What's happening at Wildwood Park?

Wildwood Park's Lanterns Festival kicks off this Thursday, February 2.
Festival Days
February 2, 3 and 4
6 p.m. to 10 p.m. nightly

The Lanterns Festival is Arkansas’ only deep-winter outdoor festival, will light up the night at Wildwood Park for a fourth year of family fun and illuminating entertainment starting February 2! Celebrate the first full moon of the lunar year with a variety of indoor and outdoor entertainment. Take a mystical stroll along paved pathways lit by fire pits and over 2,000 luminaries into Wildwood’s winter woodlands and visit eight cultures around the globe, including China, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, The Moon, India, American Baseball, Shakespeare's England, and Venice! Admission ($10 for adults; $5 for children ages 6 to 12; FREE for children 5 and under) includes live entertainment, family activities and a cultural experience like no other in Central Arkansas. You can purchase your tickets online or at the gate.

Also new this year: a Parking Shuttle! Save the stress and park in the old Kroger Chenal parking lot and ride the free shuttle straight to the Wildwood gates.

We look forward to seeing you here.

China:

located in Wildwood's Asian Woodland Garden, this vista features delicious edibles from Fantastic China, as well as activities for the whole family, including practicing or learning chopstick skills and making a celebratory red paper lantern.This vista is sponsored by the June Hoes Williams Endowment.

Paris:

Filling the Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre from lobby to stage, Paris delights with live performances of French art song by The Muses Project, and a stunning Piaf tribute by Ballet Arkansas, as well as crepes, cafe au lait and wine! This vista is made possible by the generosity of Chip and Cindy Murphy.

Rio de Janeiro:

The Lakeside Stage will be dance all night long to the bossa nova beats of The Graduation Band! Cafe Bossa Nova will be providing fabulous Brazilian foods and drinks for purchase and young and young-at-heart can create their own carnaval masks.

The Moon:

The Green is brought to life by the fabulous folks at Botanica Gardens and features tasty treats, lovely lights and moon dust.

India:

This colorful vista features fabulous food for purchase from Star of India Restaurant and mango smoothies from Tropical Smoothie Cafe, as well as family activities centered on Diwali, the Hindi new year.

American Baseball:

Play ball with a pitching carnival game, a raffle for tickets and merchandise from the Arkansas Travelers Baseball Club, a classic ball game on the radio and hot dogs from Little Rock celebrity Hot Dog Mike! American Baseball is sponsored by our friends at Sync Weekly.

Shakespeare's England:

Walk on to Butler Hill and travel back in time to the Renaissance! Grab a turkey leg and some mulled cider to enjoy while watching scenes, green show entertainments and stage fighting demonstrations from Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, as well as fabulous live music from the era.

and Venice:

The Gazebo is dressed for carnivale! Enjoy sweet treats for purchase and send a wishing lantern onto the lake in a fabulous, festive atmosphere!

P.S. Want to attend LANTERNS! Festival for FREE? We are still looking for some fantastic volunteers to work at the festival for any of the three nights beginning at 5:15pm. Duties include: Ticket Takers/Sellers, WILDBucks Bankers, Concessions Salespeople and Children's Activities Leaders. If you are available to volunteer, please email Leslie Fay Vaeth at lvaeth at wildwoodpark.org or call at (501) 821-7275.

If you have any questions about volunteering any time at Wildwood Park for the Arts, please contact Leslie Fay Vaeth, Assistant Director for Development, at lvaeth@wildwoodpark.org, or (501) 821-7275 ext. 259.

Wildwood Park for the Arts, 20919 Denny Road, Little Rock, AR 72223, (501) 821-7275, http://www.wildwoodpark.org/