Art Gallery
Readers’ Choice: William Campbell Gallery, 217 Foch St, Fort Worth, 817-737-9566
Critic’s Choice: Artspace111, 111 Hampton St, Fort Worth, 817-692-3228
Offering a slew of marquee artists at the height of their powers, downtown’s Artspace111 had a little something for every progressive taste, from Jim Malone’s supernatural mixed-media drawings to Ariel Davis’ personal photorealist paintings and Stella Alesi’s moody, sublime U-shaped panels. Artspace isn’t just one of the oldest galleries of its kind around. It’s one of the best of all time.
Art Gallery Exhibit
Readers’ Choice: Ethereal Goats Earthly Pecans, Victoria Gonzales, William Campbell Gallery
Critic’s Choice (Top 3): Jim Malone’s Animal Crackers cast an eerie, supernatural spell over Artspace111 (111 Hampton St, Fort Worth, 817-692-3228). Featuring mixed-media works of mostly nocturnal desert terrain visited by majestic creatures — birds, cattle, Pegasuses (!) — the veteran Fort Worth artist’s handiwork on display was sublime. At J. Peeler Howell Fine Art (3521 Locke Av, Fort Worth, 817-386-0638), the group show Meadowsweet represented an exploration in “materiality, process, and formal abstraction” and delighted the way only truly progressive, intriguing art can. In Arlington Heights, William Campbell Gallery closed the book on its long-time Byers Avenue location with a Spring Gallery Night show full of heavy hitters, including J.T. Grant, Julie Lazarus, James Blake, Marhsall Harris, Billy Hassel, and Richard Thompson.
Courtesy the artist
Artist
Readers’ Choice: Bethany Joseph, @BJoFineArt
Critic’s Choice: Sedrick Huckaby
A Fort Worth native, Huckaby enriches his hometown by working and showcasing his art locally. Focused on family, faith, and community, his paintings, with many poignant poses from loved ones and undertones derived from quilts and familiar objects, create a warmth that envelops you as you admire them. He teaches painting at UTA to continue to contribute to the community. His work invokes deep reflection, beauty, and thoughtfulness, all essential to powerful art like his.
Arts & Crafts Event
Readers’ Choice: ArtsGoggle, @ArtsGoggle
Critic’s Choice: ArtsGoggle
At 21 years old, ArtsGoggle has reached a level of maturity that calls out for reassessment. So, is this October event still the city’s premier gathering of artists and artisans? Factors to consider include whether all the creators stretched on a mile of Magnolia Avenue are mostly local, whether it embraces just about any conceivable media, whether it includes musicians and other performers representing a wide range of genres, and whether it’s family friendly. All answers are affirmative, and the verdict is in: If you’re going to only one arts and crafts event, make it ArtsGoggle. You’ll love it, you’ll learn a lot, and you’ll support the continued redevelopment of the Near Southside.
Burlesque
Readers’ Choice: Nightshade Burlesque at The Cicada, 1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @NightShadeBurlesque
Critic’s Choice: Nightshade Burlesque
Nightshade Burlesque’s vivacious, voluptuous vixens offer fans a titillating performance of cabaret camp and devilishly delightful drag. Their monthly residency at The Cicada (to which they return on Fri, Oct 3) is one of the venue’s most popular attractions, and the troupe’s outrageous performances are not to be missed.
Concert
Readers’ Choice: The Old 97’s, Fighting Oligarchy Tour with Bernie Sanders, Dickies Arena
Critic’s Choice: MJ Lenderman at Tulips FTW
It’s always a treat to see a great act at an intimate venue like Tulips. While MJ Lenderman and his backing band The Wind just played a packed house at the larger Tannahill’s, they first rocked Tulips back in February to close out the inaugural Jambaloo Festival, a week-long series of free concerts in Fort Worth and Dallas which is set to return later this year. When the folksy Asheville-based indie-rockers took the stage, Lenderman, sounding a bit croakier than usual, announced that he and the band were actually sick from eating bad oysters in New Orleans the night before. This meant they were down a member and everyone else was on a different
instrument. Somehow, this made their performance even more impressive as the captive audience urged them along, creating one of the most uniquely unifying concert atmospheres we’ve witnessed. Weaving country slide guitars with crunchy hard-rock riffs, Lenderman is changing the landscape of genre-bending acts. Maybe Dickies Arena is next?
Photo by Emmy Smith
Culinary Event
Readers’ Choice: Beer for Lovers, Lovers of Beer Valentine’s Dinner, Southside Cellar, 125 S Main St, Fort Worth, 682-703-2184
Critic’s Choice: Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd, Ste 216, 817-768-9294
Each spring, the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival kicks off with four days of culinary delight. From a tacos and tequila night to live fire cooking, there’s something for every foodie. Tickets sell quick and benefit several charitable organizations and nonprofits. Pro tip: Sign up as a volunteer and enjoy the same perks from behind the scenes.
Cultural Event
Readers’ Choice: Main Street Arts Festival, @MainStreetArtsFest
Critic’s Choice: Cars & Culture Show
What better way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month than with live music, ballet folklórico, great food, and rows of classic cars and custom lowriders. Now in its third year, the Cars & Culture Show fills Sundance Square with great energy, good times, and the exquisite, sparkling beauty specific to a ’63 Fairlane on 13-inch wheels. This annual September showcase of Chicano culture makes for a really fun family outing, the kind you look forward to year after year.
Dance Troupe
Readers’ Choice: Dallas Wings Flight Crew
Critic’s Choice: Ballet Concerto, 3803 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-738-7915
We already know that you love Ballet Concerto. As a nonprofit performing arts organization, their very existence means that you have been supporting them since their founding in 1969. We love them, too! Along with everything else they do, every year they engage choreographers of national and international renown and professional dancers from ballet companies throughout the United States to join their seasonal troupe for the annual Summer Dance Concert, which has been presented annually since 1983, with 2020 being the only exception. What pandemic? You can’t stop these moves!
Courtesy Ballet Concerto
Day Trip
Readers’ Choice: Glen Rose
Critic’s Choice: Mineral Wells
Only about an hour’s drive west of Fort Worth, Mineral Wells is a day trip that may not even require a hotel room. The state park is idyllic and fit for hiking and even regionally famous for rock climbing at Penitentiary Hollow. Peruse the boutiques downtown for a leisurely afternoon, and make sure to sneak a peek at the haunting Baker Hotel (under renovation). Do not leave Mineral Wells without trying what it is famous for — crazy water! On a scale of “wow” to “mineral madness,” this refreshing local delight distinguishes Mineral Wells from the rest.
Dog Park
Readers’ Choice: Downtown Arlington Doggie Depot, 105 N Mesquite St, Arlington, @DoggieDepotTX
Critic’s Choice: Z Bonz Dog Park, 6950 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth
This city-owned park on the grounds of a former golf course has plenty of shade and separate sections for large and small puppers, covering seven acres and three acres, respectively. You and your good boys and girls will also find two covered shelters, various agility items, pet fountains, and two aerated ponds to keep everyone cool during Fort Worth’s endless summers. Z Bonz is open 5am-10pm daily, except Wednesdays when it closes for “maintenance.” We’re picturing a giant pooper scooper.
Drag Performer
Readers’ Choice: Vivienne Vermuth, X.com/VforVermuth
Critic’s Choice: Thee Euphoria
Once associated with LGBTIA+ bars only, drag shows have gone mainstream, which has created many opportunities to watch performers sashay and flaunt to Cher or Lady Gaga on any given weeknight if you know where to look. Thee Euphoria has hosted or performed drag at Club Reflection for years, and although she splits time between Fort Worth and Houston now, you can still catch her acts. Just follow Club Reflection’s social media for their show calendar.
Courtesy X.com/VforVermuth
Drag Show
Readers’ Choice: 1851 Club, 931 W Division St, Arl, 817-642-5554
Entertainment Spot
Readers’ Choice: Time Rift Arcade, 2113 Harwood Rd, Ste 351, Bedford, 817-646-0771
Critic’s Choice (Top 3): The beautiful thing about a place like Sundance Square Plaza is that you don’t need a ton of money to enjoy it. If you’ve got a couple of bucks for a coffee at Starbucks or a beer at the Flying Saucer and it’s a nice day, you can enjoy the weather, go for a leisurely stroll, or listen to an outdoor concert and still have change in your pocket or bank account. If you feel like taking a longer walk and consuming some fine art while you fill the activity rings on your Apple Watch, the best place to do it is the Cultural District, home of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Kimbell Art Museum, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History, and the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame. Then there’s the Foundry District, which is like a walk through the kind of neighborhood your grandparents lived in that also mated with a modern art community. It’s packed with spas and beauty shops, local restaurants and breweries, and art on just about every building and exterior wall. Oh, yeah. It’s also got one of the coolest record and vintage stores around, Doc’s.
Festival
Readers’ Choice: Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd, Ste 216, 817-768-9294
Critic’s Choice: Trinity Pride
This year’s Trinity Pride Fest had a change of venue from Magnolia on the Green to a sprawling block party along South Main. That change was just what the fest needed. All the extra space meant room for a long parade route, more vendors, and lots of activities, including free music and drag shows. The vibes were light and fun with everyone simply enjoying the beautiful day for a beautiful cause. It was fun to see the SoMa businesses getting in on the fun as well. The support for the community couldn’t have been stronger, and this year’s event shows that Trinity Pride will continue to grow.
Haunted Attraction
Readers’ Choice: Hangman’s House of Horrors, 4400 Blue Mound Rd, Fort Worth, @HangmansHouseofHorrors
Critic’s Choice: Moxley Manor, 510 Harwood Rd, Bedford, 682-231-1313
Halloween will be here sooner than you think, much like that snarling monster in your dreams every night. If you enjoy a good scare or just need a reason to scream without drawing attention to yourself, Moxley Manor has more than one great way to get your nerves rattling. This Bedford staple puts its guests on the edge with intricately designed rooms and experiences and innovative ways for the screaming cast to pop out when you’re not looking. It’s also three haunted attractions in one with the main Moxley Manor, plus Regan’s Revenge and (gulp, clowns!) Big Top Terror.
Kids’ Activity
Readers’ Choice: Time Rift Arcade, 2113 Harwood Rd, Ste 351, Bedford, 817-646-0771
Critic’s Choice: Metroplex Wrestling, 510 Harwood Rd, Ste D, Bedford, @MPXWrestling
It’s hot, sweaty, and downright awesome. Taking place in a Mid-Cities strip mall, Metroplex Wrestling pits some truly acrobatic, truly skilled, and truly dramatic guys and gals against one another in matches that are as jaw-dropping as they are LOL funny. The little ones eat it up. And the rest of the crowd? They are almost as big a part of the show as the faces and heels in the ring.
Place to Take Kids
Readers’ Choice: Fort Worth Museum of Science & History, 1600 Gendy St, Fort Worth, 817-255-9300
Critic’s Choice: Epic Waters, 2970 Epic Pl, Grand Prairie, 972-337-3131
While we are certainly Tarrant County-centric, especially during Best Of season, Grand Prairie has real estate in both Dallas County and TC. We love the vibe out there and have several newspaper stands in the area. One staffer affectionately refers to GP as “Far East Fort Worth.” If Grapevine is the Christmas Capital of Texas and Denton is the (newly minted) Halloween Capital, let’s just give Grand Prairie the designation of The Playground. Horse racing, skateboarding, and museum oddities all have their distinct locales in the area, but our favorite thing just might be swimming indoors all year round at Epic Waters. The expansive, glass-enclosed park with pools and slides, plus an arcade, eatery, and giftshop, is the largest indoor waterpark in North Texas. Cowabunga, dude.
Courtesy Epic Waters
Place to See Movies
Readers’ Choice: Coyote Drive-In, 223 NE 4th St, Fort Worth, 817-717-7767
Critic’s Choice: Rooftop Cinema Club, 235 Throckmorton St, Fort Worth
The best movie theater in town isn’t a crowded multiplex with more screens than NASA’s mission control room. It’s higher. Rooftop Cinema Club offers one of the most breathtaking views of the city and the most eclectic collection of movies you can see on a big screen, from recent blockbusters to classics of cinema. There’s even a dog-friendly movie night in case your mutt wants to get out but you also really want to see a flick.
Museum Exhibit
Readers’ Choice: The Whale, Alex De Corte, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Critic’s Choice (Top 3): At the Kimbell Art Museum (3333 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-332-8451), Modern Art and Politics in Germany 1910-1945 gathered more than 70 paintings and sculptures from the Neue Nationalgalerie, the modern art museum of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. At least those old Nazis lost. Can’t say the same about today’s, because these four decades of antique German art and politics related to our current shitshow in many ways, especially the swing from high times to fascism seemingly overnight. At the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (3200 Darnell St, Fort Worth, 817-738-9215), Surrealism and Us was “the first intergenerational show dedicated to Caribbean and African diasporic art presented at the Modern.” Comprising more than 80 pieces from the 1940s to the present in almost every medium, the exhibit followed many of the Caribbean and Black artists who gravitated toward the movement. Many of them made political statements. Some just practiced some Voodoo. With The Whale, Alex Da Corte festooned the Modern with loads of pop-culture candy — everything from Bugs Bunny to Bruce Springsteen — and situated them among pieces in the museum’s permanent collection that moved him when he first visited Fort Worth 20 years earlier.
Photo by Abeeku Yankah
Music Lessons
Readers’ Choice: Level Up Music Academy, 800 Jim Wright Fwy B, White Settlement, 682-271-9748
Critic’s Choice: Music Junkie Studios, 1701 Enderly Pl, 682-499-5731
Offering lessons in piano, guitar, bass, drums, violin, ukulele, songwriting, and home recording, Music Junkie Studios puts a premium on the discovery and joy in learning an instrument, no matter your age or experience.
New Mural
Readers’ Choice: “Fort Worth Sports,” Brad Smith and Kay Ray Art, Rex’s Bar & Grill, 1501 S University Dr, Fort Worth, 817-968-7397
Critic’s Choice: “Marty’s,” Jay Wilkinson, Tres Amigos, 909 W Magnolia Av, Ste 10, Fort Worth, 682-224-2554
A companion piece to his Back to the Future mural at McFly’s Pub in River Oaks, Wilkinson’s latest shows one of those “Great Scot!” moments from the ’80s time-travel franchise, with Marty McFly and Doc freaking out at their watches in an electrifying scene from Back to the Future II, rendered in Wilkinson’s photorealistic style on the building’s west-facing exterior wall. The mural heralds Tres Amigos’ rebrand from a tacos-and-tequila bar into its new concept, a pub-and-grub spot that, like McFly’s, takes its decor inspiration from the film.
Nonprofit Organization
Readers’ Choice: LGBTQ S.A.V.E.S, 1959 Sandy Ln, Fort Worth, @LGBTQSaves
Critic’s Choice (Top 3): On the Near Southside, LGBTQ S.A.V.E.S has become a place for our LGBTQIA+ friends who need somewhere to turn to for fellowship, therapy, unhoused assistance, and a sense of community when it’s needed most. The neighborhood’s Megan Henderson is a champion for local businesses and other charitable organizations, and when The Cooper apartment residents were displaced by a historic fire, she was among the first to organize a relief effort with United Way. Elsewhere on the Near Southside, One Safe Place is there to assist victims of domestic violence and survivors of any type of abusive situation. The nonprofit often sets up booths at local events, which is a great chance to become familiar with opportunities to get or offer help.
Park
Readers’ Choice: Trinity Park, 2401 University Dr, Fort Worth, 817-392-5700
Critic’s Choice: Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge, 9601 Fossil Ridge Rd, Fort Worth, 817-392-7410
Nearly a third of Fort Worth’s 13,000 acres of city-owned parkland is contained in this century-old conservancy. That makes the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge not just the biggest city-owned park in town but also one of the biggest in the country. This park focuses on nature and getting away from it all. Compared to the other 300 city parks, it’s not the most centrally located, nor does it have pickleball courts, a pool, or even a splash pad. That’s OK. We’ll take the 20 miles of scenic hiking trails, an actual herd of bison, a prairie dog town, and the occasional Lake Worth alligator sighting.
Place to Park at Dickies Arena Shows
Critic’s Choice: The Fixi Shop, 1800 Montgomery St, Fort Worth, 817-301-0544
With concert tickets being more expensive than ever, if you’re on a lean budget, why fork out the equivalent of a third concert ticket to pay for parking and put more money in corporate hands when there are some clever alternatives? For AAC shows in Dallas, ride DART. In Arlington, you can take a shuttle from J. Gilligan’s or leave your car in the capable hands of the folks at the Koala Ice convenience store by the stadium. Meanwhile, back at The Fort, the guys at that little iPhone repair shop with the vintage plane on the roof turn their parking spaces into a cash crop several nights a week. Giving them your 30-ish dollars is an excellent way to #SupportLocal. Oh, and if your phone is busted, they’ve got you on that, too.
Courtesy The Fixi Shop
Podcast
Readers’ Choice: Fort Worth Roots, FortWorthRoots.com, @FortWorthRoots
Critic’s Choice: 817 Podcast, @817pod
Hosted by entrepreneur EJ Carrion, former city councilmember Ann Zadeh, and media producer/activist Wesley Kirk, 817 Podcast delivers regular updates and analyses of city, county, and statewide politics and is a must-listen for anyone who thinks that Republican overreach has extended far beyond the hold-my-beer-watch-this phase into truly terrifying territory.
Theater Production
Readers’ Choice: Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé, Stage West
Critic’s Choice: The Heart Sellers, Amphibian Stage
Over some wine and a frozen turkey, a pair of homesick immigrant women in their early 20s — Luna (Olivia de Guzman) from the Philippines and Jane (Tara Park) from Korea — spend Thanksgiving 1973 in an unnamed American city, bonding over the absurdities, uncertainties, loneliness, and excitement inherent to the immigrant experience. Their laughter, hopes, and fears, and aspirations highlight what it means to move to this country and observe how one’s identity evolves across a new life in a faraway place. Park and de Guzman limned their characters’ chance meeting and instant rapport with the promise and possibilities enshrined in American citizenship, reminding audiences that America’s greatness grew out of the hard work of people from all over the world, all of them striving for a better life in this land of opportunity.
Theater Troupe
Readers’ Choice: Hip Pocket Theatre, 1950 Silver Creek Rd, Fort Worth, 817-246-9775
Critic’s Choice: Stage West, 821 W Vickery Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-784-9378
With its lively mix of shows and events, the Fort Worth theater community has been extremely generous to the city this past year. There are also several theaters that serve up more than just an endless series of Neil Simon and musicals that won’t offend sensitive ears. Stage West stood above the rest by packing its schedule with a variety of styles and subjects for performers and audiences alike. Stage West’s most recent production, Fat Ham — a Black, Southern, queer retelling of Hamlet — was a must-see for any fans of good storytelling.
