We’ve got your weekly roundup of all the best things to do this weekend, including productions of two award-winning Broadway musicals, a local cooking competition, an Italian food festival and more. Read on for your weekend plans.

Thursday

The award-winning Broadway musical, The Lion King makes its way to Robinson Center for the show’s first visit to Arkansas. The show starts Thursday and will run for three weeks. Tickets start at $33. Thursday shows are at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Diamond Chef Arkansas returns for its 11th annual event. Arkansas’ finest chefs go head-to-head in a series of culinary challenges and rounds of elimination to find out who will earn the coveted title of Diamond Chef. Attendees will savor distinctive cuisine, sip signature cocktails, and enjoy an evening of top-notch entertainment. Individual tickets cost $150. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. at the UA – Pulaski Tech Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute, 13000 I-30 in Little Rock. Learn more about this year’s contestants here.

Friday and Saturday

Support a great cause and head out to the Arkansas Italian Food And Culture Festival at Riverfront Park North Little Rock this weekend. Billed as Arkansas’s premier Italian Food and Culture Festival, all the proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Central Arkansas. Celebrate Italian-American heritage, art, music and, of course, food. Tickets are $5 at the door and kids five and under are free! Gates open Friday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Oxford American magazine presents 50 Years of True Grit this Friday and Saturday. Celebrate the anniversary of the publication of the beloved novel by Charles Portis, one of the magazine’s most acclaimed contributors. Festivities include panel discussions, readings, tours, museum exhibits, film screenings and a special Saturday-night variety show featuring comedy, music Arkansas native Iris DeMent, and appearances and performances by the book’s notable fans. A full schedule of events can be found at oxfordamerican.org.

Friday through Sunday

Catch Assassins in its last round of shows at The Weekend Theater. Based on the book by John Wiedman, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, our nation’s most notorious assassins gather on stage to violently pursue a twisted American Dream. Directed by Andy Hall and Jamie Scott Blakey, music direction by Jeannie Scott Cross. Tickets are $20 and $16 for students and seniors. Friday the show starts at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 pm. The Weekend Theater is located at 1001 W. 7th St. in Little Rock.

Saturday

Treat your taste buds while giving back to the local community. Brews & Bites at the Outlets of Little Rock will feature food trucks, craft beer and live entertainment. Proceeds benefit the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance & Arkansas Food Bank. The location is 11201 Bass Pro Pkwy,. In Little Rock and the event runs from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $10, food and beer sold separately. Kids under 12 are free. Purchase tickets at outletsoflittlerock.com.

For more news and events, visit fox16.com.