Wednesday, June 1
Magali Reus: A Sentence in Soil at the Nasher Sculpture CenterThe Nasher (2001 Flora St.) has been consistently giving us absolute bangers, as the kids say, with exhibition after exhibition this year. Wednesdays through Sundays, through Sept. 11, visit Magali Reus: A Sentence in Soil and discover new elements every time. The artist Magali Reus removes common objects from their typical surroundings, creating abstraction, examining relationships with nature, establishing beautiful chaos through placement. Admission to the Nasher is $10; find out more on the exhibition online.
Thursday, June 2
Dear Dana signing at Interabang BooksWith keyboard warriors, curated profiles and meme after meme, sometimes it’s hard to know who your internet friends really are — even if you once knew them in real life. Amy Weinland Daughters reconnected with one of her friends after 30 years, which sparked a relationship neither could’ve predicted, built stronger by a weekly letter Amy started sending when Dana’s son was in the hospital for cancer treatment. It inspired Amy to consider who else she could know beyond “Facebook friend” if she wrote them real letters. Daughters discusses and signs her memoir Dear Dana: That Time I Went Crazy and Wrote All 580 Of My Facebook Friends a Handwritten Letter at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 2, at Interabang Books (5600 W. Lovers Lane). Books are available for purchase online or on site.
Off the Wall Fundraiser at Dallas Center for Photography
We’re always a fan of auctions and fundraisers that guarantee a piece of art to take home. So, the Off the Wall Fundraiser at the Dallas Center for Photography (4756 Algiers) is a true winner. Offering 75 framed photographs, the event follows a name-drawing format, in which each attendee chooses their selection from the remaining available pieces. An individual art ticket is $175, providing food, drink and one art piece for a single attendee. The art + guest ticket is $200, with refreshments for two and a single piece of art (perfect for couples). Tickets are available to purchase online.
Friday, June 3
TITAS/Unbound presents BalletX at Moody Performance HallTITAS/DANCE UNBOUND presents BalletX for the Philly company’s Dallas debut. A showcase of mesmerizing contemporary ballet will have audiences on the edges of emotional and physical seats 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall (2520 Flora St.), but that’s not all BalletX is bringing. Take advantage of the free Big Barre master class in Sammons Park at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Get tickets for performances and RSVP for the class online.
Taste Addison at Addison Circle Park
Get the top dish Addison has to offer in a celebratory fest setting that’s family and nostalgia friendly. Friday and Saturday, Addison Circle Park (4970 Addison Circle) will offer a range of cuisines (both full dishes and sample sizes are available for purchase) including Cuban, Thai, Mediterranean, Mexican, Italian, Korean and many more. To top it all off, Sean Paul, Living Colour, Candlebox and Stone Temple Pilots will take the stage. Single day admission is $15 with a VIP single day option for $50 (other options are higher still and include parking). Taste bite bundles are $15 for a five-pack of taste tickets valid at any food booth (does not include admission). More info and tickets are all online.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Theatre Arlington
As if spelling bees weren’t the great unifier, adults playing pre-teens is also a real draw for us. Theatre Arlington (305 W. Main St., Arlington) presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, opening Friday, June 3, and running 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through June 19. It’s a heartwarming production with strong personal performances and great messages that there’s more to trying than winning. Tickets are $32, available online.
Saturday, June 4
Peng Dang at Dallas Comedy ClubHe’s supported his fair share of headliners, but Peng Dang has earned the top spot, and he has for four shows proving it this Friday (7:30 and 9:30 p.m.) and Saturday (7 and 9 p.m.) at Dallas Comedy Club (3036 Elm St.). He’ll bring his trademark comedy bridging the two cultures of his life and his trademark grinning sarcasm to the stage, along with friends Ralph Barbosa and Arun Rama. Tickets are a steal at $20, available online.
Ugandan Barkcloth Workshop at Oil & Cotton Online
Stop everything and register right now (ideally, by close of business Wednesday) for Oil & Cotton’s Ugandan Barkcloth Workshop at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 4. Our beloved Dallas skills and craft builders are providing us with an amazing opportunity to learn about the use and design process of barkcloth from an artist in their own studio. Fred Mutebi and Lesli Robertson teach the class virtually from the barkcloth-making region of Bukomansimbi, Uganda. Plus, Oil & Cotton offers a kit required for class that provides raffia, cloth, needle and floss — available for pickup for local participants later this week. Find out all the details, register for the workshop and purchase the kit online.
Sunday, June 5
Trolls LIVE! at Texas Trust CU TheatreHug Time is in jeopardy, but Poppy, Branch and the Trolls crew (yes, even Smidge and Cloud Guy) are ready to make sure it’s safe and sound. Naturally, that’s through interactive performances at the Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie, as is Trolls custom. There’s song, dance and all the colors of the Day-Glo rainbow. Check out Trolls LIVE! 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, June 4, or 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, June 5. Tickets are available online.
Dallas Pride Parade at Fair Park
Dallas Pride Weekend is going strong in Fair Park this weekend. First, the Dallas Pride Miller Lite Music Festival gets the party started on Saturday with show-stopping entertainment, vendors and Family Pride and TEEN Pride zones. Sunday, it’s all about the parade. Free and starting at 2 p.m. at Fair Park Coliseum, it circles the Cotton Bowl, passes Hall of State and returns to the Coliseum. Food trucks and other treats will be there, but attendees are encouraged to arrive early. For all the weekend details, checkout the official website.
Tuesday, June 7
Yanga at the Meyerson Symphony CenterIf you haven’t seen Yanga: Path to Freedom in the Americas at the African-American Museum (3536 Grand Ave.), you certainly must after this special musical presentation. Thanks to a partnership with the Latino Arts Project and African American Museum, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Tambuco Percussion Ensemble for a performance of Yanga by Gabriela Ortiz. Both the exhibition and the performance tell the story of Gaspar Yanga, a prince turned slave trade escapee and freedom fighter. The concert takes place 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, at the Meyerson Symphony Center (2301 Flora St.) with tickets starting at $22, available online. The AAM exhibition is on display through Oct. 21. For more information, visit the website.