Best Things To Do in Dallas This Weekend

Friday

Just because you missed the boat on spring cleaning and landscaping doesn’t mean you have to wait until next year to cultivate the home of your dreams. You can definitely still dig in and get going this autumn, and the 2018 Annual Fall Texas Home & Garden Show will help you get a leg up (and a trowel in) on your dreams. From Friday, Sept. 7, through Sunday, Sept. 9, at Dallas Market Hall, 2200 N. Stemmons Freeway, you’ll find vendors that can address all your home improvement needs, including lawn gurus, paving experts, roof and gutter peeps and contractors galore. Don’t fear: If you need to bring the kids, it’s not all specs and blueprints. They can get their wiggles out in a kids zone and find plenty of treats from onsite food vendors. Admission to the event, which runs 2-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, is $10 for adults, $8 for military and seniors, and free for kids 14 and under. Visit texashomeandgarden.com for more information. Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Dale Watson was a staple in the Austin country, swing and rockabilly scene for years, playing regular gigs at nightclubs like The Continental Club with his backing band. But recently he moved to Memphis, just a mile from Graceland, where his music is sure to impress the locals. The singer, guitarist, songwriter and author penned the genre Ameripolitan, which consists of contemporary Western swing, honky-tonk, rockabilly and outlaw country. with Summer Dean, 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at Mama Tried Deep Ellum, 215 Henry St., 214-258-5573, free Diamond Victoria

You likely remember Shawn Colvin's single "Sunny Came Home," but her 30-year career as a singer-songwriter boasts more than the Grammy Award-winning 1997 hit. After a steady string of albums since then, Colvin's latest, this year's The Starlighter, is a collection of children's songs taken from the book Lullabies and Night Songs. This unique canon of music comes after a collaboration in 2016 with Steve Earle and a subsequent tour. Tonight's show at The Kessler sees Colvin by herself, though, and perhaps without lullabies. 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis St., 214-272-8346, thekessler.org, $32 and up. DV

Austin-based Shane Smith & The Saints blend country, Americana, folk and rock together for a rootsy sound inspired by the likes of Ray Wylie Hubbard, Bob Dylan and Mumford & Sons, to name a few. They're a country band for folks who don't like country, and the band's latest album, 2015's Geronimo, has gone over tremendously well with critics and fans. 10:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at Billy Bob's Texas, 2520 Rodeo Plaza, 817-624-7117, billybobstexas.com, $16-$22. DV

Hankering for a glimpse of farm life back in the day? Drag the kids away from the video games and let them see how youngsters once upon a time built paper kites or cared for farm animals. Let the little apes know just how lucky they are. On the first Friday of each month, from 10 a.m. to noon, Nash Farm, 626 Ball St., Grapevine, a 5.2-acre historical landmark, focuses on a theme appealing to ages 3 and up. Subjects range from cowboy cooking and making pickles to keeping cool without air conditioning. September’s theme is frontier travel, and you can bet it’s not via Uber or jet. For more information or $3 tickets, call the Nash Farm, 817-410-3558 or email [email protected]. Reba Liner

Beer and puppies, what more could you want? Well, good health, lots of money and sex, we suppose. Tons of other stuff, come to think of it. We can’t help you there, but Dallas Pets Alive Brew Launch has you covered on the beer and puppies angle. They’re launching a beer that will also benefit the animal charity. The beer is called Dixon’s Pale Ale, and 50 cents of every pint sold will benefit Dallas Pets Alive and its mission to make Dallas a no-kill city. Never have you had a better reason to get totally ’faced. Well, divorce, a death in the family ... look, this is a good reason, OK? Be there at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7 at Grapevine Craft Brewery, 924 Jean St., Grapevine. Admission is free. For more information, call 682-651-5797 or visit operationkindness.org/events. Paige Skinner

Saturday

We’re nearing the end of the dog days of summer, but that doesn’t mean Dog Day Afternoon has to end. Operation Kindness, DFW’s biggest no-kill shelter, presents this one-of-a-kind festival, where you can bring your dogs for a costume contest, get them microchipped (the first 100 get it for free) and vaccinated for cheap. There’ll even be a puppy kissing booth. Just remember that only one of you should be using tongue, and it’s not you. Be there at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 at Operation Kindness, 3201 Earhart Drive, Carrollton. Admission is free. For more information, call 972-418-7297 or visit operationkindness.org. Paige Skinner

If you wanted to see The Star, the Dallas Cowboys’ newer training facility, now is your perfect chance. The Cowboys are hosting Market at The Star x Fleastyle, where you can shop from 30 vendors. The outdoor market will include fashion, jewelry, home decor and other goods. There will also be live entertainment, food specials and activities for the kids. Be there at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 at Ford Center at The Star, 9 Cowboys Way, Frisco. Admission is free. For more information, visit thestarinfrisco.com call 972-497-4060. Paige Skinner

On Saturday night, sample from a selection of more than 400 local, national and international beers at the 8th annual Dallas Observer BrewFest. General admission tickets will net you a commemorative tasting glass and 12, 2-ounce beer tastings (with the option to buy more sample cards). With a VIP ticket, you’ll get into the event an hour early and have access to a VIP area with line-free bathrooms and access to VIP brews. Advance tickets are $42 for general admission and $75 for VIP; prices increase the day of the event. The event takes over Dallas Farmers Market from 7 to 10 p.m. — or 6 p.m. for VIPs — Saturday, Sept. 8. Snag tickets at dobrewfest.com. Beth Rankin

Alice in Chains just put out a new LP called Rainier Fog, so they're fresh and ready to play again. Co-frontman William DuVall has proved to be a reliable member of the band, replacing mythic original vocalist Layne Staley over 10 years ago. The rest of the band remains solid, with fellow co-frontman Jerry Cantrell harmonizing perfectly with DuVall. Though they could play things safe and play only the old stuff, the band plays material from all of their albums. Lately, they've played a lot of songs from their biggest album, Dirt, so it serves as a way of embracing the past and present. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 316 West Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, $25 and up at livenation.com Eric Grubbs

Luke Bryan is considered the King of Bro Country, a title he seems to embrace while also hoping to be treated as a serious artist. Count all the lyrical references to alcohol, trucks, gurrls (not just girls), rural settings and catfish you like. Thing is, the thousands of people who will come to AT&T Stadium want to have a good time, pure and simple. This four-act blockbuster show is what country music sold to a mass audience looks like these days, but it gets some real credibility from openers like Little Big Town and country’s latest ordained savior, Chris Stapleton. Most mainstream country music is for people who grew up on Garth Brooks, Bob Seger, Tim McGraw and Def Leppard, and weren’t afraid of hip-hop, either. Plus, it’s family entertainment. As easily mocked as the bro country genre is, it sure isn’t losing any steam by snark from those who don’t get it. 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at Dos Equis Pavilion, 1818 First Ave., 214-421-1111, $45 and up at livenation.com Eric Grubbs

The Rich Girls remain one of the best local cover bands. After forming as a New Year’s dare in 2010, the Hall & Oates tribute band quickly gained a local fan base, and the unforgettable group won a Dallas Observer Music Award for best cover band in 2014. 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at The Rustic, 3656 Howell St., 214-730-0596, therustic.com, free Daniel Rodrigue

An immersive performance art piece featuring large-scale puppets, shadow puppetry, video and sound installation, Dirty Turk is a theatrical production that examines cultural assimilation, racism and identity of central character Ozlem through her daydreams, nightmares and memories. Testimony from local immigrants and refugees are woven into the script. It sounds like just the kind of thought-provoking conversation-starter your MAGA-hat-wearing stepdad could’ve used if he didn’t reply “Hell no” immediately after the phrase “immersive performance art.” Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 29 (and possibly extending into October) at Artstillery’s West Dallas performance space, 723 Fort Worth Ave. Tickets are $10 for students with ID and people from La Bajada and $25 for everyone else. There’s also a two-hour “Talkback!” fundraiser, with cocktails and mingling for $20 for those who want a VIP look into how the production came to be, on the 29th. Call 512-994-8832 or visit artstillery.org. Jesse Hughey

Sunday

With the help of the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture and the Rwandan American Community of DFW, the Dallas Holocaust Museum presents the Summer Survivor Speaker Series. The museum invites patrons to experience the profound and poignant, as Holocaust survivors and refugees from other mass killings share their stories of perseverance and genocide. At 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, Rwandan emigre Emmanuel Sebagado will talk about ethnic violence in Central and East Africa at the museum, 211 N. Record St. Tickets start at $8. Seating is first-come, first-served. Find more info at dallasholocaustmuseum.org. Jonathan Patrick

The veteran art-rocker, most famous for his 1979 hit, "Cars," is back out on the road at age 60. Though he'll forever be associated with "Cars," Gary Numan has, in fact, been consistently making music for decades. With elements of synth-pop, industrial rock and new wave all filtered through his minimalist delivery and arrangements, Numan has been a cult favorite around the globe. He's also written a memoir, worked on film and video game soundtracks, and received a celebrated innovation award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. The cozy confines and dimly lit corners of Canton Hall will be a unique and intimate setting to take in his expertly crafted live show. And, yeah, he'll probably play "Cars," too. 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at Canton Hall, 2727 Canton St., $27.50 at ticketfly.com Jeff Strowe

German band Scorpions were a heavy metal mainstay from the late '70s to the early '90s with hits like "Rock You Like a Hurricane." After releasing almost 20 albums throughout their career with the band, members announced in 2010 that they'd be retiring from the game. But Klaus Meine and company released the album Return to Forever a few years later in 2015, and tonight's appearance is the rescheduled show from a year ago when Meine came down with laryngitis. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd., $35 and up at livenation.com DV