Things To Do In Dallas This Weekend: Sep 16-18

Oh, hey. You were looking for something fun to do on your lunch break today? Take a wander downtown, where you’ll see all sorts of cool set ups for Dallas’ Park(ing) Day. Between Main Street and Ervay, you’ll see a few familiar faces. D has teamed up with Dirt, Half Price Books, and JD’s Tree Service to create a reading forest. It’s the perfect spot to swap out all the books you read over the summer for new material. Bring the kids around 5:30 pm for story time and other activities. Krista has more details here. Mosey on.

Friday

As I’ve mentioned in prior posts, this is a bank-breaking month for music. Broken Social Scene is here tonight with TV on the Radio at the House of Blues, and weirdly, the show is not yet sold out. One of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me is skip a BSS concert to pick me up at the airport my freshman year of college when I came home on a homesick whim. I’ll never forget that guy’s sacrifice. Anyway, it’s your last chance to catch them in our great state for awhile unless you’re making a pilgrimage to ACL. And if that’s the case, you’re already on the road, and why are you reading this?

Now that the Arts District museums are coordinating their late night activities, they can put together something like this Dallas Arts District Crawl. Basically, they’ve mapped out an itinerary that includes food trucks (expect plenty parked on Flora until 9 PM), the outdoor Explosions in the Sky concert, and stops at the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher, and the Crow. Personally, I’d use this as an opportunity to check out the Nasher’s new Tony Cragg exhibit. FrontRow’s Peter Simek has taken a peek, and while his review isn’t up yet, I think it’s safe to say he liked it.

Saturday

If you’re fine with crowds and you’ve got a recently-rinsed Route 44 Sonic drink cup handy, Addison Oktoberfest is the point B on your Google Map. For five tickets (or maybe a little extra, if you show up with like, a bucket), the great folks manning the beer spigots will fill the “stein” of your choosing. The Plano Balloon Fest, a prime opportunity to check another experience off your Dallas Must-Do list, is also a good choice. Think kid-pleasing balloon glows, a live band, and fireworks. Make sure to stop by the D Family booth and pick up a copy of our super helpful special issue.

As for me, I’ll probably be dropping by Tuckers’ Blues in Deep Ellum (right near Twisted Root and Il Cane Rosso, home of my beloved prosciutto/garlic heaven pizza) for their second anniversary celebration, hopefully with people who know more about jazz and blues that I do in tow. Not a difficult feat, honestly. But as a quick aside, it’s closing night for Morphing, Matthew Posey’s latest twisted tale, at the Ochre House Theatre. If it was on your to-see list, as it should be, Saturday is your last chance.

Sunday

I’ve been binging on theater lately. I had the chance to see one of my most anticipated shows for Fall over at the Kitchen Dog last Saturday— Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, or the vibrator play. I reviewed it for FrontRow, but I’m also recommending it to you here because it’s more than worth your time. I’m generally a fan of Ruhl’s work, and this somewhat historical comedy— ostensibly about the advent of the modern electric vibrator—is of course about much more than that. KD company member Max Hartman gives an especially excellent performance. The Sunday matinee still has seats available.

For more to do this weekend, go here.