Shreveport - Bossier, Louisiana's Other Side

Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center has a lot of great events coming up in May and they want you to be a part of them! Check out these events and have fun learning.

Arctic Ecologist Visits Sci-Port from Alaska Programs, May 7-8
Dr. David Klein, Professor Emeritus with the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, will visit Sci-Port, May 7-8, to present several programs on changes taking place on top of the Earth.  Dr. Klein will also compare the recent Louisiana oil spill to the Valdez spill, and discuss ecological consequences.  For schedule and other information visit www.sciport.org/index.php?cid=287267&src=news&refno=208&category=News&curlid=136.

FREE International Planetarium Show Premiere & Teen Forum, May 8, 7-9:30 p.m.
In a free event just for teens, Sci-Port will premiere "Not Just Another Brick in the Wall," a collaborative planetarium rock opera designed by an international team of teens from the Louisiana School in Natchitoches and students from the Vallauri School near Turin, Italy.  The event features dinner, a show in the Sawyer Space Dome Planetarium and dancing on the Windham Family Rooftop Terrace.  You must RSVP for this event.

Science in Art Competition, May 22, 9 a.m.-1p.m.
Calling all artists (and scientists)!  Come share that unique trait you both have in common: the extraordinary ability to discover patterns in the world around us.
Deadline to enter is Friday, May 14.  Download the registration form at www.sciport.org/clientuploads/ScienceinArt2010.pdf.

Summer Science Blast Day Camps, May 31-July 30
Sci-Port's summer camps sizzle with an awesome variety of choices and trappings that make them the region's most renowned summer experience for learning and fun!  These week-long themed camps are for kids entering grades K - 8.  For themes and the registration form go to www.sciport.org/summercamp. Hurry... spaces fill up fast!

Mother's Day, May 9, 2-5 p.m.
Make-and-take all sorts of creations sure to make Mom smile!  Mother's Day activities include: pop-up cards, spring-themed recycled bookmarks and scented sachets.  Mother's Day programs are on Sunday only, but moms get in free with child's admission all weekend.
 
Space Day, May 15, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Celebrate space and astronomy Sci-Port-style on a day filled with special presentations, hands-on activities and plenty of make-and-take projects.  For a list of the day's schedule visit www.sciport.org/index.php?cid=287267&src=events&srctype=detail&refno=16389&category=Calendar%20of%20Events&curlid=140.
Star Party, May 21, 8-11 p.m.
Use Sci-Port's large telescopes or bring your own to check out heralded constellations, stars, and planets hanging in the Shreveport-Bossier skies from the Windham Family Rooftop Terrace. Admission is $3 for members; $5 for non-members.

National Astronomy Week Celebration, May 19 - 23
Do you gaze upon the night sky and wonder what's out there?  Have you puzzled over how many stars are in the night sky?  Do you want to know what Saturn's rings are made of?  Find out the answer to these questions and more during Sci-Port's National Astronomy Week.  For a complete schedule of the celebration visit www.sciport.org/index.php?cid=287267&src=gendocs&ref=SpecialSeries&category=Programs&curlid=40.
Call Sci-Port at 318-424-8660 for reservations to any of the above events. 

The third annual Bossier Parish Library Spring Festival is coming soon. The festival will be held beneath the Texas Street Bridge at the popular lifestyle center Louisiana Boardwalk from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., Saturday, May 22.   Last year, an estimated 1,500 people attended the event. This year the library hopes to double the attendance.

Seven booths will be set up, each catering to different age groups. The entertainment and culture booth will provide crafts, games, face painting and storytelling for kids and will include performers such as the Suzuki Violinists, singer Faye Powell and the Choctaw Apache Tribe of Ebarb.

The teen services booth will have information about different programs aimed at this group. Teens will also be given the opportunity to voice their opinions through a survey concerning what they would like to see at the local library. A scavenger hunt is set up for the teens.

The technology services booth will be promoting the new social media avenues being made available at the library. They will also be promoting Hopeline®, a worthy cause sponsored by Verizon Wireless that supports domestic violence victims through donated cell phones, batteries and accessories from any wireless service provider.

The health and safety booth will have the Swim School on hand to teach families about water safety. KCS Railroad will teach about railroad safety. The Haughton Fire Department will also be there to teach fire safety and kids will be able to try on firefighter gear.

The reading booth will display the various book genres offered at the library. Attendees can find more information about the online book clubs, Dear Reader for adults, and Tumblebooks e-books for kids, at this booth.

The history booth will showcase what the library’s History Center has to offer and will also provide games for the kids. The library information booth will include all services and events the Bossier Library has to offer.

Build-A-Bear Workshop will be giving away two bears in a drawing and their mascot will be out and about.  The Cat in the Hat will be reading stories and mingling with the children throughout the day and special guest Kimberly Rusley, Miss Bossier City 2010, will also make an appearance to read to the children. Door prizes donated by local businesses will be given away, as well as freebies at the participating booths.

The event is free and has something for everyone to enjoy. So come out and enjoy a day at the Boardwalk with the Bossier Parish Library.

For more information, contact Vickie Hardin, Bossier Parish Library Outreach Specialist at 318-746-1693.

If you're looking for a walk on the wild side, check out Gators & Friends Alligator Park and Exotic Zoo (www.gatorsandfriends.com), located at 11441 US Hwy 80, Greenwood, where you and your family can watch as giant alligators feed, wrestle and swim!

These remarkable creatures are sure to awe and scare you as you view them in their natural habitat. If you're not into alligators (or may be just a bit scared of them), Gators and Friends now also boasts a fully stocked exotic petting zoo for you and your children to enjoy.

Take a walk among tame miniature horses, kangaroos, ring-tailed lemurs, deer, coatimundis, goats, llamas, a camel, a capybara (the largest rodent in the world), and even a Scottish cow. If you want to make friends with the exotic animals, try your hand at feeding them during feeding times.

Gators and Friends Park was established in 2006 as a way to increase awareness among the public about different types of animals, their habitat, lifestyle, and survival techniques. The owners of Gators and Friends are passionate about wildlife and have been in the wildlife business for more than 30 years.

For your maximum enjoyment, safety and the safety of the animals, Gators and Friends has a few rules and suggestions for their visitors.

•    Wear casual clothing, especially sturdy shoes.
•    For the health and safety of the animals, no balloons or small plastic toys are allowed on property.
•    Many hand-sanitizing stations are available around the park for your convenience.
•    Also, don’t forget to bring your camera.

The prices are $7.95 for 13 and over; $5.95 for kids 3-12; free for kids 2 and under and all senior citizens (65 plus) are eligible for a 10 percent discount. The feed for animals is $2. The park is open May to August, seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and September to April, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information you may contact Gators & Friends Alligator Park and Exotic Zoo at 318.938.1199 or visit them on-line at www.gatorsandfriends.com.

Pinching tails and sucking heads! That’s what the fun is all about at the Mudbug Madness Festival, May 27-30, at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport.

Mudbug Madness is a four-day festival held each Memorial Day weekend and is nationally recognized as one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events, drawing as many as 56,000 people in one day. The event offers mouth-watering Cajun and Creole cuisine, contests, and activities for all ages.

The festival features three entertainment stages and fun games. Some of the entertainers will be Grammy-winning Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience as well as Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers. To get a full list of entertainment visit www.mudbugmadness.com

But that’s not all the Memorial Day weekend has to offer in Shreveport-Bossier: Louisiana’s Other Side. The Steve Miller Band will be performing at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs (www.harrahslouisianadowns.com), May 29. Sam’s Town Casino and Hotel (www.samstownshreveport.com) will have a performance by the Beach Boys, May 30.

Make plans to take in some other great summer concerts and entertainment. Get your tickets early for the following events:

• Star Wars in Concert, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. Star Wars in Concert is a massive multi-media event which features stunning visuals, live orchestra, choir and narration, plus an exclusive exhibit of Star Wars costumes, props and production artwork.

• Sugarland “"The Incredible Machine" Tour, June 19 at 7:30 p.m. Grammy award winning country music duo Sugarland will be live in concert, performing their number one hits and treating concert-goers to a one-of-a-kind show.

• Jeff Dunham “Identity Crisis Tour”, June 25 at 8 p.m. Dunham has taken the art of ventriloquism to new heights transforming it into a cutting-edge comedy experience and proving that dummies can be funny! Known worldwide for his unique act, Dunham will bring his brand of comedy to Bossier City for an unforgettable night of laughter.

For more information on ticket prices and upcoming shows or to purchase tickets call 318-747-2501 or visit www.centurytelcenter.com.

For flower lovers, the Gardens of the American Rose Center has something spectacular for you and your family to see. The official rose bloom season is from April 1 through the end of October. So the grounds are absolutely spectacular and worth a visit to stop and smell the roses.

The center, located at 8877 Jefferson Paige Road in Shreveport sits on a 118-acre wooded tract. It also is home to the national headquarters of the American Rose Society.  The gardens were dedicated in 1974 when the American Rose Society headquarters moved to Shreveport from Columbus, Ohio.

The rose center is now the nation’s largest park dedicated to roses. Today, the American Rose Center features more than 65 individual rose gardens and 20,000 rosebushes, with a variety of companion plants, sculptures and fountains to enhance the beauty of the roses. The primary mission of the American Rose Society is education for visitors and members on anything and everything roses.

The gift shop there won’t disappoint you. From the moment you walk in until you leave you are surrounded by the aroma of roses. You can pick up books on how to grow and care for your roses, rose jelly to taste, rose lotion, rose aprons plus many more special gifts.

Though it is a rose park there are many other beautiful flowers and gardens. Other blooming flowers include quince, daffodils and Japanese magnolias. So, put on your comfortable walking shoes and take a stroll through the gardens to enjoy the scenery.

For better viewing enjoyment, we recommend that you take:
•    Your camera
•    Sunscreen
•    Water or other beverage
•    A pen and notebook to jot down thoughts to go with your pictures

Hours of operation are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday- Saturday and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 per person. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.

For more information you may contact the Gardens of the American Rose Center at 318- 938-8051 or visit their new website at www.ars.org.

USA Weightlifting is pleased to announce that the 2011 USA Weightlifting National Collegiate Championships will be held at Louisiana State University-Shreveport. More than 125 competitors from at least 50 colleges and universities throughout the nation are expected to compete in this elite event.

“LSU Shreveport is thrilled to host this prestigious event for the tenth time,” said Kyle Pierce, head coach of the USA Weightlifting High Performance Center at LSU-S.  “We have hosted numerous USAW events over the years and look forward to making this the best National Collegiates yet.”

The home of many members of past Olympic, World and Pan American Championship Team members, LSU-S is the site of a USA Weightlifting High Performance Center that has played host to numerous domestic and international events, including the 2005 Pan American Championships, 2006 National Senior Championships and the 2000 National Junior Championships.  Most recently, LSU-S played host to the USA Weightlifting National Collegiate Championships in 2009.

The USA Weightlifting High Performance Center at LSU-S partnered with the Shreveport–Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau to bring the 2011 event to the area. “Shreveport-Bossier is a great location for this prestigious event”, said Stacy Brown, president of the bureau. “Weightlifters will experience competition in a great facility located in an area full of excellent shopping and dining.”

“USA Weightlifting looks forward to hosting 2011 National Collegiate Championships at one of our finest collegiate training centers,” said USA Weightlifting CEO Rick Adams. “This is a great opportunity for our country’s best collegiate lifters to compete on a national level.”

USA Weightlifting is a non-profit member organization of the United States Olympic Committee that is based out of Colorado Springs, Colo.  The National Governing Body for the Olympic sport of weightlifting in the United States, USAW serves more than 6,000 members with the mission of achieving sustained competitive excellence in Olympic competition and promoting weightlifting throughout the nation.

The Gardens of the American Rose Center is hosting its Annual Mother’s Day Buffet on Sunday, May 9. The buffet will be held in the Klima Rose Hall.

Gates open at 11:00 a.m. and the first seating is at 11:15 a.m. The second seating is at 1:00 p.m. After dining, guests are invited to take a stroll through the 42 acres of beautiful gardens, featuring more than 20,000 roses in bloom.

Classic Foods is catering the event, which will feature carved smoked brisket, honey glazed ham, boneless charbroiled lemon pepper chicken, buttered corn, potatoes au gratin, fettuccini with broccoli florets, fresh vegetable medley sauté, assorted rolls, garden salad with toppings, pasta salad, fresh fruit, peach cobbler and other assorted desserts.

Admission is $25 for adults and $13 for children, three to eight years old. There is no charge for children two and younger. Admission includes cost of dining and garden admission.

Reservations are required by Thursday, May 6. Please call 318-938-5534 to make your reservations.

The Gardens of the American Rose Center is located on Jefferson Paige Road.