Ellington

With three days of Crossroads Film Festival action, you'll have plenty of chances to view independent films. One we highly recommend you see is "Dante," a short film by Anita Modak-Truran of Jackson. Think teenage hell. Read style editor Natalie Collier's review before you see the screening during the Mississippi Showcase starting at 11:20 a.m. Saturday at Malco Grandview Theatre in Madison.

Separate from Crossroads, but just as enticingly independent is Art House Cinema Downtown at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.). Films start at 7 p.m. today and tomorrow, $7 per film.

If you would rather see dancing, check out the Ballet Magnificat! performance at the Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center (4908 Ridgewood Road) at 6 p.m. April 1 and 2. $15 upper level, $20 orchestra; call 601-977-1001. It's also the night for the spring dance concert at Belhaven University (1400 Peachtree St.) in the Bitsy Irby Center is April 1-2 at 7:30 p.m. $10, $5; call 601-965-1400. Want more ideas about what to do this weekend? Start with the JFP Best Bets page.

Saturday, take the kids to Animaze Me! at 9 a.m. at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Cost is $8, $6 MMA or Crossroads members, free for children 3 and under; call 601-960-1515. Take the family to the Renaissance Fine Arts Festival at Renaissance (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland). It starts a 9 a.m. and runs through April 3. Free, call 800-468-6078. Also, the Mississippi Puppetry Guild performs at the Mississippi Children's Museum (2145 Highland Drive) at 10:30 a.m. $8, members and children under 12 months free; call 601-981-5469. Find the details on these and other happenings around town on the JFP Events Calendar.

Saturday night is all about music. The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra presents "Chamber IV: Chamber in the Chapel" at Tougaloo College, Woodworth Chapel (500 W. County Line Road, Tougaloo) at 7:30 p.m. $15; call 601-960-1565. Iron Feathers hosts a CD release party at Ole Tavern. Need more music? Check out the JFP Music Listings page

Sunday, Howard Jones Jazz plays at the King Edward Hotel's jazz brunch at 11 a.m. The Sk8 Jam and Hip-Hop Slam at Swell-O-Phonic (2761 Old Canton Road) is at 1 p.m. Free admission; call 601-981-FLIP. See the opera film "Il Trittico" at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.) at 2 p.m. $16; visit msfilm.org. The Blast at North Midtown Arts Center (121 Millsaps Ave.) includes music from Hot & Lonely, DJ ScrapDirty and more. Free.

The city's best dining is at your fingertips with the JFP Restaurant Listings and the Menu Guide.

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Is something missing? To make sure your event is listed on the JFP calendars, send the information to [e-mail missing] or [e-mail missing], or add your event yourself. It's easy! Restaurants: call 601-362-6121 ext. 11 for information on getting your menus online.