January Events

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January in DFW: Kicking Off the New Year with Vibrant Events

The Dallas Region is buzzing with energy as we step into the new year. From cultural celebrations and industry conferences to community gatherings and entertainment showcases, the month offers a dynamic lineup of events that highlight the diversity, innovation, and spirit of North Texas. Whether you’re a local exploring your city or a visitor discovering all that DFW has to offer, there’s no shortage of activities to keep your calendar full. So grab your planner, and let’s dive into what’s happening this month!

Featured Events

This year is not only 2025 but also the Year of the Snake! Lunar New Year is January 29th, meaning that various cultures from East and Southeast Asia will gather with family and friends and celebrate. Here are a few events from around DFW:

  • Asia Times Square Lunar New Year 2025- Grand Prairie: Held every weekend between January 17 and February 2, make sure to bring cash and an empty stomach to check out vendors serving delicious food. There will also be a variety of performances, including K-pop cover dances and lion dances every 2 hours!
  • Grandscape Lunar New Year Festival: Year of the Snake- The Colony: Don’t miss out on the Lunar New Year event at Grandscape on February 1 from 6 – 9 PM! There will be stage performances such as traditional Chinese dance and kpop dances as well as food and drinks for purchase.
  • Southlake Spring Festival 2025- Southlake: On February 1, from 11 AM to 4 PM, Southlake Town Square will have performances from different parts of Asia, such as Mongolian Dance, Sichuan Opera Face Changing, Bollywood Dance, and much more!
  • DFW China Town Lunar New Year 2025- Richardson: Head to Richardson on Saturday, February 8th from 11 AM – 3 PM for many cultural performances from lion dances to jiu-jitsu demonstrations to diabolo!
  • Frisco Lunar New Year Market Festival- Frisco: Head to Simpson Plaza on Saturday, February 8 from 3 – 8 PM, if you are looking to engage with different cultures while also making a difference in the community! In addition to a fashion show, red envelopes, and performances, the Frisco Education Foundation will be benefiting from this event as well.
  • 2025 Asian Lunar New Year Festival- Richardson: If you are looking for a variety of cultural performances, UTD’s Lunar New Year Art Festival is the place to go! Taking place February 8 from 7 – 9 PM, there will be instrumental performances, ballet, Bollywood dances, and more!

The Dallas Region is set to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with a series of events leading up to MLK Day on January 20, 2025. Here are some featured events:

  • Arlington MLK Celebration: This event on January 17-20, 2025, includes a multicultural festival, educational exhibits, and performances honoring Dr. King’s vision of unity.
  • Dallas MLK Parade: Scheduled for January 18, 2025, this annual parade will feature floats, marching bands, and community organizations celebrating Dr. King’s legacy.
  • Grand Prairie MLK Parade and Celebration: Held on January 18, 2025, this event showcases the talent from Grand Prairie ISD and recognizes community leaders honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Plano MLK Unity Walk: Join the community on January 20, 2025, for a unity walk promoting diversity and inclusion, followed by a commemorative program.
  • Fort Worth MLK Day of Service: On January 20, 2025, volunteers will participate in community service projects across the city, embodying Dr. King’s spirit of service.

GAME DAY GUIDE

Sports fans in the Dallas Region have a lot to cheer about.  

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Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Fort Worth
USA Film Festival KidFilm Dallas
Vogel presents Day 1 DFW Irving
Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue Plano
Deep Ellum First Friday Dallas
Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show Dallas
Brick Fest Live Dallas

 

MUST SEE EXHIBITS

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Broadway Dallas presents Peter Pan Dallas
North Texas Performing Arts presents Chicago Plano
Cirque Italia Water Circus Mesquite
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents “Diaries of Home” Fort Worth
Shen Yun Richardson
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents “Dvořák’s ‘New World’ and Mozart’s 40th” Fort Worth
Four Day Weekend Dallas Dallas
Fort Worthy Symphony Orchestra presents “Sci-Fi Symphony” Fort Worth
Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents “Disco Fever” Dallas
AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience Dallas
Broadway Dallas presents Come From Away Dallas
Candlelight: Best of Bridgerton on Strings Dallas
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents “The FWSO’s Michael Shih and DJ Cheek: Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante” Fort Worth
Clint Black in concert Fort Worth
Dallas Symphony presents “Symphonie Fantastique” Dallas
TITAS/ DANCE UNBOUND presents Ballet Hispanico: CARMEN.maquia Dallas
Dallas Children’s Theatre presents Pete the Cat Dallas
Broadway Dallas presents & Juliet Dallas
Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents “Brahms’ Violin Concerto” Dallas
Jim Gaffigan: Everything is Wonderful Fort Worth
Dallas Theater Center presents Shane Dallas
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents “Scheherazade and The Rite of Spring” Fort Worth
Pink Sweat in concert Dallas
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December Events

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Discover December: Holiday Events for Families Across Dallas-Fort Worth

The holiday season is upon us, and Dallas-Fort Worth is bursting with festive events to make your December magical. From dazzling light displays to unique holiday markets and family-friendly parades, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re planning a day out with little ones or looking for new traditions to share, our regional guide highlights the best ways to celebrate across North Texas.

GAME DAY GUIDE

Sports fans in the Dallas Region have a lot to cheer about.  

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Holiday
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
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Home for the Holidays: A McKinney Christmas McKinney
Galleria Dallas presents Grand Holiday Ice Show Dallas
Highland Park Village presents Christmas Lights Celebration and Shopping Stroll Highland Park
BMW Dallas Marathon Dallas
Lone Star Winery presents 12 Wines of Christmas Wine Walk McKinney
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame presents Cowgirl Christmas Fort Worth

 

MUST SEE EXHIBITS

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From Green Beret to Dallas Advocate: Randy Nantz’s Inspiring Journey of Resilience and Renewal

Two weeks after September 11, 2001, Randy Nantz was 33 years old, living in Farmer’s Branch and knew it was ‘now or never’ as he was getting close to the cutoff for Army recruits at 35. So he joined, thinking his background as an EMT would be helpful.

Five years and several promotions later, Nantz was a green beret, patrolling in Baghdad.

“I was in special operations and I was on an Operational Detachment Alpha, which is the guys out doing all the work right, and we had a target coming up.”

He says his truck – an M1151 Humvee — was hit by a copper weapon that heats up quickly, allowing it to penetrate the vehicle, and then explode. He had inhalation wounds and his hands were burnt, but his legs – sprayed with fuel — got the worst of it.

“My legs went from like nothing to like lighting a matchstick. But I was lucky to survive it – most of the time that kind of weapon cuts people in half.”

He was helped into the green zone, and had the first of many surgeries. One leg recovered, but the other had severe nerve damage, and it was amputated below the knee.

“When I when I woke up, it was like five days later and I was now in the burn unit in San Antonio, TX.”

Recovery felt slow and alienating.

“I still remember to this day how weird it was that I had to pick my legs up in bed and move them with my hands. It’s also very scary, thought I thought, man, you know, is this what it’s going to be like?”

Despite extensive damage to his legs, buttocks, and lower back, in just six months he went from lying in his bed to using a wheelchair and then a walker. He relearned to walk. And while he didn’t go back to active duty, he took a job at Special Operations Command, AKA, SOCOM in Tampa, Florida. That’s where he finished his career – retiring from the Army in 2012.

Originally from Texas, and having spent time in the Dallas area throughout his life, he chose to return. This time around he’s found a new love for the outdoors.

“The Dallas area has pretty much anything you want to do. Whether it be trails, car clubs, golfing. We even have the rodeo in Fort Worth,” says Nantz.

He’s also continuing to use his experience to help others by getting involved in organizations like the Adaptive Training Foundation.

Started in 2014 by an ex-NFL player and a U.S. Staff Sergeant who was also a quadruple amputee, the ATF offers free coaching to veterans, civilians, people born with impairments and people with degenerative diseases. Also in Dallas is UTSW — home to the Adaptive Sports Coalition, which connects people with opportunities to stay healthy and active through Para sports.

From his quick rise through the ranks to Sergeant First Class, surviving and thriving after being blown up in Baghdad, now part of a diverse community that takes advantage of all the Dallas Region has to offer, Randy Nantz continues saying yes to life, and yes to Dallas.



November Events

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November in the Dallas Region promises a whirlwind of experiences for every interest, from high-energy concerts and family-friendly festivals to captivating theater and dazzling holiday displays. Sports lovers can cheer on the Cowboys, Mavericks, and Stars as they compete in a packed schedule of games, while holiday enthusiasts will delight in spectacular displays.  Whether you’re into music, sports, holiday lights, or food festivals, November in DFW offers a lineup brimming with entertainment and adventure. 

GAME DAY GUIDE

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United Pickelball Association presents Lapiplasty UPA World Championships Farmers Branch
Eataly presents All You Can Eataly: Holiday Extravaganza Dallas
Disney On Ice presents Frozen & Encanto Allen
Broadway at the Bass presents Beetlejuice Fort Worth
Broadway at the Bass presents Mrs. Doubtfire Fort Worth
Shaq’s Bass All Stars Festival Fort Worth
Turkey Trot Dallas

 

MUST SEE EXHIBITS 

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Pink in concert Arlington
Linkin Park in concert Arlington
Cody Johnson in concert Arlington
Cindy Lauper in concert Dallas
Mariah Carey in concert Dallas
Kacey Musgraves in concert Dallas
Creed in concert Fort Worth
Clay Walker in concert Fort Worth
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DFW: A Top Remote Work Destination and Growing Life Science Hub

Remote work, mandatory for non-emergency roles during the pandemic, is now the standard for some people. And DFW is a top choice for those workers who would rather be here than anywhere else in the country – particularly for people who work in life sciences.

“I moved to DFW for my job with Johnson & Johnson,” says Victoria Wilmore, director of external supply services.  “I was working at our orthopedic manufacturing plant outside of Boston and moved here to work at our breast implant manufacturing facility. When I got promoted to a global role with J&J, I was able to stay in Dallas and work remotely.”

Wilmore said “yes” to Dallas because of the lower cost of living and better connectivity.

“I can get to anywhere in the U.S. on a plane in less than four hours.  Even for international flights to our European manufacturing hubs, there are a lot of direct flights.”

The downside of being a remote worker can be isolation, but Wilmore says she easily plugs into local industry groups or spends the day at a coworking space.

For Anup Patel, vice president of program management at Obsidian Therapeutics, the attraction was financial.

“You can’t beat ‘no state income tax’ — when my last company said my role is fully remote, I made the move from California.”

And for Himani Parikh, executive director, regulatory affairs at Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc., the pandemic enabled her to make the move she’d been thinking about for several years.

“I wanted to relocate from Chicago to be close to family. One key reason is the weather, the metro city feel, and ease of access that Dallas provides,” says Parikh.


Wilmore, Patel, and Parikh may work remotely for different companies, but they are united by the life science industry, which has shown fast growth in Dallas-Fort Worth in recent years and is expected to stay on that trajectory. It’s one piece of the thriving local economy.

How life sciences fits into DFW
The 35,000-foot view of DFW shows it is one the of the most diverse economies in the country, and includes 22 Fortune-500 and 48 Fortune-1000 companies; the fifth fastest growing life science hub, behind Durham, Raleigh, Phoenix, and Boston; and ranked fourth for number of computer, math, engineering, and engineering tech jobs in the U.S. People move here because of opportunity; they stay here because of the lifestyle it enables.

“I love flying airplanes and I’m currently working on my private pilot’s license out of a local airport,” says Wilmore.  “I also love going on adventures with my husband and two elementary school-aged kids — whether that is going to a festival, trying out new restaurants, or exploring new places.”

“I spend my down time attending sports events and trying all the barbecue and taco spots,” says Patel.

He also appreciates what he calls, “the incredible Indian diaspora” in DFW and the many Indian restaurants and events.

Tapping into Indian culture is something Parikh appreciates too as she enjoys Bollywood classes for fitness and fun. She also loves gardening and just relaxing in her backyard … although she learned quickly that you spend time outside during July and August at your own risk.

Saying Yes to Dallas and to life science, perfect together
At a time when your job and your home don’t need to be the same city, or even the same time zone, Wilmore, Patel, and Parikh are happy with their decision to become North Texans. They predict growth in both their industry and the population.

“Dallas is an up-and-coming metropolitan city that is well located and positioned to be a factor in the life science industry,” says Patel. “Biotech is no longer just on either coast but here in DFW as well.”

“DFW is well-positioned to become a leading hub for life sciences, offering a unique combination of talent, infrastructure, funding, and strategic location that can drive innovation and growth in the industry,” says Parikh. “The access to investment funds and talent pipeline are key reasons DFW region is well-positioned to lead.”

“Being a life science epicenter requires critical mass and I believe that the life science ecosystem will only get stronger with time. I have not met one person that has moved to the area and then decided it wasn’t a good fit,” says Wilmore.

Sure, DFW has shiny new office buildings in the center of densely populated areas as well as sprawling campuses that attract continued investment, but the biggest change we may see for years to come might be commuting from your kitchen to your home office while working in the life science industry – globally approaching $3 trillion, as of 2023.