The Best Things To Do In Dallas, Dec. 8-Dec. 15

Wednesday, Dec. 8

Inner Moonlight Poetry Reading at The Wild Detectives
Take a moment away from the shopping craze and hit up The Wild Detectives (314 W. 8th St.) 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, for the latest installment of the Inner Moonlight poetry reading series. This performance features poet, performer and podcast host Leanetta “Shug” Avery. She’s been writing since she was 9 and performing poetry and monologues for well over 20 years, plus she hosts The Local Source podcast, highlighting topics like race, gender, religion and all those related to bias and inclusion. In other words, Avery knows her way around a microphone. There will be a short open mic to follow. Get the details via The Wild Detectives, RSVP with Eventbrite and learn more about the artist on her website.

Thursday, Dec. 9

Enchant Christmas: The Great Search at Fair Park
Say “enchant” around Dallas in the winter and you automatically see lights. We know there are lights at Enchant Christmas, but it’s hard to comprehend just how many freaking lights there are. Oh, and there’s a whole story going on at the event about saving Christmas called the Great Search. Do that. Here’s the thing, though: There’s also an ice skating path. Santa? Yeah, OK, cool. But about that ice skating in Fair Park ... Yes, that’s right: ice skating and lights. Are we suddenly 8 years old? Pretty much. Go get tickets now. Just do it. It’s fine. It’s totally 'Grammable and Snappable and all that other shit so you can force your teen to join, but also they’ll probably want to take friends so you can be the cool parent (but also 8 years old). It’s open until Jan. 2. Tickets start at $20.

Santa’s Hall Pop-Up Bar at Trinity Groves
The Hall at Trinity Groves (3011 Gulden Lane) has transformed into Santa’s Hall for a festive pop-up running through Dec. 31. The elves have seriously gone snowballs-out on décor. This place competes with Lifetime holiday movies for the most garlands, and we’re here for it. Nibble on special cookies  from Cake Bar or go for some themed cocktails including You’re Naughty, Heat Miser, the Grinch and a Candy Stripetini. Hours are 4 p.m. to close Thursdays and Fridays and 2 p.m. to close Saturdays and Sundays. Each week features a partnership with a different charity for donations, toy and food drives. This week’s partner is Scottish Rite for Children. The Hall has all the info.

Friday, Dec. 10

ArtPark Holiday Movie Series at Trinity Groves
So, if you were at Santa’s Hall escaping the afternoon, just stick around for the ArtPark Holiday Movie Series 6:30 p.m. Friday nights at ArtPark (331 Singleton Blvd.). All the screens light up this Friday, Dec. 10, with The Grinch. Bring the family or friends and score a Family Food Pack with hot dogs, chips and sodas to enjoy while you root for Max the Dog to up and leave the Grinch as soon as you're three minutes into the animated movie (or any version of it, for that matter). If you’re planning ahead, the next two Fridays offer The Polar Express and A Charlie Brown Christmas, in that order. Oh, and you might want to get there a teensy bit early if you want to cozy up to a fire pit. Find more info online.

Arts, Eats and Beats with Aimée M. Everett at South Dallas Cultural Center
Memory is a strange beast. It doesn’t always present itself in linear or sensical ways. It can be emotional, gratifying or traumatic. It can be all of it. Artist Aimée M. Everett addresses her own memories and their processing in a new exhibition, Paying Reverence to the Altar of Memories at the South Dallas Cultural Center (3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave.). Everett presents her works using self-portraits with linework and applications of color to represent how her memories show themselves to her. An accompanying exhibition Seeing Ghosts: Revisited, highlights and honors the legacy of the Black community in Bartlett, Texas. The shows open 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, with an Arts, Eats and Beats reception (music starts at 7:30 p.m.) and run through Jan. 29. They are free and open to the public by appointment of up to 10 people per 30-minute slot.

Saturday, Dec. 11

6 o’Clock Dance Theatre’s Cocoa & Candy Canes at Highland Park Presbyterian Church
Normally, you might see the dancers of 6 o’Clock Dance Theatre wowing crowds at NorthPark Center or Snider Plaza around this time of year. But this Saturday, Dec. 11, we have the privilege of a sit-down performance at Highland Park Presbyterian Church (3821 University Blvd.) with “festive cocktail” attire requested to go with our hot cocoa and classics such as “White Christmas” and “Carol of the Bells.” Now, while the songs may be ones you know, the dances aren’t. These 13 dancers are pros from the likes of Martha Graham Dance Company and Dallas Black Dance Theatre and are offering up inventive choreography that’s exciting and accessible to all audiences. And there may even be a dance party … only you can decide if you’ll get your groove on. Cocoa & Candy Canes starts at 7 p.m. with a silent auction and the dancing starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 online.

Santa Paws Photos at Earthwise Pet
We’d be doing you a disservice if we didn’t tell you at least one place to take your furry friends for pics with Santa. So, get them all dolled up between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 11, and head to Earthwise Pet (252 W. Stonebrook Parkway, Frisco). The whole thing benefits Texas CARES Cat Adoption and Rescue, but don’t worry, dogs are still welcome. For just a $10 donation, you’ll get a link to all the photos taken so you can download, print and send to your parents so they have current shots of all their grandchildren. For adoptable kitties, to learn about fostering, or just more info on Texas CARES, check out the website.

Krampusnacht: A Naughty Dance Party at Elm & Pearl
For the 21+ crowd that wants to get its pagan groove on, there’s Krampusnacht: A Naughty Dance Party starting at 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, at Elm & Pearl (2202 Elm St.). But who are we kidding? You never show up at 10 p.m. You do, however, dress to impress in your sexiest, spookiest, Halloween-meets-Christmas-but-not-in-a-Tim-Burton-way best. Organizers (Crystal Queer Riot with Grid Lasers) are clear: This is for the queer community and its allies, so positive vibes (and naughtiness, of course) reign supreme. Sets by Lady Vanity Roux and Don Gentry will provide the beats; tickets start at $20. A sell-out is highly likely, so get over to Facebook.

A Drag Queen Christmas at Music Hall at Fair Park
Back over at Fair Park on Saturday, Dec. 11, we’ve got some major fanning out to do as Trinity the Tuck and Monét X. Change co-host A Drag Queen Christmas. Monét alone is worth the price of admission, but they do that thing where they don’t want to say exactly which of the queens on the poster art is going to take the stage but, when you do a dive to find tickets and see that each city on the tour has slightly different artwork, you start figuring it out.* Let’s just say we see Alyssa Edwards’ face and she’s from Mesquite, y’all, so let’s just hope (because hope is so Christmas-y). Cruise over to Ticketmaster to purchase your seat.

*OK, fine. The lineup as of now includes Alyssa Edwards, Heidi N. Closet (gasp! We stan), Kylie Sonique Love, Shea Couleé, Brooke Lynn Hytes (she better bust out those pointe shoes for some Sugar Plum action) and Crystal Methyd.

Farmstead Christmas Celebration at Nash Farm
Did you know Grapevine is known as the Christmas Capital of Texas? Well it is, and there’s a lot of holiday stuff to do there, as in more than 1,400 events. One of them is from 1 to 4 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 11, and it’s a quaint little rip back in time at Nash Farm (626 Ball St., Grapevine) where we can see how the settlers got their festive on. The Farmstead Christmas Celebration features all the yore you could want for your yuletide fun: period costumes, traditional music, ornament making and more for just $5 a person. Find out more about Nash Farm before you visit.

Sunday, Dec. 12

BMW Dallas Marathon at Various Locations
This is more of a PSA than anything else. Check the route map early. There will be people running all over the neighborhoods in and near downtown Saturday and Sunday (but mostly Sunday), for the BMW Dallas Marathon. Now, here’s the other purpose of this listing: While the registrations are closed, you are very, very encouraged to go cheer on runners. Make a sign, offer high fives (or shots — you’d be really surprised how many accept), and yell your face off. It’s a blast. It’s free, and you’ll probably make friends. Also, you could really help people who may be thinking they can’t make it another mile. Sure, it’s a veritable clusterfuck, but it’s for charity and people have worked really hard to achieve these finish lines. So take a couple of hours and help them, it feels really good. All the marathon and related event info is on the RunDallas website.

Elf the Musical at the Sound at Cypress Waters
If there’s anyone we could watch introduce people to the true meaning of Christmas, it’s Buddy the Elf. Since Firehouse Theatre is offering up Elf the Musical at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday — and it’s the last performance! — we have to recommend you get your blankie and low lawn chair over to the Sound at Cypress Waters (3111 Olympus Blvd.). Will he sing loud enough for all to hear? EVEN SANTA? How could you even ask? Single tickets are $35 for adults and $18 for students/children. Some chairs will be available for rent ( for $5) on site, but plan ahead. Check out the Firehouse website for tickets and more info.

Tuesday, Dec. 14

Sweet Tooth Hotel’s Rewind at Watters Creek
Wanna get inside actual art? Do it at Sweet Tooth Hotel’s Rewind, open at Watters Creek at Montgomery Farms (970 Garden Park, Allen). Duo Jencey and Cole Keeton created the 5,000-square-foot venue to house 10 art installations by 12 local and national artists. Showcasing mediums from paint to fiber, this iteration of Sweet Tooth Hotel, appropriately called Rewind, features brand new installations and some old favorites with a complete video store right in the center (yes, we mean VHS). You can look online, but honestly, we suggest you wait and just see it: It’s enchanting and thrilling and cute — and a little overwhelming in the best way. Plus, it’s a great diversion for out-of-town visitors (or escaping them). Sweet Tooth Hotel opens at noon Tuesdays through Sundays, but is available for private bookings on Mondays. Tickets, available online, are required.

Big Brassy Christmas & Organ Extravaganza at Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
As if a Dallas Symphony Orchestra holiday concert in any form wasn’t enough pull, they had to go and make it big and brassy. Now we’re really in. The DSO brass and percussion sections are pulling out all the stops for a merry old time at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center (2301 Flora St.). And they didn’t forget those baller pipes. The Lay Family Concert Organ will also be making a joyful noise 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14. Tickets start at $25 and are available online.