– He’s the big buddy every child needs. And proper attire for an evening with Big Friendly Giant is your jammies as the delightful Roald Dahl bedtime story is on stage at Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave. BFG is a 15-foot-tall vegetarian giant who might sometimes need a thesaurus to figure out the correct word to say. But he’s the one who, teamed with a little girl named Sophie, can save the children of England. Come an hour before the 6:30 p.m. Friday showtime for Imagination Celebration family activities in the lobby of the center. There’s more fun in the lobby after the show. Tickets $9-19, pikespeak center.com, 520-7469, imaginationcelebration.org/.
SATURDAY
– Goodbye, year of the goat. Your turn, year of the monkey. Celebrate at the 15th annual Chinese New Year Festival on Saturday at the City Auditorium, 221 E. Kiowa St. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute shares Chinese culture, food, a Chinese Language School kids zone, martial arts and featured performances on stage. A pleasant Tea House will offer a retreat for a cup of tea and a snack. Admission: $6, kids under 5 free, military and student discounts. cscci.org. More Chinese New Year celebrations from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Asian Pacific Market, 615 Wooten Road, with food samples, lion and dragon dances, martial arts, cooking demos and shopping. asianpacificmarketco.com/.
– Fruitcakes take flight at the annual Manitou Springs Great Fruitcake Toss from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday in Manitou’s Memorial Park, 502 Manitou Ave. Fruitcakes will be tossed, there’s a fruitcake bake-off and a costume competition. Admission: a nonperishable food item benefiting St. Andrews Food Bank, manitouspringsheritagecenter.org/ .
– A multicultural world of dance unfolds at the World Dance Festival, 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Black Box Theatre, 1367 Pecan St. off 21st Street. Here’s the world: Polynesian Hula, Indian Temple Dance, Bollywood and belly dancing in an enthusiastic show that producers caution “may not be appropriate for all audiences due to burlesque-style costuming for some dances.” $10, $15 at the door, blackboxdrama.com/.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
– A special music pairing is a weekend highlight as the Colorado Springs Conservatory and the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs team in “A Childhood Miracle,” a little-known opera about a snowman coming to life by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ned Rorem. The cast includes Conservatory students and alumni. It is part of the Chamber Orchestra’s “Miracles,” which includes Joseph Schwantner’s “Chasing Light” and Symphony No. 96 in D Major, “Miracle,” by Haydn. 7 p.m. Saturday, Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Ave., 2:30 p.m. Sunday, First Christian Church, 16 E. Platte Ave. Lecture 45 minutes prior by UCCS professor Jane Rigler. Tickets: $5-$25; 577-4556, csconservatory.org or 633-3649, chamber orchestraofthesprings.org
SUNDAY
– An amazing man, a social activist whose thoughts and works live on, will be celebrated in a free screening of “The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton.” The Trappist monk’s autobiography “The Seven Storey Mountain” was the impetus for untold numbers entering religious orders and is considered one of the best nonfiction books. Merton, a man who spent time with the Dalai Lama, died in 1968. Screening 3 p.m. Sunday at Library 21c, 1175 Chapel Hills Drive, followed by a Q&A with director Morgan Atkinson. ppld.org.
– Their Americana sound has drawn dedicated fans for 17 years, and the Voodoo Hawks will be at Stargazers Theatre on Sunday to release their new CD “Heartbreaks & Celebrations.” Show time 6 p.m. at 10 S. Parkside Drive. $10. stargazerstheatre.com/.
STARTING THURSDAY
– Sure to set your heart pounding, much like this season’s Denver Broncos games. This time it’s roaring AMSOIL Arenacross bikes in the Broadmoor World Arena. The tour’s champion riders will compete for four exciting days starting Thursday. Action-packed speed and jumps and these riders are most definitely in it to win it. 3185 Venetucci Blvd., $16-41, broadmoorworldarena.com.
– Part of Pikes Peak United Way’s 31 Days on Homelessness campaign, a community screening of the documentary “American Winter” following Portland, Ore., homeless families over a long, cold winter. Screenings are 7 p.m. Thursday in two locations, Colorado College’s Armstrong Hall, 14 E. Cache La Poudre St., coloradocollege.edu, and UCCS University Center, Room 302, events@uccs.edu. A panel discussion follows the screening. Free but donations requested.
Madyson Whiteman, 8, tries her hand at the accuracy event Saturday, January 31, 2015 at the Great Fruitcake Toss in Manitou Springs. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)Alex Mukhin lets loose a fruitcake in the distance throwing event at the the Great Fruitcake Toss which returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)Competitors race during the balance event at the Great Fruitcake Toss Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)Mary Miller, left, and Greg Nelson sample fruitcake Saturday, January 31, 2015 at the Great Fruitcake Toss in Manitou Springs. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)Owen Gerbig of Manitou dressed last “The Mad Fruiter” to take part in the Great Fruitcake Toss which returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)Owen Gerbig of Manitou dressed last “The Mad Fruiter” to take part in the Great Fruitcake Toss which returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)Annie Schmitt organized the Great Fruitcake Toss in its to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)The Great Fruitcake Toss returned to Manitou Springs Saturday, January 31, 2015. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette (MARK REIS)
