The 12th annual Dash for the Beads fundraising run, founded by David Sassano and Chad West, steps off Saturday morning, Feb. 26, at 9 a.m. at Kidd Springs Park, 711 W. Canty St., in Oak Cliff. Dash for the Beads, which raises funds to support local schools, includes a 1-mile fun run, a 5K route and a 10k route, with medals presented to the top three finishers in nine different age groups. After the runs, the party continues for a Mardi Gras party that include mimosas, cold beer, local vendors, food trucks and more. Check out DashForTheBeads.org for all the details. (Photo by Chuck Marcelo/Dallas Voice)

…………..

Sing out Louise
For folks who love to come together to sing, having to spend large swathes of time quarantined can surely weigh on your soul, and meeting via Zoom to sing together just isn’t the same. But now with omicron waning, singers from a wide variety of choral groups are coming together for “A Grand Night for Singing,” conducted by Jonathan Palant and The Women’s Chorus of Dallas Artistic Director Melinda Imthurn, with accompaniment by Turtle Creek Chorale’s pianist Scott Ayers, on Friday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. at the Morton Meyerson Symphony Center. No charge for non-singers to come watch, and singers who want to participate should get there at 6 p.m. to pick up music packets for $20.

Whatcha got cookin’?
Is there anything better than a big ol’ pot of chili when the weather gets chilly? Resource Center hosts a chili contest Saturday, Feb. 26, from 2-5 p.m. at the Community Center, 5750 Cedar Springs Road. There will be prizes, outdoor games, music and photo opps. Categories for the cook-off include best overall, best plant-based, best Texas-style (no beans) and spiciest. Get your tickets at EventBrite.com/e/family-chili-cookoff-tickets-262235362027.

You better call somebody …
… but you caint use my phone to do it. Not only is Erykah Badu the Queen of Neo-Soul, she is a Dallas native and an ally to the LGBTQ community (she was one of the performers at Dallas Southern Pride’s Juneteenth celebration last summer). Now Badu brings her Caint Use My Phone tour — the title echoes the closing line of her 1997 hit “Tyrone” and her 2015 mixtape “Caint Use My Phone” — to The Factory in Deep Ellum, 2713 Canton St., Saturday, Feb. 26. Doors open at 8 p.m., and tickets are available at TicketNetwork.com.

Find more entertainment options at DallasVoice.com/Plan-Your-Week.