Photos, left to right: Heads Up, Downtown! It's time for April Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month! Be safe, be aware. Join us at a media event Monday, April 6 at 11 am. at the Simmons Bank Plaza at the corner of Capitol and Broadway with downtown leaders. In event of inclement weather the event will be moved to the YMCA building at 6th and Broadway.
Ron Robinson Theater
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100 River Market Avenue-1 Pulaski Way. Learn more.
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| April 9: Fight Club, 7 p.m., $5 April 10: Breakfast at Tiffany's, 7 p.m., $5 April 11: The Sandlot, 2 p.m., $5 |
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April 5: Annual Community Easter Sunrise Service, an ecumenical worship service sponsored by Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. 7-8 a.m., First Security Amphitheater. Will also be broadcast live on KATV/Channel 7. Featuring Dr. Dexter Suggs, LRSD Superintendent, Rev. William L. Robinson of First Baptist Church of North Little Rock and Kathy Webb, Executive Director of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. Music by the choirs of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, Parkview Arts and Science High School and Philander Smith College. Learn more.
April 8: Jazz R Us at Jazz in the Park , 6-8 p.m. at the History Pavilion (west of the Junction Bridge).
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| Rainy weather pushed jazz fans into the River Market Pavilion Wednesday. |
Lawn chairs welcome. No coolers. Beer, wine and soft drinks for sale. Benefits Art Porter Music Education. Presented by LRCVB and the River Market. Wednesdays through April. Learn more.
April 9: CARTI's Ragin' Cajun Bash, River Market Pavilions. Experience the tastes of Louisiana. 6-9 p.m. $45 in advance, $50 at the door. Learn more.
April 18: Arkansas Times presents Rivergrass Revival featuring Ralph Stanley with Family & Friends, Juanita's, 614 President Clinton
April 18: 5th Annual Turkish Food Festival, River Market Pavilions.
April 19: Inaugural India Fest 2015, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., River Market Pavilions.. Learn more.
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| Saturdays with Bobby's Bike Hike: Historic Neighborhoods Bike Tour, 9 a.m. Discover Little Rock's rich, colorful history on a ride through quiet tree lined streets, city parks, and historic places on this 2 hour bicycle tour through the City. Pork & Bourbon Bike Tour, 11:30 a.m. Working up an appetite won't be a problem on this tour! Sample your way through some of the South's favorite delicacies - Ribs, southern sides and desserts, local craft beer and bourbon. Learn more. |
MacArthur Park Historic District
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April 7: Tales from the South radio show, Best Impressions Restaurant, Arkansas Arts Center. Tickets, $15. Food and drink not included. Learn more.
April 8: MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, AETN and PBS present a special preview screening of the "Last Days in Vietnam," directed and produced by Rory Kennedy. An Academy Award nominee for Documentary Feature. 503 E. 9th , MacArthur Park. Free and open to the public. Broadcast premiere April 28, 8 p.m. on AETN.
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Southside Main Street, south of I-630
April 11: South Main Vintage Market, Bernice Garden. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
April 11: Oxford American magazine presents Bad Match, 9 p.m. doors open. $8 cover charge.
Learn more.
April 12: Bernice Garden Farmer's Market grand opening, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Wednesdays: South on Main's Local Live Music Series. April 8-Cutty Rye. April 15-SeanFresh. April 22-David Rosen Septet.
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Verizon Arena
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In Downtown North Little Rock,
1 Verizon Arena Way. For ticket information
link here (Verizon Arena) or here (Ticketmaster).
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| April 10 Kevin Hart April 11 Jason Aldean April 19 Fleetwood Mac (rescheduled) April 23 Chris Tomlin May 6-10 Disney on Ice June 6 Brit Floyd June 20 Black & Brown Comedy Get Down July 27 Eagles |
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In Downtown North Little Rock. For more information
link here.
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| April 3-4: "I Love You, But You're Sitting on My Cat!" at The Joint, 310 Main Street, Fridays & Saturdays, 8 p.m. Learn more. Thru June 5. April 4: Argenta Farmers Market, 7 a.m.-noon. April schedule for Arkansas Travelers and special events, link here. April 9: Music Innovators Series features Amasa Hines, 7:30 p.m., The Joint Theater. Learn more. Presented by Rodney Block & Argenta Arts Foundation. $10. April 10-11: Free figure drawing workshop for teens with Stephen Rockwell, Art Connection, 204 E. 4th Street.Learn more. April 11: Bargue Drawing Workshop with Stephen Cefalo. Ages 12-adult. $115 for 6-hour workshop. 413B Main Street. Learn more. April 24-25: Blues on the River Weekend, North Shore Riverwalk. Learn more. May 2: Argenta Arts Festival. Learn more. |
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On Exhibit
9th & Commerce, MacArthur Park
The Mid-Southern Watercolorists 45th Juried Exhibition.
30 Americans opens
April 10.
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ASI Building, 401 President Clinton Avenue
Reflections on Line & Mass: Paintings & Sculpture by Robyn Horn. Thru April 24.
Christ Church Arts
509 Scott Street
The Plein Air Painters of Arkansas. Painters include Victoria Harvey, Clarence Cash, Tom Herrin, Greg Lahti, Sean LeCrone, John Wooldrige and Diana Shearon. Thru June 30.
1200 President Clinton Avenue
"PIGSKIN PEANUTS" & "HEARTBREAK IN PEANUTS." Join Snoopy thru April 5 for tribute on the 65th anniversary of Charles Schulz's famous creation.
What's Inside: A History of Women and Handbags, 1900-1999.
Common Threads.
Thru May.
Pyramid Place, 221 W. 2nd
200 E. Third
Capturing Early Arkansas in Depth: The Stereoview Collection of Allan Gates.
Thru April 5.
The Great Arkansas Quilt Show 3.
Thru May 3.
40 Years of The Arkansas Times
Ongoing:
We Walk in Two Worlds: The Caddo, Osage and Quapaw in Arkansas
The Knife Gallery
MacArthur Park, 503 E. 9th Street
Waging Modern Warfare! General Wesley K. Clark
Vietnam, America's Conflict
Undaunted Courage, Proven Loyalty: Japanese American Soldiers in World War II
501 W. 9th Street
Creativity Arkansas. Thru April 15.
500 President Clinton Avenue
The Bare Bones Exhibit.
Thru April 26.
Mindbender Mansion
. Thru September 7.
300 W. Markham Street
Different Spokes.
Thru February 2016.
Ongoing: Arkansas First Ladies' Gowns; Pillars of Power; On the Stump: Arkansas Politics, 1819-1919; First Families of Arkansas; As Long as Life Shall Last: The Legacy of Arkansas Women.
602 President Clinton Avenue
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Downtown Update
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| April 3, 2015 |
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| Rachel Maddow on MSNBC referenced Arkansas Wednesday evening, as all national media did this past week about Arkansas's H.B. 1228 on discrimination. However, Maddow's point of reference was more personal. She visited Little Rock several years ago as a guest of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. Maddow very positively talked about all that downtown Little Rock offers and our hopes for downtown to be the "cool place" that will draw those who want to be part of a new "tech hub." At the end of the segment Mayor Mark Stodola spoke of his concerns about H.B. 1228 and its potential effects on those economic opportunities for which he advocates for downtown and for Little Rock. "We are open for business and an open, welcoming community that has great diversity." To hear the 19-minute segment link here. (Little Rock mention at beginning, Mayor Stodola interview starts at 13:30.) For the outcome of the "Religious Freedom" legislation link to Talk Business here. So what makes downtown Little Rock a "cool place"... Remember Fred Kent of Projects for Public Spaces, keynote speaker at the Downtown Little Rock Partnership's annual meeting in March
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| Cover photo by Aubrey Godwin for the DLRP's annual magazine. A few chairs and tables quickly turned this alleyway between the Arcade and the Arkansas Studies Institute into a "place." |
2011? He is a leading authority around the world on how to turn public spaces into places (see his recent article on the long-term result of taking a few chairs to a Harvard plaza in 2009). Kent inspired us and validated us as we looked for creative ways to focus on bringing people back to Main Street while stakeholders began backroom discussions for re-investment, such as for a "Creative Corridor" and the Tech Park, on Main. The Bucket List wall at Capitol and Main and the Main Street Food Truck Festival were two "space to place" ideas we already had underway for some boarded up buildings and an empty street. It's easy to look around now and see the added value of so many placemaking ideas over the years, too many to mention, that support downtown's ongoing revitalization... from the Bernice Garden in SoMa to the MacArthur Unleashed dog park in MacArthur Park to a sculpture garden in Riverfront Park. Many credit the River Market on President Clinton Avenue with its farmers' market as one of the key jumpstarts for a revitalized River Market District when it was moved from the parking deck at 6th and Scott. Farmers' markets, food trucks, community gardens, tables and chairs on sidewalks outside our many busy restaurants and coffee shops...all add to our vibrancy. What's your favorite place that makes downtown Little Rock "cool"?  Congratulations to Starr Mitchell of Historic Arkansas Museum as she retires after 25 years with the downtown museum. She has received the Peg Smith Award of the Arkansas Museums Association at the Association's annual meeting in Helena this week. Shown with Historic Arkansas museum director Bill Worthen. Peg Newton Smith was a pioneer in the field of history and preservation. She was also the founder of the Arkansas Museums Association and the Quapaw Quarter Association.
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| Entertainment highlights from Arkansas Times here. Little Rock (LRCVB) event listings here. |
|  Mary Poppins
April 3-12
Arkansas Repertory Theatre
Mary Poppins, which received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, introduces us to England in 1910 and the troubled Banks family. Young Jane and Michael have sent many a nanny packing before taking matters into their own hands and taking out their own want ad ...until Mary Poppins. For tickets, link here. |
Stuck, Stalled and Scared: Dr. Mamie Parker
Friday, April 3, 6 p.m.
Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 602 President Clinton Avenue
Spend an evening with motivational speaker and Arkansas Outdoor Hall of fame member Dr. Mamie Parker, former assistant director of Fisheries and Habitat
Conservation at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She has worked on many USFWS programs, including fish hatcheries, wetlands and coastal mapping, contaminants, invasive species, wildlife refuges, marine mammals, land acquisition, law enforcement, and wetland restoration and protection. She received the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Service, the highest honor given to federal employees. Dr. Parker, a native of Wilmot, will speak about women and minorities in conservation, ways to engage urban dwellers in conservation, the importance of connecting kids to nature, positive benefits of green space and city. Free. Reservations requested 501-907-0636.
Family Fun Saturday with Dr. Mamie Parker
Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 501 W. Ninth
MTCC, Black Women's Agenda and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission join for a wildlife-inspired family fun day featuring Dr. Mamie Parker (above), Arkansas native and former assistant director of Fisheries and Habitat Conservation at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She will lead a panel of women with STEM careers. Lunch provided. Free and open to public. Learn more or call 501-907-0636.
Open House
Thursday, April 9, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Historic Curran Hall, 615 E. Capitol Avenue
Planning an event? Stop by historic Curran Hall and see what the space has to offer. The Quapaw Quarter Association, housed there, will offer tours of the space. Call Shalah Brummett at 371-0075 for more information.
2015 Little Rock Sustainability Summit
Thursday, April 9, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Clinton Presidential Center
An opportunity for Little Rock residents to engage with industry professionals who have successfully integrated sustainable practices into their businesses and organizations. This year's summit will include a presentation by keynote speaker John Fisk of the Wallace Center at Winrock International on sustainable food systems. Three local panelists will discuss food security, transportation, and energy efficiency. The 2020 Sustainability Roadmap will be presented, which resulted from a series of meetings held throughout the City last year. The event is free but seating is limited. Link here for reservations.
Fashion Footprints: Purse-onal Stories
Thursday, April 9, 6-8 p.m.
Esse Purse Museum, SoMa
An evening of cocktails, purses, stories and more. Tour the permanent exhibit and new temporary exhibit, Common Threads, and bring your purses with friend and family connections. Sponsored by Esse Purse Museum, The Capital Hotel, Linda Rowe and Oxford America. $35 per person. To purchase a ticket link here.
Karski's Message
April 10-25
The Weekend Theatre
World premiere of this new play from Phillip H. McMath, the author of The Hanging of David O' Dodd. True story of how one man tried to stop the Holocaust. Learn more.
2nd Friday Art Night
Friday, April 10, 5-8 p.m.
at participating downtown Little Rock venues
For more information link to Facebook.
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Clinton School of Public Service
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All events are free and open to the public. However, reservations are required by phone 501-683-5200 or by email. Location, Sturgis Hall unless otherwise noted. Learn more about each of these programs here.
April 6: Tyson Gersh, founder and president of the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative. 6 p.m.
April 7:
"American Economic Leadership in an Uncertain World," Fred Hochberg,
chairman and president of the Export-Import Bank, America's official export credit agency.
6 p.m.
April 8: "Why Civil Resistance Works: Nonviolent Struggle in the Past and Future," Erica Chenoweth,
associate professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and an associate senior researcher at the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO). 12 noon.
April 9: "Art. Race. Identity. Bringing '30 Americans' to Little Rock" with Todd Herman, executive director of the Arkansas Arts Center, about a new exhibit opening with many of the most important African American artists of the last four decades. 12 noon.
April 10: Clinton School Center on Community Philanthropy Scholar in Residence, Celeste Clark, principal at Abraham Clark Consulting and a trustee of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
12 noon.
April 13: "The Golden Hour: Africa's Rise and the Challenge for American Diplomacy," Todd Moss, chief operating officer and senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and a former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. 12 noon. *Book signing to follow.
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| Nearby DLRP Member Events
April 7-14: Bolo Bash USTA Tennis Tournament, presented by
Baptist Health, Wild Card Tournament at Rebsamen Tennis Center with main event April 14 at Pleasant Valley Country Club. Learn more. Free and open to the public.
Learn more or call Rebecca Scaife, 501-202-1207.
April 7: Erica Chenoweth,
Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring and Beyond,
UALR Stella Boyle Smith Auditorium. Sponsored by Arkansas Coalition for Peace and Justice, Arkansas WAND,
Clinton School of Public Service, the UALR Middle Eastern Studies Program and the Chamberlin Family Foundation.
April 7: Women's Soccer Team from New Castle, England match up at
UALR in a
Little Rock Sister Cities Commission-sponsored event. 7 p.m. For more information contact Luis Gonzales, City of Little Rock, 371-4421.
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| April 17-19: Ballet Arkansas, "Who Cares?" featuring the music of George Gershwin. Arkansas Repertory Theatre. Tickets at The Rep. Call 378-0405. April 18: Arkansas Earth Day Festival, Heifer International, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. April 23-26: Arkansas Literary Festival. Learn more. April 24: Main Street Food Trucks Friday kick-off. 10:45 a.m.-1 :30 p.m., corner of Main and Capitol. Fridays thru June 26. April 24-26: Sculpture at the River Market. Learn more. April 29-26: The Winning Numbers, a new comedy by S. Christopher Boggs, The Studio Theatre of Little Rock. Learn more. May 1: MacArthur Park 5K & Corporate Team Cup Challenge. Learn more. May 2: River Market Farmers' Market reopens. Learn more. May 9-10: Quapaw Quarter Association (QQA) 51st Spring of homes. Learn more. May 11-17: Little Rock Film Festival. Learn more. May 22-24: Riverfest. Learn more. September 16-20: ACANSA. Learn more. September 26: 2015 Big Dam Bridge 100. Registration open now for Arkansas's largest cycling tour. Link here. October 3: Main Street Food Truck Festival. For more information email or go to Facebook. |
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