LITTLE ROCK — 1. Bridge the gap. The historic Junction Bridge was built for railroads,but thanks to renovation efforts, it’s now for pedestrians and bike riders who can enjoy the view while traveling back and forth between Little Rock and North Little Rock. The bridge opens at 10 a.m. Saturday and the celebration and official opening is at 10:30 a.m. Access to the bridge is behind the River Market pavilion on the Little Rock side and near Alltel Arena in North Little Rock. Admission is free. Call (501) 340-6800.

2. Clean up. Where else can you see grown people bathing in the middleof the street? The spa city gets wet and wild with the Stueart Pennington Running of the Tubs Bathtub Race, Saturday in downtown Hot Springs. In the third annual race, five-person teams will struggle to obey a complicated list of rules while pushing a bathtub down Bathhouse Row. A parade of tubs starts at 9:30 a.m. with the race following at 10. Admission is free for spectators.

Call (501) 321-2027.

3. Scamper. Pets and their people are invited to hit the road at the annual Central Arkansas Rescue Effort (CARE) for Animals Paws on the Pavement 5K run/walk and one-mile fun run, Saturday at Murray Park. Start time for the 5K is 8 a.m. and the fun run starts at 9:30. Paw Printz Mobile Pet Photography and pet psychic Carol Pate will be on hand; dog agility demonstrations and the Doggie Carnival will provide entertainment. If you don’t have a pet, but want one, the mobile adoption units from Little Rock Animal Services and Sherwood Animal Shelter will also be there. Registration is $25, $40 per family. Pet psychic readings are $20. Visit www.careforanimals.org or call (501) 603-2273.

If all that exercise leaves your pup a bit dirty, stop by the Kroger at Cantrell Road and Polk Street where the Humane Society of Pulaski County is having a dog wash, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

Requested donation is $15. Call (501) 580-2966.

4. Get down. Downtown Texarkana is pulling out all the stops with art,food, music and fun at the Jump, Jive & Jamfest, today-Saturday. The festival opens to the public with a special kickoff barbecue party with music by The Wild Magnolias and entertainment previews, 5 p.m. today. Saturday events will include a character breakfast and other activities for children, art shows and demonstrations and a parade, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Burger Capital Cookoff competition and a performance by the Spin Doctors wrap things up Saturday starting at 6 p.m. Ticket prices vary and the kickoff party and character breakfast require reservations. A full weekend pass for all activities is $50.

Visit www.jumpjivejamfest.org or call (903) 792-4992.

5. Pipe in. Simon Nieminski, organist of St. Mary’s Metropolitan CatholicCathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, willgive the organ a workout with a special concert at 8 p.m. today at First Presbyterian Church, Eighth and Scott streets. Nieminski’s program will include works by W.A. Mozart, Louis Nicholas Clerambault and Charles Dawes. The concert is presented by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Arkansas and the Central Arkansas Chapter of the American Guild of Organists; a reception will follow at the Albert Pike Masonic Memorial Temple, 712 Scott St. Admission is free but donations for the Pediatric Injury Program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital will be accepted. Call (501) 374-2794.

6. Catch it. Watch local celebrities go to bat at the Paul Eells Stars-N-Strikes Celebrity Softball Game, 1 p.m. Saturday at University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Gary Hogan Field.

Former Razorbacks, media experts and state personalities including Steve Sullivan, Wally Hall, Joe Dean Davenport, Ernie Murry and Tony Cherico will take to the field. Tickets are $10, $5 for children. Visit www.pauleells.org or call (501) 652-6083.

7. Sit back. The Weekend Theater offers a theatrical double-header with final performances of two Holocaust-theme short works, Brundibar and Contact With the Enemy, 7:30 p.m. today-Saturday. The musical Brundibar was first performed by children in the Theresienstadt concentration camp.

The one-act drama Contact With the Enemy focuses on two World War II veterans reuniting at the HolocaustMuseum. Tickets are $18, $14 for ages 65 and older and students. The originally planned Sunday matinee performance has been canceled. The theater is at Seventh and Chester streets. Call (501) 374-3761.

8Rev up. Watch the cars speed around the track and help a good cause at the same time. The Batesville Speedway, 5090 Heber Springs Road in Batesville, presents Race for the Ranches, 8 p.m. today. The gates open at 5:30. Tickets are $10, free for children ages 11 and under, and all proceeds benefit the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch. Call (870) 251-1200.

9. Stroll. Get out and enjoy the flowers in the Ozarks 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.

The Music in Bloom Garden Tour, presented by the Mountain View Garden Club, features a self-guided tour of six gardens in the scenic Mountain View area. Tickets are $10 and are available at The Little Yellow House adjacent to the Courthouse Square. Call (870) 615-0129 or (870) 269-5923.

10. Drive by. With cars, trucks and motorcycles galore, the monthlyCruisin’ in the Rock takes over the River Market District, 6-9 p.m. today, so admire the vehicles and enjoy the music. Admission is free. Visit www.cruisinlittlerock.com or call (501) 370-3201.

E-mail things to do to: jnixon@arkansasonline.com

This article was published Friday, May 16, 2008.

Weekend, Pages 83 on 05/16/2008

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