The best way to stay cool during a Dallas summer is to stay busy. And by busy, we mean relaxing with a cocktail in a glorious lazy river or rocking out in an air-conditioned concert hall (hi, Ed Sheeran) or devouring the freshest bowl of poké you’ve ever had. Here’s to your super-packed, super-busy summer.
20 Things to Do This Summer in Dallas
1. Kick off your summer with a cocktail on the patio at Henderson Avenue’s new hot spot Stellar. The “Pinky’s Out of Jail” is basically summer in a glass.
2. Get your tan on. Well, your fake one, with the one and only Kari Lord of Simply Glowing, who operates out of ERA Salon when she’s in Dallas.
3. The 31st Annual Taste of Dallas, benefiting the North Texas Food Bank, will give you your foodie fix. We’re talking more than 200 exhibitors and over 20 craft beer setups. June 10 and 11
4. Dallas’s most beloved professional athlete is back at bat for his foundation in the annual Dirk Nowitzki Heroes Celebrity Baseball Game. Yep, Dirk always hits a homer with his celeb-packed lineup. Last year it sold out, so don’t wait on buying tickets. June 24
5. When things get hot, indulge in a Vietnamese iced coffee at Halcyon on Greenville Avenue. We dare you not to Instagram the dreamy decor and interiors
6. Take the drive Fredericksburg for the weekend—everyone else is doing it.
7. Hit up the Commerce Street Night Market at the Pike West Commerce pavilion the last Friday of the month. Not only can you sing, paint or pop in for a class, but you can also sell your own goods for a $50 fee.
8. Dallas’s best chefs create menus based off of local farm ingredients at the Farm Shed Dinner series at the Dallas Farmers Market. These one-night-only events will happen the last Thursday of each month.
9. Get in on the poké phenomenon that has washed into Dallas. In just the past couple of months, Freshfin Poké Co., Poké Bop and Pōk The Raw Bar have opened their doors, promising fresh and healthy fish selections to rock your taste buds.
10. Fireworks are obligatory. And Lone Star Park’s fireworks celebration has some of the best, along with horse races and live music. July 3
11. Any Nashville fans out there? Make sure you see the cast in concert at the Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie. Cowboy hats welcome. July 28
12. Because sometimes humor is the only thing that keeps moms sane, the witty chicks from the IMOMSOHARD podcast are hosting a Mom’s Night Out to make you laugh. A lot. July 28
13. Whether it’s girls’ night or date night, try one of the three newest spots to pop up in the Design District: Sassetta, Wheelhouse
14. Stroll through your charming dream home, aka the brand-new Tot Playhouse, and shop for all the luxe parenting products you didn’t know you needed.
15. Baby, baby, baby, ohhhhhh. Don’t act like you don’t want to see Justin Bieber in concert at Jerry’s World. We are all about living your truth here. July 29
16. Not a Justin fan? Well, we are just “thinking out loud” here, but guessing that Ed Sheeran might make you “happier.” (See what we did there?) August 18
17. The Women Texas Film Festival is perfect for film fanatics who just can’t get enough girl power (which is essentially all of us). Pass the popcorn! August 17 to 20
18. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is screening La La Land with a live orchestra—a don’t-miss experience if you love beautiful things. September 1 and 2
19. The first Riverfront Jazz Festival is happening at the Texas Horse Park, and since hometown sweetheart Erykah Badu has signed up to perform, we’ll be there. September 1 to 3
20. When it’s too hot to function, get yourself to a body of water, preferably the lazy river (in the shape of Texas, no less) on the Marriott Marquis Houston rooftop.