Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter

Tonight's Cool Thursdays at the Dallas Arboretum features the Limelight Band (Thursday September 24).

OktoberFest Fort Worth at Panther Island Pavilion runs today Thursday September 24 through Saturday September 26. Consider this an authentic German celebration with just the right amount of Texas thrown in to make it our own.

The McKinney Oktoberfest runs tomorrow Friday September 25 – Sunday September 27. You can't miss it. They'll have Weenie dog races and Bier barrel races.

Retropalooza is at the Arlington Convention Center Saturday September 26-Sunday September 27

Want to hear some big band music? Then check out former 'Tonight Show' bandleader Doc Severinson at Bass Hall Saturday September 26.

Park and Palate at Klyde Warren Park is this Friday September 25 and Saturday September 26. This is Klyde Warren Park's first-ever food and wine fundraising event featuring celebrity chefs, a Dallas-style grand tasting, cooking demos, and live music.

The awesome State Fair of Texas gets underway tomorrow Friday September 25 and thrills and delights all the way through October 18.

The Western Days Festival is happening in Lewisville Friday September 25-Saturday September 26. Southern Rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd and Texas country's Wade Bowen will headline. Lynyrd Skynyrd will be the featured act on Friday night while Saturday's headliner will be Wade Bowen closing out the weekend festival. The World Tamale Eating Championship is also part of the festivities.

If you want to experience a haunted house without clowns, zombies and chainsaws…check out Dan's Haunted House Friday September 25 – October 31. You'll take a scary journey into Japanese Culture and Folklore. Come on. The thing is called "Dan's Haunted House". You knew it had to be different.

The 22^nd Dog Days of Denton is Saturday September 26 at the North Texas State Fairgrounds. They say this is Texas' original festival for pooches and their people.

The Red Bull Air Race World Championship is at Texas Motor Speedway Saturday September 26- Sunday September 27.The world's best pilots will race within Texas Motor Speedway, navigating 82-feet-high pylons at speeds of up to 230 mph.

The Party on the Porch at Amon Carter Museum of American Art is Saturday September 26. It will be a night of American art, local food, hometown music, and the best view of Fort Worth.

While you are in Fort Worth, head over to Billy Bob's for Billy Currington (Saturday September 26).

Blues Traveler is playing the House of Blues Saturday September 26.

Dire Straits Mark Knopfler playing The Majestic Saturday September 26.

If you saw the 1986 movie Crossroads, you heard this guy's music. He played on practically every song…including the cool guitar duals between Ralph Macchio's character and guitar god Steve Vai (who really did play his guitar parts in the movie). If you heard a slide guitar… was Ry Cooder. It has been said that Cooder spent a year working on the soundtrack for Crossroads…and we appreciate every minute it took. See Ry Cooder along with another guitar great Ricky Skaggs at the Granada Friday September 25.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)