Weekend Itinerary
This Weekend in Irving
We’ve got another exciting weekend coming up in Irving, TX. Whether you are looking for concerts, happy hours, culinary or cultural events, look no further
More InfoAmphitheaters, Arts Centers, Parks, and Even Movie Theaters Are Getting In On the Action, and You Should Too
Beyond the Board Room in Irving, Texas
Let’s be honest, attendees are tired of the same old meeting agenda - eight hours per day staring at speakers, panels and four blank walls at session after session. As a planner, you’re in luck because delegates will embrace the “beyond the boardroom” attitude and opportunities we offer in Irving.
With unmatched convenience and an elite convention center, Irving is a champion for your next meeting or event. But we take it a step further. We don’t do generic in Irving. Rather, our rich culture is incorporated into all aspects of the community, from the restaurants to our meeting and event venues to the individuals walking down the street ready to offer an official Texas “Howdy Y’all!” to visitors. Down here, hospitality is more than an industry. It’s part of our identity.
If you want your attendees to leave with stories that they’ll be sharing for years to come, pick venues that will add a dash of recreation to the schedule. Here, we don’t think you need to separate meetings from entertainment. Rather, through our unique venues, planners are encouraged to find new and innovative ways to engage their group.
Music Centers Are Made for Events, So Why Not Yours?
The Created Space: Toyota Music Factory
Next door to the Irving Convention Center and its headquarter hotel, the Toyota Music Factory is an all-in-one destination featuring almost 20 dining options, an 8,000-seat indoor-outdoor amphitheater and a 50,000-sq.-ft. event plaza, axe-throwing venue and an Alamo Drafthouse Movie Theater. You can schedule a lunch at any of the restaurants here, an excursion to Stumpy’s Hatchet House or a presentation and reception at the movie theater.
In the heart of the music factory, the Pavilion offers concert experiences, ranging from general admission tickets to performance packages that give patrons exclusive access to the VIP club and reserved seating areas.
The pavilion is not just a concert venue: It’s a specialized private party setting for creative planners. The Pavilion’s design is flexible enough to accommodate smaller parties of 800 people as well as blockbuster corporate events. Since opening in 2017, it has hosted hundreds of special events including tradeshows, corporate meetings and cocktail mixers. In total, the venue can accommodate 8,000 spectators and has 100,000 square feet of private event areas.
Indoor Theater to Outdoor Amphitheater with the Push of a Button
The structure sports electronic doors that fold-up horizontally at the rear of the building to unveil a panoramic view of the lawn and create an open-air pavilion. The ability to go from an indoor theater to an outdoor amphitheater is a unique experience very few venues have. The Pavilion is but one of a handful of convertible concert venues in America.
A Creative Vision, Indeed
The flexibility of the space and its design to be a live entertainment venue allows planners to think differently when coordinating an event than just using a typical ballroom setup. This multiform entertainment facility is perfect for opening and closing parties and so much more.
Eclectic Scene
Live Music
Famous for its eclectic music scene and given its central location in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Irving is home to a thriving… Read More
Entertainment District
Las Colinas
The Las Colinas Entertainment District is a hub of excitement in the vibrant and active Irving community of Las Colinas with bars… Read More
Irving Arts Center, a Premier Arts Venue
Come enjoy live performances, rotating art exhibits, and activities for kids at our visual and performing arts facility located in… Read More
Galleries and Theaters: They House Visual & Performing Arts, And Host Events
The Creative Space: Irving Arts Center
What better way to communicate your commitment to sharing the best and brightest ideas of the day than to host an offsite event at an arts center?
The Irving Art Center’s reputation as a premier arts venue manifests itself within six distinct galleries, a beautiful Sculpture Garden, and two state-of-the-art theaters. These beautiful spaces provide a unique backdrop for events—from large corporate dinners and concerts to meetings and film screenings.
As an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution with unparalleled offerings and spaces equipped with state-of-the-art media, the art center is the ideal location to easily satisfy your media technology needs and create the perfect experience for your group.
The Great Outdoors: Breathe Some Fresh Air into Your Meetings & Events
Planners can easily produce outdoor conference agenda items that go beyond the traditional recreational pursuits, breakouts, team building and cocktail receptions. And the meeting room views have never been better! Here are but a few al fresco alternatives:
Take It to the Terrace
The 275,000-square-foot, Silver LEED-certified Irving convention center offers over 100,000 square feet of meeting space accommodating groups of 800-4,000. The Covered Terrace and Lower Cafe Terrace offer panoramic, picturesque views of Las Colinas and are available for outdoor events for groups of up to 440 in rounds to 1,900 reception-style.
Party on the Plaza
The indoor eateries at the Toyota Music Factory are excellent options for off-sites, but most have patios too. Outdoor seating capacities range from 8 to 190. However, the Texas Lottery Plaza is the big star of the show. The open-air plaza in the heart of the complex is equipped with a stage, two outdoor bars and patio furniture, accommodating up to 2,500 folks for an outdoor show or event.
Park It
History at Heritage Park
The open space at this 32-year-old park combines its nostalgic past with modern entertainment amenities. Outdoor spaces that include basic set-up components have an advantage over the competition. Heritage Park has been reconfigured for concerts and performances, featuring a permanent stage with a large video screen and speaker system. The updated park also has parking for food trucks, public restrooms and a fountain feature with dancing water jets.
Lakeside at Levy Plaza
Knock it out of the park when you book an event at Levy Plaza, the new $2.8 million outdoor plaza along Irving’s Lake Carolyn. Featuring 6-acres of open green space, the venue hosts festivals and community events, plus sporting events. There’s ample transit, parking, drinking fountains and shade trees, plus a paved walkway, pedestrian lighting, benches and picnic tables, charging stations and free wi-fi. To enhance the event planning experience, the space has been designed for vendor tents and food trucks and features a permanent stage.
Mustang Mania at Williams Square Plaza
For almost four decades, the iconic Mustangs of Las Colinas, the world’s largest equestrian sculpture, has drawn visitors from around the world to Williams Square Plaza. The city recently completed a multi-million-dollar redevelopment of the plaza that transformed the expansive stone-covered ground into a comfortable public gathering and event space with lawns, trees, colorful landscaping and seating areas. The enhanced design offers a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly open-air venue that can be segmented to provide opportunities for events from intimate dinners to large parties all set against the centerpiece of the awe-inspiring mustangs.
Convene in the Courtyards
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly at Texican Court by Valencia
The meeting space at Texican Court offers over 3,500 square feet of retro-inspired indoor and outdoor meeting options. For outside events, planners can choose from three distinct courtyards— “The Good,” “The Bad,” and “The Ugly,” offering 600, 1,200 and 2,200 square feet to accommodate small, intimate groups or large parties with several hundred guests. What makes these courtyards interesting? Each has its own theme, twinkling lights, landscape reminiscent of the Wild West and a wood-burning fire pit.
All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy
That’s because he never attended a meeting in Irving. If you want to surprise your guests with the unexpected, Irving’s offsite venues can add a whole new dimension to the experience. Book a one-of-a-kind spot like the Texican Court that makes your attendees think they’re starring in an old spaghetti Western. They’ll practically feel the beat of the tom-tom drum as they enter the Spanish mission-style reception area.