Unique North Texas events this weekend: February 25-26

10th Annual Harlem Renaissance Gala – Frisco

The celebrated and acclaimed Duke Ellington Orchestra is coming to Frisco Hall for this annual Harlem Renaissance Gala hosted by Verb Kulture Events. The gala is in honor of the 100th anniversary of the orchestra, one of the most renowned and influential in all of music, as well as the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Cotton Club, one of the earliest influential jazz clubs in the country that once hosted world-famous musicians like Count Basie, Cab Calloway and Ellington himself. The event gives attendees a chance to dress in the glitzy 1920s style and enjoy live jazz, drinks, food and dancing. Special guests Paul Ellington, the grandson of Duke Ellington, and national spoken word and performing artist Verb Kulture will be in attendance as well General admission tickets for the gala, which kicks off at 7:00 p.m. on February 25, start at $75 at time of writing. Head to the Visit Frisco website or https://www.verbkultureevents.com/ to learn more.

2023 AMA Monster Energy Supercross – Arlington

Rev up your engines and drive to Arlington for one of the premier professional motorsport events, AMA Monster Energy Supercross. Some of the nation’s top riders like Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen will compete in races at AT&T Stadium on February 25. AMA Supercross will host the races under the three-race Triple Crown format with the Arlington event serving as qualifying for the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship. The night’s opening ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. and the first gates drop at 7:00 p.m. Prior to that, AMA Supercross will also be hosting a FanFest from noon to 6:00 p.m. The fest features a chance to see live practice and qualifying as well as take part in different supercross experiences like photo opportunities and a chance to try the new supercross video game. Tickets for the FanFest start at $15 and tickets for the AMA Supercross races start at $40 before fees. Check out the AMA Supercross website or the AT&T Stadium website for additional information.

The Sneaker Exit – Irving

The Sneaker Exit brings a massive selection of collectible shoes, clothing and accessories to the Irving Convention Center on February 25. The family-friendly event encourages attendees to buy, sell and trade the latest fashions and trendiest kicks with a full selection of sizes to choose from. Tickets for the show, which runs from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., start at $25 for general admission. Run to https://thesneakerexit.com/dallas/ or Eventbrite to find out more.

MillHouse Winter Indoor ArtFest 2023 – McKinney

Beautiful creations from a number of local and regional artists will be on display from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on February 25 and 26 at this McKinney art festival. Hosted inside the century old McKinney Cotton Mill in conjunction with the Cotton Mill Partners, the event will allow patrons a chance to view the works of more than 60 artists across a wide variety of mediums, from painters and potters to photographers, jewelers and more. Tasty Casa will be catering the event with drinks provided by Amazing Bartending Services. Visit https://millhousefoundation.org/artfest or the MillHouse Facebook page for more information.

Taste of Soul Food Cook-Off – Dallas

The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center hosts a soul food cook-off filled with more than a dozen local eateries from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 25. The Taste of Soul allows guests to sample dishes before judges put in their votes for the best dish across four different categories: meats, sides, desserts, and vegetarian/vegan options. The winning dishes will then receive a $500 first place prize or $750 grand prize. The cook-off will also include live entertainment, a photo booth, raffles and more. Admission is free with a suggested $2 donation for adults and $1 donation for seniors. Visit https://dallasmlkcenter.com/black-history-month/ for more information.

Divine Consign Plano Spring ’23 Sale

Divine Consign is hosting this massive popular pop-up consignment sale at the Plano Event Center featuring more than 90,000 family items like lightly used children’s clothing, toys, games and baby equipment. The sale advertises a number of different opportunities to get an early jump on the best deals on some of these popular family goods. Those who agree to work a shift at the event will receive early bird shopping on February 25. On February 26, those who purchase $20 brunch and early shopping tickets get entry at 9:00 a.m. The regular VIP presale then starts at 11:00 a.m. and costs $10. Finally, general admission starts at noon and is free for all attendees. The sale runs through Tuesday with any remaining items dropping to 50% off on February 27 and 75% off on February 28. Check out https://divineconsign.net/plano/ or the Visit Plano website to learn more.