5 Events for Weekend Fun: "Annie," Lanterns Festival, Cirque du Soleil & More
There are plenty of BIG activities happening in central Arkansas this weekend: Your family can journey to Broadway, the moon and...the fictional land of Pandora? Yep, it's all happening in the metro Little Rock area Feb. 19-21. Read on and get ready to explore (no suitcase required)!
"Annie" at Maumelle Performing Arts Center: The world's best-loved musical is based on the 1920s comic strip Little Orphan Annie. The musical follows Annie on her journey to find a family and features favorites "It's the Hard Knock Life," "Easy Street," "I Don't Need Anything But You," and the eternal anthem of optimism, "Tomorrow." Join Little Rock Family for pre-show family fun in the lobby at 2 p.m. Feb. 20. We’ll be on hand with games and giveaways, along with our friends at ICM, Inc. and The Call. For more information about the show and the pre-show party, click here. 8 p.m. Feb. 19 & 20; 2 p.m. Feb. 20 & 21. $32-$67. Info: (501) 244-8800, CelebrityAttractions.com.
Lanterns! Festival at Wildwood Park for the Arts: Lanterns! is held over three magical evenings; guests are transported to six vibrant cultures as they stroll through the beautifully lit pathways of Wildwood Park's gardens. This year, families will experience gyros in Greece, dinosaur fossils in Australia, dragon dances in China, volcanoes in Hawaii and Zumba in Brazil. Kids can even venture to the moons where they’ll find s’mores, photo opps and more! For more details on family-friendly activities, read our full post here. 6-10 p.m. Feb. 19 & 20, 6-9 p.m. Feb. 21. $10, children $5, children 5 and under are free. Info: (501) 821-7275, WildwoodPark.org.
Children's Theatre Studio Show: The Odyssey at Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre: Homer’s epic poem comes vibrantly alive in a fusion of music, dance, mime, masks, and choral effects. Enduring Poseidon’s wrath, King Odysseus faces witches, sirens and a cyclops as he wends his way to his home and the long-suffering love of his Queen Penelope. Studio Shows at the Children’s Theatre are intended to provide space to explore new ideas and themes, and appeal to a different audience than Main Stage shows. Feb. 19-28: 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat.; 2 p.m. Sat. & Sun. $10; members $8.50 Info: (501) 372-4000, ArkansasArtsCenter.org.
Cirque du Soleil: Toruk-The First Flight at Verizon Arena: Inspired by James Cameron’s record-breaking movie "Avatar" is a Cirque du Soleil show that envisions a world beyond imagination set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film. The word Toruk, in the Na’vi language, refers to the great leonopteryx, the mighty red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. For older teens and adults. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17-20; 4 p.m. Feb. 20; 1:30 & 5 p.m. Feb. 21. $37.50-$132.50. Info: (501) 975-9000, VerizonArena.com.
Black History Quiz Bowl and Gloryland in Concert at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center: Impressive teams of 6-12th graders from across the state test their knowledge of African American history from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Plus, the dynamic children’s choir, Gloryland Pastor’s Choir, will perform at 6 p.m. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; 6 p.m. Feb. 20. For info: (501) 683-3592, MosaicTemplarsCenter.com. FREE!