The Weekend Roundup
DFW Weekend Guide
October 23–25, 2026 · Six picks across North Texas
Your weekend, planned. Six picks across North Texas, from Sick New World festival's Texas debut at Texas Motor Speedway to Boo at the Zoo's three-day Halloween run and two McKinney festivals on Saturday. All events verified this week. Times and ticket prices can change, so confirm with the venue before you go.
Quick Takeaways
- Weekend weather looks friendly: highs in the low 80s Friday through Sunday, mostly dry, good news for the outdoor picks.
- Sick New World festival's Texas debut hits Texas Motor Speedway Saturday, 50+ acts led by System of a Down, Deftones, and Slayer.
- Gary Allan at Billy Bob's Texas Saturday, 10 PM, tickets from about $46 (18+).
- Boo at the Zoo runs all three days, 10 AM to 5 PM, daytime Halloween included with zoo admission.
- Two McKinney festivals Saturday: the Wine & Music Festival's 10th anniversary and the Grand Diwali Mela.
- Autumn at the Arboretum's Harvest Hues runs through Nov 1, 100,000+ pumpkins.
Live Music
Sick New World Texas
Saturday, October 24, 11 AM to around midnight · Texas Motor Speedway, 3545 Lone Star Cir, Fort Worth
The heavy-music festival makes its Texas debut. System of a Down, Deftones, and Slayer headline, with more than 50 performers across multiple stages: Evanescence, The Prodigy, Marilyn Manson, Knocked Loose, AFI, Ministry, Mastodon, and Power Trip among them. GA admission covers the full day's performances, with food, drinks, merchandise, and free water stations on site.
Tickets: General admission listed from about $349.
Details and tickets
Live Music
Gary Allan at Billy Bob's Texas
Saturday, October 24, 10:00 PM · Billy Bob's Texas, 2520 Rodeo Plaza, Fort Worth
Three decades of raspy, road-worn country at the World's Largest Honky-Tonk. Expect the deep catalog: “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain),” “Watching Airplanes,” and “Man to Man.” Doors open at 6 PM in the Stockyards. This is an 18+ show.
Tickets: Listed from about $46.
Details and tickets
Family
Boo at the Zoo
Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25, 10 AM to 5 PM daily · Fort Worth Zoo, 1989 Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth
Fort Worth's take on Halloween trades scares for treats. Trick-or-treat stations, Halloween-themed animal shows, strolling characters, and a community pumpkin display across the zoo's 64 acres. Included with regular zoo admission, and each admission includes six free treat coupons. Costumes welcome.
Tickets: $22 adults, $18 seniors and children, under 3 free.
Details
Food & Drink · McKinney
McKinney Wine & Music Festival, 10th Anniversary
Saturday, October 24, 2 to 6 PM · District 121, 6731 Alma Rd, McKinney
Cheers to 10 years. Fifteen wine tasting stations plus live music all afternoon on the Credit Union of Texas Stage (The All Stars 2:00 to 3:30 PM, 80s Last Stand 4:00 to 6:00 PM), with a photo booth, vendors, and District 121's restaurants steps away.
Tickets: Wine Tasting Pass $45, includes a souvenir glass and 20 tasting tickets.
Details
Festival · McKinney
Grand Diwali Mela - Dallas Festival of Lights
Saturday, October 24, noon to 10 PM · Myers Park & Event Center, 7117 County Road 166, McKinney
North Texas's biggest Diwali celebration. Carnival rides, cultural dance performances, the Ram Leela theatre performance, a food court, Miss Diwali and children's contests, and a light show, with thousands of giveaways through the day.
Tickets: About $12.51; kids 10 and under are free.
Details
Family
Autumn at the Arboretum: Harvest Hues
Daily through Sunday, November 1, 9 AM to 5 PM · Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, 8525 Garland Rd, Dallas
One of Dallas's biggest fall traditions. More than 100,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash fill the gardens in installations inspired by Mondrian, Rothko, Escher, Pollock, Basquiat, and Bourgeois, plus a Van Gogh-inspired sunflower ground mosaic and a mini maze for the kids.
Tickets: Weekend admission $25.95 adult, $21.95 child 3-12; parking $15 per vehicle.
DetailsFrequently Asked Questions
When is the DFW weekend guide published?
Every Wednesday, covering events for the coming Friday through Sunday.
Are the event details verified?
Events are researched the week of publication. Times and prices can change, so confirm with the venue before you go.
Which picks are best for families with kids?
Boo at the Zoo at the Fort Worth Zoo (daytime, six free treat coupons, costumes welcome), the Grand Diwali Mela in McKinney (kids 10 and under free, carnival rides and contests), and Autumn at the Arboretum (pumpkin village, mini maze for the kids).
Which events are in McKinney this weekend?
Both on Saturday: the McKinney Wine & Music Festival at District 121 (2 to 6 PM) and the Grand Diwali Mela at Myers Park (noon to 10 PM).
How do I submit an event for next week's guide?
Send it our way and we will consider it for the next roundup.
Know an event we missed? Send it our way and we will consider it for next week's guide.
New roundup every Wednesday.
Events researched Sunday, October 18, 2026 and re-verified Thursday, October 22, 2026. Confirm times and prices with venues before heading out.
