Hall food hall brings back last year's smash-hit Holly Jolly Pop-up Bar for one month only. Throughout July, the Third Rail entertainment venue will be filled with kitschy holiday decorations, festive craft cocktails, and live music. Special seasonal sips include the Peppermint Bark Martini and Santa on the Beach. Kids can get in on the holiday fun with Christmas Craft Parties (July 10-12) and a Santa Meet-and-Greet event, 1-3 pm July 14.

Christmas in July at False Idol Brewing, July 7-8
The North Richland Hills craft brewery offers special, barrel-aged, "Christmas Eve" and "Christmas Day" flights, plus a big cellar sale to fill Santa's bag. Friday, July 7 is the "Hear the Bell" Christmas Eve flight: Karloff Imperial Stout, Onibaba Imperial Stout, Wolf's Bane Imperial Stout, and King Snacks Imperial Stout. Saturday, July 8 is the Christmas Day "Grinch's Heart Grew 3 Sizes" flight: Murda She Wrote Imperial Stout, Warriors Imperial Stout, Magni's Rejoice English Barleywine, and Oogie Boogie Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Cookie Imperial Stout. For more information and a list of beers included in the cellar sale, go here.

Christmas in July Drink Walk at Grandscape in The Colony, July 20
Grandscape's Topo Chico Hard Seltzer Stage & Lawn transforms into a holiday drinking destination for this first-ever event. Have yourself a merry little tropical Christmas-themed cocktail or two from favorite Grandscape restaurants. The event will include more than 10 drink samples and a free gift with purchase from the Homestead (see website for rules and restrictions). The event takes place 6-9 pm and tickets are $25.

Christmas in July Ladies' Night at Galleria Dallas, July 18
Galleria Dallas hosts a girls' night out with ice skating and more to beat the heat. The first half of the evening will involve ice skating, followed by happy hour at Mi Cocina. Tickets, $20, include private access to the Galleria Ice Skating Rink; Frozen Mambo Taxi drinks from Mi Cocina; a festive Christmas photo op from "Snowday" holiday pop-up installation; and the first 50 tickets include a North Dallas Suburbs Fitness Passport. The event is 6-9 pm.

Aussie-style Christmas in July at Isla & Co., July 22
The Australian-owned restaurant-bar in Dallas' Bishop Arts District (408 W Eighth St.) is taking guests down under for Christmas, Aussie style. They'll serve a traditional Australian Christmas feast - featuring cherry-glazed smoked ham and pavlovas for dessert - plus ice-cold beers and Aussie wines. Summer Santa will appear, and there'll be outdoor games, a table gift of Aussie treats, and a raffle benefiting The Variety Children’s Foundation. Be sure to dress your holiday best. It all takes place 3-7 pm, with an afterparty with a DJ to follow. Tickets (starting at $99 for adults, $39 for kids) are available here.

Christmas in July at Parlor's Ice Creams, July 24-25
Parlor's Handcrafted Ice Creams in the Hillside Village shopping center in Lakewood is throwing a two-day holiday party. The shop will deck its halls in Christmas decor, and its festive Rocky Rudolph ice cream flavor will be available for those two days only. Rocky Rudolph is made with chocolate mint ice cream, pieces of homemade chocolate cookie sandwiches, and homemade marshmallows.

Events and entertainment

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History presents "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!," through August 20
The Fort Worth museum steps into the world of winter with "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!" The summer exhibition, which opened June 17, goes behind the scenes of the iconic 1965 animated holiday movie A Charlie Brown Christmas. Organized by the Charles M. Schulz Museum, it includes original comic strips, videos, and even a station for writing letters to Santa. The exhibition is included with museum admission. Read more about it in this story.

Saturdays on the Square: Christmas in July in Historic Downtown Carrollton, July 8
Historic Downtown Carrollton throws a family-friendly Yuletide celebration as part of its monthly Saturdays on the Square series. It'll include a human snow globe, festive crafts, and a special appearance from summertime Santa. The free, unticketed event takes place in downtown Carrollton (1106 S. Broadway St.) and runs 6-8 pm.

Christmas in July at Epic Waters, July 10-16
UPDATE: Rescheduled to July 21-23
The Grand Prairie indoor waterpark throws a weeklong celebration that stars Santa. The big man himself will come to town for plenty of splashy photo ops. Each day will also bring frozen hot chocolate, opportunities to write letters to Santa, plus an epic snowball fight at the Epic Waves WavePool. Events are included with daily admission.

Holiday in the Heat at the Dallas Arboretum, July 12
Santa will be at Dallas Arboretum's main gate at Rosine Hall for a special members-only holiday celebration. Summer Santa will be available for photos from 6-7:30 pm, followed by a concert on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage featuring Emerald City's Party Machine, from 7-9 pm. All participants will receive a complimentary freezer treat to beat the heat. Tickets are $5 for member adults and $5 for kids (free for children under 2).

AT&T Performing Arts Center Presents Christmas in July at Sammons Park, July 22
"Does Santa wear shorts in the summer? We’ll find out," teases the website for this event. Taking place in Sammons Park in the Dallas Arts District (2403 Flora St.), the free, family-friendly festivities will include screenings of The Muppet Christmas Carol and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation; holiday-themed drinks from G.Texas; and photo ops with Santa. It all gets started at 7 pm.

Christmas in July Cookie Decorating Class at Waterside, July 23
A beginner-friendly cookie decorating class hosted by Aly's Sweet Spot will have a holiday theme. The instructors provide everything participants need, including sugar cookies, icing, sprinkles, and a tray to take the finished cookies home. The class is recommended for teens and adults, but add-on kits can be purchased to take home for kids. The class takes place 12:30-2:30 pm at the Community Room at the Waterside shopping complex in southwest Fort Worth; tickets are $60.

Christmas in July at the Dallas Arboretum, July 23
Open to members and non-members alike, this afternoon holiday celebration will include photos with Santa from 10 am-2 pm at the Wishing Well (donations collected will go to the Dallas Arboretum Volunteer Advisory Board); Story Time with Mrs. Claus at 11am in Pecan Grove; and cool treats from Big D Kona Ice, available from 11am-3pm. The event is included with garden admission or membership.

Christmas in July Happy Hour & Silent Auction benefiting Children's Charities of Fort Worth,July 25
Nonprofit Children's Charities of Fort Worth hosts its annual Christmas in July fundraiser at Joe T. Garcia's La Puertita. The event will include a cash bar, silent auction, raffle, Kendra Scott jewelry pop-up, meet-and-greet with the organization's leadership, and an appearance from Santa. Participants will learn about the 13 children's charities supported and how to get tickets to the 2023 Fort Worth Margarita Ball. Festivus holiday attire is encouraged for the free event, 5:30-7:30 pm.

Know of a Christmas in July event? Email stephanie@culturemap.com.

B&B Butchers & Restaurant

These are the 7 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

This week in gluttony

A summer heatwave is approaching, and this week’s events offer tasty ways to cool off. Sip and shop a summer vendor market inside a favorite brewery. Sweat it out during a mid-week 5K that comes with light beer and apps. Spend Saturday drinking pink or sampling a mustard-flavored beer. Then pair a good book with beverages and bites during a restaurant and café’s monthly book club meeting.

Tuesday, June 6

Sonoma Summer Wine Dinner at Carrabba’s Italian Grill
The Italian restaurant chain will welcome diners from all over DFW for a four-course summer wine dinner at all locations, including Hurst. Guests will get wines from well-known labels like La Crema, Mark West, Josh, and Kendall Jackson paired with crab and artichoke salad, linguine with crushed tomatoes and grilled chicken, Tuscan-grilled sirloin, and butter cake with berries. The dinner is $55 and begins at 6:30 pm.

Wednesday, June 7

Vendor Market at Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.
Sip and shop inside the brewery during this summer vendor market. Admission is $20 and includes a souvenir glass, three beers, and a half pour of a specialty beer, too. There’ll be more than 20 local vendors along with food trucks and live music. The market will run from 5-9 pm.

Global Running Day with Eight Elite Light Lager at Flying Saucer
Get in a mid-week 5K that will begin and end at Flying Saucer downtown. The social run/walk coincides with Global Running Day and commences with an afterparty back at the Saucer. The $20 registration fee includes complimentary appetizers and two drafts of Troy Aikman's Eight Elite Light Lager. Check-in begins at 5:30 pm and the run starts at 6:30 pm.

Saturday, June 10

Rosé All Day Brunch at B&B Butchers & Restaurant
The steakhouse acknowledges "National Rosé Day" with a fancy brunch. Wear your rose-colored glasses, listen to a live DJ, and drink pink with a tasting of four Château d'Esclans rosés for $30. (B&B’s regular brunch menu will also be available.) Those who purchase the rosé tasting will be entered to win a three-liter magnum of Whispering Angel rosé. Reservations are available between 11 am-1:30 pm.

Glizzy Fest at Martin House Brewing
Martin House Brewing and Fletcher's Corny Dogs team up for Glizzy Fest, featuring corny dogs, hot dogs, State Fair treats, beers and seltzers, live music, vendors, and more. They'll debut a special new mustard beer, and a corny dog-eating contest will begin at 2:30 pm. The event runs 12-5 pm and is open to all ages (non-drinkers get in free). A $15 ticket includes four beers and a souvenir pint glass.

Stop & Smell the Rosé Tasting at WineHaus
Sips shades of pink from all over the world during this rosé tasting at WineHaus. The $25 price includes six wines. The tasting will be available anytime between 5-7 pm.

Sunday, June 11

Funky Gets Wild: Book Club at Funky Picnic Brewery & Café
Pair books with bites during Funky Picnic’s new monthly book club, which currently focuses on outdoor and adventure-themed titles. Guests will get happy hour pricing on beer, wine, signature cocktails, and appetizers. The Sunday brunch and regular dining menu will also be available. This month’s book is Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. The book club will meet from 3-4:30 pm.

Rusty Nickel IceHouse/Facebook

Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 5 best bar patios to hit in May

Where to drink

Patios are a hot topic in town, especially this month, when the weather (mostly) cooperates to create a comfortable outdoor experience. But sometimes our patio desires don’t involve a desire to order a meal. A drink or two on a sunny day or breezy evening, perhaps with some live music and yard games nearby, is all that’s needed. Here are five of Fort Worth’s best bar patios (a mix of new entries and old favorites) to check out before the scorching summer arrives in June.

Rusty Nickel IceHouse
Newly opened in the former Smokestack 1948 property at West Berry Street and 8th Avenue, this neighborhood hangout is already drawing crowds for its spacious outdoor area that’s anchored by a stage for live music. Picnic table seating, fire pits, string lights, and shady oak trees add to the relaxed vibe, which is almost reminiscent of a scene in Luckenbach. There’s a grassy lawn for yard games as well as crushed granite grounds. Open-air structures made from corrugated metal add to the “rusty” but comfortable atmosphere. Food trucks visit regularly, featuring everything from Asian wings to crawfish boil. While it’s easy to wash down a few cold domestic beers here, don’t miss the craft cocktails and locally roasted coffee beverages – the latter available spiked if desired.

Kung Fu Saloon
This West 7th district patio is full of potential shenanigans. Channel your inner child and bounce with a buddy on one of two giant see-saws. Play a game of ping-pong or cornhole. Or reserve your own private patio-side karaoke trailer to sing with a group of friends. Opened in 2018, Kung Fu Saloon is popular for its covered outdoor area made cozy with green turf, plenty of table seating, and its own dedicated full bar. There’s a food menu to satiate any hunger pangs, offering wings, tacos, handhelds, and apps. Don’t miss the sake bomb menu, which gets a little wild with crazy combinations like the Crain Kick. It features a shot of Gekkeikan sake dropped in a pint of Blue Moon topped with Stoli vanilla vodka. Brunch lovers will appreciate that mimosas are only $2 on Sunday from 11 am-2 am, when all arcade games inside are free to play, too.

Pour Decisions
There are two levels of patio paradise at this West 7th-area bar, where the upper and lower outdoor areas are connected via colorful, interior-lit, adults-only slide. Access the 21-and-up second floor patio through an illusive mirrored hallway. It’s here where folks can order bottle service and dance to DJ music before sliding down to the more laid-back, pet-friendly lower level. At the bottom, a vine covered ceiling, cedar wood swings, and lawn games contribute to the backyard garden feel. Pour Decisions opened in 2022 and is also popular for its wings in various levels of heat and its large format cocktails made for sharing. Try the massive Texas Mule or “Mega Mosa.”

Lola’s
Lola’s made a big move away from the West 7th area to a big space on West Berry Street last summer. The popular live music venue and bar took over the two-story structure that formerly housed Americado, a second rendition of The Moon Bar, and most recently, Berry Street Ice House. Lola’s is known for hosting lots of local and regional musical acts. With the new location came a newly built outdoor stage that’s conveniently covered and flanked by patio table seating – which may be cleared and transformed into a dance floor or “pit.” The string-lit grassy lawn hosts outdoor markets each month, including a farmers market on second Sundays and a “Rummage Sale” on third Sundays. Both are family-friendly, pet-friendly, feature live music, and are free to attend. Choose from a dozen beers on tap while there.

The Horny Toad
Here’s a hidden bar that nearby locals might want to keep secret. While The Horny Toad has been open since 2011, it flies under the radar of more well-known watering holes. That may change soon as it’s located in far West Fort Worth in what’s now dubbed as the burgeoning Westland development. Inside, patrons will find pool tables, drink specials, neon lights, and a good time. But the recently renovated outdoor patio has a vibe of its own with its crushed granite, metal beer signs, string lights, picnic tables, patio furniture, and makeshift stage under the trees for occasional live music. (It’s reminiscent of “The Fort” at Fred’s Texas Café’s first location on Currie Street.) The Horny Toad is known for weekend karaoke, palomas, and cheap, ice-cold schooners.

Rusty Nickel IceHouse/Facebook

The Rusty Nickel IceHouse draws crowds in South Fort Worth.

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'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Quonset hut in south Fort Worth to be transformed into ballroom

Quonset Hut News

A Quonset hut in south Fort Worth is about to make a Cinderella-like transformation: Called the Quonset Ballroom, it's being developed into an entertainment space which will host live music, food trucks, and events.

The hut is located at 2608 W. Dickson St., and was previously home to a lawn care operator for 30 years.

Husband-and-wife Jason and Hedy Peña stumbled onto it while searching for a new location for Hedy’s insurance agency, Armor Texas Insurance Agency. They landed at 2612 Dickson St., a cool mid-century office building built in 1957, which was ideal for the agency, even despite its offbeat address in a heavily industrial area.

“It was a piece of property where we could locate the office and it also had this 4,000-square foot Quonset hut next door,” Hedy says. "We started thinking about creating a venue which could be rented for parties, weddings, and social events."

Quonset huts are sprinkled across the Dallas-Fort Worth landscape, most dating back to the 1940s, shortly after the structure was first invented at Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.

Fort Worth is also currently in thrall with Quonset huts, thanks to the hip PS1200 mixed-use development near the Medical District which opened in July.

This one was built in 1948, and will require an overhaul, including new flooring, AC, and framing, with a planned-for capacity of 250 people.

Even as they work on the revamp, the Peñas have hosted private parties as well as a campaign event for Jason Peña, who ran unsuccessfully for Fort Worth city council in May 2023.

“We’ve had some private events there, but it’s not ready for a full event," Hedy says.

They currently have no plans for a bar but they're building a kitchen space to serve as a platform for the food trucks, including hookups.

The tract also has what was once a 10-car garage, which the Peñas are developing as storefronts they hope to lease as office spaces.

The industrial nature of the neighborhood initally gave them pause, but Hedy says it's turned out to be a positive, and the property itself has mature, leafy trees.

"Everything around us is industrial and at first I was uneasy about opening the insurance agency there," she says. "But the neighborhood has not deterred customers. We've even grown. And without homeowners nearby, it's a good setup if we have live music."

She envisions a spot that will eventually have a community feel, where families can dine and sit outside or inside – there will be seating – and enjoy music and conversation.

“It will be open to rent to the public, for sure, and could turn into something where it has regular hours," she says. “It will be for everyone, the public, our friends, family, so that everyone can see what we have here.”

Gamestop stock saga gets fun, star-filled movie treatment with Dumb Money

Movie review

The stock market feels like one of those aspects of American life that only a select few truly understand. The rest of us acknowledge it as something that exists and affects our lives in some way, but how and why any particular stock is traded and becomes more (or less) valuable can be a complete mystery.

Dumb Money tackles one of the most interesting recent stories to come out of the stock market, the surprising inflation of Gamestop stock in late 2020/early 2021. The film bounces around to a variety of characters, but centers mostly on Keith Gill (Paul Dano), a YouTuber who went by the name of Roaring Kitty. Gill, an amateur stock trader, took an early position about liking the lightly-regarded Gamestop stock, regularly posting videos and on the Reddit thread WallStreetBets about how his significant investment in the stock was doing.

Concurrently, hedge fund managers like Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen) were actively trying to short, or bet against, the stock. That began a battle by Gill and other similarly-minded individual investors to fight back against what they saw as unfair trading practices by the big firms, resulting in Gamestop’s stock rising astronomically in a relatively short period of time.

Directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and written by Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, the film is notable for what it is not, a deep dive into the inner workings of the stock market. Instead of getting into the nitty gritty details, the filmmakers treat it as the ultimate David vs. Goliath story, with Gill and other everyday people like a nurse, Jenny (America Ferrera), Gamestop worker Marcus (Anthony Ramos), and college student Harmony (Talia Ryder) going up against billionaires like Plotkin, Steve Cohen (Vincent D’Onofrio), Ken Griffin (Nick Offerman), and Vlad Tenev (Sebastian Stan).

Photo by Claire Folger/Sony Pictures

Paul Dano in Dumb Money.

It doesn’t hurt that Gill is an eccentric character who wears cat-emblazoned shirts and a headband, and that the Reddit community he inspires communicates primarily in memes, upping the entertainment factor of their side immensely. The story is also a suspense in a way; as the variety of individuals drive the stock ever higher, their net worth – on paper – also grows exponentially, and the longer each of them holds on without selling ups the potential that they could be burned.

Because the real-life event happened during the thick of the pandemic when it was still up in the air as to the full impact of COVID-19, the story takes on a little more significance. Characters mask up regularly, conversations take place on the phone or over Zoom, and a general feeling of unease permeates the film. That may or may not have influenced how certain people approached the situation, but in the context of the film, it definitely seems to play a part.

The back-and-forth between the haves and have-nots takes up so much time in the film that it barely has time for such well-known actors as Shailene Woodley, Dane Dehaan, Olivia Thirlby, and Pete Davidson, among others. Each of them plays a supporting character to one of the main people, and all of them deliver that little something extra in what could have been throwaway roles.

Dano is a chameleonic actor who’s gone between drama and comedy with ease throughout his career. This role is a mixture of both, and he has an effortlessness about him that makes everything he says instantly believable. Rogen is great casting as Plotkin, amiably playing the buffoon of the story. After her big role in Barbie, Ferrera once again shows that she deserves as many showcases as Hollywood can give her.

Storytellers can rarely go wrong in showing people with little power taking on those with great wealth, and the fact that the story shown in Dumb Money is (mostly) true makes it that much better. You may not understand the stock market any more than you already did at the end, but you’ll be so entertained that it won’t matter.

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Dumb Money is now playing in theaters.

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