The McKinney Weekender logo — sunrise over downtown McKinney with a dinosaur The McKinney
Weekender
Your Source for Fun in McKinney
Free every Thursday · McKinney, Texas

Fun things to do in McKinney this weekend — without the homework.

Every Wednesday we dig through venue calendars, city listings and local feeds. Every Thursday at 7 AM you get one email with the whole weekend — timed, priced, and checked by hand. Then you just go have fun.

46events checked in Issue #1
Thu 7 AMin your inbox, every week
$0free for readers, always

Next issue — Issue #2 — lands in …

This weekend · Nov 13–15
Illustration of Historic Downtown McKinney in fall — farmers market, art easels on the Square, the courthouse clock tower, and a dinosaur peeking over the trees from the Heard Museum
Issue #1 is out nowArt studios, free trees & dinosaurs — sent Thu Nov 12

Issue #1 · Fri Nov 13 – Sun Nov 15, 2026

This weekend in McKinney

The five we'd send our own family to — plus the family pick and the free pick from this week's issue. Every time, price and place below was checked against the organizer's own listing.

Friday
70° ☀️

Sunny — the pick of the weekend

Saturday
69° ⛅

Partly cloudy, showers possible late

Sunday
62° 🌧️

Showers likely — front-load outdoor plans

👉Weekender move: do the outdoor stuff Friday & Saturday, save Sunday for the Studio Tour's last hours and indoor plans.
#1 · Top Pick Illustration of the McKinney Art Studio Tour — artists painting outside brick studios under string lights in fall FREE

McKinney Art Studio Tour (MAST)

Sat 10 AM–6 PMSun 12–5 PM20 studios, citywide

The biggest arts weekend of the fall. 58+ local artists open their working studios — from the Historic District to the Cotton Mill — and you wander at your own pace. Grab the map, pick a neighborhood, and go.

Why we love it: It's free, it's walkable in chunks, and you meet the people who actually make McKinney's art — in the rooms where they make it.
Get the studio map at mastmckinney.org →
#2 Illustration of a family meeting a friendly animatronic T. rex on the Dinosaurs Live trail at the Heard Museum in autumn woods FREE with a recyclable

Texas Recycles Day at the Heard

Fri & Sat 9 AM–5 PMSun 1–5 PMHeard Museum, 1 Nature Place

Bring one clean plastic bottle or bag per person and admission is free — to the whole 289-acre preserve and the Dinosaurs Live! animatronic trail. Friday night bonus: a guided Night Hike, 6:30–8:30 PM ($14 / $12 members).

Details at heardmuseum.org →
5K

Bonnie Wenk Park · Festival grounds, food, music & the Unity Fest after the finish line

#3

Run for Hope 5K & Unity Walk

Sat · 5K 9 AM1-mile walk 10:15 AMBonnie Wenk Park

$35 for the 5K, $25 for the walk with a shirt (or walk free without one). Every dollar benefits NeighborHub's food, health, education and rental-assistance work right here in Collin County.

Register on RunSignup →
#4 Share the Shade free tree giveaway — a young desert willow tree in a pot, free for McKinney residents FREE

Share the Shade — Free Tree Giveaway

Sat 10 AM–1 PMMcKinney City HallResidents · first-come

The city's Arbor Day giveaway: free 5-gallon trees — Mexican plum, Shumard oak, pecan, Texas mountain laurel and more. Arrive early; the good ones go fast and they do not restock.

Tree list at mckinneytexas.org →
#5 Hops and Shops night market at TUPPS Brewery — two people holding TUPPS mugs under string lights, November 13, Friday 6 to 9 PM FREE entry

Hops & Shops Market at TUPPS

Fri 6–9 PMTUPPS BreweryLive music ’til 10 PM

Friday-night vendor market with local makers, craft beer, the Grain Room Kitchen, and live acoustic music from Eli Cates (7–10 PM) in the beer hall. Shopping, sipping, and zero cover.

See TUPPS upcoming events →
Illustration of the Merry and Bright Toy Drive at TUPPS Brewery — Santa photos, a reindeer, and kids donating wrapped gifts at dusk
👨‍👩‍👧 Family Pick

Merry & Bright Toy Drive at TUPPS

Sat 12–4 PMTUPPS Brewery

Bring a new unwrapped toy ($10+ suggested) and stay for live reindeer, a petting zoo, trackless train, free Santa photos, face painting and a silent auction — all benefiting Children's Health. The most fun you can have doing a good deed this weekend.

Illustration of the McKinney Farmers Market at Chestnut Square — produce stalls and families on the historic square
Free Pick

McKinney Farmers Market at Chestnut Square

Sat 8 AM–12 PM315 S. Chestnut St.

North Texas produce, baked goods and crafts in the historic village — plus a sound-bath demo at 9:30 AM and library storytime at 10 AM inside the market. Go early, bring a tote, leave with breakfast and half of Saturday's plans.

That's 7 of 46 verified events in Issue #1. Subscribers get the full list — every market, show, hike and game — in their inbox. Read Issue #1 on Beehiiv →

The Full Weekend

Day by day

A working shortlist from Issue #1. Tap a day — and if you want all 46 with links and prices, that's exactly what the email is for.

10:00 AM
Nature Story TimeHeard Museum · nature stories for little kids
11:00 AM
Vintage Pop-Up: The Art of EntertainingGather On The Square, Downtown · curated vintage décor
6:00 PM
Jazz Showcase: Tony StrideHeard-Craig Center · from $17.85 · dancing, wine & hors d'oeuvres
6–9 PM
Hops & Shops MarketTUPPS BreweryFREE ENTRY
6:30 PM
Night Hike at the Heard$14 / $12 members · guided after-dark hike, ages 3+
7:00 PM
Shrek Jr. The Musical301 Ridge Rd. · youth production (also Sat 2 & 7 PM)
7:00 PM
🏈 Playoff Football: McKinney North at Highland ParkHighlander Stadium · Bi-district, 5A Division I · North is 7–3
7:30 PM
The Doo Wah RidersChrist Fellowship · $35 · McKinney Community Concerts
7:00 PM
Music Bingo + Sip & Throw PotteryLandon Winery (Downtown) · Jump Into Art Studios, 404 N. Church St.
8:00 PM
Andy Timmons at The SanctuarySold out — livestream was offered via the venue
8 AM–12 PM
McKinney Farmers MarketChestnut SquareFREE
9:00 AM
Run for Hope 5K & Unity WalkBonnie Wenk Park · festival from 7:30 AM
10 AM–6 PM
McKinney Art Studio Tour20 studios citywideFREE
10 AM–1 PM
Share the Shade Tree GiveawayCity HallFREE
10 AM–4 PM
MillHouse Makers MarketCotton Mill · 30–40+ Texas artisansFREE
10 AM–2 PM
Holiday Craft FairSenior Recreation Center, 1400 S. College St.FREE
12–4 PM
Merry & Bright Toy DriveTUPPS · reindeer, Santa photos, petting zoo
2–5 PM
Fall Vendor Fair — Wayback Barn3964 Co Rd 168 · drive-in movie follows at 6:30 PMFREE
3:00 PM
Arwa Coffee — Grand Opening1935 Prestwick Hollow Dr. · new local coffee shop
7–10 PM
Wig Out Party with Reanimate 1988TUPPS Outdoor Beer Hall · DJ set follows at 10 PM
11 AM–5 PM
McKinney Kid's Day MarketThe Stix Icehouse · young entrepreneurs, free face painting 11–3, build-a-teddyFREE ENTRY
12–5 PM
McKinney Art Studio Tour — Last Chance20 studios citywideFREE
1–5 PM
Texas Recycles Day at the HeardLast entry 4 PM · free with a bottle or bagFREE*
1–4 PM
Wetland Canoe Trails (3-hour paddle)Heard Museum wetlands · check the Heard paddle page for the fee
6:30 PM
Paint Your PetThe Stix Icehouse
6:30 PM
Bunco NightVFW Post 2150, 1710 N. Church St.

How It Works

We do the digging. You do the fun part.

No algorithm, no scraped list of everything within 50 miles. A person in McKinney checks every event against its source, every week.

1

Wednesday: we hunt

We sweep 50+ local sources — venues, the city, libraries, schools, breweries, churches and community calendars — plus tips from readers like you.

2

Thursday 7 AM: you get the email

Top 5 picks, the full weekend by day, a family pick, a free pick, and the weather call — in one short, skimmable email before your coffee's done.

3

Weekend: you just go

Every listing carries the time, place and price we verified. No dead links, no “event ended last week,” no showing up to a sold-out door unprepared.

What's in every issue

  • Top 5 picks — the weekend's best, ranked
  • Full list by day — Fri, Sat & Sun, with times
  • A family pick & a free pick — every single week
  • Weather line — so you plan outdoors on the right day
  • “Willing to Travel?” — 3–5 nearby picks in Frisco, Plano, Prosper & beyond, with drive times (starts Issue #2)
  • Reader finds — the best tips from neighbors, credited

Issue #1, by the numbers

Sent Thursday, November 12, 2026 — our founding readers showed up.

46

verified events in the first issue

56.3%

open rate on Issue #1

11.1%

click rate — readers making plans

0

unsubscribes. We'll try to keep it that way.

The Weekender Promise

You're a reader here. Never the product.

“Our promise: no spam, ever — one email a week, only about McKinney weekends. We never sell, rent, or share your email or data — not to sponsors, not to anyone. Sponsors are always clearly labeled, and they're what keep this free — and 10% of every sponsor dollar goes to a charity our sponsors choose, in their name. You're a reader here, never the product.”

— That line runs in every issue, word for word. Hold us to it.

For Local Businesses

Put your business in front of McKinney's weekend planners

Weekender readers aren't scrolling — they're deciding where to go, eat, shop and spend this weekend. Sponsors get one clearly-labeled slot, category exclusivity, and honest numbers every month. Your first month is free while the list is under 300 subscribers.

Weekend Listing

$150 / month
  • Logo + one line in the footer of every issue
  • 4 issues a month, every Thursday
  • Month-to-month — cancel anytime
  • Only one business per category
Ask About This Slot
First Month Free

Featured Business

$200 / month
  • Mid-issue block: your name, pitch, link & offer
  • In front of readers mid-plan, not mid-scroll
  • Free for month one — testimonial + cross-promo is all we ask
  • Paid rate starts month two, only if you're happy
Claim the Free Month

Presenting Sponsor

$300 / month
  • Top of every issue: “Presented by you” + logo + 2 lines
  • The first name McKinney sees every Thursday
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Ask About Presenting

Sponsors can reach us at hello@mckinneyweekender.com

Hosting a weekend event? Listings are always free — sponsors pay for prominence, never for coverage. Submit your event below ↓  ·  Prefer email? Reply to any issue and it'll reach us.

Know something we don't?

Garage-sale-turned-block-party? A recital, a ribbon cutting, a playoff game, a pop-up nobody's posted yet? Send it in. We check every tip against the source, and good finds run in the issue — credited to you.

Submit an Event or Tip →

Include the what, where, when, cost, and a link if you have one. You can also just reply to any issue.

Coming Next

Issue #2 — Thursday, Nov 19

For the weekend of Nov 20–22. Already on our radar: a drive-in screening of The Lion King at Wayback Barn — Fri Nov 20 at 6:30 PM, $49 per vehicle — and the new “Willing to Travel?” section debuts with picks in Frisco, Plano, Prosper, Celina, Melissa, Anna & Allen.

–Days
–Hours
–Mins
–Secs

…until Issue #2 hits inboxes Thu Nov 19 at 7:00 AM CT. After that, the counter rolls to the following Thursday.

Good Questions

Before you ask

Yes — free for readers, always. Local sponsors pay for clearly-labeled slots, and that's what keeps it free. No paywall, no “premium weekend” tier, no selling your data. Ever.
Once a week, every Thursday at 7:00 AM Central — early enough to plan, late enough that the weekend's details are confirmed. That's it. No daily blasts, no “one quick thing” extras.
A person checks 50+ McKinney sources every Wednesday — venue calendars, the City of McKinney, libraries, the Heard, TUPPS, Downtown McKinney, schools and community groups — plus reader tips. If a time or price isn't on the source listing, we say so instead of guessing.
Listings are free — use the tip form above or reply to any issue with the details. If you'd like prominence (and category exclusivity), the sponsor slots above start with a free first month while the list is growing.
The main list stays McKinney-only — that's the promise. Starting with Issue #2, each issue adds a short “Willing to Travel?” section with 3–5 picks in Frisco, Plano, Prosper, Celina, Melissa, Anna and Allen, each with its drive time from downtown McKinney.
A McKinney local and his family — not a marketing company, not a national content farm. We live here, we go to these events, and our kid is the reason the family pick is never phoned in. Say hi on Instagram or TikTok at @mckinneyweekender.

Your next weekend in McKinney starts Thursday.

Join free and get Issue #2 — plus every weekend after it — in your inbox at 7 AM. One email. Zero spam. All fun.