The Insider Best Bets

08.10 | AUGUST

August 1
This is it! Today is the final day of the Dog Days Sidewalk Sale, a time when many of your favorite shops in The District offer deep discounts on home décor items, clothing and everything in between. What better time to snap up that piece of artwork or pair of shoes you've been eyeing in the store window? Visit www.discoverthedistrict.com for more information.

August 5–8
You'd be mad as a hatter to miss P.A.C.E.'s production of Disney's "Alice in Wonderland, Jr." at the Hickman High School Auditorium, 1104 N. Providence Road. Fall through the rabbit hole with Alice and buckle up for fast-paced adventures involving the Caterpillar, the Queen of Hearts, and Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $7 for students with valid ID and $5 for children ages 12 and younger. For updated information about show times, call 573-443-0541.

August 7
Bluegrass fans, don't miss the Little Roy and Lizzy Show at 7:30 p.m. at Hazel Kinder's Lighthouse Theater. Roy Lewis has picked his way into the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Georgia's Music Hall of Fame with his extraordinary banjo skills. Earlier this year, he and Lizzy Long took home the Best Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year Dove Award for the tune "When We Fly." Both musicians play several instruments. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children. The theater is located off I-70 East at Exit 137. Details are at www.lighthousetheater.com.

August 7
If you see people rappelling down the iconic Tiger Hotel today, don't be alarmed: It's all part of the Over the Edge for Special Olympics fundraiser hosted by the Columbia Police Department. Each participant raises a minimum of $1,000 to go toward local athletes' training and competition costs. Want to embark on the adventure? Call 573-256-6367 for details. The Tiger Hotel is located at 23 S. Eighth St.

August 7
What does super-fresh, all-local barbecue fare taste like? Find out today at the 2010 Taste of the Market event from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Columbia Farmers Market, 1701 W. Ash St. This year, the number of available tickets has been slashed and portions have been increased, so there's no need to worry about not getting enough grub.

August 7–14
Outrageous theater critic Sheridan Whiteside turns the Stanley household upside-down in the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre's hilarious production of "The Man Who Came to Dinner." The shows boast a large and talented Lyceum cast ready to tickle your funny bone with their interpretations of the play's peculiar and varied characters. The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre is located at 114 High St. in Arrow Rock, 40 miles northwest of Columbia. For show times and ticket prices, visit www.lyceumtheatre.org.

August 12
Authors Ted Cable and LuAnn Cadden talk about capturing the spirit of Missouri and its people in their book "Driving Across Missouri: A Guide to I-70" at noon at the Columbia Public Library, 100 W. Broadway. Rediscover the uniqueness of our people and places through Cable and Cadden's stories. Call 573-443-3161 for more information.

August 12–22
Rock out to performances by Sheryl Crow, Montgomery Gentry, Darius Rucker, Candy Coburn and other stars at the Missouri State Fair, 2503 W. 16th St. in Sedalia, about 65 miles southwest of Columbia. While you're there, watch a circus, meet exotic animals at the petting zoo and indulge in fair favorites such as hot dogs and funnel cake. Some displays and exhibits close earlier than others, so check out www.mostatefair.com for a complete list of events and schedules. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. daily.

August 15
Joe Lewis arrived a bit late to the music scene, picking up a guitar for the first time while working at a pawnshop at the age of 20. Better late than never, as they say — his blues band Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears has a gritty, wailing quality to it that you won't soon forget. Catch the band tonight at 7 p.m. at The Blue Note, 17 N. Ninth St. Tickets cost $13 in advance or $15 the day of the show; visit www.thebluenote.com for details.

August 18
What do children in other countries do for fun? Find out at Family Fun Fest: Around the World from 6 to 8 p.m. at Flat Branch Park, 400 Locust St. The free event features dancing, music and crafts that appeal to grown-ups while the kids get a kick out of face painting, games, bounce houses, balloon animals, hands-on activities and more. For more information, visit www.gocolumbiamo.com.

August 20–September 5
Guinevere and Lancelot's romance seems even more intense under the stars. Watch their classic love story unfold at the Maplewood Barn Community Theatre's presentation of the musical "Camelot." Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for students or seniors and $1 for children under the age of 10. Each performance begins at 8 p.m. The theatre is located at 2900 E. Nifong Blvd. Call 573-449-7517 for a complete list of show dates.

August 21
An evening of surprises awaits you when the Stranger Creek String Band takes the stage at Hazel Kinder's Lighthouse Theater, I-70 East at Exit 137. This Olathe, Kan., group's style hearkens back to the early bluegrass and jazz pioneers for a distinctively different bluegrass sound. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $10 for adults and $5 for children; kids 5 and younger are free.

August 21–28
The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre presents a true nail-biter: a production of Agatha Christie's novel "And Then There Were None," also published under the title "Ten Little Indians." The suspenseful tale of eight stranded houseguests and two servants is tied up with an eerie nursery rhyme about 10 fallen soldiers — and homicide, of course. The theater is located at 114 High St. in Arrow Rock. For show times and ticket prices, visit www.lyceumtheatre.org.

August 23
Listen to 10 Columbia karaoke contestants belt out their stuff at the first annual Superstar Columbia Karaoke Contest at The Blue Note, 17 N. Ninth St. Recruited before the contest, the contestants will be critiqued by celebrity judges including Neal Boyd, winner of "America's Got Talent"; Fred Parry, publisher of Inside Columbia's PRIME magazine; and KPLA radio personality Monica Senecal. Doors open at 5 p.m.; singing begins at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $15 and benefit the Family Counseling Center of Missouri Inc. For details, visit the Superstar Columbia Karaoke Contest page on Facebook.

August 25
Boogie for free tonight at 9th Street Summerfest! The show's headliners are the Carolina Chocolate Drops, a young bluegrass trio that pays homage to the traditional black string band. Expect these incredible musicians to trade instruments from time to time — they're too good to stick with just one. Opening acts include Big Smith and The Hatrick. Gates open at 6 p.m. on South Ninth Street; call 573-874-1944 for more information.

August 28
Featuring Tony- and Grammy-nominated entertainer Michael Cavanaugh, star of the hit Broadway musical "Movin' Out," the 14th Annual Ellis Fischel Gala will leave you captivated. Enjoy a silent auction, seated dinner and live music at the Lodge of Four Seasons at the Lake of the Ozarks, 315 Lodge of Four Seasons Drive. Proceeds from the gala benefit the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. For a breakdown of ticket prices and packages, visit www.ellisfischel.com/gala.

August 28–29
Slow down and relax on the Summer Breeze Wine Trail. The self-guided tour of six Missouri wineries costs $20 in advance or $25 the day of the event ; ticket price includes a logo wine glass and wine and food pairings at select locations. Participating wineries include Cooper's Oak Winery, Les Bourgeois Winery, Native Stone Winery, the Summit Lake Wineries and Westphalia Vineyards. To purchase tickets, visit www.missouririverwinetrail.com.