I’ve heard of all kinds of pre- and post-concert traditions from our longtime patrons. Early dinners with girlfriends who’ve made it a standing ritual before every concert. Braum’s ice cream double scoops on the drive home. I’m pretty sure I’ve even spotted a WFSO musician decompressing with their friends & family who enjoyed the show in the Delta Hotel lounge a time or two. Everyone finds their own way to make a concert night their own.
To my fellow young adults in Wichita Falls — if you’re tired of defaulting to dinner and a movie, a symphony concert is worth trying. No two programs are the same, so it’s a date night that will always be something new and different. Being the marketing director means I get to spend my days convincing people to do something I’d want to do myself!
Start with Dinner
Part of what I love about concert nights is that they give you a reason to linger. You’re not rushing to beat a reservation or squeezing in dinner before something else. The concert doesn’t start until 7:30. You have time to relax and enjoy the evening!
A few spots I’d point you toward before a performance:
- Pelican’s if you want a full steakhouse experience with a solid wine list. Worth making a reservation on concert nights — it gets busy!
- Fox Hill Restaurant & Gardens for something more intimate. The setting is gorgeous, and I love ending a meal with a campfire dessert.
- Shio if you’re in the mood for sushi and Japanese cuisine.
- Mia’s Italian Bistro for a relaxed dinner with no rush.
Then the Concert
This is the part I never get tired of.
I come from a musical theater background, so I’ve always loved the arts, but I’d never experienced a full symphonic orchestra until I started working here. There’s something about 70-plus musicians all making music together in the same room that you really can’t prepare for. I learn something new about the instruments, the musicians, and the music itself every single day, and I’ve been doing this a while now.
If you have a music background, you’ll find plenty to appreciate. If you don’t, you might be surprised. Most people leave with a new favorite instrument, a composer they want to look up, or just a feeling they didn’t expect. When the lights go down and the orchestra starts playing, something shifts. Phones disappear. The usual background noise of an evening goes quiet. For a couple of hours, there’s just the music.
Keep it Going Afterward
The applause doesn’t have to be the end of the night.
Some of my favorite post-concert conversations have happened over coffee or dessert. A few spots worth knowing:
- Collective Coffee for a cozy place to decompress and talk through what you heard.
- Hook & Ladder Coffees & Wine Co. if you’d rather wind down with a glass of wine downtown.
- The Delta Hotel bar for a fancy cocktail and delicious dessert.
There’s something about finishing a performance and then sitting across from someone asking, “What was your favorite piece?” Those conversations have a way of going longer than you expect.
My own post-concert tradition is a little less glamorous. I’m usually still working long after the last patron has left, so my celebratory moment is a bag of peanut M&Ms on the quiet drive home.
Make It a Weekend
If you’re coming in from out of town, there’ are plenty of things to do in Wichita Falls to fill a weekend. Wander through Alley Cat Vintage Mercantile, walk around Sikes Lake, or spend an afternoon at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art. River Bend Nature Center is worth a visit if you want to get outside and support another local nonprofit, and The Duck Coffee Company is a great spot to refuel before the drive home.
Come As You Are
Wichita Falls has more to offer than people sometimes give it credit for, and a Saturday night with the symphony is a pretty good reminder of that. Show up, sit together, and let the music do the rest.
Have questions or just want to know what you’re getting into before your first concert? Send me an email at marketing@wfso.org – I’d love to help you plan your night.
