Celebration to highlight history
Discover Our Delta Celebration will highlight the area’s rich history and achievements in music, theater, art and literary works in downtown Pine Bluff on Friday and Saturday featuring Hollywood actress Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, legendary Bluesman and Grammy winner Bobby Rush, and documentary on Tail Dragger — all with Jefferson County ties.
The celebration is presented by the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission. All activities and performances affiliated with this event are free to the public. Food trucks will be onsite for food and beverage purchases.
Discover Our Delta Celebration will begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas with a one-woman show featuring Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, an actress with Arkansas roots and Pine Bluff ties.
The event continues on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. with activities at the Pine Bluff Main Library and 6th Avenue Plaza; a showing of the award-winning animated movie, The Adventures of Brer Rabbit, directed by Jefferson County resident Byron Vaughns; a music performance by two-time Grammy Award Winner Bobby Rush, who was raised in Pine Bluff; and the premiere of the documentary, Tail Dragger, which tells the story of the famous Chicago bluesman from Altheimer.
Saturday’s events for Discover Our Delta will run concurrently with Tour de Bluff activities at 6th Street Plaza. For Tour de Bluff details, visit www.tourdebluff.com.
“History’s excellence is reflected in so many Jefferson County people throughout the decades that we thought a celebration underscoring our important contributions to the Delta and the world would be fun, educational and exciting,” said Jimmy Cunningham, director of tourism development for the A&P commission. “For far too long many of our greatest achievers have been undercelebrated. Well, that is about to end!”
DISCOVER OUR DELTA CELEBRATION SCHEDULE FRIDAY
Arts & Science Center — Phyllis Yvonne Stickney:
7 p.m. — Nothing But the Truth … Confessions of a Black Female Icon with Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, a blended evening of conscious comedy and spoken word laced with tales from Hollywood, at ASC’s Catherine M.
Bellamy Theater. Stickney is an actress in iconic television and film productions such as Malcolm X, What’s Love Got To Do With It, New Jack City, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Jungle Fever, New York Undercover and others. The doors open at 6:15 p.m.
SATURDAY
10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.
Pine Bluff Main Library — Authors:
Discover Our Authors Exhibit — Discover award-winning authors and those who have made contributions to the literary world — all with ties to the local area.
601 Main Street Plaza — Caricatures:
Caricature Drawings — Have a free caricature drawing done by Jared Hogue, known as the caricature artist for Arkansas.
11 A.M. TO 12:15 P.M.
Black Box Theater at the ART WORKS on Main — Folklore:
Discover Our Folklore with a showing of The Adventures of Brer Rabbit, a 2006 American animated comedy film loosely inspired by the African American Brer Rabbit stories popularized by Joel Chandler Harris. The doors open at 10:30 a.m. The film, directed by Jefferson County resident and Emmy Award winner, Byron Vaughns, features the voices of Nick Cannon, Wanda Sykes, D.L. Hughley and Danny Glover. It was nominated for the Best Home Entertainment Production Annie Award.
NOON TO 12:45 P.M.
UAPB ERDC Incubator/Freedom & Blues Exhibit — Bobby Rush:
Discover Our Music with a casual performance with Bobby Rush, a two-time Grammy Award Winner and 12-time Blues Music Awards Winner. Rush is also an inductee in the Blues Hall of Fame, Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, and the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame and was featured in the movie Dolemite is My Name. The doors open at 12:30 p.m.
2-4 P.M.
Arts & Science Center — Catherine M. Bellamy Theater — Tail Dragger:
Discover Our Music with the premiere screening of the documentary Tail Dragger, a Chicago-based blues Grammy nominated musician from Altheimer, with more than 60 years of national and international performances. He was featured in several movies including Death and Taxis, Lomax, Two Rivers and Chicago Taxi. The doors open at 1:30 p.m.
For details on Discover Our Delta Celebration, visit www.ExplorePineBluff.com or call (870) 534-2121.