SkillsUSA Missouri Championships

April 2-6

Secondary and post-secondary students from around the state will travel to Linn to compete in the 41st Annual SkillsUSA Missouri Championships the weekend of April 2-6, at Linn State Technical College. For more information call (573) 897-5000.

YESTERDAY- A Tribute to the Beatles

April 4

At 7 p.m. on Friday, April 4, the Community Concert Association will present YESTERDAY, a tribute to the Beatles at the Miller Performing Arts Center. Take a musical journey to a bygone era of peace, love and innocence with the #1 Beatles tribute act in the world- YESTERDAY. These four artists have thrilled worldwide audiences on six continents with exciting vocals, witty stage mannerisms and costume changes, performing music from the Beatles early years through the Sgt. Pepper era. Join them on the Mystery Tour from 1964-1970 as you go back in time with this convincing and accurate portrayal by YESTERDAY. Tickets for the show are $15 for adults and $8 for students; no reserved seating. For more information about the group, go to www.beatlestributeyesterday.com.

46th Annual Ice Show

April 4-6

We proudly invite you to the 46th Annual Ice Show, “Masquerade on Ice ” which will take place at the Washington Park Ice Arena. Performances include a variety of solos, duets and group numbers given by participants of the Parks and Recreation lessons programs and members of the Jefferson City Figure Skating Club. “Masquerade on Ice ” will be presented at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5. There will also be a matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for youth 17 and under. Tickets may be purchased at the Washington Park Ice Arena or at the Parks and Recreation office. The annual ice show features solo, pair, duet, team and group routines and is sponsored by Parks and Recreation, the Jefferson City Figure Skating Club, and KRCG-TV. For more information contact Parks and Recreation at (573) 634-6482.

Fourth Annual Gospel Sing and Jubilee

April 5

Come and listen to gospel music from 7-9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, at the Miller Performing Arts Center, 501 Madison Street. Past performers have included Young Harmony from Nashville, Tennessee; Color of Mercy from the Lake of the Ozarks area, Celisa Harris from Richmond and Jefferson City's own Sons of Harvest. Tickets are $10 for adults, $4 for children under 12. Proceeds will benefit the 2007 Christian Festival. Limited seats are available. For more information contact Perry Carey at (573) 636-5255.

"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"- The Couples Musical

April 10-13, 17-20

The Capital City Players present "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change", a dinner theatre production at Shikles Auditorium, 1200 Linden Drive. Currently in its 11th year in New York and still running strong, this bright funny musical, returning to Jefferson City by popular demand, takes a humorous look at dating and marriage. Evening performances will be April 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19; doors open at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances will be April 13 and 20; doors open at noon, lunch at 12:30 p.m. and the show starts at 1:30 p.m. Advance reservations are required; call (573) 681-9012 for tickets. Tickets are $30 per person for dinner and the show.

Capital City Cookoff

April 11-12

Head out to the Jefferson City Jaycee's Fairgrounds on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12 as competitors from across the country participate in the second annual Capital City Cookoff. The Buck-a-Bone event is Friday the 11th  gates open at 4:00, serving all you can eat ribs from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Musical entertainment is scheduled from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, the gates open at 9:00 a.m., judging starts at 12;30, and the music will be going from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Contact Bruce Ring (573) 291-9716 or Greg Bowman (573) 690-1409 for more information.

The Winston Churchill Memorial and Library: Following Churchill's Footsteps

April 17

The Missouri State Archives, 600 W. Main Street, will host "The Winston Churchill Memorial and Library: Following Churchill’s Footsteps" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 17. In 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his famous “Iron Curtain” speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, popularizing the phrase that would come to describe the division between the Western powers and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Westminster College established the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library in 1969 as a tribute to Churchill’s life and legacy. The memorial is housed within the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, a 12th century church from the middle of London that was redesigned by Sir Christopher Wren in 1677 and painstakingly relocated, stone-by-stone, to Fulton. Within the church are artifacts and works that chronicle Churchill's life, from his youth through three wars, and finally to the speech he gave in Fulton warning of the coming Cold War. Churchill Museum Executive Director Dr. Rob Havers will discuss the renovated museum and its state-of-the-art exhibits that bring to life one of the greatest states men of the 20th century through sight, sound and touch. Admission is free. For more information, contact Emily Luker (573) 526-5296 or www.sos.mo.gov/archives.

Capital City Adventure Race

April 19

The 1st Annual Capital City Adventure Race (CCAR) is a 4-6 hour race featuring paddling, mountain biking, hiking/trekking and mystery events. While there is not a large focus on navigation, map reading and directions will be an important element. The course has been designed for beginners, but will provide an excellent challenge for experienced teams. The course is approximately 25 miles long. Racers will be unsupported during the race. There will be water refill stations at many of the checkpoints. This year’s race will be a combination of urban and off-road racing. CCAR will take place Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 7:00 a.m. with award ceremonies at 2:00 p.m. A celebration of the race will take place at 2:30 p.m. For more information visit www.capcityadventure.com.

"Tuesdays at the Capitol"- Daniel Suarez

April 22

On April 22, Daniel Suarez and his apprentice Raul Martinez, both from Sedalia, will demonstrate how to play the Venezuelan "cuatro," a four-stringed acoustic instrument and play some of their favorite Venezuelan traditional tunes. Suarez has performed with such artists as Alejandro Fernandez and SIKUS and recorded with Jesus Florido and Alfredo Reyna. The artists who perform and demonstrate during these programs are present participants in the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, which pairs master folk artists with apprentices to pass traditions on to the next generation. The Missouri Folk Arts Program and the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program are funded by the Missouri Arts Council and administered by the Museum of Art and Archaeology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The Missouri Folk Arts Program was established in 1984 and builds cross-cultural understanding by documenting, conserving and presenting Missouri's living folk arts and folk life in collaboration with Missouri's citizens. For more information, contact the Missouri State Museum at (573) 751-2854, the Department of Natural Resources toll free at 1-800-334-6946 (voice) or 1-800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or Deborah Bailey at the Missouri Folk Arts Program at (573) 882-3653 or go to http://maa.missouri.edu/mfap/. For information on state parks and historic sites, visit the Web at www.mostateparks.com.

Earth Day Celebration

April 25

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, April 25, at the Missouri State Capitol join the Department of Natural Resources for the 2008 Earth Day Celebration. The theme for this year is Our Environmental Footprint. Activities include information booths, games and displays about the environment. Many other state and federal agencies participate through educational displays and exhibits. Activities for the event are tailored to fifth-graders, but all ages are welcome. We hope to see you there! For more information call (573) 751-4962 or visit www.dnr.mo.gov/earthday/.

"Bat Boy- The Musical"

April 24-26

The Little Theater presents "Bat Boy- The Musical" April 24-26, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and a matinee at 2 p.m. on Saturday, all at the Miller Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for kids under 12. Based on a story in The Weekly World News, 'Bat Boy - The Musical' is a musical comedy/horror show about a half boy/half bat creature who is discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, West Virginia. The local sheriff brings Bat Boy to the home of the town veterinarian, Dr. Parker, where he is eventually accepted as a member of the family and taught to act like a "normal" boy by the veterinarian's wife, Meredith, and teenage daughter, Shelley. Bat Boy is happy with his new life, but when he naively tries to fit in with the narrow-minded people of Hope Falls, they turn on him, prodded by the machinations of Dr. Parker, who secretly despises Bat Boy. Shelley and Bat Boy, who have fallen in love, run away together from the ignorant townsfolk and have a blissful coupling in the woods, but their happiness is shattered when Meredith arrives and reveals a secret. Soon the entire town arrives and hears the shocking story of Bat Boy's unholy origin. For more information call (573) 681-9400 or visit www.tltjc.org.

Mid-Missouri Storytelling Festival

April 24-26

Storytelling adventures spark the imagination of over 10,000 students and families. More than 12 professional storytellers from around the country, some new to the festival, some returning favorites, will travel to Jefferson City the weekend of April 24-26. Friday, April 25, is the Adult Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, is the Family Concert at 10:30 a.m. These storytellers will entertain with an eclectic mix of storytelling styles. Join MRRL for their free public concerts, located at 214 Adams Street. For more information contact Taryn Prewitt at (573) 634-6064, ext. 235 or tarynp@mrrl.org More information can also be found at www.mrrl.org.

Cruisin for MDA

April 26

Head to downtown Jefferson City from 5 to 9:30 p.m. the last Saturday of every month from March to September. Listen to the music supplied by COOL 97.5, grab some food sold by the Jefferson City Host Lions Club and look at the cars displayed on the streets. For more information call (573) 680-9458 or visit www.cruisininformda.com.

"Tuesdays at the Capitol"- Daniel Suarez

April 29

On April 29, luthier and bluegrass musician Bernard Allen from Naylor, and his apprentice Danyel Nobles from Poplar Bluff, will demonstrate how to make handmade fiddles and display a variety of completed instruments, materials and tools used in stringed instrument making. Years ago, Allen learned traditional Ozark joinery from James Price, also from Naylor, and now applies his love of hand tool methods to the art of instrument making. The artists who perform and demonstrate during these programs are present participants in the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, which pairs master folk artists with apprentices to pass traditions on to the next generation. The Missouri Folk Arts Program and the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program are funded by the Missouri Arts Council and administered by the Museum of Art and Archaeology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The Missouri Folk Arts Program was established in 1984 and builds cross-cultural understanding by documenting, conserving and presenting Missouri's living folk arts and folk life in collaboration with Missouri's citizens. For more information, contact the Missouri State Museum at (573) 751-2854, the Department of Natural Resources toll free at 1-800-334-6946 (voice) or 1-800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or Deborah Bailey at the Missouri Folk Arts Program at (573) 882-3653 or go to http://maa.missouri.edu/mfap/. For information on state parks and historic sites, visit the Web at www.mostateparks.com.