1 BOATS
"Boat Wars" is the Star Wars-centered theme for the 2018 World Championship Cardboard Boat Races, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sandy Beach on Greers Ferry Lake in Heber Springs. The Pride of the Fleet Prize will go to the boat that best combines innovative engineering with artistic design. Other honors: the Captain's Award, to the team with the greatest spirit and crowd involvement, and the Titanic Award for the boat with the most dramatic sinking. The daylong event also includes a treasure dig, a watermelon-eating contest and a volleyball tournament. Admission is free; there's a registration fee to enter a boat in the competition. Call (870) 834-1437 or visit heber-springs.com.
2 BLUES
The 19th annual Blues on the River Music Fest 2018, 3-10:45 p.m. Saturday, takes place in a new venue, North Little Rock's Burns Park -- Exit 150 off Interstate 40 -- and has expanded from an exclusively Southern-soul event to include concerts and activities for the entire family. Among the more than 20 performers: singers Latimore and Cupid, blues singers/guitarists Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and Robert Kimbrough Sr.; electric blues guitarist Bob Margolin; Southern soul artists Theodis Easley and Bigg Robb; Tragikly White; and jazz trumpeter Rodney Block. Gates open at 2:30. The event, which will allow boat-dock views and recreational vehicles, includes a bike rally and contest and food and drink vendors. Attendees can take lawn chairs, blankets and umbrellas and, for a $25 charge, 10-by-10-foot tents. No coolers. Tickets are $29 general admission, $25 for a boat-dock view, $50 per person for a VIP a table of four. Parking is $10-$50. Call (501) 779-4676 or visit Impacttickets.com. See story on Page 4E.
3 BEST (LITTLE WHOREHOUSE)
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (music and lyrics by Carol Hall, book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson) closes out its run at 7:30 p.m. today-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Studio Theatre, 320 W. Seventh St., Little Rock. Tickets are $25, $20 for those 65 and older, students and military. The theater is rating the show PG-13 for adult situations, brief partial nudity and mature themes. Call (501) 374-2615 or visit centralarkansastickets.com or studiotheatrelr.com.
4 BARE
Two gay students and their struggles at a private Catholic boarding school are the focus of Bare: A Pop Opera (music, lyrics and book by Jon Harmere and Damon Intrabartolo), 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Aug. 3-4, and 10-11 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5 and 12 at the Weekend Theater, 1001 W. Seventh St., Little Rock. A reception follows Friday's opening-night performance. Tickets are $22, $18 for students. Visit weekendtheater.org.
5 BAYOU TALES
George Marks, founder and interim director of the founder of the NUNU Arts and Culture Collective, dedicated to fostering a living culture using a combination of art, music, dance and retention of spoken Louisiana French, will tell stories for Potluck & Poison Ivy's dinner and storytelling, 7 p.m. today at The Joint, 301 Main St., in North Little Rock's Argenta District. Arkansas singer/songwriter Karen Jr. will perform. Doors open at 6. Tickets, $35, include dinner and the show. Email info@potluckandpoisonivy.org or visit potluckandpoisonivy.org.
6 BUNDLES
Author and journalist A'Lelia Bundles will discuss her Arkansas family ties and share stories about hair-care pioneer, philanthropist, political activist and arts patron Madam C.J. Walker, whose great-granddaughter married Bundles' grandfather, and about whom she has written a biography, 6 p.m. Friday in the Elders Lecture Hall, Kendall Science Center, Philander Smith College, 800 W. Daisy L. Gatson Bates Dr., Little Rock. It's in conjunction with the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center's exhibit "Don't Touch My Crown," exploring the history and culture of black Americans' hair, on display through Aug. 31 at the center, West Ninth Street and Broadway, Little Rock. Admission is free. Seating is limited. Call (501) 683-3593 or email info@mosaictemplarscenter.com.
7 BOOGIE-WOOGIE
Rocker/roller/boogie-woogie pianist Jason D. Williams headlines a concert, part of the Murphy USA Summer Concert Series, 7 p.m. Saturday in the Murphy Arts District Amphitheater, 105 Locust St., El Dorado. The concert concludes a daylong downtown festival featuring a cooking competition on the courthouse lawn, a Baggo tournament, classic-car cruises, carriage rides, kids' activities and the 6 p.m. Showdown at Sunset re-enactment of the Tucker-Parnell feud on the Union County Courthouse steps. Main Street El Dorado is the co-sponsor. Admission is free; there are entry fees for the cook-off and Baggo tournament. Call (870) 863-4547 or (870) 862-4747 or visit mainstreeteldorado.org.
8 BAND
Christian rock-metal band Skillet performs at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Timberwood Amphitheater, Magic Springs Theme & Water Park, U.S. 70 East (1701 E. Grand Ave.) Hot Springs, part of the park's 2018 Summer Concert Series. Gates open at 6. Open seating in the lawn's festival area is still available; provide your own chair or blanket. Concert admission is included in the park entry fee: $59.99, $36.99 for children and senior citizens. Call (501) 624-0100 or visit MagicSprings.com. See Music Scene on Page 5E.
9 BLUEGRASS
Bluegrass band The Seldom Scene performs at 7 p.m. Friday at Ozark Folk Center State Park, 1032 Park Ave., Mountain View. Tickets are $12. Visit ozarkfolkcenter.ticketleap.com.
10 BEASTS
Marty the Zebra, Alex the Lion, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the Hippo and a group of plotting penguins escape to explore the world as the Foundation of Arts stages Madagascar -- A Musical Adventure Jr. (music and lyrics by George Noriega and Joel Someillan, book by Kevin Del Aguila, based on the DreamWorks Animation film), 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at The Forum, 115 E. Monroe Ave., Jonesboro. The production is the culmination of a two-week Young Artist's Theater camp. Tickets are $10, $8 for children 12 and younger. Call (870) 935-2726 or visit foajonesboro.org.
• An Arts Center of the Ozarks/Trike Theatre co-production of the musical will also be on stage this weekend, 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, at the center, 214 S. Main St., Springdale. It, too, is the culmination of a three-week production camp run by Trike, which is Bentonville-based. Tickets are $15, $12 for students. Call (479) 464-5084 or visit the website, triketheatre.org.
Weekend on 07/26/2018