🐎 3,000 horses

🐮 25 rodeo performances

🎟️ No. 1 Hot Ticket event

• Voyages of Discovery: Trailblazing Texas Botanists | Thursday, Jan. 4-Friday, Jan. 12 | 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth | $0-$12 | The exhibit features stories about Texas botanists during the state’s Golden Age of Exploration.

• Mansfield Barracudas vs. Santa Rosa Growlers | Friday, Jan. 5 | 7-10 p.m. | Children’s Health Star Center Mansfield, 1715 East Broad St., Mansfield | $15 | Cheer on your favorite team as these two semi-pro hockey teams battle it out on the ice.
• “War Pony” | Friday, Jan. 5-Sunday, Jan. 7 | Times vary | The Modern, 3200 Darnell St., Fort Worth | $3.50-$10 | This film tracks the lives of two young Indigenous men and is part of the Magnolia at the Modern film series.

• TCU Women’s Basketball | Saturday, Jan. 6 | 4-6 p.m. | Schollmaier Arena, 3000 Stadium Dr., Fort Worth | $5-$12 | The Horned Frogs will face Big 12 rival Oklahoma State.
• Dallas Stars | Saturday, Jan. 6 | 7 p.m. | American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., Dallas | $42-$795 | The Stars will take on the Nashville Predators at their home rink.

• The Las Vegas families who bought controlling stake in the Dallas Mavericks recently purchased the team’s practice facility. Village Walk RE 2 LLC purchased more than a dozen acres in the Design District, across I-35 from American Airlines Center. The properties are valued at $42.9 million. (The Dallas Morning News)

• Residents will now be charged if trash or recycle bins are overfilled. Lids on carts that are not securely closed are considered overloaded and will cost $6. Bags set curbside are considered “loose bags” and will cost residents $3 per bag. Learn more about holiday exemptions.

• H-E-B will host two job fairs next week for its new Tarrant County stores. The Alliance fair will be Tuesday, Jan. 9, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at 5650 N. Riverside Dr. The Mansfield store’s event will be the following day at the say times at the Midlothian Conference Center. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

• Joya — a new glow-in-the-dark playground in Farmers Branch — will open on Saturday, Jan. 20. A grand opening celebration will be held in Oran Good Park (13300 Dennis Ln.) at 6 p.m. Guests can expect a climbing sphere, zipline, swings, and sensory play.

• The new United Football League (UFL) will launch this spring merging the former USFL and XFL. The Arlington Renegades — led by longtime Oklahoma Sooners coach Bob Stoops — will be one of the eight teams in the new professional football league. UFL players will report to training camp in Arlington next month.

• Cowtown’s first Portillo’s is now open in Alliance at 8789 Tehama Ridge Pkwy. The Chicago-style street food restaurant offers Italian beef sandwiches, hot dogs, sausages, and its famous chocolate cake. The restaurant opens at 10:30 a.m. daily.

• H Mart plans to begin construction this month on its new location in Haltom City. The supermarket — located at the intersection of Loop 820 and Beach Street — will feature Asian goods and expects to open by the summer of 2025. (Fort Worth Report)

• Grapevine’s Weinberger’s Deli was named the best deli in Texas by Eat This, Not That. The media franchise said the Joe King Pastrami on marble rye is the standout sandwich. The downtown deli plans to open a to-go spot in Farmers Branch “soon.”

• Dutch Bros Coffee is expanding to north Fort Worth on Golden Triangle Boulevard. The specialty coffee shop expects to open in March with menu items like energy drinks, smoothies, and muffin tops. (Community Impact)

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• Get back into hiking by trying out a new trail once a month
• Cook more meals with local ingredients from a farmer’s market

• Finally learn to cook more than scrambled eggs and toast
• Actually swim — my inflatable backyard baby pool isn’t cutting it anymore