If you hear a loud roar coming from the Benton County Fairgrounds this weekend, don't worry. It's probably just a dinosaur.
Jurassic Quest, a Houston-based group, will bring 80 animatronic dinosaurs -- from the Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous periods -- to Bentonville for a three-day exhibit.
FAQ
Jurassic Quest
WHEN — 3 p.m.-8 p.m. today, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday & 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday
WHERE — Benton County Fairgrounds in Bentonville, 7640 S.W. Regional Airport Blvd.
COST — $13 (ages 2-12), $22 (VIP ages 2-12), $18 (ages 13-64), $16 (ages 65 and older), free (younger than 2)
INFO — 936-588-3332 or jurassicquest.com
"We are a hands-on, interactive event," says Nicole Lavene of Jurassic Quest. "Our most popular attractions are the baby dinosaurs and the walking dinosaurs. You can pet them and interact with them. They walk around, and people love it."
Each of the animatronic dinosaurs is hand crafted and custom painted for the exhibit, Lavene says. "We work closely with paleontologists and (designers) to make them look as accurate as they would have back when they were alive."
In the past paleontologists have traveled with the exhibit, but currently those scientists are excavating sites across the globe. A geologist/fossil expert is currently on the road with the dinos, Lavene says.
Other dinosaur-themed activities are available, such as dinosaur rides, an excavation table and a dinosaur photo shoot in front of a green screen.
"Dinosaurs have always been mysterious," Lavene says. "People of all ages have been and will always be interested in them. We are learning new things about them every year.
-- Kelly Barnett
NAN What's Up on 07/15/2016