The Relatives (Photo: The Relatives)

The weekend is supposed to be gloomy, so it’s probably wise to pick an indoor event when making plans. Fortunately, we’ve got plenty of those to choose from.

The Texas Theatre can take you from childhood fantasies to intense horror in one short night. They’re showing The Never Ending Story at 7 p.m., followed by The ABCs of Death at 9 p.m. The films will be shown again on Saturday at 6 and 8:30 p.m., respectively.

Gospel group The Relatives have been around for more than four decades, and in that time they’ve garnered quite a following. Their unique sound bridges the gap between traditional gospel, blues, and psychedelia, with gritty songs that tackle heavy issues. We know we’re not alone when we say their debut album is long past due, but it’s finally here. If you’d like to join in the festivities, they’re performing at their launch party tonight at 8 p.m. at the Kessler. Bobby Patterson opens.

In the mood for some blues? Local guitarist Miles Penhall will perform his blues/country rock/americana set at Bar Belmont at 8 p.m. tonight.

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Los Lobos. Picture courtesy of Los Lobos

If you don’t have plans this weekend, you might want to consider one of these options, from the calendar you can find each week inside Oak Cliff People. Here’s a look at what’s going on in the community this weekend.

Blues/jazz musician Bill Longhorse, who has played with both The Polyphonic Spree and Tripping Daisy, will grace Bar Belmont with his smooth sounds at 7 p.m. tonight.

This weekend’s shows at The Kessler are already sold out, so hopefully you got your tickets early. Two-time Grammy-award winning rocker Lucinda Williams takes the stage at 8 p.m. tonight at The Kessler Theater, while multiple-time Grammy winners, Chicano rockers Los Lobos, perform two sold-out sets, at both 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Texas Theatre is showing Thunder Soul at 8 p.m. tonight, followed by their “Black Gold Soul Club” dance party at 10 p.m. If you love R&B, Motown, and all types of soul, DJs Marcos and Chad will have you on your feet and grooving to the beat all night long.

The Hampton-Illinois library is having a Spanish storytime at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

If you’re a fan of cult-favorite comedy show “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” you’ve got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to spend an evening with the show’s creator and original host, Joel Hodgson. The evening starts at 5 p.m. Saturday at The Texas Theatre, with a screening of the classic episode, “The Pod People.” At 6:30 p.m., those with VIP tickets (available here) get the chance to actually meet Hodgson in person for a special reception and autograph session. Finally, at 7:30 p.m., Hodgson takes the stage to perform his new show, “Riffing Myself.” Sounds like a night full of laughs.

The new year is in full swing, which means plenty of events to fill your weekends.

While just about everyone makes New Year’s resolutions to get in shape, there are lots of studies that show that most people are unable to stick with their resolutions for more than a couple of months. Clairevista Vitality Club wants to help you stick with your goal, so tonight at 6 p.m., Dustin Thibodeaux, Clairevista manager and coach, is going to present a program on the “Five Stages of Change.”  The program is free, but seating is limited, so call 214-734-8204 or send an email to chrisw@clairevista.com for availability.

“Pop Folk Man” Rahim Quazi performs tonight at 7 p.m. at Bar Belmont.

At 7 p.m. tonight, Texas Theatre will host funny-men Neil Hamburger and Tim Heidecker in a show guaranteed to bring a grin to your face. Portlandia editor DJ Douggpound, will also be in the building to perform his comedic raps.

Country classic Radney Foster will be performing at the Kessler Theater at 8 p.m. tonight. Austin-born “life-long rock-and-roller” Carter Beckworth opens.

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I’ll probably definitely be ringing in the New Year from my couch, watching When Harry Met Sally for the nine-hundred-thousandth time, but if you actually like to go out, we’ve got a couple alternatives to your standard party.

At 10 a.m. today, Methodist Dallas Medical Center is hosting a special “Looking Back and Looking Forward” event in the Hitt Auditorium.

The Hampton-Illinois Library is having a family movie matinee at 1 p.m.

At 8 p.m., Texas Theatre will transform into a time machine and travel back into the past before heading towards the future during their New Year’s Eve Spectatcular, “The Shape of Things to Come.” The event will feature Tearist, and Yesterday’s Gold djs.

As Chuck mentioned here, you can spend New Year’s Eve with Sarah Jaffe. She will be performing at Kessler Theater at 9 p.m.

No matter what you decide to do, be safe and we will see you in 2013!

Although the weather has not quite gotten the memo yet, we are officially in the holiday season. It’s probably safe to say that most of the events we post from now till the end of the year will be holiday related, so we hope you’re as fine with that as we are.

If you’d like to attend a fancy party that celebrates the very best of Oak Cliff, head to the Bishop Arts Theatre Center tonight at 5 p.m. for their annual awards presentation. State representative Rafael Anchia is the master of ceremony, and many of Oak Cliff’s finest will be in attendance.

If you like rockabilly music, you may want to check out Fort Worth’s very own, Devin Leigh,  He’s performing at 7 p.m. tonight at Bar Belmont, so head there for drinks and some of the liveliest guitar music around.

A Texas legend, Joe Ely has been called “a pioneer of alternative country music.” With a career that’s spanned four decades, he’s one solid performer. Head to the Kessler Theater to hear him perform at 8 p.m. tonight. Dan Dyer opens the show.

You’ve probably seen Scarface a few hundred (thousand) times, but have you ever seen it on 35MM film? Didn’t think so. In honor of it’s 29th birthday, the Texas Theatre is showing it tonight at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4:30 p.m., and Sunday at 5 p.m.

If you’re looking for an event that’s a little different from all of the usual cookies-with-Santa type of events this season is flooded with, bring your kids to the Hampton-Illinois Library at 11 a.m. Saturday for a special Kwaanza program featuring Melody Bell.

Join the Kessler Neighbor’s United on Saturday for their annual “Holiday Lights in  Kessler Park” event and tree lighting. Meet them at 5:30 p.m. on the street island at 1415 W. Colorado Boulevard at Lausanne Avenue.

You may have already read my cover story on today’s paper about Ray Switzer and the Winnetka Heights Neighborhood Association’s holiday home tour. If you haven’t yet, you should. Hopefully it makes you want to see the rest of the beautifully-restored homes in one of Dallas’ premier historic districts. Join them for the tour at noon on Saturday, followed by their holiday party at 7 p.m.

The Wynnewood North Neighborhood Association is also having their holiday party at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Join state rep. Rafael Anchia and his family (again, see above!) at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Kessler Theatre for a family holiday concert featuring Laura Freeman and the Hey Lollies, who “make fun, healthy music for kids.

The Oak Cliff Lions Club is having their Christmas party on Sunday at the Rockwall Wedding Chapel.

It’s hard to believe that December is already here, but before you know it Christmas will have arrived too. If you’re like me, you’re not quite ready to succumb to all things Christmas, so this weekend we’ve got a nice mix of holiday and non-holiday events for you to choose from.

Sure, you could head to NorthPark to knock out your Christmas lists, but as you Oak Cliffers know, you’ll head to the Bishop Arts District if you’d rather purchase unique, artisan made gifts that aren’t mass-produced in a sweatshop overseas. Tonight and Saturday at 6 p.m., they’re hosting the 17th annual Jingle Bells on Bishop, a “neighborhood-style Christmas festival” that is “famous for being the farthest thing from the mall scene.”

I couldn’t find much about Chad Stockslager online, but from what I could gather, he plays and sings in popular local band The King Bucks and sometimes he covers Simon and Garfunkel songs with fellow Texas-based musician Chad Holt. I can’t say for sure whether or not they’ll perform “Mrs. Robinson” or “Bridge Over Troubled Water” tonight at Bar Belmont, but head there at 7 p.m. to find out for yourself.

Check out the Kessler Theater tonight at 8 p.m. for a seriously groovy-good time. Roots singer Tab Benoit will be performing with special guests Somebody’s Darling, and if you’re a blues fan, this is one performance you won’t want to miss.

Although Detrophia is about, well, Detroit, it looks like the type of documentary that could have implications for all major cities across America. If you’re at all interested in learning more about the rise and fall of one of our country’s greatest urban cities, head to the Texas Theatre at 7:30 p.m. tonight to check it out. Also, judging by her enthusiasm, it’s very likely that you’ll see our very own Georgia Fisher there at tonight’s showing, or tomorrow’s (5:30 p.m.) or Sunday’s (4:30 p.m.). Or all of them. In honor of Detroit, they’re also showing 1993′s hit True Romance at 10 p.m tonight, 7:45 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday), and 6:45 p.m. Sunday.

Have you ever wondered about where you come from? About the far-removed branches of your family tree? Confused about where to even start looking for your earliest ancestors? The Hampton-Illinois Library is here to help. Join them at 10 a.m on Saturday when they present Genealogy 101, where they’ll teach you how to go about your research.

As aforementioned, you can catch both Detrophia and True Romance again Saturday at the Texas Theatre at 5:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. respectively. At 10 p.m. they’re hosting Away From The Numbers, where DJs Gabriel Mendoza and Sam will be laying down some “Brit-pop, post-punk, and glam-soul.”

If classic and conservative music is more your thing than post-punk (I’m not too familiar with that genre, myself!), Austin-based Bob Schneider and the Tosca String Quartet will be performing two special holiday eve shows Saturday at the Kessler Theater at 7 and 9:30 p.m.

If you didn’t make it to one of the earlier screenings, you’ve still got one more chance on Sunday to catch Detrophia at 4:30 p.m. and True Romance at 6:45 p.m at the Texas Theatre . If you’re really into Detroit (or just really lonely/bored), you could even stay for both.

Didn’t make it to the 12:007 a.m. opening of Skyfall? Don’t worry, neither did we. Fortunately, there are still plenty more opportunities to catch the latest Bond installment (shown on 35 mm film!) at the Texas Theatre. Because tickets will probably sell out opening weekend, arrive early or purchase them in advance here.

If broken-lawn-chair-and-warm-beer-filled block parties aren’t your thing, this weekend you have the opportunity to attend a neighborhood party that’s decidedly more upscale than most. From 7 to 10 tonight, the Friends of Stevens Park and Coombs Creek Trail will host their inaugural fundraiser at the Stevens Park Clubhouse with food, live music, and appearances by Dallas dignitaries. At $50, tickets aren’t cheap, but they cover heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and all net proceeds will go to maintaining and upgrading Stevens Park Golf Course and the Coombs Creek Trail. Register and purchase your ticket here.

Local pop/folk musician Rahim Quazi’s website says that he “writes and performs melodies more comfortable than a feather bed and [as] comfortable as your favorite sneakers.” While I’m not entirely sure what that means, I’d be willing to check him out, especially if cocktails are involved. Catch his show at 7 tonight at Bar Belmont.

From 2010 to 2011 Sara Hickman served as the Official Texas State Musician, following in the footsteps of Willie Nelson, so that probably means she’s pretty good. Catch her at the Kessler Theater at 8 p.m. tonight, with special guest Madison King.

The Hampton-Illinois Library will present a “Library Live” event featuring Alfreda Rollins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and the Oak Cliff Ball & Chain Chrocheters Guild meets at noon.

If a night of smooth jazz and soulful blues sounds as relaxing to you as it does to me, head over to the Bishop Arts Theatre Center Saturday at either 7 or 9:45 p.m. to hear Ronnie Laws and Alex Bugnon perform.

Interested in something a little more upbeat? The Kessler School in conjunction with the Kessler Theater is sponsoring the third annual Kessler City Limits event from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday. Le Freak, widely considered to be one of the greatest disco bands of all time, will perform, so dust off your leisure suits and get ready for some Saturday night fever. Tickets are $45; purchase them here.

Canterbury Episcopal School is holding an open house at 2 p.m. Sunday at 1708 N. Westmoreland Road in Desoto.

Metro Paws Animal Hospital is also holding an open house to celebrate their newest location in Oak Cliff. Join them from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at 1021 Fort Worth Avenue for light snacks and to welcome them to the neighborhood. This probably goes without saying, but pets are invited to join the festivities too.

The Friends of the Hampton-Illinois and North Oak Cliff Libraries are having their Oak Cliff Bookfest to benefit the two branches from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 2) at the Hampton-Illinois branch at 2951 S. Hampton Road.

There will be “thousands of items” on sale, including books, magazines, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs, according to an event flier. The fest will also have music, crafts, and refreshments.

All proceeds benefit the two branches, sayeth the flier. To volunteer or for more information, call (214) 670-7646 or e-mail noclfriends@gmail.com