THE WEEKEND TEN

The top things to do and places to be

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette photo illustration/KIRK MONTGOMERY
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette photo illustration/KIRK MONTGOMERY

1 SCULPTURE

Support public riverfront artwork at Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale this weekend. Dozens of artists from around the country will gather at Little Rock’s River Market Pavilion for a Preview Party, 6:30 p.m. Friday, including music and food. Tickets are $100. Immediately following, the party takes on a younger theme for Bronze and Brewskis, 8:30-10:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door.

The show and sale continue with free admission, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Saturday’s show includes Segway tours of the park for $20, and Sunday will have a food truck festival. Call (501) 664-1919 or visit sculptureattherivermarket.com.

2 SKIM

Little Rock is a bookworm’s paradise during the Arkansas Literary Festival, today-Sunday. This celebration of the written word will include parties, book signings, workshops, readings, children’s activities and the Friends of Central Arkansas Libraries used book sale. This year’s special guests include U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and Catherine Coulter. The dozens of activities are spread out over many venues in downtown Little Rock and most events are free. Call (501) 918-3098 or visit arkansasliteraryfestival.org.

3 SCHNECKEN/SHISH KEBABS

The Jewish Food Festival settles into a new home this year, offering blintzes, latkes, kugel and other traditional foods at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium, Sunday. Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m., but the main festival, with its craft and information booths and children’s activities, will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free. Call (501) 663-3571 or visit jewisharkansas.org.

On Saturday, the Raindrop Turkish House at 1501 Market St., Little Rock, presents its cultural celebration with food, music and art at the Turkish Food Festival, 11:30 a.m.-6p.m. Admission is free. Call (501) 223-2155.

4 SKILL

Downtown North Little Rock is a haven for artists and musicians during the Thea Arts Festival, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday on Main Street.

The festival includes demonstrations, hands-on crafts, a show and sale, and performances.

Admission is free. Call(501) 379-9512 or visit theaartsfestival.org.

See story on Page 4E

See what local artists and musicians have to offer as Etsy Little Rock presents the Indie Arts & Music Festival. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, an eclectic group of creative people will present their creations on Kavanaugh Boulevard between Walnut and Palm streets in Little Rock. Admission is free. Call (501) 891-1157 or visit etsy.com.

5 SERVE

Artists and chefs show off their skills for a good cause at Empty Bowls, the annual fundraiser for Arkansas Foodbank, 6-9 p.m. today. This year, the event moves to Next Level Events, 1400 W. Markham St., Little Rock, where guests can bid on pottery, paintings, sculpture and crafts in the auction, then enjoy food from local restaurants. Tickets are $75. Call (501) 565-8121 or visit arkansasfoodbank.org.

6 SYMPHONIOUS

The Arkansas Choral Society is hoping to turn a “prophet” as the University of Arkansas at Monticello Concert Choir and members of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra join them for Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah at 7 p.m. Friday at Christ the King Catholic Church, 4000 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock. Kent Skinner will conduct. Doors open, and a silent auction starts at 6. Tickets are $15, $10 for students. Call (501) 376-8484 or visit lovetosing.org.

The Arkansas Symphony takes young audiences on a journey across the orchestra with a performance of Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, part of an all-Britten family concert program, at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Roosevelt Thompson Auditorium at Central High School, 1500 S. Park St., Little Rock. The concert, through the generosity of her husband, Joel Pugh, honors the 75th birthday of Caroline Pugh, who as a child was one of the dedicatees of Britten’s piece. Admission is free; reserve a seat by calling (501) 666-1761, Extension 100, or online at arkansassymphony.org.

7 SEERSUCKER

Break out the cool, summertime clothes for an evening of mint juleps, croquet and music at the Old State House Museum’s Seersucker Social, 6 p.m. today. Presented by the 1836 Club, this old-fashioned Southern party benefits the Little Rock museum’s programs. Tickets are $35. Call (501) 324-9685 or visit oldstatehouse.com.

8 SLEEPING

One bad fairy can spoil the bunch and the princess suffers the consequences as the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre stages Sleeping Beauty by Alan Keith Smith, based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday through May 11 at the arts center in MacArthur Park, Ninth and Commerce streets, Little Rock. Tickets are $12.50. Call (501) 372-4000 or visit arkansasartscenter.org.

9 SAUT DE CHAT

Ballet Arkansas’ professional dancers will show some Momentum - that’s the title of their spring concert - at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St., Little Rock. The program will include Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations; a new setting of Maurice Ravel’s Bolero by Pacific Northwest Ballet soloist Kiyon Gaines; and new works by Shayla Bott, Houston Ballet’s Melody Mennite and Ballet Arkansas’ artistic director, Michael Bearden. A champagne reception will follow Friday night’s opener. Tickets are $35 and $30.

Call (501) 378-0405 or visit balletarkansas.org.

10 SOLDIERS

The Friends of Jenkins’ Ferry Battlefield is sponsoring a weekend’s activities connected to the 150th anniversary of the April 29-30, 1864, Battle of Jenkins’ Ferry, Saturday-Sunday in and around Sheridan as part of the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial.

Festivities kick off at 9 a.m. Saturday. The battle re-enactment will take place on the soccer-field complex, 1511 S. Rose St. (Arkansas 46) in Sheridan; period attire is welcome and encouraged; plus there will be food vendors, living-history displays, music and speakers on Civil War history. Buses will take visitors to the Jenkins’ Ferry Battlefield State Park near Leola and the Grant County Museum. Admission to all events is free. Call (870) 942-2936 or (870) 942-1774, email friendsofjenkinsferry@gmail.com or visit jenkinsferry.com.

Roy L. Wilson, a seventh-generation resident of Grant County and the gifted and talented and advanced placement coordinator for the Sheridan School District, will retell the story of the battle at 7 p.m. today at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. Admission is free. Call (501) 376-4602 or visit ArkMilitaryHeritage.com.

Weekend, Pages 31 on 04/24/2014

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