Recap: First of all, Liz and I hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend.

This week ended on a sad note for the Kennedy household. We had to put our Labrador Retriever, Gracie, down Sunday morning. She had been with us for over twelve years. Putting a companion animal down is the most difficult decision a “best friend” can make, so Liz and I would like to thank the staff at the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital of Wichita for the sensitivity they have consistently shown us. Gracie was the third dog we have had to take there to begin a passage to Rainbow Bidge, and the staff has always made a difficult process somewhat easier.

Gracie was another of our faithful canine companions who came with a story. In her case, she was living in an abandoned railroad car in Andale. After a brief and disruptive stay with my daughter, she came to live with us. She was as out-of-control as was Marley in the book, Marley and Me. However, Liz and I persevered, and Gracie matured to the point where there is now a very empty spot in our home and hearts. Even Rogan, from whom she consistently stole snacks, dinners, and toys, seems to be somewhat lost without her.

This last week, Liz attended the monthly meeting of Wichita Professional Communicators. The guest speaker, Bill Gardner of Gardner Design and LogoLounge.com gave a fascinating presentation on current trends in logo design.

What’s Coming September 6 – September 12, 2010: Events of potential interest going on in Wichita and surrounding communities this week.

Wichita Community Theatre opens its 2010-2011 season with Almost Maine, which, according to the New York Times, is a “…a whimsical approach to the joys and perils of romance. Magical happenings bloom beneath the snowdrifts.” Showtimes are Wednesday through Saturday at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available by calling (316) 686-1282 or at the Community Theatre box office.

This weekend, the Salina Community Theatre begins its’ 50^th season with Hello, Dolly. Full of memorable songs, this production takes you on a whirlwind race around The Big Apple at the turn of the twentieth century. while following the adventures of America’s most beloved matchmaker. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Ticketing information is available at the Community Theatre website.

On Friday, the Kansas State Fair opens. As in the past, this year’s Fair has a bit of everything – a world class midway, agricultural and educational displays, grand stand entertainment, and much more. The State fair is a piece of Americana and not to be missed. The Fair runs through Sunday, September 19. A schedule of all events and ticketing information can be found at the Fair’s website.

Flora Kansas is on Saturday (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) and Sunday (12:00 pm to 4:00 pm). Sponsored by the Dyck Arboretum, this event is subtitled, “The Great Plains Plant Bazaar” It is the largest native plant sale in Kansas and offers hundreds of varieties of hard-to-find native and adaptable plants, many locally grown. In addition, knowledgeable staff and volunteers are on hand to answer questions and give suggestions. For additional information including a list of available plants, visit the Dyck website.

Lastly, Saturday night is “Zoobilee,” the Sedgwick County Zoo‘s annual fund raiser. The event, which lasts from 6:00 pm to 12:00 am, features great food from a number of Wichita’s restaurants, dancing to the New Orleans beat of The Iguanas, and both silent and live auctions. Tickets may be obtained online at the Zoo’s website.

There are still more things to do. Check the All About Wichita calendar for additional events and exhibits that we didn’t have the room to list here. In the meanwhile, have a good week.

(Blog Monday 8/30/2010)

Recap and What’s Coming: Liz and I had a very family oriented week. First, on Wednesday evening, we attended the big sports kickoff event at Andover High School. The evening could best be described as being a pep rally for students and parents. Our presence was requested by our grandson, a member of this year’s freshman football team. After the rally, the football team suited up and then held a scrimmage. We also attended another football scrimmage on Friday night.

Saturday night, we enjoyed a family dinner at Mike’s Wine Dive in honor of our daughter’s birthday. Most everyone had something different to eat, and everything was well prepared and served. The highlight was dessert. Our favorite was the Vanilla Bean Ice Cream in a Chocolate Bag, which is described on the menu as “Homemade vanilla bean ice cream served with fresh berries in a bag of rich dark chocolate specially designed for Mike’s by local Chocolatier Cocoa Dolce.” It was fabulous! Of course, the secret ingredient was no calories.  Mike’s menu can be found on the restaurant’s website.

Last, we distributed posters for the McPherson Scottish Festival and Games, which is coming up on the 24^th through the 26^th of September. Liz and I have attended this colorful annual event for the last ten years or so. The many events and activities include bagpiping, clogging, Celtic entertainers, food, vendors, dogs herding sheep, British cars, and clan displays. For several years, we took our border collie, Socks, so that she could see what a working dog had to do, but she never seemed to be interested in trying it.

August 30- September 5, 2010: Events of potential interest going on in Wichita and surrounding communities this week.

First, as I have a tendency to forget, September 3^rd is First Friday. This means live music! Many Wichita venues schedule special entertainment on the first Friday of the month. Most do not have a cover charge. Restaurants which are participating in this month’s First Friday may be found at the First Friday website.

On Friday and Saturday, the Wichita State University Volleyball team opens its home volleyball season. Teams from Stephen F. Austin and Portland will be in town. Game times are noon and 7:00 p.m. each day. Games are played in Charles Koch arena. Ticketing information is available on the WSU website.

The Wichita Shakespeare Company will be offering MacBeth as part of its Shakespeare in the Park program. All shows start at 7:00 p.m. This week’s productions will be at Central Riverside Park (Friday), Hap McClean Park (Saturday). and Riggs Park (Sunday). Additional performances will be offered on September 12^th (College Hill Park), 13^th (Buffalo Park), 14^th (Andover Sports Park), 17th (College Hill Park), 18th ^th (College Hill Park), and 19^th (High Park Amphitheater).

There are still more things to do. Check the All About Wichita calendar for additional events and exhibits that we didn’t have the room to list here. In the meanwhile, have a good week.

(Blog Sunday 8/15/2010)

Recap and What’s Coming: The humans at the Kennedy household did not do very much out of the ordinary this week.

Liz and I had a low key celebration of our 46th anniversary with dinner at Sweet Basil. As usual, the food was excellent, as was the service. Turns out that Liz and I have a geographic connection with Kevin, our favorite server. We graduated from Brown University which is located in Providence, RI. Kevin, it turns out, grew up in North Kingston, RI which, in Midwestern distances, is a short distance from Providence.

Our standard poodle, Rogan, however, had a relatively full schedule. As noted last week, on Monday the Kansas Humane Society hosted an event, “Dog Days of Summer,” that offered our canine friends an opportunity to swim at a local pool. We took Rogan, and though he did not actually swim, he did wade. More importantly, he had an opportunity to socialize with other dogs. The event was well attended, and Rogan definitely has it on his calendar for next year.

Then on Saturday, Rogan went to Purr-D-Paws for his every other month grooming. While he doesn’t seem to particularly appreciate being bathed and clipped, the “before and after” makes it a worthwhile undertaking.

Our adoption of Rogan makes for an interesting story, particularly since he is the only dog I know of who was “rescued” at a bookstore, specifically Wichita’s Watermark Books and Café. The scene was about a month before Christmas, and I had been reading a book entitled, A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid. On the Thursday before Thanksgiving, I had stopped at the bookstore to purchase a couple of their delicious chocolate chip cookies. I noticed a sign that said the author would be giving a reading and signing that evening. I called Liz and arranged for her to join me. At that point, I had no intention of adopting another dog.

Unbeknownst to me, when Greg Kincaid, the author, does signings, a local rescue group is invited to bring some animals who need “forever homes.” In this case the organization was Lifeline Animal Rescue. Somehow, the handler who was in charge of Rogan and several other dogs, dropped his leash. I was seated in the front row, and Rogan took a straight-line path to me and immediately rested his head in my lap. Now, I am an admitted dog person, and I cannot resist petting one who is snuggling up to me, so the rest is, as they say, history. For more information on Rogan’s adoption please go to the author’s Petfinder.com blog. You will have to use the search box in the right hand column to find Rogan’s story. Just type in “Rogan.”

August 16-August 22, 2010: Events of potential interest going on in Wichita and surrounding communities this week include:

On Tuesday evening, Norah Jones will be appearing at Century II. Showtime is 8:00 pm. Tickets are available through Wichitatix.com.

Lake Afton Public Observatory offers an astronomical program entitled “Reflections of the Moon” on Friday and Saturday night. Join astronomers as they use the Observatory’s telescopes to explore sunlight reflecting off the surface of the Moon showing craters, mountains and smooth dark Maria. Showtime, as it were, is 9:00 pm. There is a modest admission charge.

For those who like to reenact medieval times, the Cherokee Strip Renaissance Festival offers an opportunity to see royalty, knights, wenches, fairies, wizards, belly dancers, dragons, magicians and more! Days/times are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 am thru 7 pm. The faire is held at the Paris Park in Arkansas City, KS. Tickets may be purchased online or at the gate.

There are still more things to do! Check the All About Wichita calendar for additional events and exhibits that we didn’t have the room to list here. In the meanwhile, have a good week.

(Blog Sunday 8/1/2010)

Recap and What’s Coming: Both Liz and I attended the Mid-America All Indian Center’s 39th Annual Powwow. The event was held on Saturday and Sunday and featured dance competitions, arts & crafts booths, and food. Despite having lived in Wichita for more than 30 years, this was a first for us. We really enjoyed the experience, particularly the regalia-clad dancers. Our single complaint was one of those “good news – bad news” things. The crowd was much larger than expected (good news for the Indian Center) with the result that there was a long, long wait for Indian Tacos (bad news for those of us who had planned to eat our dinner there). Even though we did not get to eat any at the Powwow, we should remind you that the Indian Center offers Indian Tacos on Tuesdays (11:00 am thru 2:00 pm) and Wednesdays (11:00 am thru 2:00 pm & 5:00 pm thru 8:00 pm) . Call in orders can be placed at (316) 350-3346.

August 2-August 8, 2010: Some of the things of potential interest going on in Wichita and surrounding communities this week include:

The nation’s largest and most historic summer amateur baseball championship, the National Baseball Congress (NBC), began last Friday evening. The tournament continues daily through Saturday, August 14. Timely information about pairings and game times may be found at the NBC website. The tournament is an opportunity to maybe see a future Major League Baseball star or two. According to the NBC website, “…the legendary Leroy “Satchel” Paige…won the first NBC title with his pitching prowess and his Bismarck, ND, Corwin-Churchill barnstorming, integrated ball club.” Some of the many Major League ball players who have passed through the NBC on their way to “the show” have included Bob Cerv, Roger Clemens, Joe Garagiola, Tony Gwynn, Whitey Herzog, Billy Martin, Mark McGwire, Craig Nettles, Tom Seaver, and Dave Winfield.

Curtains is Music Theatre of Wichita‘s (MTW) season show-biz finale. The show is a recent Broadway Tony-winner that celebrates the things we love about musical comedy. From John Kander and Fred Ebb (the creators of Cabaret, Chicago, and New York, New York) comes this uniquely entertaining murder mystery musical, set backstage at Boston’s Colonial Theatre in 1959. During out-of-town previews for the new western musical “Robbin’ Hood,” the leading lady is murdered, and everyone is a suspect! Can the stage-smitten young detective solve the case, fix the show, and still find time to fall in love? If you want to find out, you won’t want to miss Curtains!. The show runs Wednesday through Thursday. Time and ticket pricing information is available on the MTW website.

Thursday offers the August installment of the Ulrich Museum‘s “Art For Your Ears Series.” This month features the Nouveau Quintette, which plays ’20s and ’30s classics like “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Dark Eyes,” but also pushes the tradition in surprising, modern directions, including American bluegrass and Brazilian choros. Behind the powerful, four-to-the-bar rhythm section of Shane Marler (guitar) and Jim Keefer (bass), soloists Ken White (guitar, mandolin), Rob Loren (violin) and Bill Harshbarger (clarinet, soprano saxophone) take flight. It’s music from a Parisian cabaret, played for you on the Ulrich esplanade.

Friday is First Friday which features a variety of live music performances throughout Wichita. A complete list of this month’s performers may be found at the First Friday website.

Saturday offers two opportunities of special note.

First, in lovely Cottonwood Falls, the Tallgrass Express String Band will be debuting “Clean Curve of Hill Against Sky,” their unique new CD of all original songs about life in the Kansas Flint Hills. Written by local rancher and band member Annie Wilson, these songs will take you to a world of stunning landscapes, working cowboys, runaway horses, Indian buffalo hunts, Victorian balls, ranch romance, and prairie walks among native birds and grasses. Blended harmonies complement the group’s wide-ranging instrumental skills on strings including fiddle, mandolin, banjo, dobro, guitar, and bass, with occasional fills from concertina and harmonica. The Emporia Gazette says: “This group is the real deal; their music rises from the land they love.” The concert will be outdoors by the historic Chase County courthouse on the Emma Chase “Broadway Stage.” Should you want, you can enjoy a special concert menu at the Emma Chase Cafe from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Second, not quite so far afield, at the Intrust Bank Arena, Celtic Woman is returning to Wichita in support of their latest CD release, “Songs From The Heart.” Liz and I have seen this group, and we both agree that their performance is a powerful experience. The group combines the melodies of traditional Irish music with modern American musical techniques. David Downes, former musical director of Riverdance combines ethereal, yet powerful, vocal pieces supplemented with traditional instruments to obtain an almost spiritual experience of the auld sod. Showtime is 8:00 pm. Tickets may be purchased at the Arena box office, by telephone (316-755-SEAT), or Online.

Finally, on Sunday the Hot Club of Cowtown will be performing in the Bartlett Arboretum‘s Treehouse Concert Series. The group performs jazz and western swing. Showtime is 3:00 pm. Tickets are available at the gate.

There are still more things to do! Check the All About Wichita calendar for additional events and exhibits that we didn’t have the room to list here. In the meanwhile, have a good week.

(Blog Sunday 7/26/2010)

Recap and What’s Coming: This week both Liz and I attended the Music Theatre of Wichita (MTW) production of Annie. It was a good show packed with wonderful songs, delightful comedy, and a bracing dose of optimism! The good show was made great through the efforts of a talented cast. Michael DeVries played Oliver Warbucks to a tee on somewhat of a “busman’s holiday” as he took a brief vacation from the Broadway cast of Wicked to perform at MTW. Miss Hannigan was very ably portrayed by Jennifer Perry in her MTW debute. The Annie role was very capably handled by Alyssa Danley, a 14 year old with an outstanding vocal presence. The role of Sandy was played by Labradoodle named Dudley. He is a trained therapy dog whose trainer and companion, Kelly Spencer is affiliated with the Family Dog Training and Behavioral Center. This large cast had too many others to recognize each and every one. However, there was one little gem who deserves special recognition. Laura Smith, age 7, played Mollie in a particularly charming and endearing way. The Wichita Eagle has put up a photo gallery of the MTW production.

July 26-August 1, 2010: Some of the things of potential interest going on in Wichita and surrounding communities this week include:

The Wichita Wingnuts, Wichita’s professional baseball team, host the 2010 American Association All-Star Game on Tuesday. Game time is 7:05 pm at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Ticketing information is available at the Wingnuts’ website or by calling (316) 264-NUTS.

On Wednesday night the Cotillion features Seasons After with special guests 2 Cents plus Taking Dawn. Seasons After is a five piece Rock/Metal band from the Wichita that was formed in late 2006. Showtime is 7:00 pm. Tickets are available through Select-A-Seat online or by calling (316) 722-4201.

On Thursday evening Watermark Books and Café and Artifacts present a a special “Poems & Polaroids” two-part event. At 7:00 pm, writer and filmmaker Kate McBride will read and sign books at Watermark. She will then appear at an art show and reception five doors down at Artifacts. Both businesses are located in the Lincoln Heights Shopping Center. Both events are free.

Also on Thursday night at the Cotillion there will be a fundraiser for Heartspring featuring Magic Slim & The Teardrop. The show starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available through Select-A-Seat online or by calling (316) 722-4201.

On Friday night, the Museum of World Treasures will be holding a fundraiser entitled “A Night of Treasures – Bella Note.” A romantic Italian evening will include handsome Roman Gladiators roaming throughout the museum, complimentary wine and beer, souvenir glasses for purchase to enjoy “Bottomless Bellini’s,” a caricature artist to capture your enjoyment, silent and live auctions, and commemorative photos of your Night of Treasures! The event will be emceed by B98’s Tracy Cassidy and Brett Harris. Music will be by Roberto Bernardinello and Il Portico with food by Blue Moon Caterers. A live auction will be conducted by auctioneer Ryan Caffrey. Tickets may be purchased online at the Museum’s website or by calling (316) 263-1311.

Also on Friday, Watermark Books and Café will be holding an exhibit opening and reception for artist Lee Shiney. The reception is from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. As a special bonus, KMUW 89.1 FM will be there with Freddy’s Frozen Custard to “fill your mug!” Bring your KMUW mug that night from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., and Freddy’s will fill it with frozen custard. There will also be live music and a fun tchotchkes table! This is one of several free Final Friday events.

Three other Friday events are the Power 93.9 Freaknic Jam with Plies at the Hartman Arena, Joan Armatrading at the Cotillion, and Marvin Hamlisch at the Orpheum Theatre. Showtimes and ticketing details may be found at the appropriate venue’s website.

The 39th Annual Powwow will be held at the Mid-America All-Indian Center on Saturday (1:00 pm to 10:00 pm) and Sunday (12:00 pm to 6:00 pm). This event features dance competitions, arts & crafts booths and a court. Admission to the powwow is free, and admission to the Museum is discounted.

There are still more things to do! Check the All About Wichita calendar for additional events and exhibits that we didn’t have the room to list here. In the meanwhile, have a good week.

(Blog Sunday 5/16/2010)

Recap and What’s Coming: Liz and I visited the 44th Annual Woodcarving Show this afternoon. As noted last week. the event featured woodcarvers from around the country. The variety of work was quite broad. I tend to like cartoon-type carvings (click photo at left), but there were also carvings of animals, birds, people, mythical figures and more. Though it is only May, my sense is that the most popular carving was of Santa Claus. Unfortunately, I was unable to photograph one of the most impressive works at the show, which was a bas relief, approximately four by eight feet in size, in which the artist had carved an intricate series of birds, branches, and leaves. A label noted that he has spent the last ten years working on this project. The show was well worth the visit. Being someone whose only attempts at woodcarving have resulted in self-inflicted cuts, I was amazed at the talents on display.

May 17-May 23, 2010: Though the River Festival is done for another year, there are a variety of things to do this week and in upcoming weeks.

First, for those who enjoy Norman Rockwell’s Americana, the Wichita Art Museum is featuring an exhibit entitled, American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell. Rockwell was known for his carefully choreographed reflections on childhood innocence and documentation of popular culture. This exhibition traces the evolution of Rockwell’s art and iconography throughout his career. American Chronicles includes forty-two original artworks and many archival Saturday Evening Post cover tear sheets, which span forty-seven years. Museum hours and other visitor information can be found on their web site.

Are you an artist looking to stock up on supplies? The Society of Decorative Painters, as part of their Annual Conference and Expo, features an open to the public painting and art supply expo. This event features more than 125 booths of art supplies including paints, brushes, surfaces, books, videos, demos, make-it-take-its and more.
Lots of bargains and new products. Dates and times are Thursday (10am – 6 pm), Friday (10 am – 5 pm), and Saturday (9 am – 2 pm) at Century II Expo Hall.

Professional minor league baseball is back! The Wichita Wingnuts open their home season Tuesday evening at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Wingnuts are a member of the American Association, an independent league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. In 2009 the team won the North Division title for the first half of the season. In 2010 the Wingnuts will host the American Association All-Star Game. Check the Wingnut web site for the complete 2010 schedule.

We normally don’t highlight garage sales, but this one is for a good cause. Our friend Denise Townsley who runs Corgi Rescue, has been collecting items for a massive sale this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I don’t know what all Denise has collected, but Liz and I have donated a couple of laser printers, paperback books, clothing, luggage, vases, costume jewelry, and the like. All proceeds from the sale will go to support her corgi and her friend Joy’s minpin rescue efforts. The sale starts at 8 am each day. The address is 915 North Brookfield.

This seems to be an appropriate time to remind you again that farmers’ markets are beginning to open for the season. These markets provide an opportunity for shoppers to reduce the burden on the environment by buying locally grown produce. We have found three groups that hold markets in the area. They are Kansas Grown Farmers’ Market, Old Town Farmers’ Market, and the Reno County Farmers Market. Check websites for locations and hours.

Last, but by no means least, new this year is the first Wichita Highland Games & Celtic Festival. It is anticipated that this will become an annual event. This year’s event will feature athletic contests, entertainment, vendors, and other activities all with a Celtic flair. The Festival is being held in Sedgwick County Park on Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 6 pm.

There are more things to do! Check the All About Wichita calendar additional events and exhibits that we didn’t have the room to list here. In the meanwhile, have a good week.

(Blog Sunday 5/3/2010)

Recap and What’s Coming: Saturday morning Liz and I visited “Herb Day” at the Sedgwick County Extension Service building. This annual event featured seminars about growing and cooking with herbs. In addition, there were vendors selling herb plants, herbal products and other gardening items. There was also a booth where Sedgwick County Extension Master Gardeners were available to provide information about a wide variety of gardening topics. Master Gardeners also held a plant sale and provided activities for kids. Needless to say, Liz and I left with a box full of herbs to be planted in our wildflower garden. As an added bonus, the Kansas Grown Farmers’ Market was in full swing outside the Education Building. While I attended a lecture on attracting butterflies, Liz toured the Farmers’ Market with the result that our dogs, Gracie and Rogan, got an unexpected treat of locally-made gourmet dog biscuits. The Kansas Farmers Markets website has a listing of markets for those seeking a farmers’ market close to home.

May 3-May 9, 2010: If you are looking do something to do, this week offers many, many choices.

The annual Wichita River Festival begins its ten-day run on Friday. This year’s Festival promises more activities than you can shake a stick at. There will be the annual Sundowner Parade plus entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. There will also be a host of athletic contests, lots of food and two nights of fireworks. A schedule of events is posted on the Festival’s website to help you track all the events.

From Friday through the following Monday, the Dyck Arboretum is holding its FloraKansas Spring 2010 Sale. This is Kansas’ largest native plant sale offering a variety of wildflowers and grasses, many of which are rare in cultivation. If you are aiming to develop an interesting garden that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance to survive in the Kansas environment, you need to check out this sale. Sale hours are Friday (8:00 am to 7:00 pm), Saturday (8:00 am to 4:00 pm), Sunday (12:00 pm to 7:00 pm), and Monday (8:00 am to 6:00 pm).

If you are into hot air balloons, the Sunflower Balloon Fest is being held from Friday through Sunday. This event will be held at the Anthony airport. In addition to hot air balloons, there will be a parade, food, a car show and a motorcycle stunt show by Repeat Offenders. Balloon launch begins at 6:30 am each day. A schedule for other activities can be found on the Fest website.

Last, but not least, this week is First Friday! A schedule of this Friday’s performances can be found on the First Friday website.

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

(Blog Sunday 4/25/2010)

Recap and What’s Coming: Liz was out of town this weekend, so I elected to go downtown for breakfast. I ate at the Beacon. This restaurant is a Wichita institution. Under a variety of names (The Riser comes to mind as one predecessor name), it has been in the same location since 1938 which may make it the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the city. The place was jam packed with people waiting for a table (Probably not a good idea to show up at high noon on a Sunday if you are in a hurry.). While I seldom eat at the Beacon on the weekends, I must confess that I probably eat lunch there at least twice a week. I am attracted by a menu that offers many choices including breakfast all day (Note! Their day ends at 2:30 pm.), but what really attracts me is a really great service staff. If you are a reasonably consistent customer, the servers will not only quickly learn your name, but they will also soon learn your dietary preferences. Eating at the Beacon sort of reminds me of the camaraderie seen in the TV sitcom “Cheers.”

After breakfast, it was off to one of my favorite events, the Great Plains Renaissance Festival. This spring’s Festival seemed to be bigger and better than ever. There were more entertainers and vendors than in the past. Of particular interest to me this year was the Royal Gauntlet Birds of Prey display/demonstration. The birds put on quite a show for what appeared to be a standing room only crowd. We have two slide shows related to this event, both of which will be updated with pictures taken this afternoon.

April 26-May 2, 2010: In terms of entertainment, for the upcoming week there are a number of choices.

On Wednesday Lisa Lampanelli is appearing at the Orpheum. Known as Comedy’s Lovable Queen of Mean, Lisa has been heralded as “more than a standup – a standout,” by comedy legend Jim Carrey. She is a cross between Don Rickles, Archie Bunker, and a vial of estrogen and has won accolades from Howard Stern, who called her “a true original and a brilliant comedy mind who’ll steal the show every time.” Show time is 7:30 pm. Tickets are available at Select-A-Seat by calling (316) 755-7328, online, at any Dillon’s Superstores, or Plant Employee Clubs.

From Thursday through Saturday Newman University offers Curtain Up. This year’s show includes great songs from Broadway, classics as well as new shows currently running on the Broadway stage……..Wicked, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, The Color Purple and Next to Normal to name a few. The story shares with the audience what it is like backstage a week away from opening night and traces two wannabe producers, the costumer and the stage manager, as they envision with vivid imaginations the shows they plan to produce in the future. Show times are 7:30 each evening. For ticketing information, check the Newman web site.

On Saturday night the Wichita Symphony Orchestra offers a pop concert tribute to Benny Goodman. The music of Benny Goodman comes to life with the acclaimed Dave Bennett Sextet. The program includes such toe-tapping favorites as Moonglow, Stompin’ at the Savoy and Sing, Sing, Sing AND-don’t forget your dancing shoes! Michael Krajewski guest conducts. Tickets are available in person at the Symphony’s Century II box office, by phone at (316) 267-7658, or online.

Last, but not least, this Friday is Final Friday! Many art galleries, restaurants and retail establishments have later than normal hours and offer special exhibits/events. For downtown, free trolley transportation is available allowing attendees to park once and conveniently visit a number of galleries.

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

(Blog Friday 4/2/2010)

Liz and I would like to wish all of our Christian readers a Happy Easter. If you don’t have a “church home” and are looking around for a service to attend this Sunday, please check out our Religion page. Here you will find links to many of Wichita’s places of worship. We would also refer you to Central Christian Church’s “The Stations of The Cross” event as something a bit out of the ordinary and spiritually rewarding.

Please also be reminded that tonight is the first anniversary of Wichita’s First Friday. You can hear free music from 6:00 to 9:00 pm in a variety of styles. For something perhaps a bit “extra special,” Adam Hartke’s FaceBook post notes, “We are a go for the anniversary party in the Farm & Art Market! Come on down right after work! We will have plenty of food and refreshments. In the case of a rogue storm the party will be moved to Rock Island Live, but it looks like the weather is going to co-operate!” For a complete schedule of tonight’s events, check the First Friday page.

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

(Blog Saturday 3/27/2010)

Liz and I enjoyed breakfast this morning at the Twisters’ all-you-can-eat pancake feed. Breakfast for two, a souvenir coffee cup, and the opportunity to support a worthy cause helped start our day on the right foot (Sorry for the pun, it was unintentional.). The Twisters are AYSO Region 208′s National Game team and will be traveling to the AYSO National Games this July. They need to raise $15,000 and this is one of their fundraisers to reach their goal. If anyone wants to help with this endeavor, please e-mail Dennis, and I will forward your message to the appropriate party.

Don’t forget that April 2 is First Friday which means that Wichita’s musical talent is on display. Events are usually free from 6pm-9 pm. After 9 pm some venues start charging a cover and that money usually goes directly to the band. To date the First Friday website lists 13 participating venues for April.

Those that remember the early years of Rock (the 50s) might want to go to The Winter Dance Party. This is the official live and authentic re-creation of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper’s final tour and the only show endorsed by both the Holly and Valens estates. Each live concert performance includes over two hours of unbridled, high voltage entertainment featuring all the hit songs of the 50′s era: That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, Oh, Boy, Rave on, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, and many, many more. The show is Saturday, April 3 at 8:00. Additional information is available at the Orpheum Theatre website.

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