Flying High Again at the Arena
Our magic 8-ball says that signs point to yes —  people will get high at the Arena this weekend.

No the Grateful Dead is not rolling back through Huntington, it’s time for the West Virginia Indoor Motocross Championship as more than 150 riders from around the country will be high flying more than 60 feet through the air battling for cash prizes.

Racing is at 7:30 Friday and Saturday.

Tickets are $23; half-price for children (up to age 12). Children two and under get in free.

The Arena, which is hiring on more than 60 more workers for its busy season has a full slate of incoming shows and concerts including: 

WSAZ Wrestling, Jan. 20-21;
WKEE Bridal Extravaganza, Jan. 22;
RV and Boat Show, Jan. 27-29;
Lady Antebellum, Feb. 3;
Ron White, Feb. 4;
TNA Impact Wrestling World Tour, Feb. 17;
West Virginia State Wrestling, Feb. 24-26;
World of Wheels, March 2-4;
Doo Wop Cavalcade, March 3 (at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center); Harlem Globetrotters, March 7;
WSAZ Home & Garden Show, March 9-11;
Dogwood Arts & Crafts Festival, April 20-22.

Go online at www.bigsandyarena.com for more info.

‘The End of Times’ as Seen Through the Drive-Through
Looking for something free and funky to do this weekend, head over to the Black Box theater at Marshall University Thursday and Friday for the one-hour, one-woman play, “"I, Ca$$ie... or The end of days.”

Set in a fast-food drive-thru, the PG-rated contemporary comedy re-imagines Cassandra, the prophet of doom from Greek mythology, as a spoiled teenager doing community service at a drive-thru as a term of her probation for drunk driving.

See the play before it then travels to the English Theater Berlin, Berlin, Germany, on March 20-24.

In 2011, Marshall University professor Nicole Perrone and New York City-based playwright Matthew Earnest teamed up to produce the region's first iPlay, "Street Hauntings," an original Smartphone-accessed play that took folks on a walking tour of downtown Huntington.

Table-Top Art
Move over cool salt and pepper shakers and coasters, we've got some real art out on the table.

An exhibit titled Table Top Bronze Sculptures by Women Artists will go on view Saturday at the Huntington Museum of Art.

There’s also a funky art glass exhibit that opens Saturday as well at the Museum.

HMA is fully accessible. For more information, visit www.hmoa.org or call (304) 529-2701.

Painting The Band
You’ve heard of playing with the band, well how about painting with the band.

Roll out Saturday night to the downtown Huntington club, Icon, as the host the monthly interactive event with the eclectic band “Qiet. Called “Qiet: Create Your Own,” this concert needs you and your washable markers. Come out to create costumes for the band and art for the papered walls of the club.

Saturday’s evening will also feature live music of course, from Qiet a band that blends up indie rock, street folk and Gypsy jazz, as well as some side-show acts and much more.

Festivities start at 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14. Mycity plays at 10 p.m., Qiet takes the stage at 11 p.m. Cover is $5 (or more) donation at the door at ICON, 817 4th Ave, Huntington.

Go online at www.qietmusic.com to read more and hear slices of the band’s first CD, “Composition #7” as well as some live tunes from such regional venues as Athens’ Jackie-O’s.

Get Moore Island Out of Your Workout
It’s tough to get motivated to keep up a good workout routine, but sweeping in from the big island is California native workout expert Katie Moore, who has become one of Hawaii’s first ZUMBA instructors.

Moore, who does ZUMBA Jammer workouts at the Sheraton Keauhou Resort in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, will be in the Tri-State this weekend for some ZUMBA island style.

In addition to other appearances she will lead a St. Mary's Medical Center-sponsored master class Zumba Luau Party that runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13. All proceeds benefiting the Go Red For Women fund of the American Heart Association. Cost is $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

You can buy tickets from local Zumba instructor Toni Karle, at the Wellness Center or charge online at www.KatieMooreFitness.com.

Go Ahead Join The Prison Book Club
OK, so the Prison Book Club sounds like something you don’t want to take part in but believe us if you love some good ‘n’ greasy country-fried rock ‘n’ roll, you’ll want to join this oddly-named rock band that’ll be threatening to rock the chalk off the boards at the Black Sheep Burrito & Brews, 1555 3rd Ave., Huntington on Monday, Jan. 16.

Starting at 10 p.m., the good people crammed into the cozy Sheep will be chunked, covered and smothered in the country rockin’ goodness of this Mountain State-made supergroup that’s powered up by The Demon Beat’s Adam Meisterhans (lead guitar) and Tucker Riggleman (bass) and The Fox Hunt’s guitarist/vocalist, John Miller, along with drummer Andrew Ford.

Go online at  http://prisonbookclub.bandcamp.com to hear the band’s top notch August 2011 debut record packed with songs such as “Too Much Livin’ “ and “Six Pack,” and go online at www.blacksheepwv.com to see what other bands are rolling into that cozy near-campus venue.

Davetrippin:
My road-trip pick this weekend is to the mountains of West Virginia from Snowshoe and Winterplace to Canaan Valley and Timberline for the biggest ski weekend of the winter.

It’s MLK weekend and there’s finally some great snow up in the mountain-top ski resorts that annually draw in more than 800,000 visitors a year to the Mountain State.

Go on line at www.skiwestvirginia.com for more info.