Little Rock

The Greek Food Festival is one of my favorite festivals, because I love to eat.  The festival is a great chance to see some Greek dancers, experience some Greek culture and, of course, try some Greek food.  It looks like it will be a nice weekend for it, weather wise.

The festival makes it easy for you to sample the food, with a drive through if you're pressed for time and free festival admission if you're not.  You can also see the festival prices on their online menu, but the average price for food is about $7.

The festival is located at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church on 1100 Napa Valley Drive.

The Little Rock Film Festivals kicks off today and continues throughout the weekend.  Like normal, they have a great, easy to use schedule on their website.  There is really too much there to point out the highlights.  If you love film, check it out and check it out.  The opening night party is today at The Rep at 9:45 p.m.  Each day has a mixture of types and styles of film, and some  educational talks on film making.

They have some films for kids.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid is being screened and stars Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, and producer Brad Simpson will do an Q&A at the Rep on Saturday at 10 a.m.  You can also meet them at the Little Rock Zoo from 2-4 p.m.

Tickets start at just $50.

This weekend is also a home weekend at Dickey-Stephens park.

Friday:

• Endangered Species Day at the Little Rock Zoo takes a look at animals that are endangered.
• The Arkansas Festival Ballet is presenting Pinocchio at the Arkansas Children's Theater.  Tickets are $20.
• The THEA Center in Argenta (at 401 Main Street) is presenting a history of Argenta via an exhibition of twenty-five pen and ink drawings of Argenta-specific structures by Little Rock artist Mary Ann Stafford.

Saturday

• There is a Relay for Life in Maumelle and a 5k Run/Walk at Two Rivers Park.
• It's the Running of the Tubs in Hot Springs.  This is a fun event where costumed teams race actual bathtubs down the street.  It starts at 9 a.m. for spectators.
• EMOBA is hosting JamFest, with gospel music, storytelling, praise dancing, a Greek step show, a motor cycle competition, and. new this year, a  black horseback riding exhibition.  It's from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Buzz-B-Q Cookoff is happening at the North Little Rock RV Park, 250 South Locust Street.
• The River Cities Dragon Boat Festival is happening at Burns Park on Victory Lake.
• Girls Rollin' In The South Women's Flat Track Roller Derby is at the UALR Fieldhouse starting at 4:30 p.m.  Admission is $10.
• The Central Arkansas Roller Derby: "Divine Secrets of the Ta-Ta Sisterhood" is at Skate World (6512 Mabelvale Cut Off) at 7 p.m. Admission is $10.

Sunday:

• The Little Rock Zoo celebrates Bear Awareness Week.

Movies in the Park just announced their 2013 schedule.  I think it's a great mix of movies.  Movies in the park is a free summer event in Little Rock. Family friendly movies are shown on a projection screen in Riverfest Amphitheater in Riverfront Park.

The event is absolutely free.  Here is the schedule.   More info.

• June 12 - Twilight Breaking Dawn (PG13)
• June 19 - Remember the Titans (PG)
• June 26 - The Notebook (PG13)
• July 3  - No movie (July 4th holiday)
• July 10 - Zookeeper (PG)
• July 17 - Big (1988) (PG)
• July 24  - Finding Nemo (G)
• July 31  - Breakfast at Tiffany's (G)
• Aug. 7  - The Avengers (PG13)

A big event this weekend is the 40th Annual Territorial Fair at Historic Arkansas Museum.  They have lots of old fashioned fun planned, including hoop-rolling and Maypole dancing.   It's May 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free.  The museum is located at 200 E. Third Street.

It's also Mother's Day.  Check out the special list of Mother's Day Events.

Friday

• Bugs, Bands and Bikes is May 10-11 in El Dorado.  It's free.
• Mother's Day Plant Sale is at ACCESS Gardens (10618 Breckenridge Drive).
• The Arkansas Delta Rockabilly Festival is May 10-11 in Helena.

Saturday

• The River City Comic Expo is at Sherwood Forest (1111 W. Maryland Ave).  Lots of comics, toys and other fun stuff. Admission is $3.
• The Letter Carriers' Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is Saturday.  Place non-perishable food in your mailbox.
• Arkansas Trails Day at Burns Park means that special activities will be going on all day.
• Heifer International Heifer Hour is Saturday at 11 a.m. all summer long at Heifer Village.  They'll be a different a activity each week.
• It's an International Migratory Bird Day Celebration at the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center (602 President Clinton Ave.).  They will activities throughout the day.
• Wild Wines of the World & More is Saturday at Little Rock Zoo.

Magic Spring's water park, Crystal Falls, opens this Saturday.  It probably seems a little cool to be taking a dip in a pool, but normally it's getting warm in May. It was probably warm enough today to go for a swim.

The Magic Springs Summer Concert series starts May 25.  This year, they have Collective Soul, Night Ranger, Easton Corbin, Building 429, TobyMac, Little Big Town, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gary Allan, MercyMe, Theory of a Deadman, Everclear, Peter Furler, NeedToBreath, Coco Jones and Chris Cagle all on theschedule.  Tickets are free with paid admission to the park or with a season pass.

This Saturday (May 4) is the Second Annual Food Bloggers Bake Sale.  The bake sale benefits  No Kid Hungry.  I had planned to stop by last year and sample some goodies, but I didn't make it.  I heard they had quite the spread of delicious baked goods, and I'm sure they will this year too. It's in downtown North Little Rock (Argenta) at Sixth and Main streets from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It's also, of course, Toad Suck Daze and the Travelers are home at Dickey-Stephens Park.  You could celebrate Cinco De Mayo at a local Mexican restaurant (there are some more official celebrations too).

March 3 (Friday) -

• Therapeutic Recreation Arts Festival at Clear Channel Metroplex from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Hands on crafts, art, music, entertainment, and refreshments, through the work of volunteers, for children and adults with special needs.  The festival is open to everyone, and free.
• The MacArthur Park 5K is Friday at 7 p.m.
• The Spring Barking Lot Sale to benefit the Humane Society of Pulaski County is from Thursday to Saturday.  It's a yard sale type event at the Clear Channel Metroplex.
• The Spring Livestock Show is all weekend long at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds.

May 4 (Saturday) -

• Cinco De Mayo Celebration at the Main Library in downtown Little Rock.  It's a fiesta at the main library, and it's free.
• Family Health Festival at the Promenade at Chenal offers free health screenings and information from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Turkish Food Festival is going on at 1501 Market Street (the Turkish House) in Little Rock.
• Migratory Bird Day at the Little Rock offers a look at some of the habits of migratory birds.
• The Annual Cinco De Mayo Celebration at the Clinton Library. Admission and parking are free.  Activities include traditional and contemporary Hispanic music and entertainment, an array of food vendors, children's rides and games, and lessons and games in tennis, golf and soccer.  It's from noon to 8 p.m.

Toad Suck Daze is May 3-5.   That means the festival season is almost here.

The Toad Suck Daze organizers really do put on a good festival. There's music, arts and crafts, fun things for kids, lots of great food. It's everything a summer festival should be. It's just too bad that early May showers often rain on their parade.  It looks like it may rain on Friday, but Saturday and Sunday look clear.

Headliners this year are Diamond Rio, Kip Moore and Hawk Nelson.  Admission is free.

If you want to see the Peabody ducks one last time, you're running out of time.  The Peabody will officially become a Marriott on Wednesday, May 1.   The ducks are going to  be retired along with the Peabody name.

The American Culinary Federation Regional Competition is going on at the Peabody today and tomorrow.  You'll see lots of chefs. The conference is open to the public. Registration is required on-site and a day badge is $125.  To view a complete list of events, visit the ACF website.

It looks like you can still get tickets to the Governor's Culinary Challenge too.  Tickets are $100 and it's tonight from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Capitol Hotel, not the Peabody.  The best Central Arkansas chefs will be presenting dishes for everyone to taste.  You might find duck there, but it won't be wading in a fountain!  Don't worry, the Peabody ducks are safe from the chefs.

Friday:

• Food and Foam Fest at Dickey-Stephens Park is a beer festival offering samples of over 250 different kinds of beer, wine and cuisine from local restaurateurs with live music. Tickets are $65. It's at Dickey Stephens Park.
• Rodeo in the Rock at Arkansas State Fairgrounds presented by the Diamond State Rodeo Association. There are events all weekend. Tickets $15-25.

Saturday:

• Several Run and Walk events this weekend including the Catholic High Rocket 5K , the Boot Scootin' Bash & 5K Dash at Beyond Boundaries in Ward, the March of Dimes Run Before They Can Walk 5K at the Clinton Presidential Center and the American Lung Association Fight for Air Climb at War Memorial.
• Healthy Kids Day at War Memorial Stadium is Saturday. They have bounce houses, climbing walls and information about keeping fit and healthy. It's free from 8 a.m. until noon.
• Woo at the Zoo examines the mating behaviors of animals and teaches you more about reproduction at the zoo. It's at the Little Rock Zoo. Tickets are $35.
• Etsy Little Rock is having an Arts and Music Festival at the Shoppes on Woodlawn from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Lots of great booths and some food trucks too. Free admission, but they want you to shop.
• The Thea Arts Festival is in Argenta, North Little Rock this weekend. It's from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Main Street North Little Rock.

Sunday

• The Jewish Food Festival is Sunday at the River Market fro 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.   Admission is free, but food is not.
• The annual picnic at Mount Holly Cemetery is Sunday.  Tickets are $75.00 for adults, $25.00 for kids.