The City of Fort Worth will say farewell to the “flying saucer” arena that has defined aerial views of downtown since 1968 with a free, family-friendly event commemorating 58 years of memories in the Arena.
WHAT: “It’s Goin’ Down” will be an indoor festival with a 10,000 square foot colorful historical exhibit, vendor booths, facepainting and photo booths, giveaways and commemorative merchandise, concessions and live music by Emerald City Band and DJs.
WHO:
Emceed by NBC 5 Anchor Deborah Ferguson
Welcome from Cynthia Sanchez Serrano, director of City of Fort Worth Public Events Department
Mayor Mattie Parker, City Council members and City leadership in audience
Special recognition of families whose parents built and managed the arena in the 1960s
WHERE:
Arena North entrance, 9th & Main Streets
FREE parking available in the Commerce St. or Houston & 11th St. garages on either side of the center for event guests from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
FREE parking at street meters downtown on Sundays
WHEN: Sunday, September 20, 2026
Noon Doors Open to Public
1:00-4:00 p.m. Band begins, guests may come and go until 4 p.m.
VISUALS:
10,000 sf exhibit with 10-foot colorful walls of graphics, photos, newsreels, archives
Emerald City Band high-energy live performance
The Photo Bus, a 1970s VW bus turned retro photo booth
Face painter, caricature artist, balloon artist and other floor entertainers
Booth exhibitors include Carter BloodCare, blood typing on site, and March to the Polls voter registration
WHY: The event will spotlight the convention center’s impact on the city’s history, cultural fabric and economy while looking forward to the evolution of what’s next: Phase 2 of the $701 million convention center expansion and modernization.
Dedicated in 1968 as the Tarrant County Convention Center, the Arena was a primary stop for major entertainment performances as well as convention crowds. The list of musical performers spans genres and generations, from AC/DC and BTS to Waylon and Willie. Paul McCartney’s first post-Beatles show in the U.S., Wings Over America, opened the tour in Fort Worth at the arena. Elvis Presley sold out a record-breaking three shows in 1974 with 55,000 total attendees. The U2 documentary Rattle and Hum was filmed here with special guest BB King during the 1987Joshua Tree Tour.
Sports greats such Olympian gymnast Nadia Comaneci and the Harlem Globetrotters drew thousands of fans, as did local Fort Worth Fire and Fort Worth Brahmas hockey teams. Many Fort Worth residents cite the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circuses as one of their earliest memories of the arena. Hundreds of thousands of Fort Worth graduates walked the stage under the dome.
It will be the last public event inside the arena before closing for remediation and demolition in early 2027.
“It’s Goin’ Down” is made possible by the City’s Culture & Tourism Fund, Fort Worth Promotional and Development Fund, Downtown Fort Worth Inc., Visit Fort Worth, and sponsored by: TVS, Bennett Partners, Hunt-Byrne-Smith, NBC 5, Telemundo 39, Lonestar 92.5, Star 102.1, iHeart Media and other corporate sponsors.
About the Fort Worth Convention Center
Since 1968, the Fort Worth Convention Center & Arena has hosted thousands of major national and international events including sports, concerts, political rallies, conventions and trade shows. Owned and operated by the City of Fort Worth, the Convention Center was significantly expanded in 2003 and is undergoing a $701 million expansion and modernization to be delivered in early 2030. www.fortworthconventioncenter.com
