The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau continues the new series of free jazz concerts tonight. Adam Collins Group is featured tonight.
Jazz in the Park will be every Wednesday night in June and July from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. They will take place in the History Pavilion in Riverfront Park (between the Junction Bridge and Peabody Park).
Beer & Wine will be available for sale – portions of the proceeds will benefit Sculpture at the River Market…so no coolers, please. Free to attend!
Today’s Architeaser is one of a series of decorative panels above the doors of the old Department of Education Building to the west of the Arkansas State Capitol. Across the front facade of this rather utiltarian WPA era structure, there are several of these panels each containng 8 fleur de lis.
While one could suppose that they are a tribute to the French heritage of both Arkansas and Little Rock, there do not appear to be records to confirm this.
The building still contains offices of the Arkansas Department of Education. But today, the offices have also expanded to a nearby building. These two adjoining buildings are now linked and the entire complex is known as the Arch Ford Education Building.
Celebrity Attractions is bringing the Tony winning musical Jersey Boys to Robinson Center Music Hall this week from June 19 – 23.
Jersey Boys is not recommended for all ages. The show contains smoke, gun shots, strobe lights, and profane “authentic Jersey language.
Jersey Boys features a Tony nominated book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice as well as a score of songs made famous by the Four Seasons. The production is directed by Des McAnuff and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo. The design team includes Klara Zieglerova (scenery), Jess Goldstein (costumes), Howell Binkley (lighting) and Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound).
The cast includes Nick Cosgrove, Brandon Andrus, Nicolas Dromard, Jason Kappus, Barry Anderson, Thomas Fiscella, Kaleigh Cronin, Brent DiRoma, Marlana Dunn, Larry Esparza, De’lon Grant, Dave Hiltebrand, Hayden Milanes, Ian Joseph, John Rochette, Rachel Schur, Skye Scott, Candi Boyd, Stephen Cerf, Devon Goffman, Bryan Hindle and Michelle Pruiett.
On June 17, 1802, future Little Rock Mayor John Widgery was born in Portland ME to Mr. and Mrs. William Widgery. His father died in 1804. At the age of 11, John Widgery entered Bowdoin College. He was the youngest student admitted to the college.
Widgery studied law with his uncle, Nathan Kinsman. He married Ann L. Woodward, who was from Boston MA. According to Bowdoin College records, he later “wandered away into the Southwest” spending time “in the Cherokee country.”
Widgery spent most of his adult life in the south. For a time Widgery was clerk of the Mississippi House of Representatives. He then moved to Little Rock prior to 1840. By 1840, he was Recorder for the City of Little Rock.
According to media reports at the time, several tradesman groups encouraged Widgery to run for Mayor in January 1841. He did run but lost to Rev. Samuel H. Webb. The next year, Widgery ran again and this time was elected Mayor. He took office in January 1842. On May 24, 1842 he resigned from office. He later served as Secretary of the Arkansas Senate (where he made $8 a day when the Senate was in session).
Widgery eventually settled in St. Louis. He later returned up north. He died on August 2, 1873 in Portland ME and is buried there. He and his wife did not have any children.
Today is Father’s Day. In honor of that, today’s Sculpture Vulture revisits Tim Cherry’s Rabbit Reach. The sculpture was given in memory of two fathers.
The sculpture is a gift from Whitlow Wyatt and the Carey Cox Wyatt Charitable Foundation. It was given in memory of George Wyatt and Frank Kumpuris. Those two gentlemen were the fathers of Whitlow Wyatt and Dean & Drew Kumpuris.
The sculpture is located at the corner of Sherman Street and President Clinton Avenue across from the Museum of Discovery.
Cherry’s sculpture was selected for this spot because of its proximity to children at the Museum and in the River Market district. The design and size of the sculpture encourages children to climb on it and to play around the rabbit.
While some public art is situated so it cannot be touched, this one is situated to be touched as part of the appreciation experience.
Little Rock native Brooks Robinson, who was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, returns to his hometown on Saturday, June 15, to lead the birthday festivities for the field where he first honed his playing skills.
Lamar Porter Field, at the corner of 7th and Johnson Streets in the Stifft Station neighborhood, will mark its 77th year, making it the oldest actively-used baseball stadium in the state of Arkansas. The complex also includes the Billy Mitchell Boys and Girls Club.
Robinson, who played his entire 23-year major league career with the Baltimore Orioles, will help kick off a multi-million dollar effort to restore the facilities and grounds to better serve the city’s youth.
The program will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Lamar Porter Field (3200 West 7th Street). Tickets are $10 each and are available at Sportstop (10720 Rodney Parham Road). Each ticket includes admission to the event, a hot dog, soft drink and popcorn. Robinson will be available to sign autographs as well. All proceeds will benefit the campaign to restore the Lamar Porter Field and complex
The second annual Tinkerfest is coming to the Museum of Discovery from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 15, offering the public a chance to build and create without limits. The event is put on by the Arkansas Discovery Network, a six-museum partnership in the state for which the Museum of Discovery serves as the hub.
More than 40 tinkering stations will be set up both inside and outside of the museum. Visitors will have the opportunity to create with 3D printers, disassemble a vehicle, meet robot makers, participate in water balloon catapulting duels, build and launch rockets, learn to crochet, create a cardboard city and much more.
According to Joel Gordon, the museum’s Visitor Experience Director, Tinkerfest grew out of the Maker Movement, which has recently soared in popularity globally.
“In Arkansas, we are ahead of the trend when it comes to the movement,” Gordon says. “. We have always been makers because we rely on self-reliance.” Gordon says Tinkerfest is one of a handful of maker faires in the nation.
The event will promote the museum’s STEAM initiative mission (science, technology, engineering, art and math.) Gordon says it also will teach people the importance of creating through trial and error.
“Tinkering teaches us that it is OK to fail because when you do fail, you learn why and then work that much harder to succeed.”
Tinkerfest is sponsored by the Argenta Arts Foundation, Regional Recycling and Waste District, Arkansas School for Math, Sciences and the Arts, and Custom XM.
There is no extra cost to attend Tinkerfest. Regular museum admission will apply: $10 for adults, $8 for children, free for members. To view the full list of activities or to learn more about Tinkerfest, visit www.museumofdiscovery.org.
Little Rock Culture Vulture 