Arlington 150: Stories of a Legacy is on view at the Arlington Museum of Art through February 28, 2027. The exhibition opened October 17, 2026, and brings together objects and accounts gathered with more than 75 local organizations, businesses and individuals. It traces the city from early settlements and the railroad’s arrival through later chapters of community, culture and civic life.

The museum’s announcement highlights material tied to Arlington Downs, Top O’Hill Terrace, Pantera and Village Creek. Its contributor list includes libraries, schools, cultural groups and other local institutions. The mix offers residents several ways to connect familiar places and names to Arlington’s broader history.

The museum is at 1200 Ballpark Way. It says exhibition entry is included with $10 general admission. Before visiting, confirm current hours and closures with the museum, and use the exhibition page to confirm ticket details and the schedule. The run leaves time to visit beyond opening week.

Lake Arlington offers fishing, boating, paddling and shoreline time. Start with the City of Arlington's lake page for current rules. Bowman Springs Park has a ramp, dock, restrooms and fishing access. Richard Simpson Park currently warns boaters about low water, so check conditions before choosing a launch point.

Every watercraft needs a city permit, including kayaks and canoes. The city's 2026 fee page lists a $5 daily pass and a $10 two-day weekend pass. Verify the right permit and price before launching.

Texas Parks and Wildlife lists sport fish and provides state guidance. Check license and catch rules before fishing. Paddlers can use the state's trail page to plan a route that fits their experience.

Swimming and wading are prohibited, and boats must launch only at authorized points. Check notices, weather, water levels and safety gear on the day you go. A shoreline visit needs less preparation than a boat trip, but both benefit from confirming which facilities are open.

UTA students have three Mav Voter Express ride dates to reach the Tarrant County Subcourthouse in Arlington: Tuesday, October 27; Thursday, October 29; and Friday, October 30. The Shorthorn reports that Student Government extended the service from the University Center after the Maverick Activities Center was not selected as a polling site.

Vans are reported to run noon to 5 p.m. CDT on each date. Those are transportation hours, not voting hours. Tarrant County's early-voting schedule lists the subcourthouse at 700 E. Abram Street and gives polling hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT on weekdays October 26 through 30. Early voting ends October 30 for the November 3 election.

Before leaving campus, confirm the pickup point and any service changes with Student Government, allow time for a voting line, and review Texas voter ID guidance. The report gives no reservation rule or van frequency. Use county information for voting locations and hours.

The North Texas Powwow was scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT at Esports Stadium Arlington, 1200 Ballpark Way. Arlington’s event listing named IndigiCommunity and the UTA Native American Students Association as hosts.

Organizers planned traditional dancing, gourd dancing, drumming, contests, and an Indigenous art and vendor market. The Shorthorn reported that dance periods were set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 5 p.m., and that the powwow, previously held in Dallas, was coming to Arlington for the first time. IndigiCommunity board member Jessica Johnson said the event was open to non-Native people.

The listing gave the price only as “varies,” and the stadium’s visit page said parking charges vary by event. This account draws on pre-event reporting, not coverage of the day itself. Readers who want news of future gatherings can follow IndigiCommunity and the UTA Native American Students Association for updates.

Arlington's City Council voted 7-2 Tuesday to approve amendments to its Dallas Cowboys lease deal, limiting city funding to stadium maintenance and operations costs while the Cowboys remain responsible for funding broader improvements by 2043. City Manager Trey Yelverton said the split was intentional: the city's dollars cover upkeep while the team's dollars cover upgrades, a distinction worked out with bond attorneys and the Texas Attorney General's office.

The change comes as a June lawsuit against Mayor Jim Ross and Yelverton heads toward a May 2027 trial, after a judge declined to dismiss it. Plaintiffs say residents deserved a direct vote on the underlying deal, which commits up to $273 million in venue-tax funding and extends the Cowboys' lease to 2055. Those venue taxes, approved by Arlington voters in 2004 and renewed in 2016 to help build Globe Life Field, remain authorized through 2048.

The city paid off its original stadium construction loan early, in August 2025. The amended deal still needs sign-off from the Texas Attorney General's office before it becomes final, leaving the broader legal question of whether voters should have had the final say unresolved heading into next year's trial.

Arlington offers more than a stadium visit. This guide covers seven stops, from museums and theme park rides to river trails, lake fishing, a planetarium and downtown concerts. The National Medal of Honor Museum opened to the public in March 2025 near AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, and the Arlington Museum of Art at 1200 Ballpark Way adds rotating exhibitions.

For the outdoors, River Legacy Park offers more than 10 miles of cross-country trails across 1,031 acres along the Trinity River. Lake Arlington requires a city permit for every watercraft. The UTA Planetarium runs weekly public shows under a 60-foot dome. Six Flags Over Texas lists Fright Fest on select nights through November 1.

Check each venue's current hours before you go. The art museum is closed on Mondays, and Levitt Pavilion's concert dates should be confirmed. Pick one anchor stop, pair it with something nearby, and confirm tickets and showtimes with each venue.

Downtown Arlington is hosting its first-ever renaissance faire on Halloween, October 31, at Levitt Pavilion.

Shakespeare LIVE! and Create Texas are running the free event from noon to 6 p.m.

It blends three traditions at once: Renaissance faire, Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, so costumes of any style are welcome.

The afternoon features an artisan marketplace with jewelry, ceramics, woodworking and more, plus strolling musicians and live sword fight demonstrations.

Food vendors, including a turkey leg stand, round out the market.

At 7 p.m., the group stages a free outdoor performance of Macbeth on the pavilion stage, timed deliberately for Halloween night.

No tickets are required for either the market or the performance, and downtown parking is available nearby.

Organizers hope strong turnout will make it an annual tradition.

It's a free, family-friendly alternative to the usual trick-or-treat circuit, right in the heart of downtown Arlington.

Arlington's free paper shredding and electronics recycling event, originally rained out in October, now runs Saturday, October 31, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The location is a parking lot at Mitchell and Cooper streets on the UTA campus, entering from Doug Russell Road.

Proof of Arlington residency is required to participate, and shredding is limited to two banker's boxes per vehicle.

Accepted electronics include TVs, computers, cellphones, tablets, cameras, small appliances and audio or video gear.

Washers, dryers and Freon-containing units are not accepted, and trailers are not allowed on site.

City officials say the event protects residents from identity theft while keeping electronic waste out of local landfills.

No registration is needed, and the event runs until supplies or time run out.

It's a practical, no-cost errand for anyone sitting on old paperwork or dead electronics before the year winds down.

The Tipsy Oak, an icehouse-themed restaurant and bar at 301 East Front Street in Arlington's Urban Union district, has spent nearly a decade building a following around its open-air patio and more than 30 craft beers on tap.

The chef-driven menu includes bacon gouda queso, brisket cheese fries, honey chipotle chicken tacos and a lobster roll that regulars single out in reviews, alongside burger options ranging from a jalapeno classic to a double-brisket, egg-topped build finished with seared gouda queso.

Weekend brunch runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and the patio becomes a full watch party on Cowboys Sundays with live music most weekend nights and all-day Bloody Marys.

Dogs are welcome on the outdoor patio, and reservations are not required for most visits. Current hours, menus and event updates are posted on the restaurant's official website, with parking available throughout the Urban Union district.

Regla “Su” Becquer, who ran unlicensed boarding homes across North Texas under Love and Caring for People LLC, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to financial elder abuse, endangerment and criminal negligent homicide.

Arlington police arrested Becquer in 2024 after the department's Behavioral Health Law Enforcement Unit investigated complaints of physical abuse, theft, neglect and fraud at five properties she operated, removing residents who needed hospitalization for severe malnutrition and untreated medical conditions.

Court records describe residents denied wheelchairs, sedated without a prescription, financially exploited through unauthorized bank transactions, and in one case, a home acquired through a handwritten will signed days before the owner died.

The case helped drive a Texas law, effective September 2025, that criminalizes operating an unlicensed boarding or assisted living facility. Residents can verify a facility's license through Texas Health and Human Services, and report concerns to the Arlington Police Department, before signing any care agreement.