Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo
They call it Cowtown for a reason. For 124 years, Fort Worth has hosted this iconic event, which features all facets of cowboy culture throughout its three-week run. The 2020 season includes mustang and escaramuza competitions, music by Foreigner and mariachi bands, craft beer and wine tastings, and livestock exhibits showcasing award-winning cattle, horses, rabbits and sheep at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. Go to shop, play and view the animals with a general grounds ticket or purchase a seat to watch PRCA bull riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing and more in the nearby Dickies Arena. The horse-powered All Western Parade steps off from the Tarrant County Courthouse in downtown Fort Worth on Jan. 18 at 11 a.m. It will travel Main, Ninth and Houston streets.
Jan. 17-Feb. 8 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, 3401 W. Lancaster Ave., and Dickies Arena, 1911 Montgomery St., Fort Worth. General grounds admission, which includes access to livestock events, exhibits and the carnival midway: $12, $5 for ages 6-16, free for children 5 and under. PRCA rodeo tickets: $30, which includes admission to the grounds. $15 for parking. The parade is free; reserved seating is $15-$25. fwssr.com.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week in Dallas
The city of Dallas marks MLK Day with several events including a candlelight ceremony on Jan. 17 and MLK Fest on Jan. 18, both at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center. Also on Jan. 18 is the 38th annual MLK Scholarship and Awards Gala at the Hilton Anatole. On Jan. 20, watch and wave as marching bands, high steppers, classic cars and floats parade down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Fair Park. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is the parade’s grand marshal. After the parade, everyone is invited to a free Mind and Body Wellness Fair at the African American Museum in Fair Park. Except for the gala, all events are free to attend. For details on more Celebration Week happenings, go to dallasmlkcenter.com/mlk-celebration-week.
Candlelight ceremony: Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2901 Pennsylvania Ave., Dallas. Free.
Fest: Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2901 Pennsylvania Ave., Dallas. Free.
Gala: Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton Anatole, 2201 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas. $150.
Parade: Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon, starting at MLK Boulevard and Holmes Street and ending at Fair Park. Free.
Fort Worth Parade and Rally
Go for the parade and stay for the rally in Sundance Square. Floats, high steppers, bands, classic cars and motorcycles will make their through downtown Fort Worth, ending at Sundance Square, where a celebratory rally will follow.
Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Sundance Square, 420 Main St., Fort Worth. Free. facebook.com/fwalphas.
Shreveport-Bossier Mardi Gras Pop-Up Party
FREE If you can’t make it to Louisiana for Mardi Gras this year, the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau will bring its krewe to you. Let the good times roll on a dance floor in Plano with live music by Musikology. Then fatten up for Fat Tuesday with creole fare by Orlandeaux’s Cafe and king cake samples featuring colorful confections from Shreveport-Bossier City bakeries. Take cash for libations, and be ready to beg for beads (politely — this is an all-ages event) and win door prizes.
Jan. 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Event1013, 1013 E. 15th St., Plano. Free. facebook.com/louisianasotherside.
Late Nights at the DMA: ‘Roaring ’20s’
Deck yourself out in opera gloves, beads, feathers or spats to embrace this month’s themed evening at the Dallas Museum of Art. Dress up for a 100th anniversary celebration of the flapper era with cocktails, live jazz and selfies before a backdrop re-creating Gerald Murphy’s iconic painting Watch. Tour the museum collection, get a personalized book recommendation from the Dallas Public Library and hear author Philip Greene discuss A Drinkable Feast: A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris. The Singapore Slingers take the main stage at 8 and 10 p.m. playing two-steps, rags, waltzes and fox trots.
Jan. 17 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., Dallas. $10 general admission, $5 for students with ID. dma.org.
Texas Rangers Winter Caravan at Dr Pepper Ballpark
FREE For the Rangers’ Winter Caravan, the team’s players, coaches and alumni will sign autographs at select Comerica Bank locations and other North Texas venues throughout January. Although you can catch major athletes many times as the Rangers warm up for the 2020 season, this event at Dr Pepper Ballpark provides a deep bench for meet-and-greet opportunities. Elvis Andrus, Willie Calhoun, Taylor Hearn, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Jose Trevino and Luis Ortiz are scheduled to appear, and kids can run the bases, play catch on the field, climb on inflatables and play games.
Jan. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Dr Pepper Ballpark, 7300 Roughriders Trail, Frisco. Free. texasrangers.com.
Third Sunday Open House at Frisco Heritage Center
FREE Travel back in time to see what Dallas-Fort Worth was like for its earliest settlers during this recurring afternoon of kids’ crafts and games. Watch blacksmiths, see farm animals and explore eight historic structures, plus a steam locomotive and a wooden caboose on the property.
Jan. 19 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Frisco Heritage Center, 6455 Page St., Frisco. Free. friscoheritage.org.
Dallas Train Show
Engineer a fun family outing exploring locomotive folk art at this 35th annual exhibition of model trains. The show includes elaborate displays by local enthusiasts, plus clinics on topics such as how to design a railroad for realistic operation, railroad sounds, scenery basics and more for those who want to learn how to lay down tracks in North Texas.
Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Jan. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Plano Event Center, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano. $10 for ages 13 and older, free for children 12 and under if accompanied by a paying adult. Cash only. dfwtrainshows.com.
Lunar New Year Festival at Asia Times Square
Count down to the Year of the Rat Southeast Asian style at a Lunar New Year celebration that continues through Jan. 26. This weekend, there will be nonstop entertainment including dragon and lion dances, performances by cultural groups, K-pop, games and fun activities for kids. Visitors can browse the flower market, shop with artisans and vendors and sample Asian street food and tasty festival treats. Next weekend, a firecracker show with lion dancing begins at noon on both days.
Jan. 17-19 and 25-26, on Fridays from 6 to 11 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 11 p.m. at Asia Times Square, 2625 W. Pioneer Parkway, Grand Prairie. Free admission. facebook.com (search “Asia Times Square”).
Chocolate and Art Show
Why is this art show for ages 21 and up, and how does chocolate factor into it? If those queries pique your interest, read on: An underground movement from Los Angeles, this event provides a platform outside of a mainstream gallery exhibition for local artists to showcase works that may include controversial subject matter or expression. Live body painting ( likely including nudity), plus chocolate fondue fountains, music and dance performances combine in an atmosphere that utilizes an array of media “all happening at once to stimulate every creative mood.”
Jan. 17 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Lofty Spaces, 816 Montgomery St., Dallas. $20; free parking. For ages 21 and up. facebook.com/chocolateandartshowdallas.
Discounted Admission at the Dallas Arboretum and Dallas Zoo
The weather outside is, well, up and down — this is Texas, after all — but admission to the Dallas Arboretum and Dallas Zoo are at steadfast discounts during the first months of 2020. If your New Year’s resolution involves getting more active or more centered, achieve both on a meditative stroll through the arboretum’s gardens. The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden will be closed through Feb. 28 for annual winterization, but the arboretum will offer ongoing family programming such as self-guided STEM walks through more than a dozen beautiful landscapes. If turning over a new leaf also means resolving to have more fun, start by watching silly birds with tuxedo-like feathers perform aquatic antics at the Dallas Zoo. Though the zoo’s deal is named in their honor, the Penguin Days promotion isn’t just about this flightless flock. Discounted admission — around half off regular price — grants access to the entire zoological complex, including indoor learning areas such as the herpetarium, where you will find reptiles and amphibians. They’re smart indoor stops on days when the Texas weather actually feels wintry.
Dallas Arboretum: Through Feb. 28, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas. $5 for general admission, free for ages younger than 2. $15 for parking, $10 if purchased online in advance. dallasarboretum.org.
Dallas Zoo: Through Feb. 29, daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas. $8 for general admission, free for children 2 and under; $10 for parking. dallaszoo.com.
