Entertainment & Media

Greenville, S.C. – October 06, 2026 -- South Carolina's Kindergarten Readiness Assessment measures children across four areas: Social Foundations, Language/Literacy, Mathematics, and Physical Well-Being, placing social and physical development alongside early academic skills.

Independence matters as much as letters and numbers

At Archway Academy, a Greenville-based early childhood education provider, President Tami Nix says preparing children for kindergarten means building independence alongside academics. "We're doing the academic piece, but we're also working on the whole child," Nix said. "Reading is important. It is the foundation for learning, but children need to have all those pieces together as we prepare them for kindergarten."

Columbus, Ohio – October 06, 2026 -- The Palace Theatre will mark its 100th anniversary with a single-performance concert honoring Ray Charles, who played the venue throughout his career. CAPA announced that Palace 100: The Genius of Ray Charles takes place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, at the Palace Theatre in downtown Columbus, with tickets starting at $62.50.

Country and jazz artists join a genre-spanning lineup

Country artist Jackson Dean and jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles, a Guggenheim Fellow known for blending jazz with Afro-Caribbean traditions, join a roster that includes Patti Austin, Aloe Blacc, Blessing Offor, Lisa Fischer, Monica Mancini and Columbus native Billy Valentine. The lineup spans R&B, jazz, gospel, country and contemporary music, reflecting the range of styles Charles explored over his career.

Dallas – October 05, 2026 -- Urban Air Adventure Park is giving every family a free unlimited play pass worth up to $49 through its KidHub app, timed to National Adventure Day on Oct. 9.

Families must download the free KidHub app to claim a pass

Starting now, anyone who downloads and registers for KidHub, Unleashed Brands' free family activity app, by 11:59 p.m. local time on Oct. 9 will receive one unlimited play pass to a participating Urban Air park. Existing KidHub users also qualify automatically. The passes are limited to one per account, and anyone planning to visit on Oct. 9 itself is advised to download the app at least an hour in advance so the ticket has time to process.

Allston – October 05, 2026 -- First Chapters Preschool has opened an 8,000-square-foot flagship location at the new Enterprise Research Campus in Allston, Massachusetts, offering eight age-based classrooms for children from infancy through Pre-K. The center is already serving families living and working in the surrounding area.

First Chapters is part of Babilou Family, which has run early education programs for more than 20 years and operates over 40 centers across New England under brands including Little Sprouts, Heartworks and Building Blocks.

Atlanta – October 05, 2026 -- GoNoodle, the movement platform used in 88% of U.S. public and private elementary schools, has launched a new video and nationwide contest tied to Warner Bros. Pictures Animation's The Cat in the Hat, which hits theaters November 6.

A new video teaches kids the movie's invented movement language

The video, titled Let's Speak Thinglish!, teaches children the wordless body-percussion language used by the Things in the film. Created with the movie's choreographer, Christopher Scott, the lesson walks kids through Thinglish terms for "hello," "goodbye," "yes," and "no," then has them invent their own Thinglish names. The video is available on the Dr. Seuss channel on GoNoodle.com alongside the platform's existing library of Dr. Seuss content.

Los Angeles – October 04, 2026 -- The General Insurance has launched a nationwide sweepstakes offering one winner a fully restored, drivable replica of the iconic Street Fighter car plus a cash prize of $25,400.69. Entries are open now through November 18, 2026.

The build debuted live at ComplexCon in Los Angeles

The vehicle, unveiled at the pop culture convention, recreates the pixelated car players have smashed on screen for decades. The design includes custom pixel-patterned upholstery, new leather seats, upgraded speakers and a coin-slot change holder that doubles as a seat warmer.

Palmetto, Fla. – October 02, 2026 -- Monster Jam fans can catch new weekly episodes of Monster Jam Primetime for free starting Thursday, October 1, at 8 p.m. ET, with two fresh episodes dropping every Thursday on the Monster Jam Channel.

The series streams across nine free ad-supported streaming (FAST) platforms: Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, VIZIO WatchFree+, Pluto TV, LG Channels, Plex, Local Now, Rakuten TV, and the newly added Xumo Play. Episodes also premiere simultaneously on the Monster Jam YouTube channel, where they remain available on demand.

Encore airings give fans a second chance to watch.

Each episode repeats the following Thursday starting at 6 p.m. ET, with additional re-airs on select Saturdays surrounding live Monster Jam event coverage.

Las Vegas – October 02, 2026 -- Animazing Gallery at Grand Canal Shoppes inside The Venetian Resort will host "Beyond the Wall," a limited-run exhibition and sale of rare artwork tied to Pink Floyd's visual legacy, running October 16 through November 2.

The show features original work from artists tied directly to the band's history

The collection includes pieces by Ginger Gilmour, the former wife of guitarist David Gilmour, who will offer both original art and limited editions. Also featured is Gerald Scarfe, known for his collaboration on The Wall, and Storm Thorgerson, who designed album covers for The Dark Side of the Moon, Meddle, Atom Heart Mother, and Wish You Were Here.

New York – October 02, 2026 -- A new light-and-sound production called LUMINISCENCE opened to the public at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue on October 2, 2026, with select performances running through mid-November and a possible extension into 2027.

A portion of every ticket sold goes toward "Renew the Living Voices: The Kilgen Organ Campaign," which funds preservation of the Cathedral's organ and broader musical legacy. Guests can choose between LUMINISCENCE Live+, featuring a live choir and orchestra, or the standard LUMINISCENCE show, which uses recorded music and narration; ticket prices vary by experience.

Miami – October 02, 2026 -- Royal Caribbean will debut the first-ever at-sea production of "The SpongeBob Musical" aboard Hero of the Seas, its fourth Icon Class ship, when the vessel sets sail from Miami in August 2027.

The show, inspired by the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical and the Nickelodeon animated series, will run in the ship's Royal Theater. It brings the undersea world of Bikini Bottom to the stage with original songs, elaborate sets and the story of SpongeBob and his friends racing to save their town from destruction.

Royal Caribbean frames the show as entertainment for every generation

"'The SpongeBob Musical' delivers on that by bringing generations together through a story families know and love, while showcasing the creativity, cutting-edge technology and world-class production that can only be experienced on a Royal Caribbean vacation," said Christi Coachman, Royal Caribbean's vice president of entertainment.