The magical time we all waited for as kids is now upon us — Christmas. And with that, we can look forward to some tasty treats, fun decorating ideas, and finding ways to help others in need. Here are a few events taking place in Fort Worth that might pique the interest of the merriest of merrymakers — no grinches allowed. So, bake those cookies and hang those stockings because Christmas in Cowtown is right around the corner. Oh, and don't forget, we all get to reset after it's all done — "Should auld acquaintance be forgot," you know the tune.
Dec. 1
Lauren Daigle
Touring behind her self-titled album, which was released in March of this year, the Louisiana-based songstress, who’s crafted some of the past decade’s most popular Christian tunes, makes her first-ever visit to Cowtown.
Dickies Arena | 1911 Montgomery St. | dickiesarena.com
Day With(out) Art: ‘Everyone I Know Is Sick’
To commemorate World AIDS day, The Modern — along with over 100 other museums across the world — will be screening “Everyone I Know Is Sick,” a collection of five short documentary films that examine life with HIV and AIDS.
The Modern | 3200 Darnell St. | themodern.org
Dec. 8
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
The kings of electric guitar-laden Christmas standards bring their pyrotechnics and nifty laser show to Dickies, ’cause Christmas just isn’t Christmas if one fails to headbang to the melody of “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen.”
Dickies | 1911 Montgomery St. | dickiesarena.com
Dec. 8 – 10
Anime Frontier
Those whose interests include the Japanese art and fascinating worlds of anime and manga will have an opportunity to rub elbows with fellow fans and some of the industry’s biggest names — all while dressed as their favorite characters, naturally.
Fort Worth Convention Center | 1201 Houston St. | leftfieldmedia.com
Amahl and the Night Visitors’
The Fort Worth Opera brings its booming pipes to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden for four performances (Saturday includes a matinee) of the holiday opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitor.” And since the libretto eschews those romance languages in favor of English, be sure to bring the kiddos who could easily follow along.
Fort Worth Botanic Garden | 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. | fwopera.org
Dec. 8 – 24
‘The Nutcracker’
No matter how many times you’ve seen it or listened to (or overheard) Tchaikovsky’s brilliant arrangements, “The Nutcracker” will remain a must-see holiday production. With appearances from Mother Ginger, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and a hoard of ill-tempered rats, the Texas Ballet Theater will bring the goods for 20 performances at Bass Hall.
Bass Performance Hall | 525 Commerce St. | basshall.com
Dec. 13
Candlelight: Featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
As we firmly enter the slightly dreadful but otherwise romantic fourth season, winter, an indoor performance — with mood-lighting courtesy of countless candles — of Vivaldi’s iconic violin concerto feels pretty ideal.
Downtown Cowtown at the Isis | 2401 N. Main St. | downtowncowtown.com
Holiday Lights Night Photography at Lightscape
The return of Lightscape also means the return of one of the most picturesque, photogenic, and flat-out Instagrammable events the city has ever hosted. This two-hour class with local photog Edgar Miller will ensure you get all the magnificent pics you desire.
Fort Worth Botanic Garden | 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. | fwbg.org
Dec. 15
Wintersong: A Musical Holiday Celebration & Sing-a-long
A free community concert at downtown’s First Presbyterian Church, the Fort Worth Opera will perform popular Christmas tunes, carols, and even some opera classics — with a touch of wintery spirit, of course.
First Presbyterian Church | 1000 Penn St. | fwopera.org
Dec. 15 – 16
Flatland Cavalry
We have a soft spot for any Americana troupe with a fiddler and saccharine tunes about love — unrequited and otherwise. This folky sextet, who check all of the above, will be stopping by Billy Bob’s for a two-night stint in support of their new album, Wandering Star.
Billy Bob’s Texas | 2520 Rodeo Plaza | billybobstexas.com
Dec. 16
Midlake
This folk-rock band from our I-35 neighbor Denton combines vocal harmonies with understated instrumentation to hit that elusive ’70s-sound sweet spot. Hey, reader, if you’re a fan of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer or Kansas, check ’em out.
Tulips | 112 St. Louis Ave. | tulipsftw.com
U.S. LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge
Dickies will host a full day of college basketball featuring two local, one local-ish team facing off against three not-local-at-all teams. The marquee game, TCU against Arizona State, will serve as a rematch of last season’s first-round NCAA Tournament game — which TCU won, by the way.
Dickies | 1911 Montgomery St. | dickiesarena.com
Dec. 29 – 31
The Holdovers
For those who still tune in to the Academy Awards, this latest project from Alexander Payne (“Election,” “Sideways,” “Nebraska”) has received some early Oscar buzz as it played the festival circuit. And this three-day screening of the film, which follows boarding school students over Christmas break, is also beautifully timed.
Magnolia at the Modern | 3200 Darnell St. | themodern.org
Dec. 30
DeVotchKa
If you’ve ever seen “Little Miss Sunshine,” then you’ve heard at least a few of the indie band’s tunes — they performed the majority of the film’s soundtrack. The band’s been around for over 20 years, and with no album recent releases, expect a deep dive into their diverse catalog.
Tulips | 112 St. Louis Ave. | tulipsftw.com
Dec. 31
New Year’s Eve Party with Drake Milligan
The Fort Worth native who dropped a lot of jaws in 2022 during his performances on “America’s Got Talent,” on which he finished in third place, will be headlining a New Year’s Eve Party at the world’s largest honky-tonk. We suspect the midnight toast will spurn champagne in favor of a domestic beer.
Billy Bob’s Texas | 2520 Rodeo Plaza | billybobstexas.com
