January 6 – Mandy Harvey in Concert
Snag your tickets for a concert by Mandy Harvey, an America’s Got Talent contender who lost her hearing at age 18. Harvey is now a motivational speaker and author of Sensing the Rhythm – Finding My Voice in a World Without Sound. Don’t miss this live show with Mandy and her interpreter on Saturday, Jan. 6. Tickets from $26. Richardson, 972/744-4650; eisemanncenter.com
January 8-10 – Challenge Accepted
Join friends and family in packing the seats inside the John Justin Arena where 220 local equestrians with disabilities compete for the coveted ribbons and belt buckles in the annual Chisholm Challenge on Jan. 8–10, a few days before the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. Opening ceremonies begin on Tuesday at 8:30am, and at 1pm attend a special presentation by Michael Richardson, a paraplegic, motivational speaker and owner of Broken R. Ranch in Hico, Texas. FREE. Fort Worth, 817/877-2420; chisholmchallenge.com
January 28 and February 17 – The Colorful Eric Carle
Treat your kids to a rich performance of 75 larger-than-life puppets in The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, the Dallas Children’s Theater's newest all-ages show inspired by Eric Carle stories including The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse and The Very Lonely Firefly. Reserve your seats online for the American Sign Language interpreted show on Jan. 28 (tickets from $17) and call for tickets for the sensoryfriendly show on Feb. 17 (only $5).
Dallas, 214/740-0051; dct.org/sensory
February 1 – The Superstar Treatment
The big day is not till Saturday, March 10, but now is the time to sign up your child for the North Texas Angels Pageant, a noncompetitive pageant for guys and girls of all ages with special needs or lifethreatening illnesses. Miss Texas 2012 and others emcee the event at the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts, and all contestants get the star treatment of a crown, sash, trophy and the option of beauty prep free of charge. Space is limited so register online by Feb. 1. Free to the public; donations accepted. Richardson, 870/314-3647; ntxangels.org
February 9 – Dancing on Air
The Tim Tebow Foundation’s Night to Shine event, a prom night and party exclusively for people with special needs 14 and older, returns to churches nationwide on Friday, Feb. 9. Look online to find a participating church near you (about nine across North Texas) to request an invitation for your teen or young adult, or go online to refer your home church as a host. Activities vary by location. FREE. Multiple locations, 904/380-8499; timtebowfoundation.org/ministries/night-to-shine
