Monthly Archives: December 2012

Little Rock Film Fest Special Offer

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Little Rock Film FestivalThrough today (December 20), the Little Rock Film Festival is offering a special on passes for the 2013 festival.  The dates for the 7th LRFF are May 14-19, 2013.

The All Access or Gold Pass, normally $250, is available for $200.  It grants priority admission to all 2013 LRFF films and parties including the Opening Night Film Screening and after party, the Oxford American Party and the Arkansas Times Closing Night Gala Awards Ceremony. Your Gold Pass includes access to the Filmmakers Lounge where special panels are held, and free refreshments are available. There are also exclusive Gold Pass only after‐parties. Your Gold Pass gives you access to all of the festival’s year round events such as the monthly Argenta Film Series, the Little Rock Horror Picture Show and the Reel Civil Rights Film Festival. All of these events continue the expansion of the Little Rock Film Festival into one of the premiere year-round film advocacy organizations in the American South.

The Silver Party Pass is available for $90, normally $100.  It provides admission to 2013 LRFF Film Screenings, Panels, and legendary After-Parties. Silver Pass Holders receives second priority entrance to screenings, workshops, panels, and festival parties! The Party pass will grant the pass holder entry to most parties, many with complimentary food and drink.The Pass will allow entrance to the opening night film after Gold Pass holders are seated.

To purchase tickets, visit here.  The discount code for the Gold Pass is: MerryChristmas.  The discount code for the Silver Pass: is Happy Holidays.  (Please note there are no spaces between the words in either discount code.)

Little Rock Look Back: Mayor J. J. McAlmont

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McAlmontJohnJ_fFuture Little Rock Mayor John Josephus McAlmont was born on this date in 1821 in New York state. (Various reports give his birthdate as December 22 — but the family reports December 19 as the date.)

After studying medicine in Pennsylvania and Ohio, he arrived in Little Rock in March 1850 with his family.  After practicing medicine in nearby Benton, he returned to Little Rock in 1852.  In addition to being a physician, he was a pharamacist.

During the Civil War, he relocated his family out of Little Rock (to a spot where the present day community of McAlmont bears his name).  Following the war, he moved them back to the City.  In 1866 he was elected Mayor of Little Rock, the first elected Mayor since local government resumed following the Civil War.

In October 1879, he and seven other physicians founded the Arkansas Industrial University Medical Department in Little Rock. This institution has grown into the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.  He served on the faculty of the medical school for several years.

Dr. McAlmont died in September 1896.  He is buried at Mt. Holly Cemetery.  In addition to the McAlmont community bearing his name, there is a McAlmont street in downtown Little Rock which was named in his memory.

Little Rock Tree Week — Statehouse Convention Center

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IMG_3826Today’s Little Rock Tree Week focus is the Statehouse Convention Center.  The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau has trees throughout several of its facilities.  The largest tree is located in the eastern lobby of the Statehouse Convention Center.  This tree is visible from both Markham Street and Scott Street.  In addition to oversized balls, lights and fabric, the tree features large reindeer.

UALR Applied Design Open Studio Today

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The UALR Applied Design program will hold its annual Open Studio event from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. today, Wednesday, Dec. 19.

An eclectic mix of student and faculty work will be on display. Pieces will be from such classes as furniture design and woodworking, ceramics, metalsmithing and jewelry, blacksmithing, and contemporary crafts.

In addition to the exhibit, there will be a sale of one-of-a-kind artworks, forging demonstrations, a silent auction, and a raffle.

The Applied Design program at UALR provides students opportunities to learn about and create traditional arts and crafts representative of the South Central region of the U.S., with a particular emphasis on Arkansas.

The Applied Design studio is located in University Plaza. For more information, contact the Art Department at 501.569.3182.

Little Rock Look Back: Mayor Charles Bussey

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Future Little Rock Mayor Charles Bussey was born on this date in 1918.  Throughout his life he was a trailblazer.  He was the first African American Sherriff’s Deputy in Pulaski County and expanded the Junior Deputy program into the African American community.

In 1968 he became the first African American elected to the Little Rock City Board of Directors. He served from 1969-1977 and again from 1979 through 1991.  In 1981 he was selected by his fellow City Directors to serve as Little Rock’s Mayor, which made him the first African American Mayor of Little Rock.

Throughout his lifetime Mayor Bussey championed youth outreach efforts.  He also was active in the Arkansas Municipal League, National League of Cities, West Little Rock Rotary Club, Elks, Shriners and many other organizations.

In 2006 he was posthumously inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.  The previous year, 20th Street in Little Rock was renamed in his honor.

Little Rock Tree Week – Capital Hotel

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IMG_3580As Little Rock Tree Week continues, today’s feature is the Capital Hotel.  In addition to enjoying the tree, visitors to the Capital Hotel can admire Chef Tandra’s gingerbread village as well as musical performances in the lobby.

The schedule for the remainder of this week is:

• Don Roberts Elementary on Tue, Dec 18 at Noon
• Violinists on Tue, Dec 18 at 5:30pm
• Capital String Quartet on Wed, Dec 19 at 5:30pm
• St. Paul United Methodist Bells on Wed, Dec 19 at 7pm
• Booker Arts Magnet on Thu, Dec 20 at 10:15am

Among the groups performing earlier this month have been: Forest Heights Middle School, Horace Mann Magnet, eSTEM, Pulaski Academy, Williams Magnet, Episcopal Collegiate, Mount St. Mary Academy, Central Arkansas Christian, Sylvan Hills High School, Holy Souls School, Bale Elementary, Cabot Middle School and the UCA Hornaments.

The arrival of the tree at the Capital Hotel.

The arrival of the tree at the Capital Hotel.

The tree and other decorations at the Capital Hotel are overseen by Tipton Hurst.  The Hurst family is descended from Little Rock’s first hoteliers, the Peay family. The Peay Hotel stood a few blocks away from where the Capital Hotel was constructed in the 1870s.

The tree arrived on a Friday afternoon. It took several hours to get it raised into place and secured.  It took all weekend for a crew to decorate the tree, which has thousands of lights wrapped around its branches.  The tree was officially lit on Monday, December 3.

Little Rock Tree Week – City Hall

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IMG_3635This week, the Little Rock Culture Vulture will highlight some of the Christmas trees found around town in public spaces.  We start at Little Rock City Hall.

The Christmas Tree in the 1908 rotunda of Little Rock City Hall.