FUN<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Toad-ally, dude<\/strong><\/p>\n Concerts, shopping, food concessions from 40 area establishments, carnival rides, children\u2019s activities and the World Championship Toad Races are all part of\u00a0Toad Suck Daze, Friday-Sunday, centered on Oak Street in downtown Conway. The first-weekend-in-May festival debuted in 1982 on the banks of the Arkansas River in Toad Suck before moving downtown in the mid-\u201990s. Friday\u2019s entertainment schedule includes Zach Person at 7 p.m., followed at 8:30 by Mr. Sipp Mississippi Blues Child; for Saturday: the Arkansas National Guard 106th Army Band \u201cCharlie Rock\u201d at 2:45 p.m., Zach Mackenzie at 4:15, Trey Pendley at 5:45, Shane Proffit at 7:15 and Uncle Kracker at 8:45; and on Sunday, William Crockett at 1 p.m. and the FUMC Praise Band at 3. Admission is free. Call (501) 327-7788 or visit toadsuck.org.<\/p>\n DANCE<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Ballet \u2018Origins\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Ballet Arkansas has moved its season-closing contemporary production, \u201cOrigins,\u201d to the new North Little Rock Event Center, 120 Main St., North Little Rock, 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday. The show will feature world-premiere choreography by five of the ballet company\u2019s members \u2014 Murray McCormack, Kerridwyn Schanck, Liev Ewart, McKenna Ulbrick and Deanna Stanton. Question-and-answer sessions will \u201cexpose audiences to the themes, processes and platforms of the choreographers\u201d alongside their premieres, according to a news release. It\u2019s also the first performance to be held in the facility, which opened in March. Admission is free. The ballet company will include a dancer meet-and-greet and \u201cadditional performance repertory\u201d in a ticketed season-closing reception after Sunday\u2019s finale. Visit balletarkansas.org\/tickets<\/a>.<\/p>\n MUSIC<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Jazz on the River<\/strong><\/p>\n A group of young Phillips County musicians, including Tony Crockett, D\u2019Angelo Davis, Kesha Cook and Jos\u00e9 Holloway, perform for Jazz on the River (that\u2019s the Mississippi River), 5-8 p.m. Friday at the Cherry Street Pavilion, 116 Cherry St., Helena-West Helena. It\u2019s being put together by the Delta Cultural Center. Admission is free to attend. Call (870) 338-4350 or visit arkansasheritage.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p> Jazz Day celebration<\/strong><\/p>\n The Ted Ludwig Trio \u2014 Ted Ludwig on guitar, Joe Vick on bass and Brian Brown on drums, all inductees in the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame \u2014 with Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation\/Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame partners perform for\u00a0Arkansas Celebration of International Jazz Day, noon-2 p.m. Thursday in the ballroom of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 501 W. Ninth St., Little Rock. The event will open with the introduction of the 2026 class of the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame. Admission is free. Call (501) 680-2871 or email [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>.<\/p>\n Coterie concert<\/strong><\/p>\n The Little Rock Musical Coterie\u00a0celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a program of American music, 2 p.m. Sunday at Highland Valley United Methodist Church, 15524 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock.<\/p>\n The Highland Valley Hand Bell Ensemble with Sharon Burrall at the piano will perform arrangements of \u201cSimple Gifts\u201d and \u201cMy Country \u2019Tis of Thee.\u201d Baritone Mark Norman, the church\u2019s pastor, will sing \u201cCome Sunday\u201d by Duke Ellington and Ray Charles\u2019 arrangement of \u201cAmerica the Beautiful\u201d with Burrall accompanying. And pianist Jaeyeon Park will play \u201cThe Land\u201d and \u201cDream Images \u2014 Love-Death\u201d from volume one of \u201cMakrokosmos\u201d by George Crumb. Burrall will pick up the flute and with fellow flutists Sally Martens and pianist Nancy Griffin perform an arrangement of John Philip Sousa\u2019s \u201cThe Stars and Stripes Forever.\u201d<\/p>\n Admission is free; a reception will follow. Call (214) 893-9185. The coterie is an affiliate of the National Federation of Music Clubs.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div> ART<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018Seasons of Life\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWill Barnet: Seasons of Life,\u201d\u00a0works on paper by Barnet (1911-2012) from the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation Collection, goes on display Saturday in the Berta and John Baird Gallery at the museum 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock, with a free tour, 10:30-11:30 a.m. The exhibition evokes the title of the artist\u2019s screenprint series, \u201cThe Silent Seasons.\u201d The exhibition remains up through Oct. 11. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Visit amfa.org.<\/p>\n Art in Dreamland<\/strong><\/p>\n Artists of Little Rock presents Art in Dreamland, a curated art sale featuring glass, pottery, jewelry, paintings and mixed-media works by 30 area artists, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Dreamland Ballroom, 800 W. Ninth St., Little Rock. The group consists primarily of former students and instructors at what had been the Arkansas Arts Center and is now the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts who decided to create their own even after AMFA discontinued its museum sale. Admission is free. Visit facebook.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2018BFA Projects\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAggregate: BFA Projects,\u201d\u00a0work in drawing, graphic design, painting, ceramics, illustration, furniture design and metalsmithing by bachelor of fine arts students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock\u2019s School of Art and Design, opens with a 5-7 p.m. reception Thursday in the Brad Cushman and Ann Maners and Alex Pappas galleries in the Windgate School of Art + Design at UALR, 5617 W. 28th St., Little Rock. The exhibition is up through May 17. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission is free. Call (501) 916-5117 or email [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2018Creative Collective IV\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Thea Foundation, 401 Main St., North Little Rock, celebrates 25 years with the opening of\u00a0\u201cThe Creative Collective IV,\u201d\u00a0showcasing student artwork created through the foundation\u2019s Arts Reconstruction Program, featuring work from the Arts Reconstruction Windgate Fellows and their students, 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday. Admission is free; refreshments are included. Visit theafoundation.org.<\/p>\n \u2018Emerging Spirit\u2019 panel<\/strong><\/p>\n Hearne Fine Art, 1001 Wright Ave., Little Rock, hosts a panel discussion titled\u00a0\u201cThe Emerging Spirit: A Dialogue on Being\u201d\u00a0with artists Alice Aida Ayers and Marjorie Williams-Smith in conjunction with its current exhibition, \u201cWomen Create: Space. Grace. Power. A Multimedia Survey of 13 Black Women Artists,\u201d 11 a.m. Saturday. Most of the artists whose works are on display will also attend an Artisanal Spirits Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m. Friday. The exhibition remains up through June 13. Admission to both events, as well as to the gallery, is free. Call (501) 372-6822 or visit hearnefineart.com.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div> Hot Springs gallery<\/strong><\/p>\n Wood sculpture by Robyn Horn, pastel works by Dennis McCann and paintings by John P. Lasater IV Peter Sixbey top the list for the May exhibit at\u00a0Justus Fine Art Gallery, 827A Central Ave., Hot Springs, opening 5-9 p.m. Friday with a Hot Springs Gallery Walk reception. The exhibit is up through May 31. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and by appointment. Call (501) 321-2335 or visit justusfineart.com.<\/p>\n THEATER<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Stage 13 showcase<\/strong><\/p>\n Stage 13\u2019s Pre-Professional Company\u00a0performs songs and scenes they\u2019ve been working on this semester, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St., Little Rock. Admission is by $20 donation, $45 VIP (includes 6:30 p.m. pre-show drinks and snacks in the Rep\u2019s Fosters lounge.) Visit tinyurl.com\/4vt4h7wc.<\/p>\n Broadway Bound showcase<\/strong><\/p>\n Celebrity Attractions, in local partnership with Stage 13, presents \u201cThe Broadway Bound Awards of Central Arkansas 2026,\u201d highlighting and honoring excellence in Central Arkansas high school musical theater, with a special showcase event, 7 p.m. May 11 at Little Rock\u2019s Robinson Center Performance Hall, 426 W. Markham St. at Broadway.<\/p>\n Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of show. Call (501) 244-8800 or visit Ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit broadwayboundawards.com.<\/p>\n The best female performer and best male performer \u2014 selected by a panel of adjudicators composed of performing arts educators and professionals have been attending high school musical productions throughout the school year \u2014 will represent Central Arkansas in New York City at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, otherwise known as the Jimmy Awards, in June.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s program includes 16 area schools: Beebe High, Bryant High, Conway High, Crossett High, El Dorado High, Episcopal Collegiate School, Fountain Lake High, Hot Springs World Class High School, Lakeside High, Little Rock Central High, Little Rock Christian Academy, Maumelle High, North Little Rock High, Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High, Pulaski Academy and Joe T. Robinson High.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Detail](\"https:\/\/wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com\/img\/photos\/2026\/04\/29\/1971.009.011-Barnet-event-size_t800.jpg?90232451fbcadccc64a17de7521d859a8f88077d\")
![\"\u201cShallow](\"https:\/\/wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com\/img\/photos\/2026\/04\/29\/438---Shallow-Creek2bydennismccann22x38pastelsm_t800.jpg?90232451fbcadccc64a17de7521d859a8f88077d\")
\n(Special to the Democrat-Gazette)<\/figcaption><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n