Residents encouraged to share photos of arena memorabilia
FORT WORTH — The City of Fort Worth is preparing for the final countdown to say farewell to the “flying saucer” arena that has defined aerial views of downtown since 1968.
With free admission for attendees of all ages, a family-friendly Sunday afternoon event, “It’s Goin’ Down,” will commemorate 58 years of memories of the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena with a festival atmosphere, historical exhibit and activations, commemorative merchandise, concessions and live music by a renowned tribute band and DJ spinning hits by arena performers throughout the decades.
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. It will be the last public event in the arena before closing for remediation and demolition in early 2027.
“In true Fort Worth form, we will say farewell to our storied arena with a finale for North Texas residents and visitors,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. “Fort Worth continues to lead as an ‘unexpected city’, one that celebrates who we are, honors where we’ve been, and most importantly, celebrates where we’re going as we look ahead to the exciting convention center expansion in 2030.”
“Like many Fort Worthians, I attended the circus and sporting events in the arena and worked behind the scenes in operations here for more than a decade,” said Cynthia Sanchez Serrano, director of the City’s Public Events Department and general manager of the Fort Worth Convention Center. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to reminisce and make new memories in this space. A lot has gone down in this building and we’re excited about what’s coming up.”
Event Details: What: It’s Goin’ Down Arena Farewell
When: Sunday, September 20, 2026
Time: 1 – 4 p.m. (Doors open at Noon at 9th and Main Streets)
Cost: FREE admission. Concessions, commemorative merchandise and giveaways available.
Parking: Available in two garages near the center and surface parking. Meters downtown are free on Sundays. Or take Trinity Railway Express, TEXRail to downtown or the free Blue Line circulator.
Share Your Memorabilia
Be a part of history! Residents may upload photos of their own arena memorabilia to the Fort Worth Public Library’s History Center collection at the following link. fwpl.info/arenasubmissions. The City is interested in collecting photos of concerts, graduations, ticket stubs, posters, t-shirts or other items that depict an arena event.
Arena History Highlights 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 grand opening schedule from November 21-24 featured “La Traviata” as the opening performance of the opera season, The Bob Hope Show, the Rowan & Martin Comedy concert and the Eddy Arnold Show.
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 here.
Sponsors “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 others. More sponsorship opportunities are listed here.
About the Fort Worth Convention Center Since 1968, the Fort Worth Convention Center 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’s Public Events Department, the Convention Center was last significantly expanded in 2003.
With the $95 million Phase 1 of the current center expansion completed in 2025, the $606 million Phase 2 will deliver a new, flexible convention building in place of the 1968 arena and modernize the existing building with new interior design elements and updated technology.
The Public Events Department is funded by revenues generated at the venue as well as the City’s Culture & Tourism Fund. The special fund is supported primarily by hotel occupancy tax (HOT), venue taxes and DFW International Airport revenue share. Hospitality taxes were approved by Fort Worth voters in several elections over the past few decades and are not part of the City’s General Fund.
