Best Things to Do in Dallas This Weekend

Friday
Oaktopia has delivered another stellar lineup, as versatile as it is fresh. From the cold, hardened storytelling of Atlanta rapper 21 Savage to the candied trap of Lil Yachty to the raunchy electronic music of Tobacco, this year’s festival promises a lot. Notable local talents include Blue, the Misfit and The John Stewart, two of our city’s principal hip-hop figures. Spanning two days and featuring 31 other artists, Oaktopia 2017 offers adventurous listeners plenty of sounds to explore this year. Deep Ellum, Friday and Saturday, $15-$175, oaktopia.com. – Jonathan Patrick

Texas Theatre presents two cool punk films with a punk rock show after the screenings. The first film to roll is a new 4K restoration of D.O.A.: A Right of Passage, the 1980 rockumentary about punk’s provocative origins. It centers on the Sex Pistols’ first tour of the United States in 1978, which ended with the band’s break up. D.O.A. includes footage of the Sex Pistols’ performance at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, and the film also features live performances by The Dead Boys, Generation X, X-Ray Spex, Sham 69 and more. The second flick on the bill is a new 4K scan of Alex Cox’s 1986 classic story of doomed love, Sid & Nancy, starring Gary Oldman as Sid Vicious. D.O.A. screens at 7 p.m., and Sid & Nancy rolls at 9 p.m. Friday at Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., with a “Behind the Screen” concert following the films at 11 p.m. featuring Pissed Grave, Mind Spiders, The Eggshells and Sailor Poon. Tickets for each film cost $10, and the concert is $7 — with a discounted bundle price of $20 available for both films and the punk rock show. For tickets, visit thetexastheatre.com. Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., 9 p.m., $7-$20, thetexastheatre.com. – Daniel Rodrigue

Facebook’s Timehop feature is a real kick in the teeth for anyone who voted for a certain Democratic candidate. The popping up of pantsuited solidarity pics stings almost as sharply as pics of a long-gone beloved pet. But as much as it sucks for her voters, we’re guessing the one-year anniversary of Trump’s win sucks way more for Hillary Clinton. For those who still carry the “I’m With Her” torch, there’s An Evening With President Bill Clinton and the Honorable Hillary Clinton at 7:30 p.m. Friday at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd. in Irving. The 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and former president will speak, take questions and surely address What Happened. Tickets start at $69.50. Find them at livenation.com. Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, 7:30 p.m., $69.50 and up, livenation.com. – Merritt Martin

If you’re curious how an independent musician garners a large audience without compromising her music, look no further than Ani DiFranco for an example. DiFranco makes folk music with a DIY, punk ethos. She is touring off her 20th studio album, a collaboration with MILCK called Binary, and she continues to draw engaged audiences night after night. DiFranco, who also runs her record label, puts on shows that feel intimate, and each city hears a slightly different set list. MILCK opens the show. Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., 9 p.m., $42-$58, granadatheater.com. – Eric Grubbs

Wring your hands and fret over the ever-earlier encroachment of the holiday season all you want, but after this tire fire of a year, we deserve some good cheer stat. That’s why we’re throwing off the usual cynicism and embracing any and all things even vaguely magical, twinkling or wonder-filled, and the Magical Winter Lights at Lone Star Park, 1000 Lone Star Parkway in Grand Prairie, more than fills that bill. From Friday through Jan. 7, you can experience zillions of colorful lanterns divided into five themed attractions: Magical Wonderland, The Lone Star State, Dinosaur Land, Mystery of the East and Christmas Candyland. When you’ve had all the twinkling you can take, catch one of two nightly performances of the MWL Chinese acrobatic show or get some face time with Santa or a favorite fairy-tale princess. And if all that’s not enchanting enough, take a whirl in the carnival, where you’ll find plenty of rides, games and fair grub. Tickets to this happy holiday diversion are $21 for those ages 13 and older, $13 for seniors and kids ages 4-12, and free for the easily awestruck 3 and younger crowd. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit magicalwinterlights.com. Magical Winter Lights is open from 5-10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 5-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Lone Star Park, 1000 Lone Star Parkway, Grand Prairie, 5-11 p.m., $21, magicalwinterlights.com. – Jennifer Davis Lamm

Local advocacy group Go Oak Cliff will host the eighth annual Blues, Bandits and BBQ event at Kidd Springs Park. On Friday, more than 30 teams of barbecue artisans will gather to sacrifice a barnyard's worth of mammals to the Smoky Goodness God. Basically, they'll prep for the competition while live music plays and revelers partake in food and drinks, which will be available for purchase. Picnics are encouraged. On Saturday, a $20 wristband gets you access to barbecue tasting and subsequent barbecue voting, which begins at 1 p.m. Proceeds benefit radio station KNON-FM and James S. Hogg Elementary School. Kidd Springs Park, 711 W. Canty St., Friday and Saturday, $20, see Facebook. – Kathryn DeBruler

Saturday
Coming on the heels of Hurricane Harvey, the latest exhibition of John Herrin still lifes at Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery, 154 Glass St., Suite 104, carries a gorgeous and devastating weight. It’s a small exhibition, but the impact looms large: captivating floral portraits taken at various stages of beauty and decay against a pitch-dark background. What gives? The background is courtesy of Houston after Hurricane Ike. Herrin’s own home, without power, was shrouded in darkness closing in around these almost majestic blooms casually carried home and displayed by his wife before the storm struck. PDNB kicks off the showing with an artist reception from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, and the exhibition runs through Dec. 30. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free. Visit pdnbgallery.com. PDNB Gallery, 154 Glass St., Suite 104, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., free, pdnbgallery.com. – Merritt Martin

Bruce Wood’s vision of dance was that performances should transform the audience in some meaningful way and stick with them well after the curtain goes down. Although Wood died away three years ago, this vision and legacy endures as Bruce Wood Dance’s affecting and sometimes profound performances strive for maximum impact. Its latest show, Rise, brings together three original contemporary works that explore themes of grit, struggle, empathy and hope in a riveting performance. Included are Joy Atkins Bollinger’s "Hillside"; Bruce Wood’s "Lay Your Burdens Down"; and "The Only Way Through Is Through", also by Wood. The effect is inspirational and transfixing, giving audiences a sense of optimism to take home with them. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Moody Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St. Tickets are $25 to $100 and can be purchased at brucewooddance.org. Moody Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St., 8 p.m., $25-$100, brucewooddance.org. – Jennifer Davis Lamm[image-4]

At 12:01 a.m. the third Thursday of November, the new batch of Beaujolais wine is released in accordance with French law. This red, fruity wine known for its drinkability is kind of a big deal, in other words. And if you can’t be in France, the next best thing is to head to CiboDivino Marketplace for an afternoon of French food and wine. Cibo chefs Daniel Puelo and Ryan Olmos will whip up some tasty bites such as mini croque-monsieurs, and Julien Eelsen of Whisk Crepes Café will bust out the customizable crepes. Glasses of Beajolais Nouveau will be sold, food will be eaten, pleasure will be had — how very French, indeed.  What it be: French Beaujolais Nouveau at CiboDivino Marketplace. CiboDivino Marketplace, 1868 Sylvan Ave., noon to 5 p.m., free, cibodivinomkt.com. – Kathryn DeBruler

Dallas-based trio Mothership has the market on local metal and heavy rock 'n' roll cornered. Best Metal Act winner of last year's Dallas Observer Music Awards and nominee for the same title this year, Mothership is playing hot on the heels of a cross-country tour. The band will release its latest album at Curtain Club on Saturday night with local punk trio From Parts Unknown (also on this year's ballot for Best Punk Act) and stoner rock band Wo Fat in tow. Curtain Club, 2800 Main St., 8 p.m., $10-$15, curtainclub.com. – Diamond Victoria

Haven't had time to delve through the thousands of records released last month that pertain to the government's investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy? Visit the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, 411 Elm St., for "What Has the Government Been Hiding? 54 Years of Secrets & the Release of the JFK Records," a program about the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992. NPR's Dave Davies will moderate a conversation with authors Larry Sabato and Philip Shenon at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets, $15, are sold out at jfk.org, so hopefully you have a friend who plans ahead. General admission tickets to the museum's permanent exhibition will still be available. Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, 411 Elm St., 2 p.m., sold out, jfk.org. – Emily Goldstein

If art lovers and tea fans were depicted via a Venn diagram, there would probably be a lot of overlap. And that would certainly be the case for Tom Sachs, the artist who has turned his love of tea into an interactive, informative exhibit. Sachs built a tea house and all of its accouterments from commonplace materials and, in doing so, made himself into the El Greco of Earl Grey. Two or three visitors will be selected to participate in tea ceremonies hosted by Sachs' colleague Johnny Fogg on Saturday and Sunday. The tea house's walls will be removed so that visitors can watch the ceremony, which is slated to last longer than one hour. Tickets may be purchased for $10. Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St., 3 p.m., $10, nashersculpturecenter.org. – Kathryn DeBruler

Sunday
Who says dogs can’t enjoy the cold weather just because eons of evolution gave them thick layers of fur and the ability to lower their metabolic rate in order to preserve their internal heat? Even pooches can enjoy the winter season when there are events like the DOGSDFW’s annual Polar Plunge at the Paradise 4 Paws pet resort, 3010 N. Airfield Drive. Pets at the Polar Plunge can enjoy the facility’s premiere play areas and indoor grass and go for a swim in the bone-shaped pool regardless of the temperature. The event will also have festive holiday photo moments set up so guests can find an excuse to put their pets in their annual holiday newsletters and will feature a visit from Santa. (Yes, kids, Santa also gives presents to the good dogs and cats out there.) The Polar Plunge goes down from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15 (including up to two dogs) and can be purchased online at eventbrite.com. Paradise 4 Paws, 3010 N. Airfield Drive, noon to 2 p.m., $15, eventbrite.com. – Danny Gallagher

American Idol’s winners have been hit or miss, but Fantasia Barrino was one of the hits. She won the reality TV competition in 2004 and has since been performing on stages from Broadway to the Music Hall at Fair Park. It’s been 12 years since 33-year-old Barrino released her first studio album, Free Yourself, and in that time, she has won a Grammy and seen her debut go platinum. In October, she released her sixth studio album, Christmas After Midnight. Fantasia livens up Christmas standards such as “This Christmas” and James Brown’s “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” with her soulful rasp, and she’ll play songs from the album Sunday in Dallas. Even first-time listeners who just want a fun way to kick off the holiday season will get a kick out of her powerful voice and upbeat arrangements. Music Hall at Fair Park, 909 1st Ave., 8 p.m., $49-$100, liveatthemusichall.com. – Nicholas Bostick