A Christmas Story: The Musical
AT&T Performing Arts Center revives the holiday favorite A Christmas Story, The Musical, bringing Ralphie Parker, his Red Ryder BB gun dreams, and that infamous leg lamp to the Winspear stage. The production follows the beloved 1983 film, with songs, tap numbers, and plenty of nostalgic 1940s charm as Ralphie dodges bullies, schemes around his parents, and hopes Santa will come through. It's pitched as a family-friendly way to kick off the season, with multiple performances across the weekend.
When: November 20–23, various showtimes
Where: Winspear Opera House, AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas
Cost: $50 and up
River Legacy Nature Center in Arlington is hosting The Art & Science of Arachnids, a traveling exhibit that combines live arachnid displays with interactive learning and art. Guests can explore themed galleries that highlight spiders, scorpions, and their relatives, with hands-on activities, educational panels, and design elements that show how these creatures inspire art and culture. It's designed as a family-friendly way to demystify arachnids while still giving you a good little shiver just in time for late fall.
When: Opens Saturday, November 22, and continues through early 2026 (open this weekend during normal Nature Center hours)
Where: River Legacy Nature Center, Arlington
Cost: Standard Nature Center admission
Balloon Museum: Let's Fly – Art Has No Limits
The international Balloon Museum pop-up Let's Fly – Art Has No Limits lands at South Side Studios in Dallas, filling a 20,000-plus square-foot space with massive inflatable installations, projection rooms, and interactive art experiences. Visitors move through themed rooms where light, sound, and air-filled sculptures turn the space into a surreal playground for photos and exploration. The exhibit emphasizes immersive design and social-media-ready moments, and is scheduled to run through the winter season after opening this weekend.
When: Opens Saturday, November 22; open daily with timed tickets through early 2026
Where: South Side Studios, Dallas
Cost: Timed tickets generally start around $30 for adults, with discounts for children and off-peak times
Billy Bob's Concerts (Friday: 49 Winchester / Saturday: Wade Bowen)
When: Friday at 10 p.m. / Saturday at 10 p.m.
Where: Billy Bob's Texas, Fort Worth
Cost: $20 - $40
Christmas in the Gardens – Fort Worth Botanic Garden
A beloved Fort Worth tradition, this immersive holiday light-and-garden experience transforms the grounds of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden into a storybook walk of light, music and festive installations. Perfect for a family outing, giving your girls a memorable evening and you an opportunity to pause and soak in creation.
When: Friday, November 21 – January 4
Where: Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Fort Worth
Cost: $20 and up (Kids: $13 and up)
Coca-Cola Classic Christmas brings a full holiday village to Midtown Dallas with a walk-through lights experience, Santa photos, stage entertainment, and themed zones built around Coca-Cola's classic holiday branding. The event includes light tunnels, oversized ornaments and props, food vendors, and photo opportunities tailored for families and social-media sharers.
When: November 21-23 / November 26-30 / December 3-7 / December 10-14 / December 17-28
Where: Dallas Midtown (Formerly Valley View Mall), at LBJ and Preston, Dallas
Cost: $21 and up
DSO: Beethoven, Mozart and New Music
One of Mozart's three remarkable final symphonies — his "Triple Crown" — the 40th speaks in his most personal voice. This utterance of extreme urgency is full of agitation with only a slim respite in the exquisite, spiritual slow movement. Nearly 250 years after its completion, it still has a profound emotional impact on audiences. DSO's Principal Clarinet Gregory Raden gives the world premiere of Dallas-based composer Jon Cziner's concerto. Shira Samuels-Shragg also leads the world premiere of a new work by Moni (Jasmine) Guo, a film and contemporary concert composer and classical pianist. It's part of a 30-orchestra consortium performing works commissioned by the Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program for women composers.
When: Thursday, November 20 - Saturday, November 22. 7:30 p.m.
Where: Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas
Cost: $39 and up
Dallas Zoo Lights returns with what the zoo bills as "Dallas' brightest nights," turning the grounds into an evening-only holiday light trail. Guests can walk through themed zones filled with millions of lights, lantern installations, and large-scale animal displays, with hot chocolate, treats, and seasonal photo ops along the way. The experience runs on select nights through early January, and is marketed as a family-friendly after-hours visit rather than a typical daytime zoo trip.
When: Nightly November 19, 2025–January 4, 2026 (open this weekend) / 5:30 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Where: Dallas Zoo, Dallas
Cost: Special event admission; separate from daytime zoo tickets, Starting at $18
It's one of Dallas's most vibrant arts and music festivals of the year. The streets of the Deep Ellum district are filled with live performances, mural artists, a massive outdoor stage, local vendors and a warm, inclusive energy. This year's music festival will feature headline performances from rock greats, Mothership, and acclaimed country-folk artist Joshua Ray Walker.
When: Saturday, November 22 from noon into the evening.
Where: Deep Ellum Cultural District, Dallas
Cost: Free admission (some vendor or VIP add-ons possible)
Encounter the 40-foot T-Rex and 13 new life-size animatronic dinosaurs along the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary's nature trails at the 20th annual Dinosaurs Live! life-size animatronic dinosaurs exhibit. See the dinosaurs move and hear them roar! Photo op and play area dinosaurs will be available as well. This year, the exhibit also features an outdoor fossil dig. Dinosaurs Live! is included in general admission and free for Heard Museum members.
Where: Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, McKinney
When: Daily, September 6 - March 1
Cost: $12-$16 (2 and under free)
Dungeons & Dragons: The Immersive Quest
This isn't just a game—it's a live, interactive fantasy quest where every choice shapes your destiny. Explore immersive sets, face thrilling challenges, and experience the magic of storytelling brought to life. Solve puzzles, battle mythical foes, and uncover secrets in a one-of-a-kind fantasy world for all ages.
Where: At Home, 2704 Central Expy, Plano
When: November 19-23 / November 26-30 / December 3-February 1
Cost: $20 and up
FWSO: Mozart and Mahler's Fourth
Austrian composer Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4 presents a musical interpretation of heaven. Sleighbells and flutes open the symphony with a delicate chiming, and later, the angelic voice of a soprano arrives in the final movement to sing texts from Mahler's favorite book of German poetry. To balance out the program, British conductor Dame Jane Glover makes her debut as FWSO's Principal Guest Conductor with pianist Imogen Cooper in Mozart's final piano concerto, the No. 27 in B-flat major, and soprano Lauren Snouffer sings the ever-delightful Exsultate, jubilate.
Where: Bass Hall, Fort Worth
When: Friday, Nov 21 at 7:30 p.m. / Saturday, Nov 22 at 7:30 p.m. / Sunday, Nov 23 at 2 p.m.
Cost: $33 and up
Game of Thrones: The Exhibition
The Arlington Museum of Art, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, will host Game of Thrones: The Exhibition, an immersive showcase of original costumes, props, and behind-the-scenes elements from the acclaimed series. Featuring more than 60 costumes spanning all eight seasons—from Daenerys Targaryen's dragon-scale gowns to Jon Snow's Night's Watch armor—the exhibition highlights the artistry of the show's award-winning designers and craftspeople. Visitors can also explore images, design sketches, and insights into the historical influences and detailed craftsmanship that brought Westeros to life.
Where: Arlington Museum of Art, 1200 Ballpark Way, Arlington
When: October 4, 2025 – April 5, 2026
Cost: $18 - $25
Harry Potter™: The Exhibition brings the Wizarding World to life through an immersive experience featuring authentic props, costumes, and interactive activities inspired by the beloved film series and its extended universe. Visitors can practice Quidditch™, brew potions, conjure a Patronus, explore iconic settings like Hagrid's Hut and the Great Hall, and discover behind-the-scenes details from the making of the films. The exhibition also includes special After Hours Nights for guests 18 and older, complete with themed drinks and a more intimate experience.
Where: Pepper Square, 14856 Preston Rd, Dallas
When: Daily through January 31
Cost: $30 and up
The Dallas Arboretum's signature holiday event, Holiday at the Arboretum, is underway, featuring the 12 Days of Christmas Victorian-style gazebos, the European-inspired Christmas Village, and thousands of lights across the main garden. Seasonal programming includes evening openings, visits with Santa, holiday tea, and live music on select dates.
When: Evenings and select daytime hours daily through January 4
Where: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Dallas
Cost: Special event pricing; approx $40 (discounts for members)
Ice featuring Elf at the Gaylord Texan
Step into the whimsical world of Buddy the Elf at ICE! Journey through iconic scenes from the beloved film, brought to life in magnificent, hand-carved sculptures from more than 2 million pounds of ice. Capture epic photos, race down exhilarating, two-story ice slides, and immerse yourself in the holiday spirit, just like Buddy. Explore your favorite Buddy the Elf moments. Immerse yourself in the kind of magic that only Buddy can create and see Papa Elf, Mr. Narwhal, Jovie, Santa (you know him!), and more all carved into larger-than-life ice sculptures! Plus, soar down one of the two-story ice slides.
Where: Gaylord Texan, Grapevine
When: Daily through November 19-January 4
Cost: $35 and up
Miracle Holiday Pop-Up Bar at Texas Live!
The Miracle Christmas pop-up bar returns to Texas Live!, transforming one of the spaces into a fully decked-out holiday cocktail lounge with themed décor, specialty drinks, and seasonal glassware. Running from November 22 through Christmas Eve, it's designed as an adults-night-out experience, often pairing with other events at the complex such as concerts and game-day watch parties.
When: Opens Saturday, November 22, 5 p.m.; open nightly through December 24
Where: Texas Live!, Arlington
Cost: Entry is generally free; guests pay per cocktail, with limited-edition souvenir mugs available for purchase
Downtown Fort Worth lights up Sunday night with the 43rd annual GM Financial Parade of Lights, a long-running illuminated parade featuring more than 100 lit floats, marching units, and performers along a 1.59-mile route. This year's theme is "Sparkle, Dazzle, Shine!" and the event once again concludes with an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus. While curbside viewing is free, reserved "Street Seats" along the route are available for purchase and often sell out.
When: Sunday, November 23, 6 p.m.
Where: Downtown Fort Worth (route begins at Weatherford & Throckmorton)
Cost: Free to attend; reserved seating starts around $16 for kids and $20 for adults
Perot Museum – "Bug Lab: A Journey into the World of Insect Ingenuity"
What if the planet's smallest geniuses could share their biggest secrets? Bug Lab is a captivating exhibition exploring the remarkable genius of insects, offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience the world from a bug's perspective. It's opening this weekend at the Perot Museum. Visitors can explore immersive bug chambers, test their reflexes at interactive adaptation stations, and examine real specimens in hands-on labs—all while discovering the incredible abilities, behaviors, and science behind the insect world.
Where: Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas
When: Daily through January 4, 2026
Cost: $15-$25
Pravah Fest brings Nepali singer-songwriter Bipul Chettri and other South Asian acts to Arlington Backyard for a one-night festival blending folk, rock, and contemporary South Asian sounds. The event is pitched as a cultural and musical gathering for fans across the region, with Texas Live! listings noting an 8 p.m. start time. Expect a mix of live bands, festival-style production, and a strong community turnout.
When: Saturday, November 22, 8 p.m.
Where: Arlington Backyard at Texas Live!, Arlington
Cost: $64 and up
The almost 70-year relationship between Arlington and its sister city, Bad Königshofen, inspired the Texas Christkindl Market to commemorate its first magical season in 2011. With several markets all over Europe for the holidays, the Texas Christkindl Market also works with its Friendship City and partner Christmas city, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, to bring the same wonderful magic and feeling to Texas. Visitors will discover handcrafted gifts and collectibles, including exclusive Käthe Wohlfahrt merchandise and designs from the iconic Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Village.
Where: Globe Life Field, Arlington
When: November 21-23 / November 28 - December 23
Cost: Free (Free Parking will be available in Lot B)
Trains at Northpark is a unique, beloved, and visually stunning holiday exhibition featuring a fascinating array of miniature trains rolling across 1,600 feet of track on a journey through Dallas and America's most iconic cityscapes. Each season, the display is refreshed with new scenes and features, making it a must-see year after year. Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD) is the beneficiary of this yearly event.
Where: NorthPark Center, Dallas
When: Daily through January 4, 2026
Cost: $5 - $12
