Get ready to start the year fresh, Lawrence! It’s time to finally slow down a little after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. If you’re looking for events to help you recharge, or just come up with new goals for the year, this is the month to do it. We’ve highlighted some of them in this month’s Hometown Happenings below.
First Day Hike
Clinton Lake | January 1
I love that what started out as a small and communal event has grown to a well-loved way to start the new year. First Day Hikes is actually a national program sponsored by America’s State Parks, but it has grown very popular here in Douglas County. This is a way to kick off the new year with some fresh air, exercise, and the beauty of Kansas. The trail is considered easy, about 1.4 miles, and full of gorgeous views. You might even see some exciting wildlife! The best way to keep tabs on this is through Clinton Lake’s Facebook page.
Turtle Yoga
Prairie Park Nature Center | January 10
For the adult animal lovers at Prairie Park Nature Center, there’s a special opportunity to get up close and personal with our animal friends! The center is offering turtle yoga, which is exactly how it sounds: practicing yoga surrounded by turtles! This is a great way to connect with nature and refresh as you start the new year. If you can’t make it this month, there are opportunities coming up in March and May. Remember to bring your yoga mat!
Jazz Sundays
Liberty Hall | January 4, 11, 18
It’s one of Lawrence’s best-kept secrets! There’s been some rumblings in the scene about this great event that’s happening nearly every week at Liberty Hall. The venue spent last Summer transforming their basement into a smaller speakeasy type of room. Since then, they’ve hosted a number of events down there (karaoke, standup) but the one standout is their Sunday jazz shows. These fill up and have been wowing the audiences consistently since its inception. The fact that it’s in a basement with low lighting makes it a little cooler, don’t you think?
Here's the lineup for the month:
January 4th - Hicks and Slote quartet with Jackson Graham on the vibraphone and Zak Pischnotte on saxophone.
January 11th - Ven Bergdall quartet with Tommy Johnson Jr on trumpet.
January 18th - Eric Mardis quartet featuring Tommy Johnson Jr on trumpet.
Lawrence Restaurant Week
Lawrence | January 15-26
This has grown to be such a popular event in Lawrence that even during blizzards and cold snaps, folks pack the restaurants throughout the city. From January 15th through the 25th, visitors can eat their way across Lawrence’s exciting restaurant scene as eateries offer specials throughout the week. eXplore Lawrence has put together an incredibly helpful guide of restaurants taking part. This is a chance to either visit your favorite restaurants, or try something new as many of them will offer menu items that are not present the rest of the year. Eat up, Lawrence!
The Mountaintop
Theatre Lawrence | January 30-31, February 1, 5-8
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19, Theatre Lawrence is putting on a performance of The Mountaintop by Katori Hall. Here's the synopsis:
On the eve of his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is visited by a mysterious stranger in this powerful reimagining of his final night. Set in a storm-lashed room at the Lorraine Motel, The Mountaintop is an intimate, poetic exploration of legacy, mortality, and the man behind the movement. A gripping and deeply human portrait of a legend at the crossroads of history.
Theatre Lawrence always puts on a terrific showing, so this one's not to be missed. It's a great way to end January on a high note and begin the celebration of Black History Month in February.
Other events to keep on your radar:
Moonful Forest Bathing
Divine Nature Therapy | January 3
Mire Pal Gypsy Jazz
Eighth Street Taproom | Every Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
Cozy Movie Coco Day
Lawrence Public Library | January 5
