LITTLE ROCK — 1Run for it. The streets of downtown Little Rock andNorth Little Rock will be filled with people (mostly women) moving for a cause at the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, so join the race or cheer them on. Activities begin today with a Pink Duck Walk at the Peabody Little Rock hotel lobby at 5 p.m. and a pasta party at the River Market from 6-9 p.m. The race itself is Saturday. Packet pickup and registration start at 6 a.m. at Fourth and Arch streets and a pre-race ceremony will be held at 7:40. Participants in the race take off from Broadway and Second Street at 8 a.m. Those participating in the family fun run/walk head out at 8:20. Tickets for the pasta party are $20 and race registration is $25 in advance and $30 the morning of the race.
Visit www.komenarkansas.org or call (501) 202-4399.
2Tumble. Still going through Olympics withdrawals? Youcan get your fix when gold medalists Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson and other star gymnasts take over Alltel Arena in North Little Rock for a lively afternoonof music and tumbling. The 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars will also include musical performances from Jordan Pruitt and KSM. Showtime is 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $22.50-$74.50. Visit www.ticketmas ter.com or call (501) 975-7575.
3Get the blues. Michael Burks, Bobby Rush, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and other blues musicians pay tribute to the music of the Delta at the annual Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival. The music festival, which also includes arts and crafts, 5K run and 2-mile walk continues through Saturday on Cherry Street in downtown Helena-West Helena. General admission is free and the run and walk are $20 each. Visit www.
bluesandheritagefest.net or call (870) 995-6569.
4Play on. Spend the afternoon or evening getting lost in agood story. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock's production of Lear's Daughters ends its run this weekend with performances at 8 p.m. today-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $7. Call (501) 569-3456.
Downtown, The WeekendTheater at Seventh and Chester streets wraps up The Pillowman, 7:30 p.m. today-Saturday. Tickets are $14, $10 for students and ages 65 and older. Call (501) 374-3761.
5Take a spin. Soak in the Ouachita Mountain scenerywhile exploring local art at the Ouachita Art Trails Studio Tour. More than 20 Mena-area artists will open their studio doors to visitors, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
today-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Stop by the Mena Art Gallery, 607 Main St., for a guidebook and map. Admission is free. Call (479) 394-3880.
6Park it. With autumn's arrival, state parks are offeringspecial events that take advantage of the cooler weather. Old Davidsonville State Park near Pocahontas will host its free Ghosts of Davidsonville Hay Ride and Fall Festival, noon-10 p.m. Saturday. Admission and parking are each $3. Call (870) 892-4708. In Mountain View, the Ozark Folk Center will heat up with its Hammerfest blacksmithing day of demonstrations and competitions, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday. Admission is $10, $6 for children 6-12. Call (870) 269-3851. For more park events and information, visit www.arkan sasstateparks.com.
7Be comic. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock isspotlighting the world of comics with its two newest exhibits.
"Captain America: Operation Zero Point," in Gallery II displays the work of Little Rock's Mitchell Breitweiser, an illustrator for Marvel Comics, and the digital coloration work of his wife, Elizabeth Breitweiser. The exhibit runs through Nov. 17. In Gallery III, "Comic Vernacular," artwork inspired by cartoon animation, comic books and graphic novels, remains on display through Nov. 2. Both galleries are in the Fine Arts Building at UALR, 2801 S. University Ave.
Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2-5 p.m. Sunday.
Admission is free. Call (501) 569-8977.
8Clean up. Those looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly can get plenty of tips at the Natural State Expo, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
The educational event and trade show at the Statehouse Convention Center will exhibit productsand services on cleaner living.
Admission is free. Call (501) 372-6996.
9Blow by. "The Star-Spangled Banner," "Just a CloserWalk" and "The Dark Side of the Moon" are just a few of the songs on the program for the Natural State Brass Band's fall concert. The performance starts at 3 p.m. Sunday at St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive. Admission is free. Visit www.nsbb.
org or call (501) 217-8785.
10Be festive. From Crossett's Wiggins Cabin Festivaland Gentry's Fall Festival to the Parker Homestead's Homestead Festival in Harrisburg, towns across the state are getting in on the fall festival action. While most include the usual music, food and games, each place has its own special spin, like the owl-hoot contest at McGehee's Owlfest or the duck race at Calico Rock's Autumnfest. For a complete list of festivals, visit www.arkansas.com or call (501) 682-7777.
E-mail things to do to: jnixon@arkansasonline.com
Weekend, Pages 84 on 10/10/2008