21 Things To Do in Dallas This Week

Thursday

The nonprofit Dallas Opera Guild presents its ever-growing annual vocal competition. Launched in 1987, the Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition offers opera buffs a chance to see and hear the next generation of burgeoning national opera talents. In addition to industry recognition and the chance to perform alongside The Dallas Opera Orchestra, competitors compete for substantial cash prizes in front of some of the most influential opera companies in the U.S. The competition's semifinals start at 11 a.m. Thursday, with the finals beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St. Tickets for the semifinals are free; the finals cost $5. More info at dallasopera.org. Jonathan Patrick

Mayfest is the veritable mother of all North Texas spring gatherings. So big it can’t be contained in a mere weekend, the event stretches out over four days. Things kick off at 3:30 p.m. Thursday and continue until 7 p.m. Sunday. Trinity Park, 2401 University Drive in Fort Worth, plays host to the massive carnival/market/concert that also includes a huge children’s entertainment area with all the requisite bounce houses, face painters and petting zoos. Enjoy live music on three stages, plus performing arts (including martial arts and dance) on four stages; gorge yourself on traditional festival fare like corn dogs, turkey legs and funnel cakes; and experience carnival rides and games on The Midway. Round up the whole family for this springtime tradition. Admission is free on Thursday and is $8 per day for adults Friday through Sunday, $6 for adults 60 and over and for kids ages 3-12 and free for the 2-and-under set and for active duty and retired military families. Learn more at mayfest.org. Jennifer Davis-Lamm

If hip-hop had a poet laureate, it would be Thebe Kgositsile (aka Earl Sweatshirt). Hands down. At only 25, the L.A. rapper is already widely regarded as one of the most imaginative lyricists and technically gifted rappers, not simply of his generation, but ever. His career arc is a thing of legend: The prodigious member of Tyler the Creator’s Odd Future collective hit the scene fully formed at 16 with the exhilarating Earl, a mixtape that made high art of vulgarity. He was subsequently sent off to a Samoan boarding school for said mixtape. He emerged a wiser if more emotionally damaged writer and continues to steer the aesthetic cutting edge of rap today. His latest statement, the fiercely condensed Some Rap Songs, is 25 minutes of knotted avant jazz packed with over two hours worth of bars and easily one of the best rap artifacts of the decade. Its disorienting universe of angular beats and insular poetry gives uneasy, biting insight into one of the most fascinating artists, in any field, alive today. Rap fan or not, take notice.  8 p.m. Thursday at Canton Hall, 2727 Canton St., tickets start at $30.50 at ticketfly.com. Jonathan Patrick


Friday

Each year, hip-hop royalty descends upon Dallas for JMBLYA, a festival with a lineup that’s always pure fire. This year’s talent includes Texas-born trap supernova Travis Scott, NY phenom Sheck Wes, Young Thug protege Gunna and the almighty legend himself, Lil Wayne, any of which could easily headline a festival in their own right. Riding the wave of his magnum opus and one of the best-selling records of the year, Astroworld, Houston’s Travis Scott is arguably the biggest rap star of the moment, a curator-as-composer who’s among the game’s supreme stylists, a student of Kanye West’s luxuriant, maximalist approach to production. His rich, meticulously manicured sounds — connecting Southern hip-hop to psychedelic rock, jazz, experimental synths and more — along with his uncanny penchant for matching featured artists to just the right beat are a microcosm of today’s hip-hop community. Rap-heads, this is where you need to be this weekend. Noon on Friday at Fair Park, 1438 Coliseum Drive, tickets start at $109 at frontgatetickets.com. Jonathan Patrick


Time to practice the intro to “Eruption” and work on your delivery of lines from This Is Spinal Tap: Dallas International Guitar Festival is here. Hundreds of vendors will be selling, buying and trading guitars and gear, and there’s no charge to bring your own ax or anything else you want to sell or trade. This year’s performers include Phil X from Bon Jovi, Andrew Jr. Boy Jones, Redd Volkaert, South Austin Moonlighters, School of Rock Allstars and dozens more. Single-day tickets are $30 for general admission, $15 for students and $45 for VIPs; two-day tickets are $50 for general admission, $25 for students and $70 for VIPs; and three-day tickets are $70 for general admission, $40 for students and $90 for VIPs. Children ages 10 and younger get in free. VIP tickets are good for performance seating and admission to the Saturday Night Jam. The convention opens at noon Friday with the concert starting at 9 p.m. It opens at 10 a.m. Saturday followed by a concert at 8 and runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Dallas Market Hall, 2200 N. Stemmons Freeway. Visit guitarshow.com for tickets, schedule, exhibitor list and more information. Jesse Hughey


If you miss Thursday's opening ceremonies at 8:30 p.m for The Wall That Heals, the exhibit is open in Lewisville 24 hours a day until closing at 1:45 p.m. Sunday. The display of the three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial (The Wall) in Washington honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. Lewisville is one of three Texas tour stops. The site is just west of the Bob Wiseman Soccer Complex at Lewisville Lake Park, 200 Lake Park Road. The 53-foot trailer is the Mobile Education Center, which transports the wall. The trailer’s exterior features a timeline of “The War and The Wall” and provides more information about the memorial. Reba Liner


Dead Mockingbirds met because of a Bravo reality show but luckily moved on to become one of DFW's best rock 'n' roll bands. The trio received a few nods at the Dallas Observer Music Awards ceremony last year, and for good reason. Their high-energy performances and musical output are inspired by the likes of T. Rex and Nirvana. Friday's show with Mean Motor Scooter, Caved Mtns and Go Imperial is a must-see. 9 p.m. Friday at Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St. $10. Diamond Rodrigue


If you're a fan of any movie, TV show, video game or piece of pop culture, chances are you'll find something that's connected to it at the Fan Expo Dallas convention. This annual gathering of film, TV and comic book nerds that runs Friday through Sunday, May 3-5 always fills up the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, 650 S. Griffin St. Fans can meet, experience and buy just about anything a geeky heart desires. Special guests scheduled to make appearances include TV's Wonder Woman Lynda Carter, Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd from the Back to the Future films and Zachary Levi, the star of Shazam! And you can't have a fan convention without William Shatner. Guests can also tour the vendor rooms to pick up a souvenir or 12, compete in cosplay contests, get a special ink drawing in Tattoo Alley and more. The convention runs 4-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $25 for a single-day adult pass, $20 for a single-day youth pass for guests ages 13-17 and $10 for children 12 and under. Family passes start at $55 for two adults and four children ages 6-12. VIP packages are also available. Tickets can be purchased online at fanexpodallas.com. Danny Gallagher


Texas Frightmare Weekend is back for its 14th year, promising to bring in all the big guns of horror movies for some face time with fans. It's quite a lineup: Director Sam Raimi, Pennywise the Clown Tim Curry, Nightmare on Elm Street's Robert England and Jenna Jameson, in her convention debut. That's right: Jenna Jameson, who apparently went on to have a career in horror films after leaving the porn biz. Tons more recognizable ... um ... faces will be there selling autographs and photo opportunities, and the weekend includes plenty of film screenings, parties, music, merch and panels on creating horror movies and comics. It happens 6 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at the Hyatt Regency DFW Airport, 2334 North International Parkway. Tickets at the door are $30 for day passes and $75 for a weekend pass. Find a full schedule at texasfrightmareweekend.com. Patrick Williams


Saturday

An annual arts event reaching its 50th year is something to celebrate. The Cottonwood Art Festival is back for its golden anniversary, at Cottonwood Park, 1321 W. Belt Line Road in Richardson. The events begin at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and offers more than 240 artists with works on display (including featured artist Kathleen Willer), live entertainment on main and acoustic stages, a huge variety of food options (from barbecue to seafood to sweets) and a full section for children to release their inner artists. Admission to this outdoor event is free, but food and some children’s activities require payment. Visit cottonwoodartfestival.com for more details, including artist pages and schedule of musical performers. Merritt Martin


Saturday's concert is the second of six shows scheduled for the first Saturdays of the month, from April through September, as part of the Sounds of Oak Cliff Series. This series is the result of a Cultural Vitality Project Grant awarded by the Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs to Top Ten Records earlier this year, as stated on the event's Facebook page. Yells at Eels member Dennis Gonzalez will perform with his side project Ataraxia Trio, and the Dallas-based Goisagi will "offer a unique percussion experience." It's a buck to get in, but if that still breaks your bank, be assured that no one will be turned away for lack of funds. 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Top Ten Records, 338 W. Jefferson Blvd. Diamond Rodrigue


Ever year on May 4, fans of Hollywood's most lucrative space opera get together around the world to celebrate May the Fourth Be with You. (Apparently a galaxy far, far away has a pun problem. Puns definitely come from the dark side.) The Perot Museum of Nature and Science will also celebrate this momentous day of science fiction fandom with its own May the Fourth Be with You celebration on Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5. The museum will welcome fans dressed in their best Star Wars costume, and they can learn all about the science behind the science-fiction series with special, hands-on exhibits and events including Droid races and a saber crystal exhibit in the museum's geology wing. The event will also include a light saber battle, themed snacks and screenings of Episode VII: The Force Awakens and Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Museum members get in free; the rest of us pay between $13 and $20 depending on age. Tickets to either film cost another $8 per ticket. Admission and film tickets can be purchased at the museum or online at perotmuseum.org. Danny Gallagher


Another weekend, another street party in Oak Cliff, where the folks love a good street festival. This one is Taste of Oak Cliff, and rain or shine, it will happen from noon to 7 p.m. at 10th Street and S. Beckley Avenue. Around 100 vendors of all sorts, though mostly food, will be out for a day that includes the usual festival accouterments: live music, a DJ, a kid zone, a culinary demonstration and other exhibits to entertain the kids. Admission at the gate is $5, and food is extra. Find more information at tasteofoakcliff.com. Patrick Williams


Sunday

The triumphant return of Eels kicked off April 21 in Denver, a year after the release of their 12th studio album. The last time Eels was in town was in 2013 at the Granada Theater. The Deconstruction came after a four-year hiatus by Mark Oliver Everett, the man behind the band. In that time, Everett got married, had a son and got divorced, providing fuel for the creation of the album. Despite the delay, the album encapsulates classic Eels. It’s a compilation of upbeat grunge tracks and slow, haunting tunes. 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Canton Hall, 2727 Canton St., $15-$40 at ticketfly.com. Jacob Vaughn


The Latino Arts Project promises a permanent pop-up museum. (We’re not sure how that works. Isn't a permanent pop-up museum just a museum?) Unlike its neighboring galleries, it’s nonprofit, free and open to the public. The opening ceremony, where they’ll be cutting the ribbon, will kick off the inaugural exhibition, Mexican Modern Sculpture — A Study of the Artists. The collection includes over 90 statues by nine contemporary Mexican artists from five different Mexican regions, produced primarily in ’30s through the ’50s, who represent the modernist movement that sprung in the aftermath of Mexico’s revolution in 1910. The opening is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 1130 Dragon St. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Register to attend and find more info at eventbrite.com. Eva Raggio


Anything Box is on tour this year and consists solely of founding member Claude Strilio. You'll remember their 1989 single "Living in Oblivion." But Sunday night's show at Trees doesn't just feature the legendary electronic new-wave outfit, it also sees the reunion of Dallas-based synth act Channel 69, who haven't performed live since 1995, as well as Dallas electronic duo T-4-2. 8 p.m. Sunday at Trees, 2709 Elm St. Tickets start at $16. Diamond Rodrigue


May 5 is a date meant to commemorate hope and victory, both things clearly synonymous with tacos and booze, and there is no better place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than in the heart of Oak Cliff, where historic Jefferson Boulevard will be taken over by a big parade and fiesta produced by the Oak Cliff Coalition of the Arts. Other attractions include festive floats, marching bands and over 200 exhibitors, storefronts and vendors providing endless Latin food options, with samplings and discounts. The parade will take place 1-2 p.m., while the full event starts at noon and ends at 8 p.m. It's free to attend, with free street parking and tailgating areas. The parade begins at 223 W. Jefferson and ends at 600 S. Polk St. Visit oakcliffart.org for more info. Eva Raggio


Formed in London in the late '70s, new wave stylists The Psychedelic Furs have mastered the delicate art of staying relevant. With tracks like "Pretty and Pink," "Heaven," and "Love My Way," the first of which inspired the classic John Hughes film of the same name, the band long ago established staying power. Lately, their stature has again risen, as songs from their vast catalog have surfaced in critical scenes of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, and the Oscar-nominated film, Call Me By Your Name. As edgy and strong-voiced as ever, bandleader brothers Richard and Tim Butler have a decades-worth bond built through touring and recording that makes The Furs' sound as enticing as ever. See it for yourself as they headline the Granada on a Sunday night. 8 p.m., Sunday May 5 at The Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., $75-$105 Jeff Strowe


Monday

Director Amy Heckerling's 1995 comedy, Clueless, set among teens in Beverly Hills and very loosely adapted from Jane Austen's novel Emma, is getting a remake. That's right, the movie considered one of the greatest teen comedies ever, a beloved gem that gave the world the phrase "as if," made Alicia Silverstone a star and brought the genius Paul Rudd to the big screen, is getting a redo. Call us a snob and a half, or say we're totally buggin', but anyone who recognizes those quotes probably agrees: Clueless ranks up there with Citizen Kane and Casablanca as films that should be left alone. Maybe a remake won't ruin this beloved movie, but what are the odds? Better to catch the original in all its virginal glory now, as the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, screens it at 7 p.m. Monday. Tickets are $12. Patrick Williams


Tuesday

Apparently, Homer Simpson is not the only man to order beer at the opera. Peticolas Brewing Co., on 1301 Pace St., is getting on the intersection of suds and arias with two performances of Clori, Tirsi e Fileno, an 18th century comic cantata by George Frideric Handel about a shepherdess who can't decide between two men. (A theme The Lovin' Spoonful also touched on with 1965's recording of "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind," which may, in fact, come from the opera. Like we would know.) Find out yourself as the American Baroque Opera Co., performs the work by Handel at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets,$35, include two drinks and can be found on eventbrite.com. Patrick Williams


Wednesday
After an acclaimed 30-year career that includes teaching and performing for Queen Elizabeth II, Oak Cliff native Pedro Perez II brings Alegre Ballet Folklórico to us lucky commoners. The evening will include a discussion with Perez and will be a celebration of Mexican culture through music and his award-winning dance company. The show will be at Dallas’ Hall of State, 3939 Grand Ave., and tickets are $10-15. Find them on eventbrite.com. Eva Raggio