THE WEEKEND TEN

The top things to do and places to be

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

LITTLE ROCK — 1. CROONING

Country star Tracy Lawrence and musician friends Tracy Byrd, Richie McDonald and Zona Jones will head to Foreman, Lawrence's hometown, for Lawrence's 15th (and final) annual Homecoming Concert, 7 p.m. Saturday at Foreman High School Memorial Stadium, 700 Rocky Comfort St. Gates open at 5:30. Tickets are $25 for limited reserved seating, $15 general admission; proceeds benefit the Tracy Lawrence Foundation, which has raised more than $1 million over 15 years to enhance educational opportunities for the children of Foreman and more than 35 surrounding communities. (Lawrence says high concert production costs have spurred him to seek other alternatives starting next year.) Call (870) 542-7557 or visit tracylawrence.com.

2. VILLAGING

Heifer International will open the doors of its new Heifer Village during the Heifer Village Grand Opening Family Weekend, with the Grand Opening Kick-Off at 10 a.m. Friday and various activities taking place 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday at Heifer International, 1 World Ave., just east of the Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock. The celebration will feature music (featured act Dan Zanes and Friends performs at 11 a.m. Saturday), book signings, hands-on activities, storytelling and tours of the interactive Heifer Village, which gives visitors a close-up look at hunger and poverty around the world and Heifer's sustainable solutions. Admission is free. Call (501) 907-2697 (COWS) or visit www.heifer.org/heifervillage.

3. ROCKING

Tommy, that's who. The Who's Tommy opens Friday for a three-week run at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St., Little Rock. The rock opera is by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff based on The Who's 40-year-old double-album, about "the deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes a pinball wizard. Curtain time is 7 p.m. Wednesday. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday through June 28. Tickets are $20-$50. Call (501) 378-0405 or visit www.therep.org.

4. TWISTING

Consider yourself at home at the Weekend Theater, West Seventh and Chester streets, as it opens its production of Lionel Bart's musical Oliver!, based on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Additional performances of the opening production of the theater's 2009-10 season will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday and June 14, 21 and 28. Tickets are $18, $14 for students and senior citizens over 65. Call (501) 374-3761 or visit www.weekendtheater.org.

5. REVISITING

The Old State House Museum, 300 W. Markham St., Little Rock, will host its annual Arkansas Statehood Celebration 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday inside and on the front lawn, featuring living history characters participating in re-creations of actual court cases in 1836, the year Arkansas became a state, plus a duel on the lawn; visits with a clerk to register for a land deed or marriage license; exhibitions of 19th-century writing techniques; and, to experience the penalties prescribed for lawbreakers, guests can try out a pillory for size. Kids can play a variety of old-fashioned games, including skittles and trap ball. The original 1836 Arkansas State Constitution will be on display during the event, courtesy of the Arkansas History Commission. Admission is free. Call (501) 324-9685.

6. MUNCHING

Get your taste buds ready for the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce's fifth "Taste of the Rock" food and beverage showcase, featuring cuisine from 34 member restaurants and caterers, 5-7 p.m. today in the River Market pavilions behind Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 at the door; you must be 21 or older to enter. Call (501) 374-2001 or visit www.tasteoftherock.com, where you'll find a complete list of participating vendors.

7. CRUNCHING

Another workout awaits the taste buds at Flavor of the Park, 5-8 p.m. Friday. Area restaurants, caterers and entertainment businesses will gather at the Exchange Street Parking Plaza in downtown Hot Springs for this tasting event of food and beverage samples. Admission is $15 and reservations are required. Call (501) 321-1700 or visit www.hotspringschamber.com.

8. LISTENING

As part of Mena's annual Lum & Abner Festival, Friday-Sunday, the Ouachita Little Theatre, 610 Mena St., will re-create several Lum & Abner radio shows, with area actors playing characters from the show (complete with live sound effects) while reading from original scripts, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The theater will also show two black-and-white Lum & Abner feature films. Tickets are $2, free for children under 6. Call (479) 243-0186 or visit www.ouachitalittletheatre.org.

9. PAR-"T"-ING

With the Arkansas Twisters and the Arkansas Travelers playing home games Saturday, everyone's invited to Main Street in downtown North Little Rock for a block party. Party at the "T," with music by Riverboat Crime, starts at 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown North Little Rock. Admission is free. Call (501) 975-5425.

10. TRAILING

Get outdoors and take a hike. Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton is celebrating National Trails Day Saturday with activities including a trail work project on the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Boy Scout Trail at 8 a.m., a guided hike on the Cedar Falls trail at 9:30 a.m., programs on hiking gear at 11 a.m., a Lake Bailey kayak tour at 2 p.m., a family softball game at 4 p.m. and an evening concert by Brandon Robertson at 7:30 p.m. Admission to all activities is free. Call (501) 727-5441 or visit www.petitjeanstatepark.com.

Other parks, like Lake Catherine State Park in Hot Springs, Mount Nebo State Park near Dardanelle and Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area near Rogers will have a few trail-oriented activities of their own. Visit www.arkansasstateparks.com for more information.

Weekend, Pages 33 on 06/04/2009