I Love The 90s Tour
Go and party like its 1995, as the Arena sized dance party, "I Love the '90s Tour," drops into the Big Sandy Superstore Arena with some of the 90s hottest hip hop and R&B trend-setters like Salt-N-Peppa, Color Me Badd, Coolio, Rob Base, Young MC, Tone Loc & All For One.
Show time is 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 7 to get out and hear a throwback live string of iconic hits like "Let’s Talk About Sex," "Push It," "Funky Cold Medina," "Gangsta's Paradise" and many more.
Tickets for "I Love the 90s Tour," which was 2016’s most successful touring package, are $85 / $65 / $55 / $45 (plus any applicable fees)
For the after party, head over to the V Club where DJ Charlie Brown Superstar (Brett Fuller) will be teaming up with DJ
Feminasty (Jess Hurst) for a cool post-concert dance party at the V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington. Cover will be $5. Go online at
https://www.facebook.com/charliebrownsuperstar/ and https://www.facebook.com/FEMINASTY/ to hear some of their tasty jams.
Some Early Easter Fun
Easter Sunday isn't until Sunday, April 16, but we are starting the celebration now ....
A Dog-gone Good Easter Kick-off
Bring your leashed dogs to the Ritter Park Fountain Area at 6 p.m. Friday, April 7 for the Paws in the Park Easter Egg Hunt with more than 1,000 doggie treat-filled Easter eggs with several additional pet prize eggs hidden as well. Dress your furry friends in their Easter best to compete in the costume contest. The Easter Bunny will even be making a special appearance to take pictures with your pooches.
For more information contact Recreation Programmer, Lauren Carte at lcarte@ghprd.org or call 304-696-5954. Go online at www.ghprd.org to find out about more park activities this spring.
At Bob Evans Farm in Rio Grande, Ohio, enjoy some Easter Down on the Farm from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 8 as the farm opens up for a whole lot of fun including visits with the Easter Bunny, Barnyard Express train rides, bounce houses and an animal barnyard. Admission is free but those who attend are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to help stock up local food pantries. Call 740-245-5305.
On a serious and religious Easter note, The Aracoma Story, Inc., will be performing the outdoor drama "Bow The Knee." Directed by Curtis Crum, more than 65 people are cast in this biblical story of Jesus. Show times are at 8 p.m. April 6-9 and April 13-16 at the Liz Spurlock Amphitheatre in Chief Logan State Park. The dramatic musical passion play depicts the miracles of Jesus through the eyes of a Roman centurion. The play will follow two story lines — Jesus himself and Anthony, the Centurion — as both struggle and come to terms with what type of men they are. A touching duet by Jesus and the Centurion takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane where they both cry to heaven, singing they have never felt so all alone. The show culminates in a realistic depiction of the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus and the titular question is asked and answered “To Whom Will You Bow?” Go online at https://www.facebook.com/thearacomastory/ for more info
My concert picks for the weekend ... Recorded straight outta Dingess, W.B. Walker's Old Soul Radio Show is a throwback country podcast that has gained followers coast to coast. Walker celebrates his fourth anniversary with his always epic show that is set for Saturday, April 8 at the V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. with a long list of acclaimed regional acts including Tyler Childers, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound, Billy Don Burns, Josh Morningstar, Sam Williams, The Horse Traders, The Local Honeys and Tim Lancaster. Tickets are $12 advance and $15 day of show for those 18 and up.
Friday Night Grass Delights: Normally the Mountaineer Opry House in Milton does Saturday concerts only but at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 7, they open up for a special stop by the award-winning contemporary bluegrass act, The Box Cars. With collective stints with Alison Krauss & Union Station (Adam Steffey), J.D. Crowe & The New South (Ron Stewart, Harold Nixon), Blue Moon Rising (Keith Garrett and Harold Nixon), and most recently The Dan Tyminski Band (Steffey and Stewart), this quintet starts out with an impressive rap sheet. Tickets are $15 at the door, $12 for seniors and $5 for those 12 and under.
Let the Artisans Marketing Begin
You know it is spring when the First Friday Art Walks begin over in Ashland.
Head over to Winchester Avenue Friday evening (5 to 9 p.m.) when DJ Ross Turner will be spinning the hits for the season's inaugural First Friday Art Walk and street party. Enjoy new exhibits and art at Pendleton Art Center, Highlands Museum and Discovery Center and other galleries as well as a classic car show, extended hours at downtown's local eateries, unique boutiques and specialty stores. Registration is $5 for those who want to show off their vintage cars.
On Saturday it is all aboard for the first Artisan Market of the season in Huntington
Head down to the historic Heritage Station, 210 11th St., Huntington, where from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Caboose gift shop will host its Spring Fling Artist Market on Saturday, April 8.
The market will occupy the Cabell-Huntington Convention & Visitors Bureau’s meeting space at Heritage Station, 210 11th Street, Huntington and spill out onto the sidewalk to include an open air market. You will find about two dozen local artisans offering up everything from all-natural skincare products to handmade jewelry to ceramics to one-of-a-kind artwork.
Publisher's Place will have five authors signing their books at the Spring Fling Artist Market including: Jim Casto, John Patrick Grace, Carol Lucas, Carol Mazurek, and Joe Wyatt. They will be set up in the lobby of the Visitors Center.
While you are at Heritage Station visit the other locally-owned shops. Grab a cup of coffee at River and Rail Bakery or Butter It Up, explore the fashions and accessories at Birds of a Feather, and peruse the artisan products at Full Circle Ceramic and Brand Yourself.
Go online at https://www.facebook.com/theredcaboosewv/ to find out more about The Red Caboose.
My outdoors picks for the weekend ….
Lake Vesuvius: The Huntington Area Hiking Club will be doing a hike at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 8 at Lake Vesuvius (Just eight miles north of Ironton). At 11 a.m. Saturday, meet at the parking lot at Lake Vesuvius' furnace (right by the dam) for a 4 1/2-mile moderate hike on the Balancing Rock Trail which has several interesting rock formations.Go online at https://www.facebook.com/events/104475353433695/ for more information about the group.
Museum of Art Wildflower Hike: The Greater Huntington Park & Recreation District and the Huntington Museum of Art are hosting a Spring Wildflower Hike at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 8. Join the GHPRD Recreation Team and HMA Nature Trail Docents as they go on an approximately two-mile hike on the Nature Trails at the Huntington Museum of Art, followed by refreshments, a DIY trail mix buffet, and a nature-based craft. This free outdoor Spring activity is open to the public and fun for the whole family. A map of the trail is available to view or print at www.hmoa.org/nature/nature-trails. The Huntington Museum of Art is located at 2033 McCoy Road, Huntington. For more information contact GHPRD Recreation Coordinator Stacey Leep at sleep@ghprd.org or call 304-696-5954 or HMA Museum & Schools Coordinator Cindy Dearborn at cdearborn@hmoa.org or call 304-529-2701.
PATH Hike and Cleanup: From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 8, head out to the Guyandotte Boat Ramp where the People Powered Huntington (Bike and Pedestrian Advocacy Coalition) will partner with WV Make it Shine to clean up a portion of the Paul Ambrose Trail for Health. Enjoy a walk on the PATH while helping spruce up the area for other walkers and cyclists in the city. Go online at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1209848372422559/
My Roadtrip Pick: Head west to the bluegrass region of Lexington, Kentucky, where the historic thoroughbred race track Keeneland kicks off its 2017 Spring Meet on Friday with a great opening weekend of racing that features seven graded stakes worth $2.55 million, headlined by the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G2) and $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), both major prep races on the Roads to the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively.
The 15-day Spring Meet will be held April 7-28 with racing Wednesdays through Sundays. Post time for the first race is 1:05 p.m. daily. There is no racing Easter Sunday, April 16.
Be sure to get there early as gates open at 11 a.m. and you can picnic on the shady ground. Admission is $5 with children 12 and under getting in free. Keeneland’s official tailgating area features local food trucks, a jumbo television screen showing all the racing action, wagering, The Keeneland Shop kiosk and complimentary shuttles to the track. On Saturdays, popular local Bluegrass bands perform from noon-4 p.m.
Go online at Keeneland.com and Twitter @keenelandracing, Facebook and Instagram @keeneland, Snapchat and Periscope @keenelandracing
Dave Lavender is the author of "Dave Trippin: A Daytripper's Guide to the Appalachian Galaxy of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia" and his new travel book, "Mo' Dave Trippin" now for sale on Amazon.com and through CreateSpace.
Check out the new book at the Red Caboose, Empire Books and News, and now at Camden Park. Lavender covers regional travel. Follow The Herald-Dispatch reporter on Facebook and Twitter @DaveLavenderHD.