Some of you set wellness goals for the New Year. Others of us just want to get out there and try new things. Either way, here are some activities to keep you alive and kicking. Keep reading. You can do it!
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Do you need health insurance? Today is the last day to sign up for a 2025 plan at HealthCare.gov. Supposedly, four out of five customers find plans for $10 or less per month. For coverage, visit go.hc.gov/4gLpH2u ASAP. As for dental insurance, Physicians Mutual Insurance Company provides coverage for 400+ procedures and professes to be “real dental insurance, not just a discount plan.” For a complimentary information kit, mention code 6258 when calling 1-888-361-7095 or visiting Dental50Plus.com/FortWorth.
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Country dancing can be quite a workout. Read all about it in this week’s Crosstown Sounds. Meanwhile, Weekly Music Awards Country nominee Cory Cross & The Burden are playing Madam Pearl’s Dancehall & Saloon (302 W Exchange Av, Fort Worth, 682-730-2499) for the first time tonight at the tail end of the weekly dance lessons hosted by the Fort Worth Wranglers. Starting at 7pm, learn three variations of the two-step, plus a move and a dip at 7pm. Then, at 8pm when the band hits the stage, you can go “beyond the basics,” they say, and learn intermediate moves. Cover is only $10.
Friday, January 17, 2025
Watching a documentary film with the mantra of “Don’t wait for tomorrow” feels apropos as we embark on a new year. Bastards of Soul documents the Texas band of the same name and its journey marked by the unforeseen loss of their charismatic frontman, Chadwick Murray, who died from a mysterious illness in 2021. The filmmakers say they sought to “capture the raw essence of [the band’s] final album sessions and the electrifying stage presence that defined them, celebrating the enduring legacy of a man who achieved his dreams against all odds.” The film screens at 7:50pm at the Campus Theatre (214 W Hickory St, Denton, 940) 382-7014) as part of the Denton Black Film Festival happening all weekend. Tickets are $10 at DBFF25.eventive.org.
Courtesy Bastards of Soul
Saturday, January 18, 2025
With the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo in town, there are lots of ways to kick up your heels and get that heart rate up, starting with the FWSSR Parade at 11am. This annual all-Western event features 2,000+ horses, marching bands, floats, and more. Stroll along the parade route in the morning and grab a spot along the sidewalks and public areas for free. Reserved seating is also available at Ticketmaster.com in advance (only) for Sundance Square (420 Main St, Fort Worth, 817-222-1111) for $25 or at the Convention Center (1201 Houston St, Fort Worth, 817-392-6338) for $15, the latter being a great choice as it’s cheaper, plus the parade makes a big turn right there.
If you’re interested in being a voyeur into C&W culture for a hot minute, head over to Truck Yard Alliance (3101 Prairie Vista Dr, Fort Worth, 877-221-3936) 11am-midnight for Dolly Day. Along with two-step-worthy live music, including covers of some Dolly Parton tunes, the Truck Yard has Dolly-themed drinks, photo ops with a Dolly impersonator 5pm-9pm, and a Dolly & Jolene Look-Alike Contest at 7pm. To honor Dolly’s legacy of encouraging young people to read, the Truck Yard is also hosting a month-long book drive benefiting Little Hands Book Bank. Each book donor will receive a “Dolly surprise” and a special Dolly Parton pin.
All Weekend
If swimming is a big part of your summer routine, consider investing in a swim spa. Not much bigger than a hot tub, swim spas provide a current to swim against and can be heated in the winter. Head to the Hot Tub & Swim Spa Blowout Expo at the DFW Marriott Hotel (3300 Championship Pky, Fort Worth, 817-961-0800) 2pm-8pm Fri, 10am-8pm Sat, or 10am-5pm Sun and see 30 options from five major brands. (We’re talking floor models priced to move.) There is no cost to attend, and parking is free. For more info, go to SpaShow.com.
All Month
Experience new cultures this year, starting with the 18th Annual Lunar New Year at Asia Times Square (2524 W Pioneer Pky, Grand Prairie). This weekend and next (Jan 17-19, Jan 24-26) enjoy art vendors, food, and special performances in celebration of the Year of the Wood Snake. Then, on Sat-Sun, Feb 1-2, a dance troupe will perform the Lion & Dragon Dance with firecrackers. The hours for all eight days of this event are noon to 10pm. For more information, go to LinkTree.com/AsiaTimesSquare. There is no cost to attend.
Saturday, January 25, 2025
It’s Goat Yoga time at Martin House! Stretch, laugh, and then sip on a craft beverage afterward with the tribe of goats from Goat Yoga Dallas from 11am to noon at the brewery (220 S Sylvania Av, Ste 209, Fort Worth, 817-222-0177). Tickets are $12 for kids and $32 for adults on Eventbrite.com. Here are four things to know. Do not enter the fenced-off goat yoga area any earlier than 15 minutes before class time, Clint and Jennifer. Goat Yoga promises to set aside time after class for extra socializing and picture-taking with the animals, Clint and Jennifer (who should both feel very targeted right now). Bring your own yoga mat. Be prepared for the goats to take an interest in you — their nudging, nibbling, jumping, scratching, and possibly stepping on you is all part of the experience. And goats are not potty trained, so there will be a sanitizing station and antibacterial wipes available.
Courtesy Dallas Goat Yoga
Saturday, February 8, 2025
For those with bad ankles — or those just looking to procrastinate — ease into your new fitness routine after a little workshop called Ankle Armor at Urban Yoga (1706 8th Av, Fort Worth, 817-908-3569) 3pm-5pm. Dr. Tiffany Denny will teach you how to fortify your ankles and Achilles tendons for a strong foundation to all your new adventures. In this workshop, expect a practical primer on tendon and ligament health and function in the ankle, interspersed with practical, progressive strength and mobility work for the foot and ankle designed to promote constructive tissue adaptations as well as increased comfort and confidence in your ankles during activity. You will also receive a follow-up handout with a list of the exercises you learned and links to videos demonstrating how to do them. Tickets are $55 at Clients.MindBodyOnline.com. Denny is pretty enthusiastic about movement in general and offers some free instructional videos as well at Instagram.com/Tiff_Exploring.
Courtesy Instagram.com/Tiff_Exploring
Every Tuesday
If a new, stoner-friendly, walk-about-style hobby is part of your fitness plans for the new year, you’re not alone. North Texas is home to several disc golf courses, and one of the best is in our area: Veterans Park Disc Golf Course at 2866 Spanish Tr in Arlington. The nearby pro shop, DFW Disc Golf Center (3100 W Arkansas Ln, Arlington, 817-308-9830), hosts tournaments and keeps a schedule at Facebook.com/DFWDiscGolfCenter/Events. Before you invest time and money into something you might not be too sure about, hit a local putt night. Every Tuesday at 6pm, In the Bucket Disc Golf does Putt Night at the Horny Toad (9530 Camp Bowie West, Fort Worth, 817-560-8623). You will need to bring three putters, but you can purchase them on-site as well. The games are set up as bracket-style heads-up matches. Winners are the first to 10 points with a double elimination in effect. The buy-in is $10, and there is a cash payout for the top three winners. For more details, visit Facebook.com/IntheBucketDiscGolf.
Every Wednesday
Did you resolve to make new friends this year? Do new things? This qualifies as both! Using social media algorithms, TimeLeft (@TimeLeftApp) creates a unique, hand-picked dining experience for you and four other strangers somewhere in Dallas. (I’m sure other cities will be added in the future.) First, go to TimeLeft.com and take a quick personality test. Their algorithm selects five compatible humans for “an engaging evening and meaningful conversations,” and the site then provides insights into your group and the restaurant details. Dinners are held every Wednesday and last approximately two hours. The exact address of the restaurant is communicated on the day of the dinner. Participants are responsible for their bills, which are typically $10 to $35 per person. Subscriptions to the service range from $10.50 to $19.99 per month, but you can also test-drive the concept with a one-time ticket for $15.99.
Every Day
If you missed out on the open-air ice skating that just ended for the season in Mule Alley, you have other options. Ice at the Park inside the Parks Mall (3811 S Cooper St, Arlington, 817-467-6496) offers daily public recreational skating sessions. Adult admission (14+) is $15, the youth (6-13) price is $12, and children 5 and under are free. Skate rentals are $5 per person. There is also high-quality instruction for beginning recreational skating, figure skating, and hockey on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. For skate session times and pricing info for classes, visit IceattheParks.net.
Courtesy the Parks Mall
