By Chip Chandler — Digital Content Producer
Sizzling Celebration
Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s annual Cinco de Mayo Fajita Festival runs from 5 to 9 p.m. today at Southeast Fourth Avenue and Grant Street, near the old Santa Fe depot. More than 35 cooking teams will serve fajitas to the crowds, and about 60 booths will offer other foods, drinks and more, including Panhandle PBS with cookies from Carrie's Cakes & Cupcakes Too. For more on the festival and other holiday celebrations tonight, check out my preview.
Strollin’ at Sunset
The monthly First Friday Art Walk will draw a couple of thousand visitors Friday to The Galleries at Sunset Center, 3701 Plains Blvd. Among the new works they’ll see is an exhibition by contemporary landscape artist Randy Pijoan in the Sunset Art Gallery and photos by Jim Livingston in ArtGecko Gallery. Livingston also will shoot portraits for his ongoing “I Am” project. The walk runs from 5 to 9 p.m. and is free.
On Stage
Amarillo Little Theatre looks to have a big hit on its hands with Hairspray, opening officially Friday (after a preview tonight) for a three-weekend run. The high-energy musical adaptation of the 1988 John Waters comedy tackles a serious subject — racial integration — with infectious songs, goofy humor and what director Allen Shankles says is the most dance the theater has ever put on stage. Performances Friday and May 15 are sold out, and tickets are going fast for the rest of the run. Here’s my preview. … TheatreAC closes its season with Afterlife: A Ghost Story, a drama that director Ray Newburg calls “wackadoo.” Check out my preview for more details. … And Amarillo College Conservatory Theatre will stage the beloved children’s story The Velveteen Rabbit for three performances through Sunday. My preview is here.
Bang! Pow!
Amarillo stores will celebrate the 15th Free Comic Book Day on Saturday. Look for books featuring Captain America, DC’s female superheroes, Doctor Who, Judge Dredd, Serenity, Suicide Squad and more (not all books will be available at all locations, and the most popular ones go fast). Archer Comics, 4515 S. Georgia St., Suite 135, will have comics, vendors and costume contests beginning at noon. Discounted arm bands for next weekend’s Yellow City Comic Con also will be on sale. Hastings stores will allow seven free comics per customer and offer deals on used graphic novels, comic short boxes, back issues and action figures.
Comics of a Different Kind
Yellow City Comedy, featuring Amarillo stand-up comics Skylar Potter, Tristan Pinter and Austin Ulen, will host a comedy night at 9 p.m. Friday at R&R Bar, 701 S. Georgia St. The trio will take the stage around 10 p.m. following an open-mic session for comedians, poets and musicians at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8, two for $12 or $5 for open-mic participants.
‘Bar’ Fun
A pair of weekend events are set for Bar Z Winery, 19290 Farm-to-Market Road 1541. Up first, a style representative from New York menswear designer VK Nagrani will be on hand for “A Gent’s Night Out” at 7 p.m. Friday. RSVP by calling 806-488-2214. Then, the winery will hold a Mother’s Day lunch at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Youngblood’s will cater an Italian brunch, and a bellini bar will be available. Tickets are $40 and available at barzwines.com.
Upcoming
Several young actors from West Texas A&M University will present scenes from plays by George C. Wolfe, Mich Albom, David Ives and more in a spring performance showcase at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex Recital Hall. … Chamber Music Amarillowill celebrate New Orleans with its spring fundraiser, A Night in the Big Easy. The event — which includes drinks, dinner and dancing — begins at 6 p.m. May 13 at Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive. Tickets are $100. Call 806-236-3545. … Tickets are on sale this weekend for a pair of upcoming musical events: The Time Jumpers — featuring Vince Gill, Kenny Sears and “Ranger Doug” Green and other top Nashville studio musicians — will perform at 7:30 p.m. July 22 in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday for $35, $45 and $55, plus fees. In My Life: A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles traces the Fab Four’s career through the eyes of their manager, Brian Epstein. Tickets go on sale at noon Saturday for $30, $45 and $55, plus fees. Call 806-378-3096.
Chip Chandler is a digital content producer for Panhandle PBS. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and at www.facebook.com/chipchandlerwriter on Facebook.
