Kissing hats and elephants driving rarely happen in real life, but somewhere in someone’s mind it all jells

Several thousand anime and gaming fans are expected to converge in Northwest Arkansas this weekend for the Arkansas Anime Festival. The largest event of its kind in the state will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the 25,000 square foot convention center at the Bentonville Clarion.

Music highlights this week range from some stellar local and touring bands in the clubs and several concerts by University of Arkansas ensembles.

Singer and satirist Roy Zimmerman will bring his Real American show to GoodFolk at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25. Real American is 90 minutes of Zimmerman’s funny songs and commentary of American politics.

Ozark Blues Society performers and volunteers are back from the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.

Reggae can be appreciated on many levels. It’s good to simply listen to and enjoy, to dance to and it’s spiritual. Sometimes reggae can be even more. Enter Rochelle, the Jamaican born vocalist who now calls Fayetteville home.

It’s no surprise that dance parties have become a hot entertainment option in NWA.

Before there was Trout Fishing in America, there was St. Elmo’s Fire, which was originally Wheatfield.

The Walton Arts Center added a new show last week, Mikel Rouse’s Gravity Radio, and it’s not to miss.

When Geoff Oelsner turned 16, his father took him to hear Allen Ginsberg at a bar in Kansas City.