1 BIRDS
DeGray Lake Resort State Park, 2027 State Park Entrance Road, Bismarck, is looking out for flying friends with Eagle Watch Cruises at 10 a.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The cost is $12, $6 for children 6-12 and reservations are accepted starting noon the day before. Call (501) 865-5850 or visit degray.com.
2 BIRDS II
This weekend, Pinnacle Mountain State Park, 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road, Little Rock, also is for the birds. National Bird Day starts with the Sunrise on the Summit hike up the mountain, 5-7 a.m. Saturday. Bird Day activities, including crafts and special programs, follow 10 a.m.-3 p.m. There will also be Eagle Lake Cruises at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Most activities are free but cruises are $15, $8 for children 6-12. Advance registration is required. Call (501) 868-5806 or visit arkansasstateparks.com.
3 BOY
A youngster discovers he's the son of the Greek god Poseidon in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, book by Joe Tracz, adapted from the Rick Riordan young adult novel). It's about to head out on its first national tour and the 50 members of the cast, crew, management and production teams, along with about 50 staff and local crew members, are putting together its technical rehearsals and three preview performances -- 7 p.m. Friday and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday -- at Fayetteville's Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St. Tickets are $25-64 plus fees. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit the website, waltonartscenter.org.
4 BUY
It's the final weekend for the Arkansas Arts Center's Collectors Show and Sale. The collection of 150 works from top New York galleries, for sale at prices ranging from $750-$115,000, closes Sunday after nearly three months on display at the Arts Center in MacArthur Park, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. today-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Call (501) 372-4000 or visit arkarts.com.
5 BWAH-HAH
Sketch comedy trio The Main Thing is in the home stretch of its run of A Fertle Holiday, playing all the members of the Fertle family, in the midst of a trouble-ridden holiday reunion in the tiny town of Dumpster, Ark. Shows are at 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and Jan. 11-12 at the Joint, 301 Main St., North Little Rock. Tickets are $24. Call (501) 372-0210 or visit tinyurl.com/fertle.
6 BIG SCREEN
Stories from around the world will entertain audiences at the 12th annual Arkansas Shorts: A Night of Short Film, Saturday at the Malco Theatre, 817 Central Ave., Hot Springs. It starts at 4 p.m. with a reception, followed by screenings of three blocks of films: international, North American and Arkansas-made. Tickets are $10 per block, $20 for the full festival. Visit lowkeyarts.org. See story here.
7 BELFRY
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program will be "Sandwiching in History," noon Friday at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 6401 W. 32nd St., Little Rock, with a brief lecture and tour of the property. The 1956 sanctuary, bell tower and prayer chapel are early examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's style of organic architecture in a church. Admission is free. Call (501) 324-9880, email info@arkansaspreservation.org or visit arkansaspreservation.org.
8 BLUEGRASS
The Clark Family Trio -- Cindy Clark on bass, her daughter Sallie Ann Clark on guitar and their friend Bill Nesbitt on guitar, mandolin and banjo, with all three on vocals -- performs for First Fridays at the Forum, 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Forum Theater, 115 E. Monroe St., Jonesboro. Tickets are $7, $5 for senior citizens, military, children and Arkansas State University students, faculty and staff. Call (870) 935-2726 or visit foajonesboro.org.
9 BEDECK
A reception, 5-9 p.m. Friday at Justus Fine Art Gallery, 827 A Central Ave., Hot Springs, in conjunction with the Spa City's monthly Gallery Walk, opens a display of work by Dustyn Bork, Donnie Copeland, Randall Good, Matthew Hasty, Robyn Horn, Dolores Justus, Jill Kyong, John Lasater, Charles Peer, Sammy Peters, Laura Raborn, Jason Sacran, Tony Saladino, Sandra Sell, Gene Sparling and Dan Thornhill. The exhibit will remain up through Jan. 30. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday and by appointment. Call (501) 321-2335 or visit justusfineart.com.
10 BREW
January is National Hot Tea Month, and if you're looking to gracefully lift your little finger and sip a bit this weekend, here are three of the town's nicer options:
• The Empress of Little Rock, 2120 Louisiana St., Little Rock, serves grand high tea in an elegant Victorian atmosphere at the "Downton Abbey" of Arkansas, 3 p.m. Sundays, by reservation only -- their own specialty hot tea, three specialty desserts, three gourmet finger sandwiches, Empress scones, clotted cream and fresh fruit. Wear your hat and gloves. It's $40 per person, $45 on holidays, plus an 18 percent gratuity added. (501) 374-7966.
• Abbi's Teas & Things, 2622 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-7 p.m. Sunday, (501) 246.5077.
• The Green Corner Store, 1423 Main St., Little Rock, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, (501) 374-1111.
Weekend on 01/03/2019