WEEKEND

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

LITTLE ROCK — 1. UNHOLY

KISS, music’s madmen in makeup, will return to central Arkansas to “Rock and Roll All Nite” (well, original members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley will, other members are Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer) today at Verizon Arena for the KISS Alive/35 tour. Buckcherry will open the show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $19.50-$67.75. Call (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com.

2. UNRULY

It may be a trick, or it may be a treat — you, the audience can help decide — as improvisation troupe Improv LittleRock combines the outrageousness of WWE wrestling with improvisational comedy in spandex tights for two “Halloween Headlock” shows at 7:30 p.m. today and 10 p.m. Friday at the Public Theatre, 616 Center St., Little Rock. Bring or wear your own homemade wrestling costumes and poster-board signs. Admission is $8. Call 374-7529 (PLAY).

3. CHILLS

Scares of the unsanctified kind lurk in the final days of the 17th annual Haunted Cathedral at EMOBA Museum of Black Arkansans and Performing Arts Center, 1208 Louisiana St., Little Rock. Local actors and animatronics are at the telltale heart of what’s billed as “Arkansas’ scariest and largest” Halloween event, 7:30-10:30 p.m. today and Sunday, 7:30 p.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday. The event is a fundraiser for the museum; admission is $10 tonight, $15 through the weekend. Call (501) 372-0018.

4. THRILLS

5. EMOBA is one of 10 Little Rock museums — also the Historic Arkansas Museum, Museum of Discovery, Central High School National Historic Site, Old State House Museum, Clinton Presidential Library, MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, Little Rock Visitor Information Center at Historic Curran Hall, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and, new this year, Heifer Village — that will join for the Big Boo!-seum Bash, a giant story-telling, trick-or treating, fun-and-games evening designed to provide a safe and accessible Halloween for children and their families, 6-8:30 p.m. Saturday. The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau is sponsoring the free event; however, there is no bus transportation between locations this year. Call (501) 376-4781.

6. WILD

A costume contest with a special prize and music from area cover bands highlight the Arkansas Community Arts Cooperative’s Halloween Coverup VII , 9 p.m. Saturday at the ACAC space, 900 S. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock. The music lineup: Members of Style Guide and Hector Faceplant will play ABBA; Do You Remember (an ad hoc cover band that includes members of The Thing That Always Explodes, The Evelyns and The STDs), performing tunes by Husker Du; University of Arkansas at Little Rock music students, featuring members of Ginsu Wives, Epiphany and Apples & Spades, performing Blondie; God City Destroyers as Misfits; and Jungle Juice as Infest. Admission is $7, $5 if you’re in costume. Doors open at 8:30. Call (501) 244-2979 or visit acacarkansas.org. 7. WARPED For the ninth year, the Market Street Cinema, 1521 Merrill Drive, Little Rock, will screen the horror comedy

classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. today and 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. There will be a costume contest — dress up and have your picture posted at the cinema and on the Internet (MySpace, Facebook and the theater Web page, marketstreetcinema. net). Admission is $10, which includes the “participation kit” — rice, newspaper, water gun, etc. (fans of the movie will cue you in on when to throw, when to spray and when to cover) and there will be door prizes. Sponsors include the Hot Springs Mall Cinema, Cabot Silver Screen Cinema and Searcy Cinema. Call (501) 312-8900.

8. SHRIEKS

The shrieks at Magic Springs & Crystal Falls in Hot Springs won’t come just from the roller coasters this weekend. Magic Screams, the annual Halloween celebration, continues through Sunday. For children ages 12 and under and those who prefer gentler thrills, there’s the Trickor-Treat Trail, the Pumpkin Patch Club (additional $5 admission) and Spooky Springs, noon-7 p.m. Braver teens and adults get their turn with four haunted attractions geared to different ages and terror thresholds, all opening at 5 or 6 p.m. or when darkness falls. Grown-ups who want to cut loose can kick it up at the Thriller Street Dance, 8-10 p.m. Saturday. Children are welcome to wear costumes but adult costumes are not allowed. Admission to the park is $45.99, $35.99 for ages 55 and older and people under 52 inches. Call (501) 624-0100 or visit magicsprings.com.

9. SHIVERS State parks are getting in on all the spooky action with plenty of Halloween activities this weekend. Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton will have creepy fun with Campfire Ghost Stories, 7 p.m. Friday. Then, on Saturday, guests can learn all about bats, spiders and moths at nature programs through the day and take part in the Halloween

Crafts and Contests starting at 6 p.m. Activities are free. Call

(501) 727-5441.

At Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Roland, two Halloween Hayrides will end with campfires and treats, 3-5 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Saturday. There is limited space and advance payment is required. Admission is $10, $5 for children 6-12. Call (501) 868-5806.

There are plenty of other opportunities across the state Saturday, including a Halloween Ghost Roast at Cane Creek State Park near Star City, 5-9 p.m., $2 per car, (870) 628-4714; Fright Night at Arkansas Post Museum State Park near Gillett, 6-9 p.m., free, (870) 548-2634; Ghosts, Legends and the Unexplained at Crowley’s Ridge State Park near Paragould, 6:30-8 p.m., free (870) 573-6751; a haunted trail walk and hayride at Lake Catherine State Park near Hot Springs, 7-9 p.m., $2, (501) 844-4176; and Haunted Lake Tours at DeGray Lake Resort State Park in Bismarck, 6:30 and 8 p.m., $8.50 for adults and $4.50 for children 6-12, (501) 865-5850 or (501) 865-5810. Visit arkansasstateparks.com. GHOSTS

Get in touch with the great beyond at Halana’s Psychic Fair, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday at the Holiday Inn, 120 W. Pershing Blvd., North Little Rock. In addition to readings, lectures and sales, Joyce Brown will attempt to contact loved ones “on the other side” and ghost hunters will be present to share their experiences. Admission is $5. Call (501) 843-5982.

10. GOURDS

If you haven’t taken the little ones out for pumpkin picking, you’re almost out of time, but farms across the state are open for Halloween-style fun. For instance, at BoBrook Farms, on Arkansas 300 in Roland, guests can take a hayride, meet the animals, take part in children’s activities or shop for painted pumpkins and crafts. It’s open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5, free for children 2 and under. Call (501) 519-5666. Hardin Farms, on U.S. 65 in Grady, offers a day full of games, prizes and activities including a children’s costume contest, haunted house, gemstone mining, hay rides, animal show barn and an American Indian village. It’s open 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $7. Visit hardinfarmsandmarket.com or call (870) 479-3978. A list of more pumpkin patches and farm festivals can be found at arkansas.com.

Weekend, Pages 33 on 10/29/2009

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