Well, here we are, the dog days of summer. I know this is true because Thanksgiving recipes and Christmas decorations have started to creep into my browser history. Fantasizing about cold weather holidays – classic sign of summer burnout. BUT! It’s not over yet, and we’ve got a whole bunch of ways for you to spend time with the kids and family in August all around Dallas – including some last minute flicks from Alamo Drafthouse! Ch-ch-check it out!
And remember, we maintain a full calendar of events here, and when you subscribe to our Newsletter, you’ll get this list sent straight to your inbox! Enjoy!
In addition to the amazing family-friendly events below, all summer long, our friends and sponsors at Alamo Drafthouse will continue to host Kids Camp!
Kids Camp is an affordable way for families to watch great films together during the summer. Choose your own ticket price – $1-$3-$5 and buy your tickets online to reserve your seats in advance. 100% of ticket sales are donated to local nonprofits working to make our community a better place. While most Kids Camp screenings are ages 3 and up, some DFW locations are All Ages. (Please check drafthouse.com for local policies.)
Still to come this month, Alamo Drafthouse will be screening the following family-friendly films during Kids Camp to help you get through the last few weeks of summer:
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All Month :: It’s August Dollar Days at the Arboretum, with admission for just $1. Total deal. You also get $2 hot dogs and root beer floats, $1 popsicles, and $4 sundaes. Also, they are still doing After Hours on Wednesdays until 8pm. Bring that cute picnic gear you don’t use often enough.
All Month :: This is your last chance to get into the movies for $1 with the Studio Movie Grill Children’s Summer Series. Each week has a different movie, but check your theater for specific deets. For August, we get The Peanuts Movie, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Chicken Run, Home, and Monsters Vs. Aliens.
August 1 :: Prairie Creek Branch Library has Summer @ the Creek today, with projects and activities for preschoolers and elementary kids from 1-3:30pm. FYI, on any given day, click here for a list of all Dallas Public Library events, easily filtered by branch, age, etc.
August 10 :: LEGOLAND Discovery Center brings their blocks to Klyde Warren Park today for the giant Ninjago mosaic build. 10am to 1pm. Side note, don’t forget to check out LEGOLAND’s Pirate Beach before school starts, if you haven’t already. Spend the day!
August 2, 5, 9 :: LOOK Cinema also wraps up their Summer Family Series this month. Dollar admission and special $4.50 kids meal deals. Lego Movie (8/2) and Sing (8/5 and 8/9).
August 2 :: A professor from prestigious Zooniversity will bring 6 different animals to Fretz Park Library and teach us all about their habits today from 1-2pm. Designed for ages 5 and up.
August 4, 19 :: Got some Frisco RoughRiders fun for ya. First up, Star Wars night on 8/4. Meet characters throughout the evening and watch a postgame fireworks show. Or, if you’d rather, 8/19 has a Back-to-School Backpack giveaway for the first 1000 kids plus an appearance by Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell for 90’s Nite.
August 5-6 :: This weekend is the Let’s Play Gaming Expo at the Irving Convention Center in Las Colinas. Retro and modern gaming tournaments, 90+ arcade games that are all free to play, special guests, and lots of casual gaming. An event for the indoor kids! Tickets start at $15; 7 and under get in free.
August 5, 12, 19, 26 :: Every Saturday this month, the Galleria mall offers different Showtime Saturday presentations of the silly, clown-y variety. First on the schedule is Critterman, who brings a bunch of live animals along. Check the link for more info on each week’s act. 11:30-12pm Free!
August 10 :: The Skillman Southwestern Library Branch brings us James Wand, Spy Magician today from 2-3pm. That’s a nice, long magic show, ya’ll. Free, all ages.
August 11 :: See what the Dallas Zoo animals get up to after hours during Family Safari Night Hike. Special zoo tour + lots of fun and activities from 7-10pm. Tickets are $20 each, minimum age 5 years.
August 12 :: Start your back-to-school partying at the Uptown Kiddo’s Carnival at Griggs Park. This is a free event with all the good stuff – music, food, magic, face painting, balloon artists, and more. 9am to 12pm.
August 12 :: Celebrate the bees while we’ve still got ’em (!) at Texas Discovery Garden’s Pollinator Party. Learn about pollination and how to bee a good neighbor to you local pollinators. 10am to 3pm. Included with admission.
August 12 :: Head to Northpark for some cool air and ArtROCKS! featuring the work of Frida Kahlo. Lots of interactive art projects for the kids, plus cookie decorating and a Bookmarks scavenger hunt. 1-4pm in the NorthCourt. Free!
August 12 :: The Perot Museum Discovery Days theme for August is “Adventure,” in celebration of Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed. Go on a scavenger hunt through the museum, make masks, discover Mayan mythology, and much more. Included with the price of admission. Check the link for a full schedule of activities and demonstrations.
August 13 :: It’s Second Sunday Funday: Sculpt It at the Irving Arts Center today. I’m so into clay lately! Get inspired in the sculpture garden and then help your kids create a piece of their own. Free!
August 17-20 :: Do you have an anime-lover in the family? How cute would it be if you all dressed up for AnimeFest at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel? Single day passes are available online starting August 11th. Be sure to check out the complete schedule of events for all the info.
August 18 :: Winner of this month’s “Most Instagrammable,” an award I just invented, is the 30th Annual Lions Club Balloon Festival. And by balloon, I mean hot air. The event is free, and there will be lots of associated activities, including tethered balloon rides. Check out the FAQ for more; it says early morning is best for ballooning, but I want to see all those balloons glowing in the night sky!
August 21 :: There’s a solar eclipse today! We won’t get to see a total eclipse here in Dallas, but we do get to see a good 75%. Frontiers of Flight Museum will host a Solar Eclipse Watch Party from 10 am to 5pm. First 300 visitors to the museum get a pair of “eclipse glasses” free with admission. FYI, Google tells me that peak viewing time for the full 75% is around 1pm. So cool.
August 24 :: Texas Discovery Gardens is doing one more Butterfly Tea Party to celebrate Fancy Nancy and Bonjour, Butterfly. They’ll have crafts, tea and snacks, and a butterfly release at the end of the party. Tickets starting at $3, prices vary by age and membership status.
Any other fun stuff? Let us know below! We love fun stuff!
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