Second Friday Art Night 
participants this month are all around downtown! Debut of Matt McLeod's poster art for the upcoming October Regatta will be on view with posters available for signing at Matt McLeod Fine Art Gallery. For more participants see Around Downtown.
Coming Soon!       

September 24: Main Street Food Truck Festival,  11 a.m.-5 p.m. Six blocks on Main and three blocks on Capitol. Food trucks, buskers, art,
beer gardens, Budweiser Clydesdales (1-3 p.m.) Heifer family fun, ACANSA art project for kids, Financial Quarter popup created by studioMAIN and the DLRP Financial Quarter Committee, and much more! Presented by Road Runners
Road Runner Stores
and hosted by Downtown Little Rock Partnership . For updates check Facebook or the website .

Main Street Creative Corridor









September 9-October 2: Monty Python's  Spamalot, 
Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 
601 Main Street. From the deliciously twisted minds of Monty Python's Flying Circus comes the irreverent, sidesplitting Broadway smash musical that proves that you should always look on the bright side of life.  Learn more . September 9: Live from Foster's with Crossroads; September 14: Sign Interpreter Night; October 1: The After-Party.
September 12: Fall Classes at The Rep begin! For a complete list and how to sign up link here.
Save the Dates    
September 25:  Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made , hosted by  Pulaski Technical College. Learn more.
September 27: 2016 Vision Award Luncheon honoring Dr. Joel E. Anderson, Little Rock Marriott. Benefits World Services for the Blind. Learn more.
September 28: Power of the Purse Luncheon, Marriott Little Rock. Benefits Women's Foundation of Arkansas. Co-chaired by Jessica & Warwick Sabin. Learn more.
October 28-November 13: Arthur Miller's The Crucible, 
Arkansas Repertory Theatre
. Learn more.
October 29: Arkansas Cornbread Festival, South Main. Learn more.
October 29: Acapella Rising 2016 Annual Conference, Pulaski Technical College. Formerly the Diamond State Men's Chorus . Learn more.
October 31: Friends of Children Annual Luncheon, benefits Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families, honoring CJ Duvall, Jr. and Dr. Chad Rodgers. Learn more.
November 12: Opus Ball, debut of newly renovated Robinson Center ballroom. Benefits Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.  Learn more.
November 18: Dancing Into Dreamland 2016, Dreamland Ballroom, 800 W. Ninth. Learn more. 
December 3-4: Elf 
in the newly opened Robinson Center.
Check out tickets or season tickets from Celebrity Attractions  here.
December 5: Arkansas Remembers Pearl Harbor, Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum, in honor of the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Learn more.
December 9-11: Ballet Arkansas returns to the Robinson Center with The Nutcracker, accompanied by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Learn more.
March 8-19: Phantom of the Opera, Robinson Center. Check out tickets or season tickets from Celebrity Attractions here.
April 8: Riverfest Springfest
June 1-4: 40th Anniversary Riverfest
On Exhibit
A snapshot of temporary exhibits offered at museums and other organizations and businesses throughout the downtown area. For more information and hours click the museum or gallery name. Each of these organizations marked by an * are members of Downtown Little Rock Partnership.
9th & Commerce, MacArthur Park
Free docent tours at 1 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.
Renoir's Madame Henriot in Costume: A Special Loan. Thru September 11.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau's Admiration: A Special Loan. Thru September 11.
Jon Schueler: Weathering Skies. Thru October 23.
Cut, Pieced, and Stitched: Denim Drawings by Jim Arendt. Thru October 23. Paul Signac Watercolors and Drawings: The James T. Dyke Collection. Thru February 12, 2017. 
ASI Building, 401 President Clinton Avenue
Arkansas League of Artists. Thru October 22. 
From the Vault: Prints, Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture from the CALS Collection. Thru October 1.     
1200 President Clinton Avenue
Oval Office--have a commemorative photo taken.
American Champions: The Quest for Olympic Glory. Thru September 11. 
509 Scott Street
Last Glimpses of Authentic Polaroid Art, featuring members of the Blue Eyed Knocker group of fine art photographers. Thru September 30.
Esse Purse Museum *1510 South Main, SoMa
The Art of Handbags by Kent Stetson. Thru September 25.
Pyramid Place, 221 W. 2nd 
1001 -C Wright Avenue,
AfriCOBRA Now: Works on Paper featuring Akili Ron Anderson, Kevin Cole, Adger Cowans, MIchael D. Harris, Napoleon Jones-Henderson, Moyo Okediji, James Phillips, Frank Smith and Nelson Stevens. Thru September 17.
200 E. Third
75th Anniversary Exhibit: A Diamond in the Rough: 75 Years of Historic Arkansas Museum.
MacArthur Park, 503 E. 9th Street, free admission
Undaunted Courage, Prove Loyalty: Japanese American Soldiers in World War II.
Vietnam, America's Conflict
Waging Modern Warfare: General Wesley K. Clark
108 6th Street, Suite A, Main Street Creative Corridor
501 W. 9th Street
Museum of Discovery*                 
500 President Clinton Avenue
Imagine Thru
October 2.
300 W. Markham Street
602 President Clinton Avenue
Geocaching: Nature Downtown, daily
Wild Tales Story Time, Wednesdays, 10-11 a.m.
Fish feeding, Wednesdays, 2 p.m.
Alligator feeding, Fridays, 2 p.m. Lil' Wild Ones, second Saturday, 2 p.m.Range Day, third Saturday, noon-2 p.m.Creature Feature, third Sunday, 2 p.m.
Verizon Arena
In Downtown North Little Rock,
1 Verizon Arena Way. For ticket information link here (Verizon Arena) or here (Ticketmaster).

September 9 Dixie Chicks

September 18 WWE Live 

October 5: Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastic Champions 2016

October 6: Kenny Rogers Final World Tour

October 7 The Avett Brothers

October 13: truTV Impractical Jokes Santiago Sent Us Tour starring The Tenderloins 

October 18 Five Finger Death Punch & Shinedown

October 28 Tool with special guests

November 25 Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith 

December 4 Jeff Dunham

March 3, 2017 Twenty One Pilots
Argenta Arts District
In Downtown North Little Rock. For more information link here.
September 9-10: 
The Main Thing presents Electile Dysfunction 2016 , The Joint Argenta, 301 Main. Comedy.  Learn more .
September 10:  Argenta Farmers Market/Certified Arkansas Farmers Market, 7 a.m.-12 noon, 6th and Main Street.
September 10: Dogtown Farmers' Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Parking lot next to Argenta Branch Library, 420 N. Main Street.
September 10: The Legends of Arkansas Festival, Argenta Arts District. All-day, family friendly and free admission event. Local live music, art/craft vendors, food trucks and performing artists.
September 24: Big Dam Bridge 100 Finale Fest, Riverfront Park, presented by the Argenta Downtown Council. 

Downtown Update  
September 9, 2016
Not on the Downtown Update email list?
Email: [email protected]  or call 501.375.0121.  
Please share with a colleague or friend!
Downtown Notes 
Dr. Andrew Rogerson is settling in this week as the new chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  On his first day on the job he talked about the community's welcome, riding motorbikes to work and his love of art.  Learn more .  (UALR News)

While visiting  Our House this week U.S. Representative Ann Wagner (Missouri) said, "This program at Our House is one of the greatest public private partnerships serving a community that I've ever seen." Hill made the visit with Representative French Hill; both are working on poverty programs.  Our House is a nearby shelter offering housing, food and work skill programs to homeless and near-homeless families and individuals. Learn more .

Rock Region Metro has been awarded $1.65 million in in Federal Transit Administration funds, the first FTA competitive grant for the agency. The funds will go toward compressed natural gas buses replacing older buses and an educational diagnostic center for mechanics.

Shellie and Brad Barnett ( Brad Barnett Insurance Agency) announced this week the addition of  Big Rock Yoga  in their YMCA building on Broadway. Classes are scheduled to begin on September 19.  Shellie Barnett said, "We are so excited. This is the realization of a plan I have had since we finalized the purchase of the building. Owner Wendy Cook is very community and charitable driven and we welcome her to downtown." Learn more on Facebook . For pricing link here .

A record 28 million visitors came to Arkansas tourist destinations in 2016.  State Parks and Tourism Chief Kane Webb announced this week a new advertising and digital campaign, headed by CJRW and Aristotle, that will target millennials to maintain the current robust growth. Webb unveiled a new partnership with Arvest Bank with the creation of a limited edition series of specialty debit cards showcasing some of the state's most scenic and popular attractions. Learn more. ( Talk Business)
 
AMP (Arkansas Money & Politics), a former bi-monthly magazine, debuted last week as an exclusively digital destination at AMPPOB.com according to Vowell, Inc. Publisher Missy Penor.  " I am excited to announce the revamping of our print publication to an exclusively online source, allowing us to cover developing news better, with more resources and faster. I'm also excited to have the input and expertise of Wythe Walker as editor-in-chief." Learn more.

Salvation Army Central announced this week the transition of its facility at 1111 W. Markham to a new women's and family shelter, providing emergency shelter for single women and women with children and families, accommodating approximately 70 people. They also introduced a new program, Pathway of Hope, that will be offered to address root causes to the individual's cycle of poverty and and assist with moving them to self-sufficiency. Learn more.

The Clinton Foundation's Health Matters Initiative (CHMI) will present the Prescription Drug Abuse Town Hall: Building a Community of Support at the Clinton Presidential Center on September 14. The keynote speaker will be Patrick J. Kennedy, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and founder of the Kennedy Forum. The Town Hall will be livestreamed here, 9:00-10:35 a.m., or interested persons may register in the Great Hall at 8:30 a.m. Panelists include: Sean Clarkin, EVP, Research and External Relations, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids; Dr. Rhonda Mattox, Physician, Producer, Community Based Leader, Policy Consultant; Susan Pitman, Executive Director, Drug Free Duval; Seddon R. Savage, Medical Director, Silver Hill Chronic Pain and Recovery Center; Associate Professor at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth; and David Sheff, Author of New York Times best seller Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy.
Around Downtown
September 9: Main Street Food Truck Fridays return for a Fall  preview on September 9, and 16 of the Main Street Food Truck Festival on September 24. MSFTFridays will continue on September 30, October 7, 14, 21 and 28. For this week's trucks and menus link here .  These events are hosted by the 
Downtown Little Rock Partnership.
September 9: Walter Henderson Group, Ron Robinson Theater, 7-10 p.m. Hosted by Arkansas Sounds. General admission, $10. Learn more.
September 9: Another great  Second Friday Art Night downtown gallery walk at participating venues. Open until 8 p.m. Art, food, music & libations! You won't want to miss:
Old State House --5:30 to 8 p.m., 300 W. Markham, as the Episcopal Collegiate School's  Steelcats percussion and steel drum ensemble perform a variety of  Calypso, pop and  dance tunes! Along with the music enjoy some tasty treats from the  Capital Hotel and refreshing drinks for kids and adults.
Historic Arkansas Museum --5-8  p.m., 300 E. Third. O pening reception for new contemporary exhibit featuring Amanda Heinbockel, Marianne Nolley and Brianna Peterson in Personal Rituals. Book signing in the Museum Store by William B. Jones, author of Petit Jean: A Wilderness Adventure. Enjoy Arkansas-made beer provided by Rebel Kettle Brewing Co. of Little Rock and live music by Amy Garland and Nick Devlin.
Butler Center Galleries-- 5-8 p.m., 401 President Clinton Avenue. Opening Exhibitions for ACANSA Arts Festival in a Pop-Up Gallery featuring  Argenta Gallery/Rock City Werks; Cantrell Gallery; DRAWL Southern Contemporary Art; Hearne Fine Art; L & L Beck Gallery; M2 Gallery; Matt McLeod Fine Art Gallery; Stephano's Fine Art Gallery; and The Art Group Gallery. Also featuring exhibit by  Studio Art Quilt Associates. Music by Guido and Steve.
Arkansas Capital Corporation Group--5-8 p.m., 200 River Market Avenue, Suite 400. Memphis artist Adam Benet Shaw with  Surface and Light,  figurative and narrative artworks. Learn more.
Cox Creative Center--5-8 p.m., 120 River Market Avenue. Third Floor Art Gallery open, 50-cent paperbacks and $1 hardbacks.
Matt McLeod Fine Art Gallery, 108 W. 6th, 5-8 p.m. Launch Party for the Third Annual Six Bridges Regatta (to be held October 15) and finale for the Human Experience Exhibition. Matt McLeod will be available to sign regatta posters.  The Human Exper ience exhibition and sale (ending September 17) features paintings, sculpture and jewelry by Jeremy Couch, Angela Davis Johnson, Jude Harzer, Sage & Tom Holland, Cindy Holmes, Harry Loucks, Bryan Massey, Matt McLeod, Wayne Salge, Ryan Schmidt, Dominique Simmons, Kathy Strause and Jeff Waddle. Lucas Strack will be featuring his hand-made wooden canoes, oars, and bar accessories. 
Bella Vita Jewelry, Lafayette Building, 523 S. Louisiana, 5-8 p.m. Debut of Fall 2016 jewelry collection. Yummy drinks. 
Matthews Fine Art Gallery, 909 North Street, 5-8 p.m..
Hearne Fine Art--5:30-8 p.m., 1001 Wright Avenue. Features artists' reception for AfriCOBRA NOW: Works on Paper and AfriCOBRA: African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists. Book Signing with Kevin Cole Straight from the Soul and Michael D. Harris Colored Pictures: Race and Visual Representation.
September 10: Southern Fried Schnitzel: German Food and Culture in Arkansas, 
Pulaski Tech 
Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute, 13000 Interstate 30 South, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. 3rd Annual Arkansas Foodways symposium presented by the Arkansas State Archives. Registration by September 6. Learn more by calling 501-682-6900 or email. 
September 10: Hearne Fine Art Gallery Tour & Discussion, 1001 Wright Avenue, 10:30 a.m. Faciitated by Dr. Pamela M. Russ,Dean, Tougaloo College.
September 11: Historic Methodist Churches
, 
United Methodist Museum of AMC, 
First United Methodist Church, 
723 Center, 2-3:30 p.m. Reception for juried exhibit of fine art photos by members of Arkansas Women Photographers in this museum of the Arkansas Methodist Conference. For more information call 501-680-1089. Also open Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
September 14-15: STAR Institute Conference for strategic training and retention. Presented by the Arkansas Hospitality Association and the Arkansas Small Business & Technology Development Center. Free. To register or for more information link here or call 501-376-2323.
September 15: Treasurer Memories-My Life, My Story
Opening,  Mosaic Templars Cultural Center,  5 :30-7:30 p.m. 
Food, wine and the sounds of Kemistri featuring Nicky Parrish. Cultural celebration and historical commemoration of museum's 8th anniversary. Free and open to the public.
September 16: Twelve Angry Men, The Weekend Theater., 1001 W. Seventh. Trial of 19-year-old in fatal stabbing of his father. Jurors argue and become 12 angry men! Learn more.
September 16: Shine a Light on Literacy Event, Historic Train Station, Next Level Events. Benefits Literacy Action of Central Arkansas. Learn more.  
September 17: Body, Mind, Soul Expo, La Quinta Inn & Suites, 617 S. Broadway, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $6 per day. Learn more.
September 21-25: ACANSA Arts Festival.  Bridging the arts throughout central Arkansas with performances, exhibits, and art education programs throughout the week to encourage public appreciation of the arts.  For a complete schedule link here.
September 23: Philander Smith College President's Scholarship Gala, Statehouse Convention Center, 7 p.m.  Learn more or call 501-370-5378.
September 24: Senior Expo, Statehouse Convention Center, presented by Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and UAMS. Living and health expo, free 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Featuring vendor booths, educational seminars and entertainment, geared to those 55 and older. Free transportation. Learn more.  

Little Rock (LRCVB) event listings also posted here.
River Market District
September 10: Bobby's Bike Hike  Saturday Tours,  River Market Pavilions.  Learn more.
September 10, 13: River Market's Farmers' Market  in the River  Market pavilions. Open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. through Fall. Learn more.  
September 10: Thea Paves the Way, front lawn of the Clinton Library, 8 a.m.-12 noon. Collaborative art project, annual sidewalk chalk event. Learn more.
September 10: Little Rock Paper Airplane Championship, Clinton Presidential Park, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Paper airplane competition (distance and airtime events) in categories from Family (6 and under) to Adult Professional. Variety of food trucks on site, as well as Flyway Brewing. For more information link here.  Benefits Lymphomaniac Society, nonprofit that provides respite trips to cancer survivors. 
September 10: Chamber Music Society Season-Opening Concert, CALS Ron Robinson Theater, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Miller-Porfiris Duo, violin and viola duet. $25 at the door, free for students. Learn more.
September 11: Wetland Walk-About, 1-2 p.m. Take a leisurely half-mile walk along the Arkansas River Trail and on the William E. "Bill" Clark Presidential Park Wetlands boardwalk. Meet at Witt Stephens, Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 602 President Clinton. Free.
September River Market Jazz Series , Riverfront Park,  6-8 p.m. In partnership with Art Porter Music Education Inc., presented by the River Market. Learn more.
     September 14 - Julia Buckingham
     September 21 - Tonya Leeks
     September 28 - Rodney Block  
September 16, 19-20, 26-27: Happy Hours and Silver Screens, CALS Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market. Happy Hour, 5-6 p.m., Screenings, 6 p.m. $1 off beer and wine, $1- beer, brat and chips combo. September 16: Blue Velvet; September 19-20: The Lobster; and September 26-27, Manhattan Shorts Festival.
September 17: Tinkerfest,  Museum of Discovery , 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tinkering, a popular activity that is a key component of the nationwide "Maker Movement," takes place every day in the Tinkering Studio. Once a year at Tinkerfest tinkering takes over the entire museum and neighboring streets for a day-long event with more than 40 hands-on, interactive activities!   Learn more.
MacArthur Park Historic District
September 9-16: 
Tyke and Moppet: A Play for the Very Young
, Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre. 
The perfect opportunity to introduce 2-5-year-olds to theatre in this new studio show! 
September 13: Architecture and Design Network presents  Art of Architecture with guest lecturer Carlos Jiminez of Rice University. As a practicing architect, his principal built works include the Richard E. Peeler Art Center, DePaux University, Greencastle, Indiana; Hotel Saint George and Crowley House, Marfa,Texas; and Cummins Engine Child Development Center, Columbus, Ohio. Jimenez recently completed ten years of service as a jury member of the Pritzker Prize, the "Nobel of architecture." Lower Lobby of Arkansas Arts Center, 6 p.m. Free. 
September 15:  Open House at the Firehouse Hostel & Museum, MacArthur Park, 12 noon-5 p.m.
September 15: Art of Motion: Tango,  Arkansas Arts Center Lower Lobby. Free for members, $10 for non-members.
September 17:  Locals Only Grand Opening Party & Sleepover! , Fire Hostel & Museum, MacArthur Park. Learn more .
September Events at Stone's Throw Brewing, 402 E. Ninth, include Tuesdays, 4-9 Hops and Hope; Wednesdays, 6 p.m., Better with Beer Free Movie Series-Bruce Campbell month; Saturdays, 4 p.m., Randall Beer Infusion; Sundays, beer booth at Bernice Garden Farmers Market, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.;Thursdays, Arkie Pub Trivia, 6:30 p.m. Learn more !
SoMa
South Main Street 
September 9:  The Arkansas Brothers , South on Main. After-Hours Series. Learn more .
September 10:  Bernice Garden Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Vintage and hand-crafted items.  Learn more .
September 15:  Julia Lucille+Sea Nanners , South on Main. After-Hours Series. Learn more.
September 22: The Art of Handbags Closing Reception with Kent  Stetson, ESSE Purse Museum, 1510 Main, 5-7 p.m. Meet the artist and enjoy the exhibits, champagne and light refreshments. This fresh look at the purse plays off the fundamental storytelling design of ESSE's using abstract assemblages, video elements, glittering sculptures and more. $10. For tickets link here or purchase at the door .
September 24: Arkansas Peace Fest, Bernice Gardens. Learn more.
Clinton School Speaker Series
All events are free and open to the public nd are held. Learn more here about the programs listed below. All programs are held in the Clinton School Sturgis Hall unless otherwise noted.
September 12, 6 p.m.: Jeremy Richman, founder of Avielle Foundation and father of Avielle Richman, one of the children murdered in the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy.
September 14, 12 noon: Dana Suskind, director and principal investigator of Thirty Million Words, an initiative at University of Chicago Medical School to show the critical importance of early language exposure on the developing child.
September 15, 6 p.m.: Alex Winter-Nelson and Peter Goldsmith present findings of study with Heifer International: Can the Gift of a Cow Really Change a Life?
September 20, 6 p.m.: Kevin Merida, editor-in-chief for ESPN's "The Undefeated" website.
Downtown Runs & Cycling 
September 10-11: Bike MS-Rock'n Hot Ride cycling event, Garver in North Little Rock to Hot Springs and back. Benefits MS. Learn more.
September 17: Central Arkansas Walk Like MADD, 12 noon, Murray Park. Learn more.
September 22-23: Big Dam Bridge 100 Cycling Tour of Central Arkansas. Learn more. 
October 15: The Color Run Night. Nearby Western Hills Parks. Learn more.
October 22: Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Arkansas. Learn more.
March 4-5, 2017: Little Rock Marathon. Benefits 
Little Rock Parks and Recreation.  Learn more.
May 5, 2017: 10th MacArthur Park 5K. 
Benefits MacArthur Park.