THURSDAY 5/23
Murry’s Dinner Playhouse just opened its production of the touching yet funny “Steel Magnolias,” which runs 6 p.m.Tue.-Sat., 11 a.m. Wed. and 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sun., $15-$35. Folk-rock singer/songwriter Ben Robbins plays a free show at Maxine’s, 8 p.m.
FRIDAY 5/24
If you’re looking for something not quite so Riverest-y to do Friday night, The American Guild of Organists presents a recital to benefit the Pediatric Injury Prevention Program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Christ Episcopal Church, 8 p.m., free, donations accepted. Texas-based blues-blaster Wes Jeans brings the 12-bar tube-amp jams to Denton’s Trotline, 9 p.m., $10. The Sideshow Tragedy and Damn Arkansan offer an evening of Americana/roots rock at Maxine’s, 8 p.m., $5 adv., $7 door. Up in Fayetteville, A Concert for Campers has performances by John Henry & Friends, Brick Fields, Houston Hughes, Dividend and Joey Largent, with proceeds helping to send children to Camp Quest Oklahoma, Nightbird Books, 7 p.m., donations accepted. If you want to keep the good times going after things wind down at Riverfest, check out Lawler and Ewell’s 5th Annual Bday Bash with Raydar and Shaolin, Joe C, Noodles and JDawg, Revolution, 9 p.m., $5 adv., $10 day of. The Center for Artistic Revolution’s Rainbow Camp is a sure bet for LGBTQ and ally youth, Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center, Friday-Monday.
SATURDAY 5/25
In Eureka Springs, the May Festival of the Arts continues with a concert from veteran folk duo Trout Fishing in America, The Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Anyone with an interest in sustainable food systems and fighting against the forces of Big Ag will probably want to be at the March Against Monsanto at the Arkansas State Capitol, 1 p.m. Nashville indie-folk duo Elenowen (married couple Josh and Nicole Johnson who were on season one of NBC’s “The Voice”) play a free show at Juanita’s with Cliff Hutchison, 7 p.m. Maxine’s has an evening of burly rock, with Opportunist (featuring members of Holy Shakes), Booyah! Dad, Tiger High and Black Horse, 8 p.m., $5 adv., $7 door. In Fayetteville, space-rock riffmeisters Mothwind play an 18-and-older gig at The Lightbulb Club with locals Dying, $5. Psych-pop quartet Tsar Bomba plays with Bombay Harambee at White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m.