Happy Thursday,
Earlier this year, my appreciation for ballet grew when I met Fort Worth dance icon Margo Dean. She and I chatted about her decades-long dance legacy through her eponymous ballet school and nonprofit Ballet Concerto, which offers free outdoor performances.
Although Dean is now 98, her work hasn’t stopped. In fact, the city’s grande dame of ballet is choreographing new performances when Ballet Concerto returns this weekend with a special show honoring America’s 250th birthday.
Whether you’re a longtime ballet lover or interested in discovering the art form, this is the perfect opportunity to experience one of Fort Worth’s most beloved summer traditions.
Also, Happy Juneteenth! Celebrations are underway across Tarrant County to commemorate the federal holiday. I’ve included some festivities below, but click here for a more complete list.
Watch intricate ballet performances under the moonlight
Ballet Concerto returns with a program that features a contemporary work by resident choreographer Elise Lavallee and a new showcase by the organization’s alum Brandon Nguyen. Guests must bring blankets and lawn chairs.
What: 44th Annual Summer Dance Concert
When: 8:30 p.m. June 18-21
Where: The Shops at Clearfork, 5188 Monahans Ave., Fort Worth
Admission: Free lawn seating; $70-$500 table seats
Ease on down the road for final performances of ‘The Wiz’
The beloved Broadway musical blends L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” with rock, gospel and soul music. The Broadway show also reimagines Dorothy’s home as New York City.
What: “The Wiz”
When: 7:30 p.m. June 18-20; 2 p.m. June 21
Where: Theatre Arlington, 305 W. Main St., Arlington
Admission: $43-$48
Parade through Fort Worth in honor of the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Opal Lee’s annual 2.5-mile walk returns to recognize the two-and-a-half years it took for news, enforcement and freedom to reach Texas’ enslaved people on June 19, 1865. Lee, who turns 100 in October, led efforts to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
What: Opal’s Walk for Freedom
When: 9 a.m. June 19
Where: Will Rogers Square, 3401 W. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth
Admission: $40; free for children 18 and under
Discover local Black authors at Juneteenth-themed book fair
Eastside-based The Dock Bookshop brings together local vendors and writers for an afternoon that celebrates Black literature.
What: Juneteenth Freadom Book Fair
When: Noon-4 p.m. June 20
Where: Sycamore Park, 2525 E. Rosedale St., Fort Worth
Admission: Free
Celebrate your papa bear at special zoo party
Honor the paternal figure in your life with a dinner at Bluebonnet Cafe in Texas Wild!, a meet-and-greet with the zoo’s animals and free rides on the Yellow Rose Express Train.
What: Father’s Day Cookout
When: 6:30 p.m. June 20
Where: Fort Worth Zoo, 1989 Colonial Parkway
Admission: $40-$95
Thanks for reading! Do you have a Weekend Worthy event? Add it to our community calendar.
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
The Fort Worth Report’s arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy.
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