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Casa Mañana presents Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook

Casa Mañana presents Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook

Photo courtesy of Agency Habitat

Something terrible happened to Junie B Jones at school today - someone stole her new furry mittens! When Junie B. finds a wonderful pen of many colors, she should be allowed to keep it, right? Because finders keepers, losers weepers. And guess what? There’s a new boy in kindergarten and he is the handsomest. The only thing is both Grace and Lucille want him to be their boyfriend. Maybe he will love Junie B. when he sees her wonderful pen. It is okay to keep it, right? Junie B. Jones is not a crook … or is she?

The production is a hilarious and heartfelt tale based on the best-selling book series by Barbara Park. This show is suitable for all audiences.

Photo by Thomas Garza

Avant Chamber Ballet presents Spring Family Concert

Avant Chamber Ballet will present a Spring Family Concert, featuring excerpts from classical ballets Sleeping Beauty and Paquita, as well as new works by Katelyn Doyle and Katie Puder. Pianist Anna Bulkina will accompany the dancers from Avant Chamber Ballet and Avant Chamber Ballet Trainees, ACB's second company.

Photo by Thomas Garza

Avant Chamber Ballet presents Spring Family Concert

Avant Chamber Ballet will present a Spring Family Concert, featuring excerpts from classical ballets Sleeping Beauty and Paquita, as well as new works by Katelyn Doyle and Katie Puder. Pianist Anna Bulkina will accompany the dancers from Avant Chamber Ballet and Avant Chamber Ballet Trainees, ACB's second company.

Photo courtesy of Stray Kids

These are the 12 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Weekend Event Planner

Music in its many forms is the theme of the weekend in and around Fort Worth. There will be two events featuring classical music, a local production of a famous musical, three country music concerts, and a K-Pop concert. Also on tap will be staged readings of new plays, a visit from a famous comedian, screenings of an Oscar-nominated film, a chance to peruse local art galleries, and a local theater production aimed at kids.

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.

Thursday, March 23

The Cliburn presents Benjamin Grosvenor
Benjamin Grosvenor has been heralded as one of the most important pianists to emerge from the United Kingdom in several decades. He’s racked up an impressive display of awards in Europe, from Gramophone, Classic Brit Critics’, UK Critic’s Circle, BBC Young Musician Competition, and Diapason d’Or Jeune. He'll play at Kimbell Art Museum.

Arts Fort Worth presents Original Work Series
As part of their Original Work Series, Arts Fort Worth will present staged readings of two new works. Upright Theatre Company will perform Tennessee Wet Rub by Kim E. Ruyle, about an older couple taking shelter in a storm in 1951 who are suddenly met with a young interracial couple whose presence tests their values and compassion. Proper Hijinx will perform Next of Kin by Gabby Wilson, about a girl named Riley Peters who struggles with relationships with her mother and possible new boyfriend.

Amphibian Stage Productions presents Phoebe Robinson
Phoebe Robinson is a multi-talented standup comedian, New York Times best-selling writer, and actress best known as the co-creator and co-star of the hit podcast-turned-TV show, 2 Dope Queens. She also has a second podcast, Sooo Many White Guys, in which she interviews today’s biggest stars and groundbreakers. She'll perform three times through Saturday at Amphibian Stage Productions.

Friday, March 24

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Jake Fridkis in Concert: Schumann, Reinecke, and Liszt
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra principal flute Jake Fridkis steps to the front of the stage to perform Reinecke’s Flute Concerto, a work of nimble grace and charm that showcases the flute’s lyrical and technical capabilities. The evening opens with Schumann’s stately Symphony No. 4 and closes with Liszt’s innovative Les Préludes, the first symphonic poem on record. There will be three performances through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.

Magnolia at the Modern: The Quiet Girl
For the second time in three weeks, Magnolia at the Modern will present a film that was nominated for Best International Film at the 2023 Oscars. The Quiet Girl is set in rural Ireland where nine-year-old Cait is sent away from her overcrowded, dysfunctional family to live with foster parents for the summer. Quietly struggling at school and at home, she has learned to hide in plain sight from those around her. She blossoms in their care, but in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth. There will be seven screenings through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

Artisan Center Theater presents West Side Story
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the "American" Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching and relevant musical dramas of our time. The production runs through May 6 at Artisan Center Theater in Hurst.

Triston Marez in concert
A name like Triston Marez conjures up idea of a Latin music superstar, but in reality Marez is an up-and-coming country singer out of Houston who just released his first EP, That Was All Me. In this concert at Tannahill's Tavern & Music Hall, Marez will show how he was influenced by singers like Chris LeDoux, Aaron Watson, and Cody Johnson through songs like the title track, “Where Rivers Are Red, Cowboys Are Blue,” and “Dizzy.”

Chris Young in concert
True to his name, country singer Chris Young started at a relatively young age, releasing his debut album at the age of 21. He had five straight No. 1 singles from 2009-2011, and his songs have rarely been outside of the top 10 since. He's released eight albums in his career, most recently 2021's Famous Friends, which features collaborations with Kane Brown, Lauren Alaina, and Mitchell Tenpenny. He'll play on both Friday and Saturday at Billy Bob's Texas.

Saturday, March 25

Fort Worth Art Dealers Association presents Spring Gallery Night
Twice a year, the Fort Worth Art Dealers Association invites the community to take in the visual arts and the community’s unique cultural richness during Gallery Night. Most participants are open from 12-9 pm. Visitors can take a stroll through participating galleries, museums, retail businesses, and area restaurants, and enjoy the many artists featured during this community event. For a full list of participating venues, click on this link.

Casa Mañana presents Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook
Something terrible happened to Junie B Jones at school today - someone stole her new furry mittens! When Junie B. finds a wonderful pen of many colors, she should be allowed to keep it, right? Because finders keepers, losers weepers. And guess what? There’s a new boy in kindergarten and he is the handsomest. The only thing is both Grace and Lucille want him to be their boyfriend. Maybe he will love Junie B. when he sees her wonderful pen. It is okay to keep it, right? Junie B. Jones is not a crook … or is she? The production runs through April 9 at Casa Mañana.

Luke Combs in concert
There was no wait-and-see period with country star Luke Combs; he was big out of the gate, going to No. 1 with his 2017 debut album, This One's for You. He maintained that popularity with his next two albums, so there's no reason to think that his just-released fourth album, Gettin' Old, won't have the same success. He'll be joined at this huge concert at AT&T Stadium in Arlington by special guests Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Flatland Cavalry, and Brent Cobb.

Sunday, March 26

Stray Kids in concert
The success of K-Pop group BTS has seemed to open up the floodgates for other K-Pop groups trying their hand at stardom. The latest group to come to Fort Worth is Stray Kids, an eight-member boy group formed in 2017 when they appeared on the reality show from which they took their name. Their output is prolific, with three EPs released in 2022 and a new album, The Sound, released this past January. They'll perform on both Sunday and Monday at Dickies Arena.

Stray Kids
Photo courtesy of Stray Kids

Stray Kids will perform at Dickies Arena on March 26 and 27.

Photo courtesy of Indigenous Institute of the Americas

Indigenous Institute of the Americas presents IIAmericas Celebration

The 16th annual IIAmericas Celebration will honor indigenous cultures, dance, and arts. The IIAC gathering reflects the complex and diverse history, contemporary lives, and resilient adaptations of American Indian and Indigenous cultures today. The event will highlight American Indian and Indigenous artists, crafters, and traditional product makers from Indigenous Nations across the Americas.

Photo courtesy of Lawn Love

5 Texas cities make a splash as best places for family-friendly vacations

FUN FOR THE FAM

Fort Worth families looking to create lasting memories - or just really need a last-minute getaway for spring break - don’t need to look outside their state.

In a new report from lawn care company Lawn Love, five Texas cities ranked high as Best Cities for Kid-Friendly Vacations. Houston scored No. 8, San Antonio landed at No. 10, and Dallas came in at No. 11. A little further down the list, Austin scored No. 29, and (for those wanting a great staycation location) Fort Worth came in at No. 44.

Not bad, considering 200 of America’s largest cities were ranked using 23 metrics, including affordability, family-friendly accommodations, attractions, transportation options, and more.

Houston, the highest rated Texas city, was classified as the third safest city for kid-friendly vacations, and earned the No. 6 spot in the category of “getting around." In the category of most amusement and theme parks, Houston ranked No. 5 in a three-way tie with San Diego, California and Denver, Colorado. Houston also tied at No. 3 with Baltimore, Maryland in the category of most children’s hospitals.

San Antonio was hot on Houston's heels, just making the top 10 with its highest ranking in "having fun" (No. 5), the highest of any Texas city. It also had a high ranking in safety (No. 8), and all its scores were above average, including the lowest ranking in "eating" (No. 97).

Dallas - a hotel-rich city - scored highest in the category of "staying" (No. 11). Dallas also did well in the "having fun" category (No. 14). The city ranked 21st for "getting around," and an inexplicable 53rd for "eating."

Austin did better than average on most metrics except affordability (No. 115 of 200). In an odd order, the city's best rankings were "getting around" or ease of transportation (No. 30), followed closely by "having fun" (No. 36).

Fort Worth lagged behind these four Texas counterparts, but still made the 78th percentile and beat cities like Killeen (the worst in Texas at No. 192). It did very well in "staying" (No. 16) and better than average in all other metrics than eating (No. 116), which sees to have dragged the overall ranking down significantly.

When planning a vacation, Christina Sharp, faculty member at MiraCosta College in California, says there are no rules that say all family members have to agree on what to do.

"Let folks carve out time for themselves and the activities they want to do and ensure that there are activities for everyone to do together," she suggests. "My 92-year-old father-in-law didn’t want to go to the beach – and that was fine. We went while he read. But we all did take walks, eat meals, and watch TV together – and it was wonderful."

Sharp also recommends families plan ahead when deciding their mode of travel, and to limit use of technology once at their destination in order to connect and bond with each other.

The full top 10 list of best US cities for kid-friendly vacations includes:

  • No. 1 New York City, New York
  • No. 2 Orlando, Florida
  • No. 3 Miami, Florida
  • No. 4 Las Vegas, Nevada
  • No. 5 Chicago, Illinois
  • No. 6 Tampa, Florida
  • No. 7 San Francisco, California
  • No. 8 Houston, Texas
  • No. 9 Los Angeles, California
  • No. 10 San Antonio, Texas

More information about Lawn Love’s report can be found at lawnlove.com.

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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.

Heart health advocates raise over $800,000 at red-letter Fort Worth luncheon

Go Red for Women

What: Tarrant County Go Red for Women Luncheon benefiting American Heart Association

Where: Worthington Renaissance Hotel

The 411: The American Heart Association's annual Go Red for Women Luncheon is always one of the most anticipated fundraising luncheons of spring in Fort Worth. Nearly 1,200 patrons - decked out in red, of course - filled the Worthington's ballroom on March 3 to join the fight against cardiovascular disease.

Co-chairs leading the charge were Jennifer Chavez (Chief Nursing Officer at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth) and Becky Tucker (Senior Vice President of Channel Integration at Texas Health).

"Her Story is Our Story" was the theme of the 2023 luncheon, which raises awareness of heart disease in women - and guests heard the message repeatedly that it could happen to any woman they know or love.

While patrons dined on a heart-healthy lunch, emcee Morgan Young of WFAA facilitated a number of performances and presentations, including a spoken word performance by local artist Alicia Azahar and a choral rendition of "Stand By Me" by the Word of Truth choir from Texas Christian University.

Featured survivor Sheena Fannin shared her scary but inspirational experience with heart disease, and a memorable keynote address was given was Bean Gill, an entrepreneur and an inclusion and diversity expert. Joni Nash led an "Open Your Heart" moment that allowed patrons to raise their paddles and contribute directly to the cause. Entire tables were challenged to give, for a chance to receive a champagne toast and gift cards to Woodhouse Spa.

There was fun outside the ballroom, too. Fabulous silent auction items filled long tables in the foyer. During a pre-luncheon champagne reception, musicians from the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra serenaded guests, who were greeted by tiara-wearing Texas pageant title-holders, such as Miss Corpus Christi Sharity Brent and Miss Southeast Texas Meaghan Co.

Guests had the chance to take part in free health screenings, lip-print readings, hands-only CPR demonstrations, and more activations.

In total, the luncheon raised more than $800,000 toward the American Heart Association's lifesaving research, education, and health impact initiatives for women.

Who: More than 1,200 participants, survivors, organizers, patrons, and supporters including Brooke Berryman, Lindsey Lyons, Lisa Cobb, Kristin Jaworski, Nicole Maucere, Mary Robinson, Anita Rigues, Hannah Kopriva, Tracy WIlliams, Amanda Stallings,Nancey Murphy, Monika Mathur, Sherry Decker, Abbey Dudek, Jim Austin, and many more.

Tarrant County Go Red for Women luncheon 2023

Photo courtesy of AHA

Lisa Cobb, Kristin Jaworski, Nicole Maucere

Fort Worth Symphony's 2023 Concerts in the Garden series brings Beatles, Star Wars, and Pat Green

Al Fresco Music

The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will offer 11 concerts as part of the 2023 Concerts In The Garden Summer Music Festival, taking place May 26 through June 11 at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

The earlier dates for this year's season mean that the series will not include the traditional Fourth of July concerts. Instead, the orchestra will presents Patriotic Pops on Saturday, May 27, featuring favorite patriotic songs and marches in their first-ever Memorial Day celebration. The concert will also include a brand new drone fireworks display.

The season will kick off with Windborne’s The Music of Queen on May 26, where the FWSO, under conductor Brett Havens, will welcome singer MiG Ayesa and a full rock band to capture Queen's distinct sound.

After the Patriotic Pops concert, the Memorial Day weekend slate will be wrapped up with The Music of Harry Potter on May 27, where the orchestra will conjure favorite tunes from the eight films in the Harry Potter series that took young witches and wizards to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The weekend of June 1-4 will be mostly orchestra-free. Preservation Hall Jazz Band will perform by themselves on June 1, celebrating 60 years of making great music in New Orleans and around the world. They'll be followed by Radio Highway Performs The Music of The Eagles on June 2, delivering many of the classic band's biggest hits.

The orchestra makes a return on June 3 with Chicago Nights starring Jason Scheff, highlighting the longtime vocalist/bassist for Chicago singing the group's songs. Finally, Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to The Beatles will take the stage without accompaniment to presents more than two dozen Beatles tunes performed exactly as they were originally recorded.

That visit to the '60s will be followed a flashback to the '70s with The Music of Led Zeppelin on June 8. A full band and orchestra playing Led Zeppelin’s hits. Then it's on to the '80s with REWIND: The Music of the '80s on June 9, as the orchestra tackles the greatest songs of the decade from artists like George Michael, Mister Mister, Kool & The Gang, Joan Jett, The Cure, and more.

June 10 will bring a visit to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars, in which the orchestra will play selections from several Star Wars films. The series will come to a close on June 11 with a solo performance by Texas country music legend Pat Green, playing songs from throughout his long career.

Tickets for the series go on sale for VIPs and subscribers on March 27, followed by Botanic Garden VIP and Members on March 28. The general public will finally get their shot on March 29.

Lawn tickets are $28, with children 10 and under admitted free if accompanied by a paid adult. Reserved seating at round tables of 4 is $40-$79, with a 20 percent discount for children 10 and under in price levels B and C.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.fwsymphony.org or by calling the FWSO Box Office at 817-655-6000. Advanced parking is also available.