Source: The Dallas Morning News

By Shannon Sutlief

2:45 AM on Jun 12, 2020 CDT — Updated at 9:01 PM on Jan 5, 2022 CST

EDITORS’ PICKS

While the weather outside hasn’t been exactly frightful, the Dallas Arboretum is still offering its winter discount. Get $5 admission through Feb. 18, and check out what’s growing this season and what the gardeners are planting now for the Dallas Blooms festival, which starts on Feb. 19. (This year’s theme is Birds in Paradise.) The arboretum also has a 1-mile fitness trail and free events such as cooking classes. There are three-course Friendship Teas through Feb. 19 for guests 13 and older; prices are $39, $49 with Champagne, and include garden admission and parking. The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden will be closed through Feb.19 for annual winterization.

Through Feb. 18, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas. Admission is $5, free for children under 2. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Parking is $15, $11 in advance.

Penguin Days at the Dallas Zoo

The Dallas Zoo is also offering a winter ticket discount. Through Feb. 28, admission is $8 for ages 3 and older, which is about half of the regular price. Ongoing activities include more than 10 daily keeper chats, the Wonders of the Wild wildlife show, the macaw-in-flight experience, pop-up animal encounters in ZooNorth and hourly animal presentations at the Wild Encounters Stage. Visitors 2 and older are required to wear masks indoors, including at the Herpetarium, Base Camp, Simmons Hippo Outpost, Bug U and the Gorilla Research Station.

Through Feb. 28, daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dallas Zoo, 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas. $8, free for ages 2 and younger. $10 for parking.

Three Kings Day Celebration

Jan. 8 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St., Dallas. Free

Cambodian Street Food Market

FREE Take cash to make purchases from vendors selling a variety of Cambodian dishes, from savory to sweet. There will be music from Samaun Band and recognition of the 37th anniversary of the Cambodian Buddhist Temple, which is hosting the market along with its cultural group Selepak Khmer Angkor. Masks are encouraged.

Jan. 8 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Jan. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cambodian Buddhist Temple, 5701 Crystal Lake Blvd., Dallas. Free admission; food prices vary (cash only). facebook.com/WatJetaponKhemararam/events.

Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Week

FREE The city of Dallas celebrates the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with a week of virtual and in-person events. The commemorations begin with a wreath-laying ceremony on Jan. 11 at 10 a.m. that viewers can watch live online. On Jan. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a virtual job fair in partnership with Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas. Other virtual events include a symposium on building an equitable and inclusive Dallas (Jan. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to noon), a candle-lighting ceremony (Jan. 14 at 7 p.m.), a scholarship and awards gala (Jan. 15 starting at 5:15 p.m.), Day of Prayer and Reflection (Jan. 16 at 10 a.m.) and a virtual parade program (Jan. 17 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.). There will also be a youth field day at Kiest Park on Jan. 16 at 1 p.m., which will be livestreamed. The week ends with MLK Fest, featuring a community cleanup, on Jan. 17 from noon to 3 p.m.

Jan. 11-17. See the schedule of events at dallasmlkcenter.com/mlk-celebration-week. Most events are free; gala tickets are $50-$75. Register at 2022mlkweek.vfairs.com.

Dallas Farmers Market Drink Dash

Tour the market and toast the new year during this tasting night. For $25, get a souvenir glass, plus five snacks and 10 sips from participating restaurants, food stalls and shops in the Dallas Farmers Market and adjacent Harvest Lofts. Offerings will include mimosas, hot spiced cider, sushi and Thai dumplings. There will also be a pop-up market from M.A.D.E. Dallas, featuring artisans and other local small businesses.

Jan. 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Dallas Farmers Market, 920 S. Harwood St., Dallas. $25. Must be 21 or older. facebook.com/DFMDallasFarmersMarket.

Elvis Birthday Concert

Elvis Presley would have turned 87 years old on Jan. 8, and his legacy is as strong as ever. One of the men helping keep the sounds of the King alive is Kraig Parker, a tribute artist who has been filling Presley’s blue suede shoes for more than 20 years. Parker performs with the Royal Tribute Band, a 10-piece ensemble.

Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving. $32.50-$37.50. entertainmentseries.com.

David Bowie Tribute

January is an important month for David Bowie fans. The musician would have been 75 on Jan. 8, and Jan. 10 is the sixth anniversary of his death. This year, it’s also the 50th anniversary of the release of his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. Tribute band Thin White Dukes will perform that entire album, plus other Bowie hits and gems at the Granada Theater. Mad World, a Tears for Fears cover band, opens the show.

Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. at the Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., Dallas. $12-$20. granadatheater.com.

Panther Island Ice

Located at the Coyote Drive-In north of downtown Fort Worth, Panther Island Ice offers skating seven days a week through Jan. 17. The rink is under the pavilion at the drive-in movie theater’s complex. Snacks and drinks, including beer and wine, are available from the Coyote Canteen. Covered seating and gas heaters are available near the rink.

Through Jan. 17, Mondays through Thursdays from 3 to 10 p.m., Fridays from 3 to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 223 NE Fourth St., Fort Worth. Open Jan. 17 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. $13 for a 75-minute session, includes skate rental; free for spectators. pantherislandice.com.

HOLIDAYS

Visiting Galleria Dallas’ Santaland and Snowday is like walking into a winter wonderland

See Santa Claus in person and get photos suited for social media and sharing.

BY SHANNON SUTLIEF

Snowday

If you’re trying to grasp the final sparkles of Christmas spirit before it blows back to the North Pole, a trip to Snowday may help. It’s a holiday-themed display for photo-taking fun. Step into different storefronts for unique backdrops such as an all-white room with excellent lighting for portraits and a mirror-covered maze with hundreds of dangling strings of holiday lights. Snowday’s scenes also include an alleyway with a street lamp, a colorful floor-to-ceiling wreath, an RV, a sports car, a lit hedgerow and some house fronts that look like a greeting card backdrop. Every space in Snowday is designed for taking festive photos. A handful of them are also equipped with the designers’ proprietary setup of professional lights and cameras triggered by scanning a wristband, which results in photos being emailed to you.

Through Jan. 17, opening daily at 10 a.m. at Galleria Dallas,13350 Dallas Parkway, on Level 1 adjacent to Banana Republic. See the website for a schedule. $27-$34 per person for ages 13 and older, $12-$15 for ages 4-12 and free for ages 3 and younger. snowdaydallas.com.

THINGS TO DO

Step inside the world of Friends at new interactive event in Plano

Fans will have the chance to visit set recreations and relive their favorite moments from the popular television series.

BY TERI WEBSTER

The ‘Friends’ Experience

“So no one told you life was gonna be this way. … ” If you just clapped along, this immersive attraction is for you. Step into 12 re-created sets from the TV show Friends, including Central Perk with its orange couch, Monica’s kitchen with the purple door, the fountain scene also with the orange couch, Joey and Chandler’s living room, and the stairwell where Rachel, Ross and Chandler got a couch stuck while moving it. You’ll also find original props and costumes and a gift shop with items such as Central Perk mugs, the yellow picture frame and jars of Monica’s jam.

Through Jan. 17 next to Dillard’s at the Shops at Willow Bend, 6121 W. Park Blvd., Plano. Days and times vary. $32.50-$41.50, free for children 3 and younger. Masks are required for those 2 and older. friendstheexperience.com/dallas.

NEWS

Children’s Aquarium to reopen in time for the State Fair. Here’s a look at the new attractions

BY SRIYA REDDY

The Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park

With new interactive features and more than double the number of animals, the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park reopened Sept. 24, the first day of the State Fair of Texas. The idea behind the new additions is to allow kids and parents to get their “hands wet.” At the entrance, a tank of doctorfish greets visitors. These are small, dark fish that love to snack on dead skin cells. Visitors can stick their hands in the tank and the fish will swim right up and say hi. Across from the doctorfish is a tank of archerfish, which spit water to knock their food out of the air. Guests can hold food over the tank and watch as archerfish use water streams to secure their meals. Other opportunities for engagement include the digital aquarium. Kids can draw a fish and watch as an animated version of their drawing appears on the screen among other fish. Alongside the digital aquarium, guests can also “mine” for fossils and gemstones on the aquarium lawn, feed stingrays and learn about the creatures native to the Trinity River.

The Children’s Aquarium is at 1462 First Ave., Dallas. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. through Oct. 17 during the State Fair of Texas. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. $14 for ages 12-64, $13 for 65 and older, $10 for ages 3-11, free for children 2 and younger. Through Oct. 17, State Fair admission ($10-$25) is required and parking fees ($20) apply. After the fair, parking will be free. childrensaquarium.com.

THINGS TO DO

Looking for winter family fun? Try Dallas-Fort Worth’s museums, aquariums and indoor play places

BY DEBORAH FLECK

‘Towers of Tomorrow With Lego Bricks’ at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science

Take a trip around the world and see some of its tallest buildings re-created in Lego bricks. For this traveling exhibit, Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught, a Lego Certified Professional, built 20 skyscrapers and towers using more than half a million bricks. Included are Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure and building, and previous record holders Taiwan’s Taipei 101 and Malaysia’s Petronas Towers. Seven American skyscrapers are represented, including the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building in New York City and Willis Tower in Chicago. In addition to viewing these marvels of engineering, families can show off their building skills. More than 200,000 Lego bricks are provided for creative construction. And there’s a collaborative build that they can add their creations to. Entrance to “Towers of Tomorrow With Lego Bricks” requires a general admission ticket and an additional exhibit fee. Visitors 2 and older are required to wear a mask inside the museum.

Through April 24, Mondays and Wednesdays-Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, 2201 N. Field St., Dallas. Museum general admission is $20 for ages 13-64, $18 for senior citizens 65 and up, $13 for youth 2-12, free for children under 2. There is an additional exhibit fee of $8 for those 13 and older and $6 for ages 2-12. perotmuseum.org.

THINGS TO DO

Air-conditioned kids’ wonderland in Dallas brings ‘Paw Patrol’ movie to life

BY SARAH BLASKOVICH

‘Dinosaurs! Live’ at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary

Through Feb. 21, “Dinosaurs Live!” includes 10 life-size animatronic dinosaurs placed along the Heard’s half-mile nature trail. Visit a 46-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus rex and nine other moving, roaring prehistoric creatures, then explore an outdoor fossil dig, a play area and photo op.

The Heard’s permanent exhibit features real fossils, including Texas Nessie, a large aquatic reptile from the Cretaceous period; a mosasaur (another prehistoric sea reptile); and prehistoric tortoises nicknamed Tootsie and Peanut.

The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary is at 1 Nature Place, McKinney. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. On the second Saturday of each month, the grounds open at 7:30 a.m. $10 for adults, $7 for children 3-12 and seniors 60 and up, free for children 2 and under. Free parking. heardmuseum.org.

‘Jurassic World: The Exhibition’ at Grandscape

The dinosaurs of “Jurassic World: The Exhibition” will spend the holidays in Dallas-Fort Worth. The exhibit, which had been scheduled to close Sept. 5, has been extended through Jan. 17. The interactive 20,000-square-foot experience is inspired by the Jurassic World film franchise and offers visitors a walk-through of the world of Jurassic Park. The journey begins with a ferry ride to Isla Nublar. There guests will encounter life-size dinosaurs, explore jungle-themed environments and visit sights such as Hammond Creation Lab and a life-size gyrosphere. The exhibition is in a temporary structure next to the Galaxy Theatres at Grandscape in The Colony.

Through Jan. 17 at 5752 Grandscape Blvd., The Colony. Open Mondays from noon to 7 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from noon to 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 10 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 9 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays. Tickets start at $29.50 for ages 16 and older, $19.50 for ages 3-15 and range up to $89.50. jurassicworldexhibition.com.

VISUAL ARTS

A tale of two immersive Van Gogh shows: Arlington’s is the one to see

VR and context make for a massive difference in the immersive traveling exhibitions.

BY MANUEL MENDOZA

Vincent Van Gogh in Dallas

Being surrounded by moving images conjured from the iconic Dutch artist’s colorful, swirling paintings has become such a worldwide phenomenon that about a dozen different productions are on tour. “Immersive Van Gogh” was the first to land in Dallas. Running through Oct. 31 at Lighthouse Artspace Dallas, it is a 40-minute show with 100 video projectors displaying several of Van Gogh’s best-known paintings, including The Starry Night, unfurled along the walls and floors, set to rousing music. A second show produced by one of the other companies taking advantage of the artist’s popularity, “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” is scheduled to open Aug. 19 at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Coincidentally, an exhibit of Van Gogh’s olive grove painting series is coming to the Dallas Museum of Art later this year. “Van Gogh and the Olive Groves” will be the first exhibition to reunite all 15 paintings in the series executed during his stay at the asylum of Saint-Rémy-de- Provence. This collaboration between the DMA and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam will demonstrate new discoveries through conservation and scientific research.

“Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit”: Through Feb. 28 at Lighthouse Artspace Dallas, 507 S. Harwood St., Dallas. $40-$75. dallasvangogh.com.

“Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience”: Through Jan. 22 at Choctaw Stadium (formerly Globe Life Park), 1090 Ballpark Way, Arlington. $34.90-$64.90. vangoghexpo.com/dallas.

“Van Gogh and the Olive Groves”: Through Feb. 6 at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., Dallas. $16-$20. dma.org.