Cheap and Free Events in Dallas This Week

Ben Willis: Candy Man
Fort Works Art
2100 Montgomery St.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays until Sept. 9
Free
After being introduced in 1949, Candy Land was marketed on the box as “a child’s first game,” which explains why King Kandy, Queen Frostine, the Candy Cane Forest and Gum Drop Mountain captured many of our imaginations. Inspired by the timeless, perennial best-selling board game, Candy Land, Candy Man & Candy Castle will showcase highly acclaimed national and local artists to transform Fort Works Art, 2100 Montgomery St. in Fort Worth, into a family-friendly, experiential gallery. Phoenix-based artist Ben Willis curated the colorful, interactive exhibition based on the game. Ben Willis: Candy Man, the curator’s solo show, explores a Technicolor palette and geometric abstractions that will lead gallery attendees of all ages into Candy Castle, a feast-for-the-eyes exhibition displaying a vibrant and stimulating variety of work by nearly a dozen artists, including Dan Lam, Brennen Bechtol and Will Heron. The opening reception is from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5. Admission is free. The show runs through Sept. 9. For a full list of featured artists and gallery hours, visit fortworksart.com. — Daniel Rodrigue

25th Anniversary Screening of Unforgiven
Texas Theatre
231 W. Jefferson Blvd.
7 p.m. Wednesday
$15
One of only four Westerns in history to win an Academy Award for best picture is 1992’s Unforgiven, a film that marked the end of Westerns for Clint Eastwood. We wouldn’t have minded a few more Mexican standoffs from ol' Blondie, but as it is, Unforgiven was a hell of a way to tip us his hat. It follows a former gunslinger, his old partner and a young man as they set out to win a cash reward for the murder of two cowboys. Penned by David Webb Peoples, co-writer of Blade Runner, and directed, produced and starring Eastwood, the film earned four Academy Awards. This year marks its 25th anniversary. Join other Western connoisseurs at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, as Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., hosts a one-time-only screening of the film, which also stars Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at thetexastheatre.com. — Diamond Victoria

TexFest: The Harrowing
Angelika Film Center Dallas
5321 E. Mockingbird Lane
7 p.m. Thursday
$10
The ongoing TexFest series, presented by the USA Film Festival and the Texas Association of Motion Media Professionals, gives audiences a glimpse of what’s possible for homegrown filmmakers. Why make the move to LA when there are plenty of movies written and filmed in the Lone Star State? Case in point: The Harrowing, a supernatural horror/thriller written by Dallas-based Jon Keeyes and starring local actor Matthew Stephen Tompkins, which will show at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane. Keeyes and Tompkins have collaborated for more than 20 years, creating plenty of pathways for local filmmakers and artists. Get their perspectives on local opportunities at a Q&A after the film. Tickets are $10 in advance and can be obtained by calling the USA Film Festival at 214-821-6300. See tammp.com/texfest-info/ for more information. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Art Skool: Humor
Umbrella Gallery
2803 Taylor St.
7 p.m. Thursday
Free
Good art can give you a good laugh. You’re more likely to learn a lesson when you’re laughing than when you’re crying at the lack of humanity in the world. Learn all about the history and contribution of humor in art during an open conversation at the Umbrella Gallery, 2803 Taylor St. The gallery’s regular Art Skool series will include classes and discussions like “Intro to Contemporary Art” and “The Artist’s Joke.” The series starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, and will repeat every week for 10 total sessions. Admission is free. Visit lifeindeepellum.com/umbrella-gallery for more information. — Danny Gallagher

The Minotaur
Theatre Three
2800 Routh St.
7:30 p.m. Thursday through Aug. 26
$10 and up
Taking on a Greek classic like The Minotaur might seem like a daunting, and possibly boring, dramatic feat. But Jeffrey Schmidt welcomed the challenge for his first season as artistic director for Theatre Three, 2800 Routh St. While the messages of love and honor are prevalent, the approach is new and exciting. In Anna Ziegler’s modern version, the once-traditional Greek Chorus of Innocents now has a lawyer, a priest and a rabbi — just one example of the often-funny twists that pepper the dark yet hopeful story. Performances are at 7:30 p.m.Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 27. Special events include a performance at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, a Deaf Action Center Interpreted performance at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10, hooky matinee at 2 p.m. Aug. 15 and a Saturday matinee at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 26. Tickets are $10 to $50. Call 214-871-3300 or visit theatre3dallas.com. — Merritt Martin

Symbology x We the Birds
Jade & Clover
2633 Main St.
Friday
Free
Enter the sweet, little world of We the Birds bloggers Natalie and Emily during a special soiree from 1 p.m. to midnight Friday, Aug. 4, and from 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, Aug. 5, at Jade + Clover, 2633 Main St. The taste-making Dallas duo has curated an event featuring beautifully block-printed dresses and tops from Symbology’s new Hibiscus Flower collection (at a special discount), as well as We The Birds’ chic and tasty French macarons. The creative powerhouses behind both Symbology and We the Birds will be on site, too, offering shoppers an opportunity to meet the entrepreneurs behind the brands. For more information, find the Symbology x We the Birds event on Facebook. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

The Great American Sideshow
The Trinity River Arts Center
2600 N. Stemmons Freeway
8 p.m. Friday-Sunday
$15
The Cry Havoc Theater Company presents the biting political allegory The Great American Sideshow, co-produced with Kitchen Dog Theater. The Great American Sideshow outlines the story of Otto Barron, the new owner of The Great American Sideshow, and his attempts to coerce his employees to embrace his own perverse worldview, all for the sake of making The Great American Sideshow great again. Dissenters are met with manipulation, intimidation and (presumably) death. By the end of the tale, no one seems to remember how The Great American Sideshow began, much less what it stood for. The subtext is both sad and frightening, revealing how, through ego and greed, an agenda can undermine and ultimately destroy the bedrock from which it sprung. Performances take place at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4, through Sunday, Aug. 6, and Wednesday, Aug. 9, through Saturday, Aug. 12, at Trinity Rivers Arts Center, 2600 N. Stemmons Freeway. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit kitchendogtheater.org. — Jonathan Patrick

Let's Play Gaming Expo
Irving Convention Center
500 W. Las Colinas Blvd.
Saturday and Sunday
$15 and up
Retro gaming has become a hot commodity, which is amazing when you think about it. How do you keep an industry vibrant that technically can’t produce new games? If you’re a lover of the pixelated arts, you’re in the target market for one of the most beloved gaming conventions in the Dallas area. The Let’s Play Gaming Expo at the Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., will have just about everything a gamer could want to play. The gaming floor will be filled with vendors and chances to play all kinds of video games, including a full re-creation of a classic video game arcade — minus the part when you have to dig for quarters or tokens to continue. There are also a ton of tournaments in a bunch of different video and board games, as well live panels and discussions on gaming issues. The expo runs from Saturday, Aug. 5, through Sunday, Aug. 6. Weekend passes are $25 online and $30 at the door, day passes are $15 online and $20 in person, and VIP packages are $75. Purchase passes online at letsplaygamingexpo.com. — Danny Gallagher

3rd Annual Pinup Contest and Car Show
Mother Truckers
2110 W. Northwest Highway
Noon Saturday
Free
For two years, Mother Truckers, 2110 W. Northwest Highway — Dallas’ go-to spot for hot rod memorabilia, pinups and homemade frozen moonshine — has hosted a pinup contest and car show. The show features women with Gil Elvgren-style new and vintage attire competing for a $500 cash award and classic cars on display from Dallas LowLifes. If you’re looking to up your Instagram likes or enter your classic set of wheels, or you want to compete in the beauty contest (judging is partly based on applause, so bring your friends), then don’t miss the third annual Pinup Contest and Car Show beginning at noon Saturday, Aug. 5, with live music from Sleazy Mancini and Drop Top Rockets, drink specials and food trucks. Early registration for the pinup contest and more information is available on the event’s Facebook page, or register on site at 6 p.m. the day of the show. The event is free to attend, but donations are welcome. — Diamond Victoria

Picasso/Rivera: Still Life and the Precedence of Form
Meadows Museum
5900 Bishop Blvd.
Through Oct. 31
$12
Within any form of art, there is some rivalry between artists. From Saturday, Aug. 6, through Nov. 5, Southern Methodist University’s Meadows Museum, 5900 Bishop Ave., presents Picasso/Rivera: Still Life and the Precedence of Form, an exhibition of works that compares and contrasts the styles, techniques and possible competition of Pablo Picasso and Diego Rivera. Admission to the Meadows Museum is $4 to $12 for the public and free to SMU faculty, staff and students. It is also free Thursdays after 5 p.m. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays. Visit meadowsmuseumdallas.org. — Merritt Martin