Dallas weekly e-newsletter |
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Thu, Jun 4: The Addams Family Musical
Sat, Jun 6: Dallas Pride
2026 Thu, Jun 11: The Magic of Mermaids
Sat, Jun 13: CAC Birthday Bash
Sat, Jun 13: Best Southwest Juneteenth Celebration
Fri, Jun 19: Little Elm Juneteenth Concert Presented By Cowboy Car Wreck
Fri, Jun 19: Juneteenth 2026
Sat, Jun 27: Ennis Freedom Fest in the Park
Sat, Jul 4: Fireworks on Main 2026
Wed, Jul 15: Hamilton
Fri, Jul 17: James and the Giant Peach Jr. |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: One summer afternoon during a family camping trip in New Jersey when I was about 6 or 7 years old, a horse fly suddenly appeared next to my ear and started following me everywhere I went. I’m sure that, from its own perspective, it was just going about its business doing ordinary horse fly things, but to me it felt enormous, ominous, and purposeful. I can't remember if it
actually bit me, but I can still summon the hot panic of not being able to get away from its threatening buzz. To my small self, that fly wasn't a little distraction, it was a crisis with wings. The memory surfaced recently when my daughter Ella sent me the above photo, taken in Quintana Beach County Park, near Houston. The point was clear: Proceed, and you will be under attack, and not by any adorable Northeastern bugs you might be used to. No, these bugs were born in Texas. Beware. Sometimes that is exactly
how challenges feel, especially to kids: Problems loom much larger to them than they do to adults with decades of experience. A broken toy, a skinned knee, a mistake in front of the class, or a slight misunderstanding with a friend may be a fly in the ointment to us, but a Texas-sized monster to a child. The trick is to validate the feeling without validating helplessness. We stand beside them and say, Yes, I know, this feels huge. The bugs, even if they're not as large as they
think, are real. They watch us shoo them away and learn gradually to do it for themselves. If I had seen the sign above, my first instinct would have been to flee back to the safety of the car. And Ella said it was not exaggerating, at least not by much: The moment she stepped onto the property, giant mosquitoes descended, and they were hungry; even leggings soaked with OFF Deep Woods did not deter them. She assures me that the photo she got of the Bay-breasted Warbler was
worth all the bites on the backs of her knees. She knew better than to show me the damage. Clearly, the script has flipped.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Ripley's Believe It or Not - Grand Prairie Get ready to experience unbelievable family fun at the fascinating Ripley’s Believe It or Not! with five awesome indoor attractions under one roof. Discover wonder in our Ripley’s Believe it or Not Odditorium and marvel at hundreds of rare and unusual artifacts and interactive fun. Mingle with your favorite celebrities at Louis Tussaud Palace of Wax. Experience the thrill of riding the movies on our 7d moving theater or find your way through the exciting Ripley’s enchanted mirror maze with countless selfie opportunities. Last, test your skills at the all new Ripleys Power up video game experience. Ripley’s Grand Prairie is your one-stop destination for hours of family fun! $3 off Combo Ticket! https://www.ripleys.com/grandprairie/
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Calling all storytellers! Step into the spotlight with Shakespeare Dallas this summer. Choose from Summer Camp, where beginners bring a short Shakespeare play to life, or Shakespeare Lab Mainstage, a fully produced performance program for students in grades 8–12. Build confidence, sharpen your skills, and work alongside professional artists. No experience needed—just curiosity and a passion for storytelling. Whether it’s your first time on stage or your next big step, there’s a place for you here. Please visit https://www.shakespearedallas.org/ to learn more and register today!
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We offer a variety of fun and educational themes for Campers aged 3 - 8! Campers will be immersed in the Spanish language and culture while enjoying hands-on activities related to each camp's theme. Full and part-time programs are available to meet your needs.
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Make a splash at SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium during this magical limited-time Mermaid event! Watch real Mermaids swim alongside sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles in Texas’ only 360° Ocean Tunnel. Meet a Mermaid on land, snap a photo, and hear enchanting tales inside the Mermaid Grotto. This immersive experience is included with general admission on select dates: June 11–15 and June 18–22. Be sure to select an event date when booking to dive into the fun!
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Come join us for Cinema Nights Sit back, relax and enjoy the show brought to you by the Parks & Recreation Department. Bring the whole family to enjoy a kid-friendly movie.
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Join us at Walter E. Luedeke Park on May 29 at 10 AM for Parkfest: Unearth a Story! This event will kick off our Summer Reading Program with giveaways, park games, and fun for everyone!
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The Summer Kick-Off Party is back on Friday, May 29, from 9:00 to 11:45 a.m. This annual event is a joint effort between the Smith Public Library and the Wylie Recreation Center. Enjoy bounce houses, inflatable slides, trains, BooCoos the Clown, food trucks, and so much more! Food is available for purchase. While you're there, talk to camp instructors at the Rec and get everything you need to know about summer reading at the library. This is an outdoor event, so please plan accordingly.
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So much happened before Dorothy dropped in. WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”
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Get Ready to Make a Splash! Flowapalooza returns to EpicCentral in Grand Prairie, Texas—DFW’s favorite FREE family festival taking over the plaza with high-energy entertainment, live performances, and family fun. No waterpark ticket needed for this epic outdoor celebration at the heart of EpicCentral.
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Do you hate pigeons? Are they flying rats to you? Nuisance birds that poop all over your car? Join us for our Meet the Misfits series and learn how cool pigeons really are! Pigeons are some of the most misunderstood birds. Humans have lived with pigeons since before recorded history and there are so MANY reasons why. After a fun-filled presentation about the awesome-ness of pigeons, you'll get to meet some of our new resident beauties, descendants of the Rock Pigeon. You can get your picture with Deja, the Old German Owl Pigeon. We will also be Celebrating Balck Birders Week by spending some time with Deja and learning about her namesake, Dr. Deja Perkins, one of the co-founders of Black Birders Week. You will walk away from this fun and informative class with a new appreciation of a bird you see everyday. You'll never look at pigeons the same!
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This is one downtown party you don't want to miss! The action-packed event kicks off with a free family-friendly festival during the day, leading to the JOSH ABBOTT BAND concert in the evening! Concert tickets are available until sold out. The event is presented by the Town of Prosper in partnership with Title Sponsor Brown & Griffin Real Estate; Main Stage Sponsors Farmers Bank & Trust, Ironhorse Power Services, and SuperSplash Car Wash; Gold Buckle Sponsor Crossland Construction; Silver Spur Sponsor Ivy Home Design; and Community Sponsors Shirley Air and F45.
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Join us for The STEAM Festival, a free community celebration where creativity meets innovation and wellness. Welcome to The STEAM Festival — Where Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math Become Pathways to Peace Get ready for an epic day filled with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math all rolled into one amazing experience sponsored by the Moody Fund for the Arts and in partnership with flowOURS and The Texas Discovery Gardens. This in-person event is perfect for curious minds of all ages who love to explore and create. Come check out hands-on activities, cool demos, and meet awesome people who are just as excited about STEAM as you are!
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An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion! At least the losers get a juice box.
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A new experience is hopping into PEPPA PIG Theme Park Dallas-Fort Worth this summer as families can meet Miss Rabbit, kicking off a season of limited time events and interactive family fun.
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Wander through a luminous world of imagination and see the wild in a whole new glow. Explore larger-than-life lanterns and towering sculptures inspired by wildlife and nature. Along the way, immerse yourself in captivating performances and interactive experiences – making each night an illuminating adventure!
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Feel the rush of the game as you test your reflexes, measure your kicking power, and explore the brain-body connection that drives top performance. Packed with interactive challenges, real-world science, and behind-the-scenes innovations, this experience shows how curiosity, creativity, and teamwork make the world’s favorite game possible. With FIFA World Cup 2026™ bringing global attention to North Texas, Soccer: More Than a Game celebrates soccer’s power to connect cultures, inspire innovation, and unite communities around the world.
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- Free Friday Night Concert - Helen Giddings Amphitheater - Veterans Memorial Parkway, Lancaster, TX, USA, 5:30-7:30 pm
- The Soovins Fun Day! Season 2 Wrap Party - 1868 Sylvan Avenue Dallas, TX 75208, 1 - 5 p.m.
- Summer Kickoff in Wylie - City of Wylie - 300 Country Club Rd.,
Building 100, Wylie, TX 75098, 9 am – 11:45 am
- Parkfest: Unearth A Story - Walter E. Luedeke Park - Hickory Tree Road, Balch Springs, TX, USA, 10 am
- The Steam Festival - Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park - Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Dallas, TX, USA, 10 am
- 2026 San Jacinto Music Series - San Jacinto Plaza - South San Jacinto Street, Rockwall, TX, USA, 7-9:30 pm
- SiNaCa Studios’ Annual Ice Cream Social - SiNaCa Studios - West Magnolia Avenue, Fort Worth, TX, USA, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- Flowapalooza - Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark - Epic Place, Grand Prairie, TX 75052, United States, 12-10 pm
- Wylie Jubilee Bluegrass on Ballard - Olde City Park - South Ballard Avenue, Wylie, TX, USA, Music starts at 11 am
- Downtown Block Party - Prosper, Texas, USA - , 10 am- 10 pm
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Dallas area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, & more. Our
guide puts summer fun right at your fingertips!
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Dallas area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping a
spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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