VIDEO/SLIDESHOW | Elvis, tigers and gospel, oh my!

This evening I went to Central City Park for the Bengal tiger birthday celebration. The event was very similar to one of the regular tiger shows, but it also included people wearing party hats and a 10-pound birthday cake made of raw meat. Mmmmm ... yum! After the tigers played a little and showed off some of their tricks, and even after a couple of them relieved themselves in front of the entire audience, the three birthday tigers got to come back out of their cages for a special treat of meringue. The meringue was served in a cardboard box, though, and just like little kitties, the three found the box more interesting than what was in it. There were a few catfights, and one tiger finally succeeded in getting the box to himself before they were all put back in their cages to be served the beefcake. The cake was a little disgusting looking but entertaining at the same time, and it reminded me a little of France, where some people enjoy eating "steak tartar" - or raw meat. One little boy, Camryn Collier, who will be turning 5 on Tuesday, got to go up close and celebrate with the tigers as the Birthday Song was belted out and the cake was cut. Camryn didn't get a piece of this special cake, but he didn't seem to mind too much.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A PHOTO SLIDESHOW OF THE BENGAL TIGERS.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF THE TIGERS FIGHTING OVER A BOX.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF A TIGER DOING A TRICK.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF A TIGER PACING.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF THE TIGERS ENJOYING THEIR MEAT CAKE.

After the tiger birthday party, I wandered over to the main stage to see if the Elvis impersonators were milling about because they were supposed to go on at 6:30 before the Elvis Tribute featuring Kraig Parker, which was to start at 8. Alas, I only saw one Elvis and with the crowd he was starting to draw, it was almost as though he was the King himself.

After winding my way out of Central City Park and getting stuck waiting on the train to pass, I stopped by the Cherry Blossom Gospel Concert at the Grand Opera House. I don't know why I thought the concert might be somewhat stuffy and boring, but I was completely wrong. The group Cavalry's Way was funny and quite entertaining, and the local choir after them, Psalms 33, had the crowd on their feet. I've never been to Grand, and it truly is a breath-taking building. I moved from the bottom floor up to the balcony at one point, and the view is just as good from the top as from the bottom. It's definitely worth checking out when you have the chance.

Saturday should be a busy day and I might not be able to post much during the afternoon. It was really windy out tonight and it's supposed to be windy tomorrow, but I'm hoping it won't mean the cancellation of the air festivities. Last year the wind was so bad that one of the balloons topple over and pulled a van a little along behind it. Here's hoping the wind isn't that bad this year!