The entertainment guide for the week of August 30, 2026, highlights several significant cultural events. Ridley Scott's latest sci-fi drama, "The Dog Stars," based on the 2012 novel and starring Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, and Josh Brolin, is now out. Additionally, the Forwards festival in Bristol, UK, on August 29-30, features headliners such as Tems, Little Simz, and Amyl and the Sniffers, alongside UK legends like Tricky and Goldie, and electronic experimentalists Oklou and Wesley Joseph. "Selected 16," an exhibition touring across the UK, showcases diverse new moving image works by early-career artists, including Rhiana Bonterre and Rosanna, opening at Nottingham Contemporary on September 2.
In Chicago, new exhibitions and events are taking place from August 28-30. "The Peace of Wild Things" features artists Brown and Kwon, exploring color and layering as a means of self-discovery through abstract and surreal representations. Jackson Junge Gallery hosts "K-POP! A Mini Exhibition Featuring iri5," known for her mixed-media artworks from cassette tape, which includes a BTS-inspired cupsleeve event on Saturday, August 29, from 12:00–5:00 PM. SoNa Chicago Contemporary Art presents "World Without Promises," the culmination of the Industry of the Ordinary (IOTO) 2026 Summer Residency, with non-performative elements on view through Saturday, August 29, and an Artist Walkthrough from 5-7 pm.
New York City sees the "PARANORMAL ACTIVITY" stage play running from August 25, 2026, to January 3, 2027, at the August Wilson Theatre, featuring Travis A. Knight and Cher Álvarez. The "CHARLIE PARKER JAZZ FESTIVAL 2026" celebrates its 34th year from August 28-30 at Marcus Garvey Park and Tompkins Square Park, with performances by the David Lee Jones Quartet, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Joshua Redman, Catherine Russell, Ravi Coltrane, and more. Chicago's City Lit Theater Company opens "SHANE" on August 29, running until October 4, starring Michael B. Woods as the enigmatic gunfighter.
Dallas-Fort Worth also has several "LAST CHANCE" events through August 30 and 31. These include Sorany Gutiérrez's immersive performance "INNER PASSAGE," the drama "MOTHER PLAY" at Theatre Three, "LOS TRES CABEZONES: A THREE-PART FESTIVAL" at Artstillery, and the romantic drama "KLOOK AND VINETTE." Also closing are "THE COTTAGE" and "FRANCISCO MORENO: HISTORIA SINTÉTICA" at Dallas Contemporary. The international exhibition "SOCCER: THE PASSION FOR THE WORLD CUP" is on display through August 31 at the Arlington Museum of Art. The death of Dolly Parton this week also spurred numerous tributes and an outpouring of video clips celebrating her life and contributions to music.
