In honor of the so-called “dog days of summer” and National Dog Month in August, this week’s paper is dedicated to animals of all kinds. With that in mind, here are some of the best creature-related events happening in North Texas now through the end of the season.
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
While Mark Devries Studios’ new animal documentary does not yet have a release date, the Texas premiere of Humans and Other Animals at Landmark’s Inwood Theatre (5458 W Lovers Ln, Dallas, 214-352-5085) is at 7:30pm. The filmmakers promise an epic journey. From firsthand looks into how animals think, use language, and feel love, to dangerous investigations of powerful industries, Humans and Other Animals hopes to change how you view not only the Earth’s creatures but yourself. Tickets are $15 on Eventbrite.com and include the screening and a Q&A with the director. For updates on future release dates, visit HumansandOtherAnimalsMovie.com.
If you enjoy the horsemanship of the Scarborough Renaissance Festival held outdoors annually in Waxahachie, you don’t need to wait until spring for this type of pageantry. Medieval Times (2021 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, 888-935-6878) welcomes you to its indoor facilities to enjoy its new show this summer at 7:30pm Thu, 4:30pm/7:30pm Fri, 2pm/5pm/8pm Sat, or 2pm/5pm Sun, now thru Sun, Sep 29. Six knights on horseback compete in falconry, jousting, sword fighting, and other games of skill to become defenders of the realm. Medieval Knights also serves four-course meals. Tickets start at $50 on MedievalTimes.com, but right now, you will receive a 25% discount with the code TXSUMMER25 if purchased by end of day today (Wed, Jul 31).
Thursday, August 1, 2024
To help raise funds for the Downtown Arlington Doggie Depot, a new dog park set to open later this year, J. Gilligan’s (400 E Abram St, Arlington, 817-274-8561) will host Yappy Hour 3pm-10pm. There’ll be food, a pub-themed raffle, and live music. Bring a photo of your dog because, from 5pm to 8pm, an artist will help you with the Paint Your Pup portion of the evening. Reserve your spot for $5 on Eventbrite.com.
Courtesy Downtown Arlington Inc.
Friday, August 2, 2024
The Amon Carter Museum of American Art (3501 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-738-1933) has some animal/nature art you can check out. Up now thru Sun, Oct 27, The Signal highlights artist Dario Robleto’s multiyear exploration of the Golden Record, a gold-plated phonograph recording of sounds and images selected in the late 1970s by a team at NASA to portray life on Earth to extraterrestrials. The exhibit also features the multimedia sculptural diorama “American Seabed,” made with brass, various butterflies, butterfly antennae of stretched-and-pulled tape recordings of Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row,” concrete, coral, fossilized prehistoric whale ear bones (1-10 million years old), ocean water, pigments, and steel encased in Plexiglas. The Carter is open 10am-5pm Tue-Wed, 10am-8pm Thu, 10am-5pm Fri-Sat, and noon-5pm Sun. Admission is always free.
Among the works at the Kimbell Art Museum (3333 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-332-8451) are many animal likenesses, including Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller’s “Dog Guarding a Basket of Grapes,” an oil painting that appeared in last year’s Creature Comforts. Most recently, the museum acquired George Stubbs’ “Mares and Foals” in memory of Ben Fortson, the former CIO of the Kimbell Foundation who died earlier this year. Admission to view the permanent collection is always free.
Courtesy the artist
Saturday, August 3, 2024
The circus, am I right? Like animal rights advocates around the world, I was always one of those #SingleCatLadies who refused to take her nieces and nephews to the big tent because of the alleged animal abuses and due to the general principle that no animal should have to live the circus life for our amusement. Now that the Ringling Bros. have not only permanently retired their herd of elephants but also have done away with all animal performances, I’m ready to forgive and forget. Join me at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for some #StupidHumanTricks (acrobatics and such) at Dickies Arena (1911 Montgomery St, Fort Worth, 817-402-9000) at 7pm Fri, 11:30am/3:30pm/7:30pm today, or noon/4pm Sun. Tickets start at $25 on Ticketmaster.com.
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Whether animal lovers believe it or not, hunters sometimes do a great service to the natural world. Human activities have often led to the introduction of invasive species into areas where they don’t belong, damaging the native creatures. From rats on the Galapagos Islands to snakes in the Everglades, it’s a problem anywhere people have been. In this part of the world, it’s feral hogs, even along the Texas coastline, where unwanted swine dig up sea turtle eggs, which is not good. Padre Island National Seashore has such a problem and is seeking input from the public about the possible development of a “feral exotic invasive management plan.” To review and comment on their proposal, visit ParkPlanning.NPS.gov/padrepigplanning by end of day today. #FreeRangeBacon
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
The wildly popular Dollar Days are back at the Dallas Zoo (650 S R.L. Thornton Fwy, Dallas, 469-554-7501), including today. In addition to $1 per person admission, enjoy $1-3 deals on snacks and beverages. Tickets sell out fast and must be purchased in advance at bit.ly/3Xwun5A.
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Enjoy two glorious mornings hanging out with your pup in the beauty of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden (3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-463-4160) 8am-11am Sat-Sun. Admission to Dog Days is $12, plus $5 per pup at FWBG.org. Hydration stations for our four-legged friends will be provided by the Garden across campus. Then, starting in September, the festivities return to two full days rather than only mornings (protecting those paws!): Sat-Sun, Sep 14-15 and Oct 5-6.
Courtesy Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Is your pup a pampered pooch? If so, they may enjoy showing off some faaaabulous ensembles. From 2pm to 4pm at the Canine Couture Fashion Show at Pixie’s Paws Pet Palace (112 W Randol Mill Rd, Ste 100, Arlington, 682-999-8684), four-legged competitors will vie for the grand prize of a $250 gift card to Hollywood Feed. General admission tickets are $15, and contestant entries are $35 on Eventbrite.com.
Saturday, September 14, 2024
The inaugural Cliburn Family Concert Series is at 11am and 2pm at the Fort Worth Zoo’s Outdoor Learning Theater (1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, 817-738-6536). Musicians will impersonate the animal kingdom using a clarinet, a flute, two pianos, and strings to perform Saint-Saëns “The Carnival of the Animals.” You can also meet some of the zoo’s outreach creatures throughout the event. A ticket is required for anyone over the age of 2. Individual tickets are $20 each, and family four-packs are $75 at Cliburn.org/family-concerts.
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Wild Kratts: Creature Power, an interactive exhibit based on the popular PBS Kids series, will open at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (1600 Gendy St, Fort Worth, 817-255–9300) on Sat, Sep 21, and run thru Sun, Jan 5. In this exhibit created by the Minnesota Children’s Museum in collaboration with the Kratt Brothers Company, kids and families can explore animal habitats from around the globe, including the Tropical Rainforest, the Antarctic, and an Australian Outback Desert. Along the way, discover creature powers and go on a mission to foil the villains’ nefarious plans. The museum is open 10am-5pm Tue-Sat and noon-5pm Sun. This exhibit is included with museum admission of $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, $12 for kids, and free for children under 2 at FWMuseum.org.
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center offers great tours, sure, but behind the scenes is almost as captivating. Read about them in our Breeding Success feature story.
