Riverfest - Memorial Day Weekend

Little Rock hosts Riverfest downtown every Memorial Day Weekend. We look forward to this weekend each year, and we had a blast even though we were sad that Trout Fishing did not perform this year.

The kids' favorite performance, by far, was Monster Shop Bump'n, a show based on 1990's dance music with hip-hop and break-dancing, including impersonations of Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer. We watched Monster Shop three or four times that weekend. Gabi still occasionally sings "All the Single Ladies," and both girls love to do the "handshakes" they learned at the show (especially "high five... turkey!" - you'll have to ask them). At the end of each performance, the they invited the kids on stage and led them through various old-school dance moves. Gabi loved dancing on stage!

We also frequented the International stage, where we saw the Irish dancers again plus new acts such as Mexican folk dances. Bella was especially enthralled by the Kenya Safari Acrobats; she excitedly told me that they do gymnastics like she does! When the acrobats invited the kids to do the limbo, Bella was the first kid on stage and happily mingled in the growing crowd... until they pulled her to the front of the line and asked her to go under the limbo pole first, at which point she was overwhelmed and froze. Maybe next year she can try it again.

Brian and Terri Kinder, a local children's music artist, was also high on the list of shows the girls' wanted to see repeatedly. During one performance, they invited the kids to bring their grandmothers on stage with them, and the grandmothers got to show the kids how to do dance moves such as the Twist and the Egyptian.

Bella and Gabi enjoyed the drum tent, too, although it was a bit loud for the baby.

Of course, no trip downtown on a hot day would be complete without a run through the fountain!

The kids also made art projects (which, consequentially, resulted in Bella covered in glitter).

We enjoyed tasty carnival food.

We watched many music, dance, and acrobatic performances with friends.

The kids even saw some animals at the Heifer International booth.

And at the conclusion of the festival, we watched fireworks over the river. What a fun weekend!