Stage Fright: A free Halloween morning in the Arts District

If you are still hunting for Halloween plans that won't break the bank or scare the younger kids out of their costumes, the Arts District has a free option worth knowing about. The AT&T Performing Arts Center is bringing back Stage Fright for its fifth year, a family-friendly Halloween festival that doubles as the second event in the Center's free annual festival series for the 2026-2027 season. It runs on Saturday, October 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Sammons Park, 2403 Flora St, so it is a morning affair rather than a late-night one.

Admission is free with an RSVP, and no tickets are required, which makes it an easy drop-in for a Saturday morning. The festival is put on in partnership with the Dallas Police Department's Office of Community Affairs, and that connection plays a part in what you can do there. One of the activities is a "stick-r-treat" where you can learn about different Dallas Police Department units and walk away with a sticker. For the music, students from Personalized Learning Preparatory at J.W. Ray Learning Center put on a "spooky" performance, and choreographer Daunte "Cheesy" Borner leads a session where you can pick up some iconic zombie dance moves. Beyond that, there are creepy creatures on loan from the Dallas Zoo, a DJ dance party, a costume contest, a petting zoo, and carnival bites from JBW Vending. The SPCA of Texas also brings out its Dog Adoption Van, complete with treats and puppy kisses.

If you want to keep the visit going past Halloween, the Center sets up an Altar de Muertos on November 1 and 2, a Day of the Dead altar that explains the tradition of honoring deceased ancestors with offerings of favorite foods, flowers, and photographs. The whole festival is backed by the Addy Foundation, with sponsors including National Life Group, Netflix House Dallas, Texas Bank, Raising Cane's, and Indeed Flex.

A few practical notes before you head down. Parking is not free: you can buy a spot in advance at Lexus Red Parking at the AT&T Performing Arts Center or use the municipal lots around Sammons Park. Low lawn chairs, blankets, and strollers are all fine, and strollers are specifically allowed in Sammons Park for this event. Outside food and drinks are not permitted, though water bottles filled with water are okay. Weapons, umbrellas, coolers, and laser pointers are not allowed on the grounds. For a bit of background on the setting, Sammons Park was designed by Michelle Desvigne of Paris in collaboration with JJR of Chicago, and the AT&T Performing Arts Center sits at 2403 Flora St. If you enjoy this kind of thing, the Center's festival series continues with Brass & Jazz in the Park on November 7 and Reliant Lights Your Holidays on December 5, and the broader 2026-2027 lineup includes the Latinidad Festival, which ran on October 3, and the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Festival coming on May 8, 2027.