The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 17

CI r- 1 HI mumm am Spike comes home A street ramble "A Walnut Street Revue," at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, is a tribute to Walnut Street (now Muhammad Ali Boulevard), once the center of black social and economic life. It's presented tomorrow night as part of the Midnite Ramble series. Page 6. Mali musicality African singer Salif Keita and his eight-piece band mix the music of his native Mali with elements of reggae and rock. Hear them tonight at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, part of the Lonesome Pine Special A British attraction Spike Davis, who has appeared on BET's "Comic View" and "Evening at the Improv," has returned to his hometown for a run at the Comedy Caravan at Mid-City Mall.

He's there through Sunday. Page 6. "Four Weddings and a Funeral," a comedy that takes place entirely during the events of the title, focuses on a burgeoning attraction between a repressed Englishman (Hugh Grant) and an elusive American woman (Andie MacDowell). The movie opens today. Series.

Page 6. Vii ft1' I rani.i Ijg 'I KENNY THE KIDS By Ken Neuhauser 3 Friday April 15, 1994 LA if Lj The Courier-Journal Section ji Louisville's amusement park opens" with promises of more and bigger fun V. Opening today for the spring season (weekends only through May) are: The Rainbow, a free-fall ride. Passengers are lifted in a gondola by a hydraulic arm, then dropped approximately 87 feet. This is a medium-to-big thrill for older children and up.

Height requirement: 48 inches. The Roller Skater, Kentucky Kingdom's fourth coaster. It is intended for all ages. It provides a 60- By CHRIS KINCADE, Special Writer John Mulcahy wants it known that this is not the Kentucky Kingdom that was open for one brief and unremarkable season in 1986-87. That was the amusement park that flopped.

This, Mulcahy says, is the new and improved Kentucky Kingdom; the Thrill Park. After five years under new management, Kentucky Kingdom is coming into its own. Opening today for the 1994 season, the amusement park is emerging as a regional attraction, second. G-rated ride for the who family. Height requirement: 36 inches.

similar to Cincinnati's Kings Island and St. Louis' Six Flags. Ranked 41st in 1 993 attendance among all amusement and theme parks in North America, Kentucky Kingdom has made a slow and steady attack on the notion that it is the failed "kiddie park" from the original ill-fated season in 1986. II lv' Opening in two to three weeks are: Mile High Falls, by far the most ambitious and thrill-inducing of the additions. This is a signature piece that Mulcahy says "will put us Vj i on the map." Passengers are taken 90 feet up in a 20-seat boat to be dropped over the falls into a pool of water at the bottom.

The That year, after much hype as the region's new theme park, Kentucky Kingdom opened with nine rides. Visitors were spiasn on impact snouia generate a luu-root spray. disappointed, and the park was closed for three Not tor the taint ot heart. Height requirement Culture Day at Crane House not just for kids Family Day at Crane House (The China Institute Inc.) has proved to be a popular cultural event with a variety of programs and taste treats for all age groups. With that in mind, organizers have changed the name to Culture Day to better reflect what the event is about and to appeal to a wider audience.

"Family Day" might have implied that it was designed only for moms and dads with their children in tow. That was not the case. While your kids certainly will benefit from tomorrow's activities that include Tai Chi Jen (martial arts with swords), Chinese writing, paper folding and abacus, Culture Day is geared for everyone. In other words, your passport to this Asian event is not a child; it's simply your willingness to learn and enjoy various aspects of Chinese culture. Culture Day will be from 10 a.m.

to 1 p.m. at Crane House, 1374 S. Third St. A food booth, featuring bao ($1, steamed bun with barbecued pork), vegetable lomein ($1 and fried rice ($1 and spring roll ($1) and almond cookies (25 cents each), will open at 1 1 a.m. Beverages tea (50 cents), fruit juice ($1) and soft drinks (50 cents and $1) also will be sold.

Admission to Culture Day is $2 ($1 for children under 18 and free for members of Crane House). Call (502) 635-2240. Festival of Fun How do I love the Hayfield Montessori School's Festival of Fun? Let me count the ways: 1 A puppet show and student art show. 2. Children's activity centers and live entertainment.

3. Kindermusik and the Louisville Cardinal Bird. 4. Arts-and-crafts vendors and concessions. 5.

And plenty more. The ninth-annual festival turns children of all ages into happy campers from 1 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow in Knights Hall att Bellarmine College, 2001 Newburg Road. It's a wonderful family event with nifty hands-on activities that will give youngsters opportunities to create, draw, paste and paint and, as a bonus, build self-, esteem.

Among the activities that kids should find to their liking are a duck pond, face painting, spin art and construction of windsocks, puppets, collages, buttons and masks. New this year is a horse-drawn antique ambulance; rides cost 1 .50 per person. Also, a representative of the Kentucky Humane Society will be there with an animal probably a dog. Admission is free. Some of the children's activities require materials fees that range from 50 cents to $2.

Call (502) 454-7122. At the post with children's author Author Kathryn Cocquyt has written a new book for young readers that should certainly appeal to anyone who knows what happens on the first Saturday in May in Kentucky. "Little Freddie's Legacy" is the sequel to her popular "Little Freddie at the Kentucky Derby" in which the little horse wins the Run for the Roses. Cocquyt will read from her book and sign copies from 10 to 1 1:30 a.m. tomorrow at Hawley-Cooke Booksellers at Gardiner Lane Shopping Center, 3024 Bardstown Road.

Admission is free. When she's not writing, Cocquyt breeds and races thoroughbred horses at Santa Anita Park in California. "Kenny the Kids," a family-activity column, runs each Friday In the Weekend section. inches. years.

In 1990, a local group headed by businessman Ed Hart reopened the park with new management and a commitment to make it a moneymaker. This year the park boasts 70 rides and attractions, The International Carousel, which showcases 42 classic, hand-carved carousel pieces by master craftsmen from around the world. Set in an enchanting pavilion with more MAiv than 100 hand-painted panels, this is a showpiece. The thrills are in the artistry. Rounding out the park's claim of being a "complete entertainment package," Friday Night LIVE! begins today at 8.

For four hours, disc jockeys from WDJX play hit tunes at the Kingdom's outdoor dance floor. The park itself is open from 6 to 1 1 p.m. Special admission price is $6. Chris Schram, park entertainment director, says Friday Night LIVE! is just the beginning of a season of new shows. Starting May 28, students from the Youth Performing Arts School headline three shows at the Kingdom.

"Lights, Camera, Action" is a 35-minute medley of song and dance from classic movies. "Twistin' and Shoutin' at the Kingdom" is a tribute to the oldies and beach music. "King Louie's Birthday Party" is a participatory program for children, celebrating the fifth birthday of the park's goodwill ambassador, King Louie. including a theme water park and King Louie's Playground for youngsters. According to Mulcahy, the park's general manager for sales and marketing, Kentucky Kingdom has "come from nowhere to become a park that competes with the regionals.

We're getting a reputation in the area the industry has recognized that this is the fastest growing park in America." If Kentucky Kingdom's success is due to meticulous planning and thoughtful expansion, then Donald Weber, director of design and development, deserves much of the credit. Since his architecture firm was acquired by Kentucky Kingdom in 1990, Weber has overseen the creation of all the new rides and attractions. His plan is simple: "It's our intent to keep introducing thrill-type rides. Those are the ones people come to see." This year is no different. During the off-season, $6 million was spent on capital improvements, including four new rides.

Two are ready for today's limited opening; the other two will be completed in two to three weeks. I i i i PAM SPAULDING wrrWjrf LL- UU If you 90 'V win ii ai 1 fit Kentucky Kingdom is located at the Kentucky Fair Exposition Center. Hours for the spring season (today-May 29) are: Friday, 6 p.m.-midnight (rides close at 1 1 p.m.); Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-7p.m. From June 1 to Aug. 17, hours are: Sunday-Thursday, 1 1 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 1 1 a.m.-midnlght (rides close at 1 1 p.m.); Saturday, 1 1 a.m.-1 1 p.m.

During the Kentucky State Fair, Aug. 18-28, the hours will be: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight; Sunday, noon-midnight. Hours during the fall season, Sept. 3-Oct. 2 are: Saturday, 1 1 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 1 1 a.m.-7 p.m.; Labor Day (Sept.

5), 1 1 a.m.-7 p.m. Regular admission is children under 48 Inches tall, seniors (over 60), $9.95. A season pass is $59.95 through May, then it's $99.95. Hurricane Bay, a water park, will open June 1 weather permitting. For further Information, call (502) 366-2231, or toll-free, (800) SCREAMS.

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