(Blog Sunday 4/18/2010)

Recap and What’s Coming: I spent a portion of Saturday afternoon at Old Cowtown Museum’s Civil War Weekend. The event featured reenactors, several military encampments, a series of workshops, period music and the perennial Dixie Lee Saloon Girls. There were also a number of displays, including a group from the Great Plains Woodcarvers. The highlight of the afternoon was a mock Civil War skirmish between the “blue coats” and the rebels. I took over 100 photos, and as soon as I delete the not-so-good ones, I’ll make a slide show which will be posted.

Today, I went to the celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday at Botanica. This event featured Renaissance period music, readings from the Bard’s works, period dancing, and fencing demonstrations, all surrounded by thousands of blooming tulips and pansies. I managed to take a few pictures, but my camera’s battery ran out, so couldn’t take anywhere near as many as I wanted to. Too bad because the slightly overcast sky was perfect lighting for digital photography.

April 19-25, 2010: In terms of entertainment, this week promises to be an active one.

First up we have one of my favorite events, the Great Plains Renaissance Festival. This Spring’s ‘RenFest’ will be held Friday and Saturday at Sedgwick County Park from 10:00 am through 6:00 pm. The Festival features jousting knights, a royal court, martial arts, bagpipers, magicians, sword fighting, acrobatics, puppetry, dancing (including the popular Amira dance troupe), children’s activities, and food. Ticketing information is available at the Festival’s web site.

From Wednesday through Sunday the event at the Intrust Bank Arena will be Walking With Dinosaurs. This award-winning BBC TV series has been turned into a stunning theatrical event. Internationally renowned designers working with scientists have created 15 life-size dinosaurs, including the terror of the ancient terrain, Tyrannosaurus-rex! You will be fascinated and in awe as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return before your eyes. Performance times are Wednesday through Friday (7:00 pm), Saturday (11:00 am, 3:00 pm, & 7:00 pm) and Sunday (1:00 pm & 5:00 pm). Tickets are available through Select-A-Seat.

At the Orpheum Theatre we have Let Freedom Sing. The Heart of America Men’s Chorus will celebrate our great nation through song. This is a fundraiser for the Wichita Fraternal Order of Police. Performances are Saturday (7:00 pm) and Sunday (4:00 pm). Ticketing information is available at the HOAMC web site.

The All About Wichita calendar lists a wide variety of additional events and exhibits.