The Best Things To Do in (and Around) Fort Worth This Summer — From All-Star Mania to a Studio Ghibli Festival

What spells summer more than baseball? America’s favorite pastime will call Fort Worth and Arlington home this summer as the All-Star game comes to Texas. Other exciting events include a cosmic party at Meow Wolf in Grapevine, a nostalgic 20th anniversary, and an anime film festival arrives at The Modern Art Museum in early August.

All-Star Mania Descends On Fort Worth and Arlington

Not only will the Major League All-Star Game be played at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, July 16, but Arlington and Fort Worth will become the epicenter of the baseball world in mid-July.

Arlington’s entertainment district will be transformed, complete with temporary bridges connecting pedestrians to the entire area for all the activities. Choctaw Stadium, will become home to the All-Star Village for four glorious days ― the first time the event will take place inside a former MLB ballpark.

Meanwhile, over in the Fort Worth Stockyards fans can dip into the Major League Baseball Draft which will be held on July 14 at the Cowtown Coliseum. The All-Star Weekend Celebration will take place all around The Stockyards from July 12 through 16 ― at the Exchange Lawns, Cowboy Channel Lawns, and Mule Alley from 10 am to 8 pm.

Meow Wolf Gets Real Unreal

Meow Wolf opened in Grapevine in July of 2023. Now the immersive artistic thrill ride is celebrating its first year with a special Birthdaze Palooza. They are calling it an “infinite block party within The Real Unreal” from July 11 through 14. The birthday party features trashy fashion, karaoke nights, and a cosmic toast as Meow Wolf opens the portal to its next year.

The festivities kick off with a Trashion Show will be held on July 11. It will be a 21-and-over event expanded from Meow Wolf Denver and Meow Wolf Santa Fe locations ― filled with creativity and avant-garde creations. A Karaoke Night will take place on July 12, and on July 13 there will be a large panel of Meow Wolf collaborating artists leading an artist talk.

The celebration culminates at Meow Wolf Grapevine on July 14 with all-day activities, live games, and an artist toast. Tickets to these events are now on sale.

Pete’s Celebrates 20 Years in Fort Worth

Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar has become a staple in downtown Fort Worth. The piano bar will celebrate with an anniversary party “Here’s to the Next 20: A Night of Nostalgia” on Saturday, July 27 beginning at 7 pm.

Pete’s first arrived in Austin in 1992. Now, the model has locations in Frisco, Fort Worth, Houston, and Chicago, with plans to open another in Nashville, Tennessee in 2025.

“Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar has been a labor of love for me over the past 32 years,” says owner Corey Urbach. “Fort Worth has been such a special location for us as it was one of our first locations. We’ve seen two decades of countless birthday celebrations, proposals, anniversaries, and many other memorable moments for Fort Worthians.”

Guests who attend the Night of Nostalgia will be serenaded by A-list pianists featuring a specially curated setlist that celebrates the hits from the past 20 years, mixed with other favorites. The cost of admission is $14 per person.

Studio Ghibli Film Festival

If you’re a fan of anime and manga, this one’s for you. If you aren’t sure whether you are a fan … it might be for you as well. The Modern Art Museum is hosting a film festival from August 9 through 11 called Masterpieces from Studio Ghibli.

This all-Ghibli festival showcases five films from the animation masters who founded the studio — Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata — along with two versions of the live-action staging of Spirited Away in Tokyo. The Boy and the Heron, which won Best Animated Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards, is another highlight.

All film screenings will be held in the Modern’s auditorium, and tickets are $10 each ($8 for Friend-level Modern members; and $7 for Associate-level Modern members and above). There’s a discounted rate for purchasing tickets to the entire festival. The Modern Shop will be featuring many items from beloved Studio Ghibli Productions during the festival.