The Nelsen’s moved their family from Los Angeles to Fort Worth during the pandemic. | Photo provided by the Nelsen’s

Actress Sainty Nelsen started performing at Casa Mañana when she was three years old. She met her husband, actor Eric Nelsen, in New York City before they moved to Los Angeles to pursue their blossoming careers. Between the two of them, they have four Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, moving home to Cowtown felt like the best fit for their family. Now, the couple is working to expand the entertainment industry in Fort Worth.

FTW-sainty-nelsen — Sainty is also the co-executive producer on the documentary “Broadway Rising.” | Photo provided by Sainty Nelsen

What can you tell us about your upcoming projects?

Sainty: I can’t shed too much light on it right now, but I think it’s time that Hallmark comes to Fort Worth.

Eric: We’re in the developmental stages of “The Will Rogers Story” right now. We really want to shine light on the untold story of the life of this incredible man. He was so influential throughout the South and all over the world.

We’ve got a great team of people, including Brian Kelly of Florida Georgia Line. We’re looking at later this year to actually start film production on it.

FTW-eric-nelsen — Eric is best known for this role as Ennis in “1883” and Daniel Garrett in “The Bay.” | Photo provided by Eric Nelsen

How is the production community different in Fort Worth compared to other filming hotspots?

Eric: It’s the support. You see a community of people come together. When you’re filming in places like Texas, everybody — from the mayor to local restaurant owners — is encouraging of the film production.

Shows like “1883” really put the city on the map — and not just from a filming perspective — we’re telling stories of Texas. The history of the city is playing out on screen.

How do you see Cowtown’s entertainment industry changing in the next decade?

Sainty: I think it’s going to be the place to film — to be honest — just based on taxes, weather, more land, and places to shoot. Everyone’s very supportive and excited. I really think this is going to be one of the big hubs for the entertainment industry.

Click the button below to learn what Sainty and Eric are working on, their dream roles, and what they love about Fort Worth.

7 MORE QUESTIONS

EVENTS

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Friday, Feb. 17

Spring Home & Garden Show | Friday, Feb. 17-Sunday, Feb. 19 | Times vary | Will Rodgers Memorial Center, 3401 W. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth | Free | Find everything you need to jump start those home and garden projects.

Saturday, Feb. 18

TX Whiskey Sippin’ Saturday | Saturday, Feb. 18 | 12-5 p.m. | Whiskey Ranch, 4250 Mitchell Blvd., Fort Worth | $10 | Enjoy a taste of Louisiana with food trucks, specialty cocktails, and live jazz.
UFC Fight Watch Party | Saturday, Feb. 18 | 6 p.m. | BoomerJack’s, 2600 W. 7th St., Fort Worth | Free | Skip the cover charge and settle in to watch the matchup on wall-to-wall TVs.

Sunday, Feb. 19

“Charlotte’s Web” | Sunday, Feb. 19 | Times vary | Casa Mañana, 3101 W. Lancaster Ave. , Fort Worth | $29-$44 | Join Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig’s adventure as they explore life in the barnyard.
Jazz Brunch | Sunday, Feb. 19 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | The Fitzgerald, 6115 Camp Bowie Dr., Fort Worth | Cost of purchase | Head to the restaurant’s heated patio for brunch, featuring a live jazz pianist — reservations are recommended.

Monday, Feb. 20

African American History Bingo | Monday, Feb. 20 | 6:30 p.m. | Fort Worth Public Library - Ella Mae Shamblee, 1062 Evans Ave., Fort Worth | Free | Learn about local African American history while winning fun prizes.

Tuesday, Feb. 21

Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night | Tuesday, Feb. 21 | 8-10 p.m. | University Pub, 3019 S. University Dr., Fort Worth | Free | Kick back with your friends and a couple of brews and test your knowledge.

Wednesday, Feb. 22

Bilingual Story Time | Wednesday, Feb. 22 | 9:30 a.m. | Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1600 Gendy St., Fort Worth | Free | Kiddos can enjoy an interactive read-aloud in English and Spanish.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

DRINK

Your weekend assignment: Check out Fat Daddy’s in Mansfield

Fat Daddy's Mansfield AngMar FTWtoday 2023

Go for the food, stay for the fun. | Photo by Fat Daddy’s

Haven’t been to Mansfield (specifically Fat Daddy’s) lately? Time to change that, because the sports bar + live music venue has a lot going on — and you don‘t want to miss out.

Here are three ideas:

Happy hour: Specials include $2.50 drafts and $3 margaritas, Monday-Friday from 2-7 p.m.
Game night: Fat Daddy’s has pool, darts, video games, and poker and trivia nights.
Special events: The Mardi Gras Party (Tuesday, Feb. 21) and Bring in the Weekend Party (Friday, Feb. 24) are both just around the corner.*

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

NEWS NOTES

Weather

52º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain

Development

This week, City Council approved more money for improvements to the historic Will Rogers Coliseum. $8.5 million worth of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act Revenue Recovery will go towards renovations for the concourse, restrooms, grand lobby, and the Backstage Club. 💰 (Fort Worth Business Press)
Three new buildings are planned for a business park in south Fort Worth. The $87 million warehouses — comprising 1.5 million sqft of the total 7 million sqft of Carter Park East — will break ground this summer. (The Dallas Morning News)

Edu

At a school board meeting earlier this week, Fort Worth ISD approved the 2023-2024 school calendar. Winter break will run from Friday, Dec. 22 to Monday, Jan. 8 — a week later than this year. See the full calendar. 🗓️
Speaking of the 2023-2024 school year — IDEA Public Schools will host an admission lottery tomorrow. Submit an application today to enroll your student at the college preparatory academy. 🏫

Coming Soon

Are you brave enough to ride AQUAMAN: Power Wave? The 148-ft-tall water roller coaster opens at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington on Saturday, March 11. The first-of-its-kind attraction will launch riders 63 mph over 700 ft of track into a splash pool. 💧

Arts

Calling creatives — applications are open for Magnolia’s annual arts festival. ArtsGoggle will be held on Saturday, Oct. 21. Artists, vendors, sponsors, and musical acts should apply by Friday, July 14. Keep an eye out for volunteer registration. 🎨

Ranked

No. 1. H-E-B capped dunnhumby’s 2022 Top U.S. Grocery Retailers list. The survey ranked 60+ grocery chains on price, promotions, quality, speed, digital, and operations. Stay up to date on the upcoming Tarrant County H-E-B locations. 🛒 (CultureMap Fort Worth)

Sports

Baseball Hall of Famer Greg Maddux is joining the Rangers as a special instructor at spring training in Arizona. Maddux — winner of 18 Gold Gloves Awards — will coach the pitchers on fielding. ⚾️
Super Bowl weekend may be over, but NBA All-Star Weekend kicks off today, Feb. 17. See the lineup of events — like this evening’s All-Star Celebrity Game and Sunday’s 72nd NBA All-Star Game — and get your hands on the limited edition All-Star merch before it sells out. 🏀 *

Home

So you can’t stop dreaming about fresh, new cabinets in your kitchen. If the question of financing is the only thing holding you back, we’ve got two words for you: home equity. Calculate your monthly payment.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Culture

Color me kind 💛

We challenge you to perform one random act of kindness before the sun sets. | Photo by @jrh79_

February is the season of love, but we’re adding kindness to the mix. Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day.

From simple gestures to volunteering your time, here are seven random acts of kindness you can perform to make a neighbor’s day or brighten up the community.

Bring treats to work 🍩

Next time you’re on the way to work, grab your coworkers some coffee or pastries. Pro tip: Donuts from FunkyTown Donuts and Drafts and brews from Pax & Beneficia Coffee are a perfect pairing.

Pay for a student’s lunch 🍎

School lunches cost ~$3 a day, which for many students can be a burden. Call Fort Worth ISD’s nutrition services and ask to pay a student’s backdue charges.

Gift something just because 🎁

Whether it’s to recognize a teacher or just surprise someone special in your life, we suggest gifting a candle from Wixology or a card from Joy Paper Co. Or snag something from P.S. the Letter.

4 MORE ACTS

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Kate.

Editor’s pick: It’s time to whip out those baking skills. The State Fair of Texas is hosting a new baking competition this spring. 🍰

In the Battle for the Blue Ribbons, bakers will bring forth their best recipes for cookies, cakes, and bread from Friday, May 19 to Sunday, May 21. Blue ribbon-winners will advance to the Best of Show-Down competition in the 2023 Fair. Register now.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Share the love with these 10 reader-recommended appetizers.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Rebecca McRobbie, Kate Mazade, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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