23 Things You Have to Do in Dallas This Year, from the State Fair of Texas to Oktoberfest
These are the must-hit festivals, concerts, events, and most fun things to do this year in Dallas, broken down by month.
Planning a trip to Dallas-Fort Worth? Fantastic! We’ve got your annual events calendar here, filled with major must-see exhibits, events, and festivals the rest of this year and into next. A trip to Dallas should always include indulging in the city’s most iconic foods, knocking back drinks in its best bars, and exploring all the fun things to do indoors and out. But for an authentic slice of Texas culture, you may wish to plan your vacation around one of the many annual events that showcase the greatest in arts and culture, music, food and drink, and the glories bestowed upon us courtesy of Mother Nature. That’s where we come in. Browse the following list of recurring festivals and celebrations to incorporate into your perfect Dallas itinerary.
January
January 17–20, 2025
Dallas
Beginning the Friday before MLK, Jr. Day, the City of Dallas hosts a multitude of events honoring the civil rights icon. MLK Fest, the MLK Scholarship and Awards Gala, a job fair, and a candle-lighting ceremony highlight the diverse offerings. The celebrations and commemorations culminate with the MLK, Jr. Day Parade featuring more than 250 floats and community groups marching through the city.
January 17–February 8, 2025
Fort Worth
Since 1896, the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo has brought North Texans one of the best rodeo experiences in the nation. Extreme bull riding, the Cowboys of Color Rodeo, livestock and horse shows, live music, a carnival midway, and fantastic food highlight the multi-week event with options for the entire family of rodeo fans and newbies to the sport.
February
February 22–April 13, 2025
East Dallas
More than half a million colorful blooms burst onto the scene as winter turns to spring at the largest annual floral festival in the southwest. Situated on the picturesque shores of White Rock Lake, the Dallas Arboretum also hosts the fall counterpart, Autumn at the Arboretum, each September-November, with more than 100,000 pumpkins heralding the season's arrival.
February 28–March 2, 2025
Fair Park
For those who can’t wait for the raucous Dallas Mavs St. Patrick’s Parade & Festival, the North Texas Irish Festival brings a full weekend of green-hued shenanigans to the masses. Live entertainment, traditional Irish food and beer, and various cultural exhibitions make this annual event the next best thing to a trip to Dublin.
March
March 2, 2025
Bishop Arts District
Davis Street in Oak Cliff’s Bishop Arts District steps in as a French Quarter alternative at the area’s biggest celebration the Sunday before Fat Tuesday each year. A parade with floats and musicians, colorful costumes, and Big Easy-style food favorites take center stage at this pet-friendly party.
March 15, 2025
Lower Greenville Avenue
Lucky for you, Dallas hosts one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day Weekend parties in the state. The all-day, shenanigans-filled celebration features multiple ways to show off your best green fashion ensemble, including a 5K run, rowdy parade, and massive block party that keeps the good times rolling until 2 am.
April
April 1–30, 2025
Ennis
When the first bloom of the state flower of Texas appears, it’s officially springtime in DFW. Take to the 40-mile Ennis Bluebonnet Trails throughout the month for photo opportunities and flower-peeping galore. Better still, visit between April 11-13 for the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival, when the wildflowers are typically at their peak for a weekend packed with music, food, and wine.
April 3–6, 2025,
Fort Worth
The FWFWF celebrates North Texas chefs' culinary arts and diversity in a multi-day showcase of delicious talent with special days dedicated to burgers, tacos, and beer. In addition to the nonstop eats and drinks, the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation receives funds from the event to distribute as scholarships for local high school students seeking careers in the culinary arts, plus grants to area colleges and universities to enhance their programs. The Main Event for the food fest is April 4.
April 2025, exact dates TBD
Various locations
For over a week, the Dallas International Film Festival brings feature films, documentaries, and shorts to several area theaters. Gather with fellow movie lovers, Hollywood celebrities, and filmmakers at dozens of screenings, parties, panels, and Q&A sessions throughout the multi-day tribute to the cinematic arts.
April 2025, exact dates TBD
Deep Ellum
Shortly after its inception in 1872, the Deep Ellum neighborhood and warehouse district became a hub for musicians and artists of every imaginable type. The legacy continues today with numerous live music venues and galleries, making it the ideal locale for an annual arts fair. It delivers a uniquely Deep Ellum cultural experience to thousands of festivalgoers seeking the best in music, art, food, and drink.
May
April 5–May 26, 2025
Waxahachie
Step back in time to the 16th century for a multi-week festival occurring each April and May with more than 20 interactive stages across the grounds. Jousting, games of skill, peasants, royalty, time-honored crafts, festival foods, pubs, and taverns recreate the era of King Henry XIII with plenty of social media-worthy opportunities.
Memorial Day Weekend, 2025
The Cedars
Dallas’ Latin culture is so vibrant you can almost taste it. At this event, however, you literally get to savor the flavors that make Dallas a foodie destination like no other. During the one-day festival, multiple bands and DJs serve up music while festivalgoers work their way between booths selling tacos, elotes, paletas and margaritas. The Foodie Experience includes secret menu items, and the VIP Experience gets you a taste of all the food, plus two complimentary drinks.
June
June 1–2, 2025
Fair Park
As the first of two Pride celebrations in the city, Dallas Pride dates back to 1972 when fewer than 300 members of the LGBTQ community and their allies marched through the streets for a few thousand spectators. Today, the two-day event attracts top entertainers, a lengthy parade, and viewers in the tens of thousands. Then on September 15, our city’s second celebration, Pride in Dallas, returns to the streets of Dallas’ central queer district for another chance to march for equality or cheer on from the sidewalks.
Dallas Juneteenth Festival
June 2025, exact dates TBD
Cedars
The Texas-born holiday of Juneteenth commemorates the moment on June 19, 1865, when enslaved people received the news that President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had freed them from involuntary servitude. Today, Juneteenth serves as both a celebration and remembrance of the importance of Black and African-American culture and heritage. One of many events in North Texas, the Dallas Juneteenth Festival features live performances, soul food, art, and speakers to mark the occasion.
July
July 3, 2025
Addison
More than 500,000 spectators descend upon Addison each 4th of July weekend for one of the largest, longest, and most elaborate fireworks displays in the nation. An air show, food and drink vendors, and viewing opportunities throughout the town at businesses, hotels, and parks make this a must-see display of patriotism and good ol’ Americana.
July 26, 2025
Fort Worth
Experience a full day of activities dedicated to the region’s cowboy past, present, and future in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Browse the exhibits at the John Wayne: An American Experience museum, witness comedy gunfight shows, cheer on your favorite in the armadillo races or matinee rodeo, listen to live music, or catch the twice-daily cattle drive of the Fort Worth Herd (any day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, if you miss seeing it this particular day).
August
August 15–24, 2024
Denton
For 96 years, the North Texas Fair & Rodeo in Denton has given lovers of thrill rides, fried foods, and livestock wranglers a way to scratch that itch before the big State Fair of Texas arrives in September. Live music headliners and local acts perform on multiple stages at the fairgrounds, while people compete in various contests, from Rodeo Queen to Baking.
Labor Day Weekend
Downtown Dallas
Don’t fear the August heat because this music fest takes place entirely indoors in the air-conditioned convention center downtown. Presented by the Black Academy of Arts & Letters, the annual event focuses on live jazz, R&B, blues, soul, and neo-soul across multiple stages with some of the biggest names in their respective music genres, as well as a stage dedicated exclusively to promising young artists.
September
September 2025, exact dates TBD
Plano
Look up in the sky—or head there yourself in a tethered ride—for a high-flying four-day festival all about hot air balloons, now in its 43rd year. Early morning launches and evening balloon glows top the list of festivities, which also include live music concerts each day, parachute and aerial exhibitions, a kid's zone, and all your favorite festival foods in Oak Point Park.
September 19–22, 2024
Addison
If you don’t already know German, you’ll learn a little by the time you leave one of the longest-running Oktoberfest celebrations in North Texas. The four-day party returns to Addison Circle Park for polkas, dachshund races, stein-hoisting competitions, barrel rolling face-offs, and, of course, plenty of ice-cold bier.
September 27–October 20, 2024
Fair Park
Even though you can now get your Fletcher’s Corny Dog fix year-round at Klyde Warren Park, for many purists, the State Fair of Texas wouldn’t be the same without stopping first at the stand directly across from Big Tex. For nearly a month, you can work your way through every carnival ride, midway game, arts and crafts display, themed butter sculpture, crazy fried food item, funnel cake-flavored beer, and even leave with a deeply discounted hot tub or mattress if that’s your kind of souvenir.
November
November 25, 2024–January 1, 2025
Grapevine
Officially deemed the Christmas Capital of Texas, Grapevine puts on a holiday celebration bigger and better than almost any destination on the planet. It all begins the Monday before Thanksgiving with the Annual Carol of Lights. Other highlights include the 45th annual Parade of Lights on December 5, numerous opportunities to mix and jingle with Santa Claus, enjoy some local wine or hot cocoa, and stroll the historic streets listening to carolers while shopping for the perfect gifts.
December
December 31, 2024
Downtown Dallas
Reunion Tower may be the most iconic building in the downtown Dallas skyline thanks to its brightly lit ball 560 feet above the earth. Grab dinner inside the ball at Crown Block or gather outside on the lawn for a midnight fireworks spectacular to ring in 2025 in the most festive way possible.