Wednesday, December 28
The Night Before Kwanzaa at Bookmarks at NorthPark
Preschoolers can gather around storyteller Oba William King for a selection of Kwanzaa stories and songs. And the educational fun doesn’t stop there, as King also takes participants through a craft to engage them further. The free program takes place at Bookmarks in NorthPark Center (8687 N. Central Expressway). To learn more and check out other Dallas Public Library events on the DPL website.
Thursday, December 29
I love you, you are perfect, now change
Theater Three celebrates the grand reopening of its small space, closed since 2020, with a beloved comedy production I love you, you are perfect, now change. It’s not the first time the space has housed music production, as the classic was staged there for 20 years before closing. Now he’s back and showing audiences all the trials and comedic twists of what it’s like to date, love and lose. It opens Thursday, December 29 and will run through February 18 at 2688 Laclede St. Tickets are $40 and are available online.
Jamie Kennedy at Addison Improv
Yes, that one. He’s a certified television prankster, the horror movie expert of the Scream franchise and fan favorite of Three kings, boiler room, enemy of the state and others. But Jamie Kennedy is also comfortable enough to do a one-man show with just a microphone and a stool. You know, stand-up comedy. It’s on the road this month, hitting Addison’s Improv (4980 Belt Line Road) at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29. Can’t do this show? Kennedy is there for several shows Friday and Saturday. For more information on the show and tickets, see the improv site.
Friday, December 30
Holiday Tea at The French Room at the Adolphus
If your vacation hasn’t provided quite the good fanfare you desire, we know a place. There’s a little (ha) place called the Adolphus (1321 Commerce St.), and inside is the famous French Room. Enjoy a holiday afternoon tea complete with sandwiches, scones and, yes, even tea cakes in a room that practically screams “fancy sparkle festive time”. Appropriately, the dress code is formal. Find out more and book a table online.
Prayer, Purpose and Power event at The Dock Bookshop
The Dock Bookstore (6637 Meadowbrook Drive, Fort Worth) hosts a full program of Kwanzaa events at the store for community members of all ages. Day 5 of Kwanzaa celebrates Nia, or the goal. SisterCircle is hosting a Prayer, Purpose, and Power event at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 30. All events from December 26 to January 1 will include candle lighting and will be streamed live on Facebook for those who cannot come in person. Find out about the full program online.
Saturday December 31
New Year’s Eve with the DSO at the Meyerson Symphony Center
Celebrate the year ahead with the beauty of Viennese waltzes and the music of Strauss from our illustrious Dallas Symphony Orchestra, conducted by guest conductor Gemma New from New Zealand. It all starts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 31 at the Meyerson Symphony Center (2301 Flora St.). Tickets start at just $40, available online.
New Year’s Comedy Bash with Paul Varghese and Friends at Backdoor Comedy
You know, when a show has been a New Year’s Eve tradition for 16 years, it’s a good show. Backdoor Comedy (940 E. Belt Line Road, Richardson) features two shows with Paul Varghese (look out for his new comedy special) and, of course, the Emmy Award-winning Texas Funniest Comic Book Champion and the comedy legend Linda Stogner. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $35. Tickets for the 10:30 p.m. show are $50 and include party favors, champagne for the countdown, and black-eyed peas for after midnight (plus a ticket to a future show). For reservations, call the club at 214-328-4444, and do it fast!
A Studio 54 NYE at Snowbird
If you love theme parties or have any reason to dress up your fancy dress, Snowbird (6765 Winning Drive, Frisco) has your number for New Year’s Eve. The cocktail lounge and kitchen of the folks at Barcadia and Tipsy Alchemist throws a full-fledged Studio 54 party with DJ Zee, dancers, the requisite champagne toast, a balloon drop, and plenty of tasty sips and bites. Admission is free before 10 p.m. and $20 after that, but table packages are available and ideal if you plan to stay overnight. Learn more online.
The New Year’s Eve experience at Villa Azur
If your ideal New Year’s Eve is dinner and a show, then Villa Azur at W Dallas (2440 Victory Park Lane) is for you. The restaurant offers reservations from 5:00 p.m. with an a la carte menu for one night only featuring Wagyu beef, Akaushi rib eye steaks, seafood rounds, wheel pasta, caviar and an incredible wine and champagne list. And entertainment brings joy with dancers, a traveling saxophonist and more. It’s more than festive. The dress is black tie and reservations are required, so get online. But don’t worry, if you spend time at your table, you can continue to enjoy the festivities at the bar.
Sunday January 1
The apartment Brunch at Alamo Drafthouse, various locations
Billy Wilder’s 1960 classic The apartment is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again. The chemistry between Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine is legendary. And the plot is somehow always relevant, whether we’re in the hustle culture or the “work smarter” culture. CC Baxter (Lemmon) tries to establish some notoriety at his job by letting his bosses use his apartment for meetings. But it gets harder when he’s in a relationship of his own and needs his place. Various Alamo Drafthouse theater locations (Richardson, Cedars, and Lake Highlands) are hosting special brunch screenings of The apartment New Years Day – a great time for a big movie and maybe a little NYE dog hair. Check timetables and buy tickets online.
Karaoke at Charlie’s Star Lounge
The holidays are officially about to end and any steam you have left can be unleashed as creatively as you want when you select your song. Sleep in and go to bed early while enjoying the mic in the middle with Sunday karaoke from 3-7 p.m. on New Year’s Day at Charlie’s Star Lounge (4319 Main St.). There’s no cover, and if you want to keep things ultra reasonable, you can always grab Taco Bell on the way back (not a real suggestion). It’s the perfect event to deal with the Sunday Scaries of 2023, as you’ll be home just in time to catch a TV show you’ve seen a million times for three hours before falling asleep. Thanks, star lounge.
Monday January 2
Skating at Peace Plaza Ice Rink in Grapevine
We’ll admit it: until recently, our main reason for going to Grapevine’s Main Street was to hit up the British Emporium for Schweppes Bitter Lemon and cheese and onion crisps. And we always recommend doing so. But we realized we were missing a whole seasonal element, and that includes a 4,500 square foot outdoor skating rink ready for skating. The Peace Plaza Ice Rink (815 S. Main St., Grapevine) offers hour-long skating sessions for $20 with skate rentals included. Get started before closing on January 8. There is more info online.
Tuesday, January 3
School’s Out Camps: Bullet Journals and Oil and Cotton Textile Art
Oil and Cotton (2313 Beatrice St.) knows the kids are out of school for a minute and sometimes they need to do shit so you can focus on work or not. Either way, they have a series of School’s Out camps for different ages and different types of art and skills. On Tuesday, January 3, kids can get into fiber arts or learn the ins and outs of bullet journaling. Both workshops last three hours and are designed for children aged 5 to 12. Register online and discover a whole host of lesson options while you’re at it.
Comments are closed.