MEMORIAL DAY
At 7pm Fri, hear some live Tex-Mex honky-tonk by the Tejas Brothers and opening act Carlos Ramos for free at Levitt Pavilion (100 W Abrams St, Arlington, 817-543-4308).
From Fri to Sun, head to the National Polka Festival (302 N Dallas St, Ennis, 972-878-2625) and enjoy a weekend of polka dancing with music from 15 bands, including the Grammy Award-winning Brave Combo. Three-day passes are $30. For tickets and band schedules, go to NationalPolkaFestival.com.
From Fri to Mon, Hopdoddy Burger Bar will donate a percentage of proceeds from all menu items purchased to the Seal Legacy Foundation, a charity that provides support to families of wounded and fallen U.S. Navy Seals. You can dine in person, carry out, or do curbside pickup at all locations, including the Left Bank (2300 W 7th St, Ste 140, Fort Worth, 817-270-2337) or Glade Park (1200 Chisholm Trl, Bld E1, Ste 101, Euless, 817-354-2000).
At 10am-7pm Mon, it’s the Last Huzzah, a.k.a. closing weekend, at Scarborough Renaissance Festival (2511 FM 66, Waxahachie, 972-938-3247). All active and retired military members are invited to receive a yellow sash at the Village Armoury located in Crown Meadow.
At 1pm-4:30pm Mon, do some last-minute shopping at Central Market (4654 W Fwy, Fort Worth, 817-989-4700) and hear some live honky-tonk by the Squeezebox Bandits for free on the patio.
FATHER’S DAY
On Sun, June 13, from 2pm to 3:30pm, kids can come to the Father’s Day Paint & Play event at Play Street Museum (5925 Convair Dr, Ste 533, Fort Worth, 817-930-2577). Along with playtime, kids can choose to paint a No. 1 Dad Trophy. The pottery piece will be fired after the event and ready for pickup by Wed, Jun 16. Admission is $18 per child, plus $10 per pottery piece. This event is recommended for ages 3 and up only.
On Fri, Jun 18, from 7:30am to 9am, Andrew “Doc” Session Community Center (201 S Sylvania Av, 817-392-6585) hosts a Father’s Day Drive-Thru Breakfast in its parking lot. For the low price of $4 per carload, Dad and company will get coffee and donuts. Pre-registration is required at Facebook.com/DocSessionCFW.
At 5pm on Fri, Jun 18, Pop’s Safari Room (2929 Morton St, Fort Worth, 817-334-0559) hosts the Father’s Day Weekend Oliva Cigar Smoker shopping event featuring cigar deals for Dad. Oliva representative Paul Costo will be on hand all evening for questions.
City Chapel (4015 W I-20, Arlington, 817-561-1295) has a very special guest at its Father’s Day Services. On Sun, Jun 21, at 10am, hear combat veteran John Arroyo — author of Attacked at Home: A Green Beret’s Survival Story of the Fort Hood Shooting — recount his testimony. In addition, all fathers will receive a gift. This event is free to attend.
On Sun, Jun 21, from 1pm to 6pm, come to the Father’s Day Skate at Arlington Skatium (5515 S Cooper St, Arlington, 817-784-6222). Admission is $12 per skater, but Dad skates for free.
JUNETEENTH
On Fri, Jun 18, from 8pm to 1pm, the Arlington Juneteenth Festival is happening at the TenTen Collins Event Center (1010 N Collins St, Arlington, 877-294-6836), featuring live music by Calvin Richardson, Link, and DJ Jako Live in the Mix. Tickets start at $73, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting REDDY Leadership Outreach Inc., a nonprofit that teaches kids life skills beyond the classroom.
On Sat, Jun 19, at noon, the Soul of Sycamore Music & Arts Festival (2525 E Rosedale St, Fort Worth, 817-719-8636) aims to bring the community together for Juneteenth celebrations, including food, games, and vendors, with performances by dancers and step teams and live music by James Ross, Johnnie Judah, and more. This event is free to attend.
From Fri, Jun 18, thru Sun, Jun 20, The Warehouse (1125 E Berry St, Fort Worth, 817-923-9305) is hosting the National Juneteenth Virtual Music Festival, including some in-person performances. “We are excited to present an incredible weekend of zydeco, blues, and jazz for music lovers not only in the North Texas area but around the world,” says event promoter Jim Austin. Tickets for attending in person are $40-60, plus $10 for parking at JimAustinOnline.com. (There is also an opening reception on Thu, Jun 17, honoring local Juneteenth advocate Opal Lee. Reception tickets are $40.)
Panther Island Pavilion (395 Purcey St, Fort Worth, 817-698-0700) is the location of the Juneteenth FTW Community Festival on Sat, June 19, from 1pm to 9pm. Tickets are $20-745 at VIPSocio.com/Events/2021JuneteenthFTWFestival. There will be vendors and live DJ music. Kids 10 and under get in free and have access to the kids’ zone. The evening ends with a fireworks show at 9pm.
From noon to 6pm on Sun, Jun 20, head to the parking lot of the former Division Street Icehouse (2602 W Division St, Arlington, 817-231-2214) for the inaugural Juneteenth Car, Truck, Bike & Sling Shot Show hosted by CJ and Nokturnal Car Club. Admission is $5 per person at gates.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
On Sat, Jul 3, at 5pm, Peace Lutheran Church (941 W Bedford-Euless Rd, Hurst) hosts its annual Patriotic Salute. This free event honors veterans and first responders with a family-friendly evening featuring activities, games, and a North Texas Caledonian Pipes and Drums concert. You can attend in person or livestream on Facebook or YouTube.
After a long year of not being able to party together, Wild Acre Brewing (1734 E El Paso St, Ste 190, Fort Worth, 817-882-9453) is hosting its 4th + 5th Anniversary Palooza featuring beer, food, and live music by local favorites Quaker City Night Hawks on Sat, Jul 3, at 5pm. Tickets are $35 plus parking on Prekindle.com.
On Sun, Jul 4, at 6pm, enjoy Fort Worth’s Fourth along the Trinity River at Panther Island Pavilion (395 Purcey St, Fort Worth, 817-698-0700) featuring one of the largest July 4th fireworks shows in North Texas. General Admission is free. For more information, go to FortWorthsFourth.com.
From 6pm to 11pm, you can also head to Boomin’ 4th at Gene L Voyles Park (210 Hudson Oaks Dr, Hudson Oaks, 682-229-2400), featuring dynamic low and high aerial fireworks, live music, and a kids’ zone. This is a free community event.
As an ode to the country’s perseverance throughout the past year, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will host a special, socially distanced America Strong concert at Dickies Arena (1911 Montgomery St, Fort Worth, 817-402-9000) on Sun, Jul 4, at 7pm. The one night-only performance will feature more than 60 minutes of music from the highly regarded FWSO and world-renowned opera singers, all conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya Tickets are $25-35 at TicketMaster.com.
