Dallas Events

The 'Shakespeare in the Park' series provides entertainment under the stars throughout the summer. Don’t expect the same old productions, however: Sometimes you’ll catch something like The Taming of the Shrew as an 1850s cowboy western. Bring a blanket and a picnic.

Several dozen top-rate restaurants across the Dallas-Fort Worth area join together with the all-news radio station and with Central Market stores to offer three- and four-course dinners at prices you cannot find otherwise. During Restaurant Week, in mid-August, you can eat at participating restaurants for $35, not including beverages and tip. The fund-raiser benefits the North Texas Food Bank and the Lena Pope Home. Some restaurants extend the generous offer to include the whole month of August, too.

The annual Greek Food Festival at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas is a lively festival offering a wonderfully succulent taste of Greek Dallas, featuring signature dishes from the best Greek restaurants in the city. There is also live entertainment and demonstrations of traditional Greek music and folk dancing. The focus of the festival is food, and there are cooking demonstrations by local chefs, but it also gives visitors a contextual understanding of Greek food traditions through offering a good grounding of Greek culture and history.

Arguably the biggest, loudest and most diverse fair in the region, the annual State Fair of Texas is an eagerly-awaited event that's a firm favourite amongst locals. Primarily an agricultural show featuring numerous displays and exhibitions, the fair also includes a whole host of other events and entertainment ranging from live music and sporting contests to an auto show and eating competitions. Even back when the fair was first held back in 1886 the event attracted 100,000 visitors; now the fair entertains in excess of 3.5 million visitors each year.

With an international field of 20,000 runners, a world-class course and a weekend of entertainment for participants, their families and the community, the White Rock Marathon in Dallas is one of the best in the United States, as it’s a qualifier race for the Boston Marathon. More than 50 live entertainment venues line the course to offer continuous enjoyment and encouragement for runners and spectators, and there are plenty of other events during the marathon weekend. The event includes a half marathon and a five-person relay.

Beginning the day after Thanksgiving and lasting through December, the already-gorgeous gardens on White Rock Lake become a fantasyland for the holidays. The magnificent DeGolyer home and gardens simply sparkle and shine.

Neiman Marcus and the Adolphus Hotel coordinate this beautiful holiday event, not unlike the famous Macy’s parade. Crowds can number more than 350,000 people.

The annual parade starts at Comerica Bank Tower located at Ervay and Elm and finishes at The American Airline Centers. This is a family friendly parade for visitors that come for the Cotton Bowl game but it also celebrates the revitalization of Dallas. The parade features university bands and several high school marching bands from across the country.

Taking place in the morning of the Saturday prior to MLK Day, which is usually the Monday closest to January 15, this event commemorates the late Dr. King’s legacy. The parade brings floats, bands, community, civic and church groups together in a march through downtown Dallas, past the MLK Community Center to Fair Park.

The North Texas Irish Festival brings about 60,000 guests to celebrate each year. It is the second oldest Irish festival in the United States and the largest in the southwest, and the largest cultural event held in Fair Park, Dallas, with food and music, dance and music.

Food lovers convene for a gastronomic adventure over a full weekend in assorted locations in Dallas and Irving. Programs are offered all over downtown and in the Arts District, including a wine stroll in the Dallas Museum of Art, the Meyerson Symphony Center and the Nasher Sculpture Center; various wine seminars; and a grand tasting, at which you can sample dishes from some of the great restaurants around the city.

The Deep Ellum Arts Festival is a vibrant, eclectic and fun festival with the character of a street party. It is the biggest weekend of the year for the Deep Ellum Entertainment District and is free to the public. It features four outdoor stages with non-stop performances by over 65 national, regional, and local original bands and more than 100 top-notch juried decorative and visual artists. There is also a pet parade, a 5km (3 mile) run and a Rock Art Show, as well as abundant food and drink at this adult-oriented festival.

This eight-day film festival is dedicated to the recognition of excellence in film and video arts.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla in Mexico. Dancers, artists and performers gather to celebrate the city's rich Mexican heritage.