Dr. Catherine Stewart, a professor of history at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon & a nationally recognized expert on Zora Neale Hurston, will give this free talk at the central libary. This is part of a statewide kickoff for the Get Ready for the Big Read program. For more information: www.neabigread.org/events.

Call him cocky, call him confident, but never call him dull. The Midnight Swinger erupts onto the stage like the volcano in a fresh & original, over the top event that has been called "sharp-witted," "clever" and "classy." Putting the show back in showman, The Midnight Swinger combines the style & cool of a 60's Las Vegas performer with the flash & excitement of a 21st century Super Bowl halftime show. More than just a stand-up comedian, the Midnight Swinger is proud to be called a throwback entertainer. The Swinger believes in more than just standing behind the mic & telling jokes & doing more than just a simple "comedy show." The Midnight Swinger puts on a spectacle that leaves the audience LAUGHIN', SINGIN' & SWINGIN'. The Swinger always wears the sharpest threads & stylin' and profilin' with an oversized pompadour. The Swinger will be the first to tell you, "Damn, I Look Good," his battle cry before, during & after every show. The never subtle or soft spoken Midnight Swinger heats up the room as he puts on a classic Las Vegas style show filled with great comedy, music, singing and dancing. And when the show is over you will walkout with a smile on your face yelling DAMN, I LOOK GOOD!

In 1946, former blacksmith Ray Townsend introduced the first Pork Skinner, Townsend Model 27. He followed that original invention with 60 years of innovation and reliability, obtaining 100 U.S. patents and more than 300 patents in countries around the world.

Pre-registration is recommended, but not required, by visiting www.iowahistory.org. More information is available at (515) 281-6897 or by email to susan.jellinger@iowa.com. Participants are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch.

In Depth at Reiman Gardens Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 10:00am. Attend a new presentation each month to learn more about Reiman Gardens and its many plants and butterflies. Free for CoHorts' members and volunteers; $10 for general public.

Broadway's most talked about new musical is now the biggest Tony Award Winner in years. SPRING AWAKENING is the groundbreaking fusion of morality, sexuality & rock & roll that has awakened Broadway like no other musical in years. Winner of 8 Tony Awards, SPRING AWAKENING celebrates the unforgettable journey from youth to adulthood with a power, a poignancy & a passion you will never forget.

Exhibition in Print Gallery: Different Realities European & American Prints and Drawings from the 1920s and 1930s.  See www.desmoinesartcenter.org for more information.

Adapted for the stage by Leslie Bricusse and Tim McDonald. Based on the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Join Charlie Bucket, Grandpa Joe, and all the other holders of the coveted Golden Ticket as they set off on their adventure through Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory - the greatest chocolate factory in the world - accompanied by Wonka himself! This new stage musical features the Oompa Loompa chants from the Gene Wilder film, as well as the songs ""Candy Man"" and ""Pure Imagination."" Show Days & Times 7:00 PM Friday 1:00 PM Saturday 1:00 PM Sunday 4:00 PM Sunday (1:00 PM only on Feb. 8) Tickets $15.00 Adults/Seniors (62+) $12.00 Students

DATES: January 8th & January 22nd! Each of our Tequila Dinners will give you an opportunity to try our Mexican cuisine featured with selected tequilas & includes: A featured 5-course meal paired with hand crafted tequila cocktails Meet our chefs, Julio & Mike, while they explain how each course is prepared. Representatives from El Major, Patrón , or Cazadores Tequila will share their knowedge. This exclusive experience is $65/person & includes tax + gratuity FUTURE DATES: February 12 & 26, 2009 at 6:30pm

SUNDAYS ONLY - Join local musicians as they escape from the cold, dry winter to the warm tropical environment of the Botanical Center. Every Sunday in January & February a different artist will be performing in the Dome from 1pm-3pm. Admission $4 per person. Come down & join us for food, fun, and entertainment! DATES/SCHEDULE: Jan. 4: Matt Woods Jan. 11: Brad ""DeBrad"" McCloud & John Zantow of the Case of the Blues Band Jan. 18: Mojo Jono Jan. 25: Dewey Cantrell & Jodi Bodley Feb. 1: Hot Tamale Duo Feb. 8: Thunderbird Kingsley Feb. 15: Fat Tuesday Duo featuring Scott Long & Greg Sutherland Feb. 22: Lady Blue Duo featuring Tina Haase-Findlay

Thursday January 1st, 2009 Happy New Year! from 4pm-9pm Friday January 2nd, 2009 Rock the River from 8pm-11pm Public Skate from 9am-8pm Saturday January 3rd, 2009 Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Sunday January 4th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-8pm Public Skate from Noon-8pm Monday January 5th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-6pm Tuesday January 6th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-9pm Wednesday January 7th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-9pm Thursday January 8th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-8pm Friday January 9th, 2009 Rock the River from 8pm-11pm Public Skate from 9am-8pm Saturday January 10th, 2009 Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Sunday January 11th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-8pm Public Skate from Noon-8pm Monday January 12th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-6pm Tuesday January 13th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-9pm Wednesday January 14th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-9pm Thursday January 15th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-8pm Friday January 16th, 2009 Rock the River from 8pm-11pm Public Skate from 9am-8pm Saturday January 17th, 2009 Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Sunday January 18th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-8pm Public Skate from Noon-8pm Monday January 19th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-6pm Tuesday January 20th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-9pm Wednesday January 21st, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-9pm Thursday January 22nd, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-8pm Friday January 23rd, 2009 Rock the River from 8pm-11pm Public Skate from 9am-8pm Saturday January 24th, 2009 Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Sunday January 25th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-8pm Public Skate from Noon-8pm Monday January 26th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-6pm Tuesday January 27th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-9pm Wednesday January 28th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-9pm Thursday January 29th, 2009 Public Skate from Noon-8pm Friday January 30th, 2009 Rock the River from 8pm-11pm Public Skate from 9am-8pm Saturday January 31st, 2009 Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am Public Skate from 10am-11pm Freestyle from 9am-10am

The State Historical Society of Iowa recognized the importance of visual works of art as documents of history and began collecting paintings as far back as 1857,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Cyndi Pederson said. “These paintings are important historical artifacts because they provide clues about the activities, attitudes, ideas, interests, prejudices and status of the people who created and displayed them.” The museum holds in its collection more than 300 historical paintings, most of them suffering from decades of exposure to sunlight, tobacco smoke, coal dust and fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Aging varnish and a build up of grime also combined to obscure the images. The vast majority of the collection had been on display or in storage at the former Historical Building (now the Ola Babcock Miller Building) at 1112 E. Grand Avenue before being relocated in 1988 to the current location, where it is now protected in a climate-controlled storage area. For two decades, museum staff has identified a select number of paintings to be conserved and displayed in exhibits, but a comprehensive effort targeting the entire collection had been too costly until recently. In 2004, museum staff contacted Illinois conservator Barry Bauman, who began offering complimentary services to museums and non-profit organizations in 2003. He charges only for supplies. Bauman, who operates Barry Bauman Conservation in River Forest, Ill., is an Elected Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation. He was formerly the Associate Conservator of Paintings for the Art Institute of Chicago and the founder and owner of the Chicago Conservation Center. “Recovered Treasures” showcases a selection of 20 paintings conserved by Bauman, and highlights a cross-section of the works in the museum’s collection. These paintings represent almost $100,000 in donated services from Bauman. Treatment images of the exhibit paintings can be viewed on Bauman’s Web site: www.baumanconservation.com. Eighteen of the paintings come from the museum’s climate-controlled storage area, and the other two have been on display at Terrace Hill in Des Moines and Governor William Larrabee’s home, Montauk, which is a historic site near Clermont, Iowa.

Questions/comments: Call the gallery at 286-2242 or visit www.heritagegallery.org.

Two centuries of history are preserved in "The Working White House: Two Centuries of Traditions and Memories," an artifact-based traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, developed with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage & the White House Historical Association. The "Working White House" gives exhibit visitors a rare view of the inner workings of America's most renowned residence through the experiences, firsthand accounts & one-of-a-kind artifacts of the largely unrecognized people crucial to the everyday lives of our first families. For two centuries, workers at the White House have witnessed history in the making and, in the process, they have created their own. "The Working White House" showcases the souvenirs, housekeeping implements, clothing, letters, menus, photographs and other objects to help illustrate the full story of the presidential residence. New interviews conducted by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and WHHA staffers with past workers provide eyewitness accounts of White House work culture and will be included in an audio tour and exhibition video.