Sure it's that wild time of spring where a shower can just pop up but we don't care we are taking the party into the blooming outside anyway.
Here's a look at some of the fun outside things happening this weekend.
May The Fifth Be With You
It's Star Wars Day every May 4th, and the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District keeps those light sabers lit as Heritage Station kicks off its summer film series, Cinema Under the Stars with the latest epic Star Wars film - "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" at dusk on Friday, May 5. Come early at 8 p.m. for a costume contest before the film which starts at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $1 to see the PG-13-rated film which follows a group of rebels on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star, the Galactic Empire's superweapon.
While at the Heritage Station, be sure to pop into SIP Wine and Whiskey Bar, which has a new exhibit up by Charleston-based mixed media artist Gregg Oxley, who uses found objects, antiquated papers, forgotten photographs, handwriting samples and other ephemera to create work inspiring a nostalgic tone still playing on modern themes.
Kick Off The Camden Park Season
Head west on Route 60 and turn at the sign of the happy clown kids as the family-owned Camden Park, West Virginia's only amusement park opens for the season. Filled with more than 30 rides and attractions including the new compact spinning roller coaster, Slingshot, as well as old favorites such as The Big Dipper, The Haunted House, The Log Flume, and the Train, Camden Park will be open 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 6-7.
Tickets to the park are available online or at the front gate starting at $15.99.
The park, which is open on weekends throughout May and moves to an expanded schedule starting on Memorial Day Weekend. Visit camdenpark.com for more details about the park which has been in operation since 1902.
First Friday Gets Fit
Ashland in Motion's First Friday gets fit from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 5 in downtown Ashland as the monthly block party features a Festival of Fitness with nearly 30 fitness activities and health booths for folks to explore.
There will also be a Downtown Loft and Living Tour, a classic car show, children's inflatables and music by nationally-touring Americana singer, Rob McNurlin.
Come and Party Like It's 1989 With Poison and Tesla
Grab the Aquanet hairspray and the leather jeans it's time to dial back the decades to the 1980s as The Big Sandy Superstore Arena gets a double '80s hair metal band blast as Poison and Tesla roll in for a 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 7 concert.
Presented by NS2 (National Shows 2), the concert features Poison, which has sold more than 40 million records and DVDs worldwide, and have charted 12 Top 10 hits. including “Nothin’ But A Good Time,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” “Talk Dirty To Me,” “Unskinny Bop” and “Something To Believe In.”
Special guest Tesla has sold more than 25 million albums and performed to sold out crowds across the world over the course of the band’s thirty-year career. They are known for such signature anthems such as “Little Suzi,” “Modern Day Cowboy,” “Cumin’ Atcha Live,” and “Gettin’ Better.”
Dog Parking It With or Without The Crowds
Forget letting the dogs out, we've got a new and improved PetSafe Dog Park, and it is prime time to let the hounds back in the new lush-grassy play area at Ritter Park.
If you want to hang out with the crowd, then head to the Dog Park from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6 for organized grand-opening events that include a “Waggin’ Tails and Happy Trails” q two-mile dog-friendly hike on the Ritter Park Trails. Bring your leash. After that it's Yappy Hour with pooches getting treats and water, while there will be and hot dogs and soft drinks for their humans.
If you'd rather check out the Dog Park without the crowd, try it on a Monday morning or afternoon.
Go online at www.ghprd.org for a look at other Park District events coming
up including Friday's Cinema Under the Stars and Sunday's Ritter Live
concert series.
My Music Pick This weekend ... Area favorite Americana singer/songwriter Tyler Childers has been added to the FestivALL Charleston taping of Mountain Stage that is set for Sunday, June 25
A Paintsville, Ky., native whose band The Food Stamps hails from Huntington, Childers will be making his second appearance on Mountain Stage.
Tickets are $30 and on sale now for the 7 p.m. Sunday, June 25 taping at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston. Tickets are available online, by phone (877-987-6487), or at Taylor Books in downtown Charleston.
But if you want to see Childers this weekend you can at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 6, as he'll be armed with his Huntington-based band The Food Stamps for a night of music at the V Club with the red-hot Lexington, Kentucky-based newgrass unit Kati Penn and Newtown as well as his sweet singing with, Senora May. Get advance tickets at https://holdmyticket.com/tickets/276456 as they will sell out. Tickets are $10.
My Road Trip Pick this weekend: You can Dave Trip right here in our back yard as Heritage Farm Museum and Village, 3300 Harvey Road, is kicking open wide the gates with their always-epic Spring Festival that is now in its 21st year.
Come out from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 6, for The Spring Festival that brings the 19th-century Appalachian Village to life with a hundreds of volunteers, artisans, and reenactors from across the region.
Open Saturday will be all seven museums, the annual sheep shearing, kids hands-on activities, the Frontier cabin (film site of the History Channel's Hatfields and McCoys documentary, live music, food, the MakerSpace (designated by the White House as an official ambassador of the Maker Movement!), The Six Simple Machines Discovery Zone Playground, wagon rides and lots of artisans (including weavers, potters, woodworkers, printers, tinsmiths, broommakers, wire art, and more),
The cost is $12, $10 seniors, $8 youth and free for those 3 and under.
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.