THE WEEKEND TEN

The top things to do and places to be

By

LITTLE ROCK — POP

1. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's 26th annual Pops on the River on Saturday at Riverfest Amphitheatre. The top five contestants in the "Oh, Say! Can You Sing" competition will square off at 6:30 (the winner gets to sing the national anthem with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra later in the evening), followed by the Happy Tymes Jazz Band at 7 and the Arkansas Symphony's patriotic program at 8:30. The state's largest fireworks show starts about 9:30. Verizon Wireless is sponsoring the event. Admission is free. Call (501) 378-3807 or visit www. arkansasonline.com/pops.

2. BASH

The Clinton Presidential Center offers free admission and plenty of family activities for the Fourth of July Family Festival on Saturday. The library will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for guests to tour exhibits like "Space: From the Moon to Mars." Don't forget to check out the Super Summer Saturdays in Space program with demonstrations every hour, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and free Space Camp Simulators. There will also be musical performances by the Delta Brass Quintet and presentations by The Wills, presidential re-enactors. The family festival begins at 4 p.m. and includes magic, inflatable games, music with Radio Disney and the Big John Miller Band and the Fun Dunk and Bongo Willie Drum Tent. Admission is free. Call (501) 374-4242 or visit www.clintonpres identialcenter.org.

3. BLAST

An old-time patriotic parade, patriotic arts and crafts activities and living history performances are on tap for annual Frontier Fourth of July celebration, 2-4 p.m. Saturday at Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St., Little Rock. Stilts and other pioneer games will also be available for the young and young-at-heart; there will be a reading of the Declaration of Independence and, adhering to a 19thcentury custom, toasts in honor of the nation's birthday will be called out from the crowd. The parade will take place at 3 p.m. Admission and parking is free; so are the lemonade and watermelon at the finale. Call (501) 324-9351 or visit www.HistoricArkansas.org.

4. BOOM

Jacksonville celebrates Independence Day a little early with an evening full of music, children's activities, Radio Disney and fireworks. The Patriotic Spectacular starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Jan Crow Stadium, Jacksonville High School, 2400 Linda Lane. Admission is free. Call (501) 982-2130.

5. BLARE

A large-scale patriotic party takes over El Dorado for its Fantastic Fourth Celebration, Saturday in the area around El Dorado Memorial Stadium. The Liberty Motorcycle Run starts at 8 a.m. From 10 a.m.-10 p.m. visitors can enjoy arts and crafts, Kids World, car show, the Patriotic Pet Show and music. The day ends with fireworks at the stadium. Admission is free. Visit www.goeldorado.com or call (870) 863-6113.

6. ROAR

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs isn't for the horses Friday. Spa Blast on the park's racetrack celebrates the Fourth of July holiday a day early with music, demonstrations, contests, a Black Hawk helicopter flyover, mini air show, rock climbing walls and family fun park. The gates open at 5 p.m. with fireworks at 9:35. Admission is free. Call (501) 623-4411.

7. BAM

Old-fashioned fun is planned at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View for Saturday's Old-Timey Ozark Donkey and Mule Days. The annual donkey and mule pack racing starts at 9 a.m. There will also be a mule and donkey endurance course and a talent contest. At 2:30 p.m., it's time for more competition with sack races, apple bobbing, an egg carry race, mule races and a watermelon seed-spitting contest. Admission to the center's craft village, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., is $10, $6 for children ages 6-12 and $27.50 for a family pass. An evening concert with performers including Audrey Gilliam and Patchwork starts at 7 p.m. Combination village and concert admission is $17.50, $8.25 for children. Call (870) 269-3851 or visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com.

8. POW

The Arkansas Travelers, ALS Association and Muscular Dystrophy Association are joining together for 4-ALS Awareness Night and the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's famous farewell address, 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Dickey-Stephens Park, Broadway at Willow Street, North Little Rock. In the Covering All the Bases Hitting Challenge, fans pledge money for every hit made by their chosen team as the Travs take on the Midland Rockhounds. Money raised will go to the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Tickets are $6-$12, $3 for children 3-14, $5-$7 for military. Call (501) 227-7098 or (501) 664-7559 or www. travs.com.

9. BURST

The Argenta Downtown Council and Certified Arkansas Farmers Market invite central Arkansans to share their patriotic spirit and love of locally grown foods at the first Argenta Foodie Festival, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the Central Arkansas Transit Authority trolley barn on Main Street, between Sixth and Seventh streets, in downtown North Little Rock's Argenta district (next to the Argenta Farmers Market). Chefs from area restaurants and catering companies will create specialties using only locally grown produce and meats, and there will be music, arts and crafts vendors and a children's entertainment area. Admission is free. Call (501) 993-7502.

10. CLAP

Demi Lovato will perform at 7 p.m. today at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock. David Archuleta and KSM will open the show (see story on Page 3). Tickets are $37.75 to $47.75. Call (501) 975-7575 or visit ticketmaster.com.

Weekend, Pages 33 on 07/02/2009