Unique North Texas events this weekend: January 28-29

Texas Rangers Fan Fest – Arlington

Arlington is set for a pair of side-by-side events for sports fanatics in the DFW area. First off, the Texas Rangers are hosting their 2023 fan fest at Globe Life Field from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 28. The fest will feature a number of family-friendly activities on the actual field itself like a chance to run the bases, throw some baseballs in the bullpen and swing some bats in a wiffle ball homerun derby. There will also be opportunities to meet and get autographs from past and present Rangers players. Tickets for the event, which includes free parking, are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Keep an eye on https://www.mlb.com/rangers/fans/fanfest for more information, including what players will be on hand to meet fans and sign autographs.

Arlington Renegades Open Practice and Fan Event

Just a short trip away, DFW’s newest football team is hosting an open practice event prior to the upcoming February 18 start of their season. The Arlington Renegades, the local team in the Dwayne Johnson-backed revival of the XFL, will be hosting this event at Choctaw Stadium from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on January 28. The event will include a chance to watch practice and participate in a live Q&A session with some of the team’s players along with Renegades head coach, and former longtime Oklahoma Sooners coach, Bob Stoops. There will also be a post-practice autograph opportunity with players and coaches. Head to the Arlington Renegades’ Facebook page for more details.

Denton Black Film Festival

Starting January 25 and extending through January 29 in person, the Denton Black Film Festival (DBFF) is bringing a multifaceted event to North Texas. Similar to South by Southwest in Austin, the DBFF includes everything from music and spoken word performances to standup comedy and a tech expo. Of course, the festival’s namesake film slate also includes a massive collection of showings with nearly 100 movies listed on their film guide. The festival’s goals go beyond simple entertainment, however. The DBFF Institute’s Executive Director, Harry Eaddy, explained that the festival hopes to, “help people see the world differently,” by giving them a space to learn about some of the other cultures and experiences of those around them. It’s a goal which channels the DBFF’s mission statement to “educate, entertain, and inspire.” The Collin-Denton Spotlighter will be going in-depth on the DBFF in an upcoming feature and interview with Executive Director Eaddy. Until then, visit https://dentonbff.com/ for more information, including how to buy passes for the festival’s events.

Daddy Daughter Dance “Down in New Orleans” – Frisco

The Frisco Conference Center is hosting the city’s 27th annual Daddy Daughter Dance on January 28. The event, divided into 90-minute-long sessions, is a semi-formal dance with light refreshments themed around The Princess and the Frog. Each session is for a different age range, starting with 4-year-old and kindergarten age children at 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and ranging up through 5th and 6th grade children at 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25 for residents and $30 for non-residents with a ticket required for each attendee. Visit the Frisco city website for additional information.

“Pretty Woman: The Musical” – Dallas

In an event that will somehow sound familiar to fans of Julia Roberts, Van Halen and Broadway theater, “Pretty Woman: The Musical” is heading to Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas for a series of shows running from January 24 through February 5. Based on the 1990 movie, this Broadway musical uses an original score by popular singer-songwriter Bryan Adams and a book by the film’s original director, the late famed sitcom creator and filmmaker Garry Marshall. “Pretty Woman: The Musical” takes the stages this weekend for performances at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on both January 28 and 29 respectively. Tickets start at $30 before fees on Ticketmaster with more information about the musical available through https://broadwaydallas.org/shows/pretty-woman/.