It’s a weekend for artists, wildlife trivia and lots of live music. This weekend also brings poetry and a 400th anniversary. Real Racine has some terrific suggestions.
Art up close. It only comes around once a year and it’s fascinating! Get Behind the Arts Studio Tour 2016 provides a rare, up close, behind-the-scenes at the workplaces of nearly 100 area artists at 25 Racine and Kenosha sites. The weekend event starts at 6 p.m. Friday with a preview party at 812 50th Street in Kenosha where you can meet artists, pick up a tour map and enjoy live entertainment. The Racine self-guided tour runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; the Kenosha tour is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. A $5 button is admission to all locations both days. See the tour map and learn more at www.getbehindthearts.com
Poetry time. The Bonk! Performance Series is a great way to wrap up Saturday’s Get Behind the Arts tour. This free event starts at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) at the Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St. Poets Ruben Medina from Madison and Tanaya Winder from New Mexico will be sharing their works. Everett Thomas, a singer/songwriter with a new album, returns to the Bonk! performances. Details at http://bonkperformanceseries.wordpress.com
Test your knowledge. How well do YOU know animals? Find out at River Bend Nature Center’s Nature Trivia Night on Friday evening at the Nature Center, 3600 N. Green Bay Road, Caledonia. Admission is $10 per person or $100 for a table of 10. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the trivia starts at 7 p.m. To reserve your spot, call 262-639-1515 or visit www.RiverBendRacine.org
Beautiful vocals. The Choral Arts Society of Southeastern Wisconsin presents a benefit performance at a beautiful location – the Siena Retreat Center chapel, 5637 Erie St., Caledonia. The concert, supporting the Siena Center, starts at 2 p.m. Sunday. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Ticket information at www.SienaRetreatCenter.org
Celebrate with the Bard. “Shakespeare 400 Racine” is the Racine Literacy Council’s commemoration of the 400th anniversary of playwright William Shakespeare’s death. Everyone is invited to the Racine Literacy Council, 734 Lake Ave., at 1 p.m. Saturday for eulogies, music and readings of Shakespeare’s work. Visitors can vote in the Shakespeare-themed cake contest and bid on a cake in the auction. For details, call 262-632-9495 or visit www.racineliteracy.com
Playin’ with the Penguins. The Penguin Players bring a toe-tappin’ revue show to the Eagles Club Ballroom, 319 Hamilton St., Racine. This all-local show has singing, dancing and comedy. Show times are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $9 at the door If you can’t make this weekend’s performances, the Penguins are back again next weekend, April 29-30 and May 1.
Young stars. The Racine Symphony Orchestra (RSO) presents “Rising Stars” as its 2015-16 season finale on Saturday. Kayla lstinske, a trombonist and winner of this year’s Young Artists’ Competition, will perform with the RSO. Also performing in the Side-by-Side Invitational are participants from the Young Artists’ Competition and the Lakeshore Youth Philharmonic. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Racine Theatre Guild, 2519 Northwestern Ave. Admission is $23 in advance and $25 at the door. Students age 20 and younger are free. Tickets at 262-636-9285 or www.racinesymphony.org
Your last chance. Over Our Head Players production of “Good People” concludes its run Friday and Saturday at the Sixth Street Theatre, 318 Sixth St. This award-winning dramedy takes a hard look at class distinctions. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday. For tickets, call 262-632-6802 or visit www.overourheadplayers.org
Keep up with what’s happening – download our new Real Racine mobile app on your Apple or Android device. Just type in realracine. For daily updates, “like” us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/realracine), follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/realracine) or watch us on Instagram.