BECCA MARTIN-BROWN

bmartin@nwaonline.com

Not all dinosaurs are big and scary. At least during Dinosaur Adventure, coming April 2-3 to the Fort Smith Convention Center, some of them are cute and cuddly and all ready for youngsters to climb aboard.

Created by Pinnacle Production Group of Shoreview, Minn., Dinosaur Adventure is the brainchild of company owner Sanjay Syal. He saw a dinosaur attraction overseas, he explains, and was “inspired” to bring a dinosaur show to the United States.

The 50,000-square-foot exhibition includes 40 dinosaurs crafted in China of steel and foam. Creation of a new one takes about two weeks, and the largest dino is 16 feet tall and 25 feet long. “It takes 30 people to produce this event, and it takes seven tractor trailers” to deliver it, puts in spokesman Steve Rajtar.

But big isn’t necessarily better. Rajtar and Syal agree that the rides on smaller, friendlier dinosaurs are the most popular part of the event. Plus, Rajtar adds, “guests can learn which time period each dinosaur lived during, what they ate, how to pronounce dinosaur names, and get a good idea of roughly how large they were.” But the “happiness and joy the dinosaurs bring to the kids” is Syal’s favorite part.

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FAQ

Dinosaur Adventure

WHEN — 9 a.m.-8 p.m. April 2 & 9 a.m.-7 p.m. April 3

WHERE — Fort Smith Convention Center, 55 S. Seventh St.

COST — $25 and up with add-on adventure pack options for children

INFO — dinosauradventure.com/fortsmith

FYI — Guests can expect the average adventure to last two to three hours. Tickets are limited and sold on a per day, per hour basis.