There’s First Fridays in the Crossroads, there’s lots of art outside, there’s Cinco de Mayo fun and the Kansas City Zoo shows off its new Front Entry Plaza and features otters and trumpeter swans. And there’s lots of music, theater and more.
Some other things to see or do this weekend: An exhibit designed to increase awareness of low vision and provide information for people with low vision, as well as their families and friends, will go on display Sunday through July 6 at the Kansas City Central Library, 14 W. 10th St.
Free is a word that gets thrown around a lot, but often with a catch — like “free with purchase” or “free plus shipping and handling.”
Caroline Rhea returns to Stanford’s for stand-up shows Friday and Saturday. Rhea, who has been doing stand-up for 19 years now, is the former host of her own daytime show as well as the first host of “The Biggest Loser.”
Mountain Music Shoppe at 12710 Shawnee Mission Parkway in Shawnee has space available for two upcoming workshops.
•ANIMALS: Get out Saturday for the grand opening party of the Kansas City Zoo’s Front Entry Plaza, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature North American river otters, animal shows and other activities. Adults $9.50, seniors $8.50, youth 3-11 $6.50, under 3 free.
The Guadalupe Center is holding its annual Cinco de Mayo Family Fiesta this weekend around the center at 1015 Avenida Cesar E. Chavez. It’s free. For more information, call 816-421-1015.
It can be fun to ridicule TV (see “Right Between the Ears” item). But I remember when TV was more than something you watched and made fun of. It was something you watched and made fun of as a family.
For complete listings, go to Preview Extra on KansasCity.com. ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION: TREES...THE ROOTS OF OUR FUTURE!: Meet Smokey Bear. Puppet show, storytellers, woodcarvers and woodworkers. Tree seedlings handed out, one per family, while supplies last. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 26. Burr Oak Woods Nature Center, 1401 N.W. Park, Blue Springs. Free. For all ages. (816-228-3766)
Right Between the Ears is featured on Page 4, but some other comedians are in town this weekend, including some with TV connections.
This is comedy, Tim-and-Eric style: •An infomercial hypes “the Innernette,” a bunch of Web sites on a CD-ROM not connected to anything.
Jayhawks, Tigers, Wildcats and more are all welcome subjects during the “Chalk Walk” running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Concourse Park, 200 Benton Blvd. The Historic Northeast Cultural Arts Commission program is a benefit for the after-school art programs of Mosaic Brain.
Who needs my help? The Dream Factory How can I help? The Greater Kansas City Two-Cylinder Club is presenting a tractor cruise at 10 a.m. May 3 at the Independence Town Square.
The Kansas City Academy will hold its 10th semi-annual rock concerts at 7 p.m. today and Friday at the school at 7933 Main. Admission is $5.
If it’s April in Olathe, it must be time for war. Now in its 12th year, Civil War on the Border at the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm, 1100 Kansas City Road, features authentic camping, old-time music and a battle re-enactment. More than 300 re-enactors are expected for this event, which drew about 5,000 spectators over two days last year.
The fourth Troost Avenue Festival starts at noon Saturday under four tents on the 3100 block of Troost (between 31st Street and Linwood Boulevard).
Another week, another weekend of professional jokers ... Coulier is at Stanford’s at The Legends. As a stand-up, Coulier specializes in impersonations and leans to clean comedy these days. (He even has a Web site called www. cleanguys.TV). He has a long list of credits from cartoon voiceovers and is starting to gain reality show cred with stops on “The Surreal Life” and “Skating With Celebrities” and kids shows (“Shredderman Rules!”...
Like a lot of other people, I had the Greatest Pet in the World. Her name was Sheena the Cat, but she also answered to a stream of such silly-sounding nicknames as Shrinky, Minky, Konk, Shonk and Toblerone (after the famous brand of Swiss chocolate).
For complete listings, go to Preview Extra on KansasCity.com. CROWN CENTER SQUARE FOUNTAIN SHOWS: Weekday shows at noon and on the hour, 5-10 p.m.; weekend shows on the hour, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Crown Center Square, 2450 Grand. Free. www.crowncenter.com (816-274-8411)
Excited or apprehensive, kids all across the metro will head to summer camps this year. With hundreds to choose from, camps, classes and programs provide a wide range of enrichment and entertainment.
