A July Fourth Free Foodie Fest
June 24, 2009 10:57 AM
Kerry Kraus
NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com
If you like food – and who doesn’t – and would like a way to sample new dishes, then plan on being in downtown
North Little Rock for the first
Argenta Foodie Festival. A new FREE and entertaining way to celebrate Independence Day, the festival will be on July 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Argenta Historic District. It will feature the chefs from some of Arkansas’s best-known restaurants and caterers creating specialties using only locally grown produce and meats.
Malvern Hosts 29th Brickfest
June 23, 2009 2:00 PM
Zoie Clift
travelarkansas@gmail.com
Malvern is known as the
"Brick Capital of the World” (a nod to the many Acme Brick plants in the
area) and during the last week of June, the town celebrates this facet of its
history with an annual Brickfest that includes such events as a brick-car
derby and a best-dressed brick contest. The festival, which has been taking
place for 29 years, starts this Thursday and goes through the weekend. There
will be an Entertainment Stage all 3 days, a 5K race on Saturday, a car and
tractor show, motorcycle show, craft and food vendors, and activities for the
kid’s.
The event is also a chance
to see some free local music and this is the first year the event has offered a
second stage at BiCentinneal Park.
The lineup on June 26 on
the new stage is:
Livid from Tull:
6-6:40
World War Wonderful from
Malvern: 7-7:40
Black Suit Karma from
Conway: 8-9
Playing With Karma from
Malvern: 9:20-10:30
A
ll bands may be found by
going to
myspace.com/arkansasrocks
. Check out www.malvernbrickfest.com for further
details on the event or call 501-332-2721.
Showdown at Sunset Reenactment This Saturday in El Dorado
June 22, 2009 5:43 PM
Zoie Clift
The first
of a series of three Showdown at Sunset performances starts this Saturday (June
27) in El Dorado.The
performances, which take place at Courthouse Square, are historic re-enactments
of the infamous Parnell-Tucker gunfight of 1902.
This
historic portrayal of life in El Dorado in the early 1900s includes live music
prior to the showdown. Music starts at 6 featuring Lori McKnight with the
re-enactment starting at 7 .The annual Summer Concert Series will take place at
8 at the Oil & Heritage Park.
Other
performances are set for July 25 and August 29. The event
was named one of the Top-100 Events in North America by the American Bus
Association last year. For more information, contact Mark Givens, Executive
Director of Main Street El Dorado at 870-862-4747.
New Canoe Launch Site In the Works in Little Rock
June 21, 2009 9:16 AM
Zoie Clift
Many people might not
be aware of the canoe trails available in the heart of Little Rock. A canoe launch site
being built this summer at Hindman Park plans to combat this. The site will
expand access to Fourche Creek and other city parks and trails. Officials hope
the launch site will make more people aware of the creek’s canoeing
opportunities.
The park is already an
informal canoe launch site, but the upgrades will give paddlers easier access
to the 20-mile creek. The creek and its tributaries cover 90 square miles and
drain and filter storm water in the city.
The boat ramp will be
constructed from used telephone poles placed side by side on the ground leading
into the water. Near the boat ramp, plans call for a picnic area as
well as an information center with brochures about the creek. The launch site
is near the entrance to the park, and parking spaces by the ramp will be
created.
The launch site
is the sixth along the creek. The most popular launch point is at Interstate
Park, where most people head upstream. Making the entire
creek navigable is part of the Parks and Recreation Department’s master plan
for a network of parks and trails only minutes from residents throughout the
city.
Rededication of 1850 Leak Ingham Building in Camden
June 19, 2009 3:39 PM
Zoie Clift
A
rededication of the Leake
Ingham Library is taking place in Camden today at 5:30. The Greek Revival style
building was built in 1850 and is located next to the McCollum Chidester house
at 926 W. Washington street. The building has had extensive renovation paid for
by the Ouachita County Historical Society and the Arkansas Historic
Preservation Program.
The ceremony is being held in conjuction with local
Juneteenth celebrations. According to James Lee Silliman of the Ouachita County
Historical Society, the historical significance of the building is that it
served as a regional Freedman's Bureau after the Civil War. It was first a law
office ( for attorney William W. Leake), then the Freedman's Bureau and then
served as Camden's first public library. It is listed on the National Register
of Historic places and is believed to be the last remaining Freedman's Bureau left in Arkansas.
Native American Pow Wow
June 19, 2009 9:58 AM
The weekend celebration will include craft booths, Inter-Tribal Dance contests, Color Guard, singers, story tellers, drumming, artists, wildlife exhibits and more. Food and soft drinks will be available too.
The cost is $5 daily admission or $10 for the weekend. Children three and under are free. The proceeds help build natural habitats for the big cats at Turpentine. The refuge is located seven miles south of Eureka Springs on Ark. 23. If you want more info, give ‘em a call at 479-253-3790 or visit www.turpentinecreek.org.
Juneteenth Jubilee With Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah Geechee Nation
June 17, 2009 3:53 PM
Kerry Kraus
NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com
Juneteenth
, a holiday honoring the freedom and emancipation of slaves in the United States, will be celebrated by
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
June 19 and 20
.
Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, will talk about the Freedom Fighters in South Carolina and the strong
cultural connections between the people of the Gullah/Geechee culture, descendants of slaves, and their West African ancestors, maintaining over 400 years of African traditions. Queen Quet also will sign copies of her critically acclaimed books which include: Legacy of Ibo Landing: Gullah Roots of African American Culture, Volume I: St. Helena Island’s Serenity Collections Edition, Volume II: Gawd Dun Smile Pun We: Beaufort Isles Collector’s Edition, and Volume III: Frum We Soul tuh de Soil: Cotton, Rice, and Indigo on Friday, June 19 from noon to 1 p.m. in the
historic site’s visitor center. Refreshments will be served.
On June 20, Central is partnering with the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center for a screening of the documentary The Will to Survive: The Story of the Gullah/ Geechee 
Nation. Hours for the showing are 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the cultural center auditorium at 501 W. Ninth Street in Little Rock. Both events are free and open to the public.
For more information, please contact Crystal C. Mercer at (501) 374-1947 or Crystal_Mercer@nps.gov.
This Date in Arkansas History -- The Engagement at St. Charles
June 17, 2009 1:57 PM
Today marks the 147th anniversary of the Engagement at St. Charles. 
On the morning of June 17, 1862, four Federal ships—the ironclads Mound City and St. Louis and timberclads Lexington and Conestoga—traveled up the White River to rendezvous with Union major general Samuel R. Curtis at Jacksonport.
Confederate leaders chose St. Charles to defend the White River against the Union troops.
Confederate sharpshooters positioned along the banks of the White and attacked the four Union ships. Using guns from several Confederate warships, the marksmen began firing on the ships as they closed in on the town. One of the shots hit the steam drum of the USS Mound City, killing over 100 of the soldiers onboard. It would become known as “the deadliest shot of the Civil War.”
A monument to those who perished was later placed downtown. The monument, which honors both Union and Confederates, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the only one known of its kind.
The St. Charles Museum offers visitors a history of the town including Civil War artifacts and diorama.
Shopping and Eating Fresh in The Natural State
June 17, 2009 1:30 PM
Kerry Kraus
NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com
If you’re looking for something to do this Saturday -- or any Saturday this summer, how about trying a little fresh air shopping? You know you’re going to need to buy food items so why not buy the freshest you can get and have fun while doing it?
Farmers markets dot the Central Arkansas landscape and offer a variety of products. Those wanting Arkansas-grown produce need look no farther than the
Certified Arkansas Farmers Market
in downtown North Little Rock.
Held at Fourth and Main, the market features some of the state’s top local farmers with
all types of local produce, meats, poultry, eggs and plants. Everything sold at the market has been grown through a certified Arkansas produce. It is open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. until noon. The
Argenta Arts and Crafts Market
is held in conjunction with the farmers market. Located at 510 Main Street, it is open rain or shine 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. E-mail
csalittlerock@yahoo.com
or call 501-231-0094 for more information on the farmers market. For information on the arts and crafts market, call 501-786-2324.
You can hop the trolley and head over to the Farmers Market
in Little Rock’s River Market Pavilions. Here farmers sell farm-fresh produce from the backs of trucks from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays. Just a few of the types of fresh produce you’ll find are peaches, eggplant, strawberries, watermelon, beans, peas, corn, herbs, plants, greens, tomatoes, plums, berries, goat cheese, beets, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, squash, asparagus, eggs, cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, cherries, lettuce, onions, spinach, and radishes. There are also vendors show casing flowers and arts and crafts. Phone 501-375-2552 for more details.
Down at Benton, the Benton Farmers Market is held on the Courthouse lawn from April through August on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 87 a.m. until noon. Phone 501-847-0566 for more information.
Conway’s market features all home-grown items in season. It is open from the last weekend in May until mid-September. Hours are 6 a.m. to noon and it is located at 1501 Robbins. For more information, call 501-679-5515.
Fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs plus handmade crafts, homemade breads, soaps and more are available at the Cabot Farmers Market. Located in the courtyard behind City Hall at
101 North 2nd Street, hours are 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Additional information can be obtained by e-mailing
grannakyzer@yahoo.com
or calling 501-352-6770.
New Evans Children's Adventure Garden Opens at Garvan Gardens
June 16, 2009 3:07 PM
Zoie Clift
travelarkansas@gmail.com
Garvan Woodland Gardens,
the University of Arkansas’ botanical garden in Hot Springs, will unveil its
newest development, the Evans Children’s Adventure Garden, June 18. The
210-acre gardens located on the shores of Lake Hamilton, is part of the Fay
Jones School of Architecture’s department of landscape architecture.
University officials and
benefactors Bob and Sunny Evans will share ribbon-cutting duties at the 11 a.m.
ceremony.
The 1.5-acre garden,
intended for children between four and 12 years old, provides a series of stone
ledges leading the way to an ADA-accessible cave. David Slawson, a nationally
recognized Japanese garden designer, spent weeks on site guiding the placement
of the ancient boulders that shape the children’s garden. More than 6.4 million
pounds, of stone were used in constructing the project, most of it transported
from quarries in Arkansas.
The Benham Group of Lowell
drafted the conceptual design for the children’s garden under the direction of
Brent Vinson, formerly a landscape architect with the company and a ’93
graduate of the Fay Jones School of Architecture.
Garvan Woodland Gardens is
currently raising funds for the final phase of the children’s garden, which
will include three large tree houses, each offering a different lesson about
nature, and five smaller, pod-type structures that will serve as overlooks and
connectors to the primary tree houses. Garven Gardens includes more than 44
acres of sculpted gardens and
numerous architecturally significant structures, including a pavilion designed
by AIA Gold Medal winner Fay Jones and the award-winning, wood and glass
Anthony Chapel designed by Fayetteville architects Maurice Jennings and David
McKee.
The gardens were selected
by the readers of Southern Living magazine in the January 2009 issue as the 9
th
best garden in the South.
For more information about
the gardens, including driving directions, log on to www.garvangardens.org or call 501-262-9300. Below photo provided care of Susie Harris Photography.
Bladesmiths Schooled at Craft at Washington
June 12, 2009 7:44 AM
Zoie Clift
Throughout the year, the town
of Washington is a target for bladesmiths from across the globe. I visited the
town to check out the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing, which teaches the
craft and certifies knife makers at Journeyman and Master Bladesmith levels.
The school, which is run in
connection with Texarkana College, consists of a modern classroom in addition
to the work area which include six forges, six anvils, six grinders, three trip
hammers, work benches and related tools. The intensive classes are taught at
various times throughout the year and
instructors include world-class bladesmiths sanctioned by the American
Bladesmith Society (ABS). The society was established to preserve and promote
the art of bladesmithing and to educate collectors and the public on the
qualities of the forged blade.
The school opened in 1988 and
for many years was the only one of it’s kind in the nation. Over the
years the school has drawn students from Australia, England, France, South
Africa, etc., as well as from most of the states that make up the U.S.
All courses are taught in a
replica of a one-room school house and barn that blends in with the atmosphere
of Historic Washington State Park. The instructors this week
were James Crowell, a master bladesmith from Mountain View and Timothy Potier,
a master bladesmith from South Louisiana. For more information about the
school, visit
www.americanbladesmith.com.
PurpleHull Peas Focus of Emerson Event June 26-27
June 9, 2009 11:16 AM
Zoie Clift
The Blessing of the
PurpleHull Pea Crop took place this past Sunday at the Billy Williams Farm in
anticipation of The PurpleHull Pea Festival, which takes place June 26-27 in
Emerson. The festival pays homage to a tasty legume: the PurpleHull Pea. The
World Championship Rotary Tiller Race has been the festival’s major attraction
since the event began in 1990. Hailed as one of the most unusual races in
the South, the track is 200 feet in length. Souped-up garden tillers from near
and far come to compete in the world's premiere ( and only) tiller racing
event. The Weyerhaeuser 200 World Championship Rotary Tiller Race includes several
racing categories, including a "stock tiller" division for “those
who'd like to till their garden that morning, then compete later that
afternoon.” Besides the race, some other events featured include a Pea Shelling
Competition and Pea-Stompin’ Street Dance featuring White Mustang. Emerson is
in Columbia County, 12 miles south of Magnolia and 6 miles north of the
Arkansas-Louisiana state line. For more information, contact Bill Dailey, Pea-R
Guy at
purplehull@juno.com
or check out
www.purplehull.com.
Chrome Art and History on Wheels
June 9, 2009 10:51 AM
For those that just want to see the old, classic beauties or those looking to buy, you’ll find hundreds of collectable cars for sale. There will also be all types of antique auto restoration supplies, new and used parts, and other auto-related items such as old license plates, automobile ads and literature, and antique auto signs.
A special exhibit of 1957 and 1958 Cadillac El Dorado Broughams will be featured on Saturday. This unique automobile, designed by well-known auto designer Harley Earle, was handmade with only 753 produced.
An arts and crafts, and flea market section is also part of the event. And, the Museum displays more than 50 cars from 1904-1967.
There is no admission charge. And don’t forget to visit Petit Jean State Park, located just down the road. For more information, phone the museum at 501-727-5427 or go to www.motaa.com. For park information, visit www.PetitJeanStatePark.com.
Award-winning Arkansas Film Opens in Arkansas Theaters
June 9, 2009 9:58 AM
Kerry Kraus
NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com
The multi-award winning War Eagle, Arkansas, a family film that was inspired by the true story of two young men at a crossroads in their lives, will be released to theaters this summer by Empire Film Group, Inc. The critically praised feature has earned more than 20 film festival awards, and stars Emmy winners Brian Dennehy (``Righteous Kill''), Mary Kay Place (HBO's ``Big Love''), and James McDaniel (``N.Y.P.D. Blue''). The film also stars Academy Award Nominee Mare Winningham (``Swing Vote'') and newcomers Luke Grimes (ABC's ``Brothers and Sisters'') and Dan McCabe as the two high school friends.
The first showing on June 11 at the Malco
Razorback
Theater in Fayetteville will benefit United Cerebral Palsy. It can be seen beginning June 12 at the following Arkansas locations:
Rave Colonel Glenn, Little Rock; Malco Pinnacle Point, Rogers; Malco Hollywood, Jonesboro; Carmike 14, Fort Smith; Carmike 6, Conway; and Carmike 10, Hot Springs.
Released by the Empire Film Group, War Eagle was the Little Rock Film Festival’s “Made in Arkansas” 2008 winner and was named Best Picture by the Connecticut Film Festival, Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival, Harvest Moon Festival, Northampton International Film Festival, Illinois Film Festival, Red Rock Film Festival, Savannah Film Festival, Sacramento Film Festival, Schweitzer Lakedance Film Festival and Southern Winds Film Festival.
After opening at the Arkansas theaters, it will be released
to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and other key cities nationwide. For more information about the movie, check http://www.wareaglethemovie.com.
Hope Hosts Hot Air Balloon Event
June 8, 2009 9:10 AM
Zoie Clift
travelarkansas@gmail.com
The annual Balloons of Hope
will be June 19-20 at Hope Fair Park. The event is a chance to visit with
pilots and see hot air balloons up close. Balloonmeister Shelley Caraway of
Kilgore, Texas is set to give a narrative during the glows. Tethered rides will
be available at the balloon glows on Friday and Saturday nights (cost is $5 per
ride) and private rides can be scheduled with the individual pilots. Balloons
are set to fly mornings and late afternoons with the glows at night. Along with
hot air balloons there will be riding lawn mower races 10-4 on Saturday in the
Rodeo Arena and a Classic car display from 10-2. A Kids Fishing Derby is set
for 9-noon on Saturday at Huckabee Lake in the park. There will also be a wide
range of music on hand including Bluegrass on Friday night, a Patsy Montana
Tribute early Saturday afternoon, Memphis DJ Alex Ward from 4:30-7:30pm, and
more Patsy Montana Tribute music featuring Janet McBride starting at 8. The
park is located on Hwy 174S. For more information call 870-777-7500.
A Pre-Historic Visitor Comes to the Lower White River Museum State Park in Des Arc
June 5, 2009 10:47 AM
In May 1965, a construction crew was doing some work on Interstate 40 near Hazen, when they stumbled upon something a LITTLE different! The crew, located two miles northeast of Hazen, had found a major archeological find without trying. They had found the remains (including the skull with tusks, mandibles, atlas and the majority of the vertebrae) of Mammuthus columbi, 
or Columbian Mammoth, buried for centuries under more than 22 feet of red clay silt. Aptly named the Hazen Mammoth, the animal would have called the area home a few years back…according to scientists, approximately 1.8 million years ago to 10,000 years ago.
Portions of the jaw (including teeth) and vertebrae will be unveiled to the public at a new exhibit on Saturday, June 6, at the Lower White River Museum State Park in Des Arc. The exhibit unveiling coincides with Steamboat Days, being held this weekend in downtown Des Arc, along the banks of the Whie River.
In celebration of the opening of the Mammoth exhibit, the Lower White River Museum State Park will offer free admission on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To learn more about the Lower White River Museum State Park’s new “visitor,” give them a call at 870-256-3711. To learn more about Steamboat Days, log on to www.SteamboatDays.net.
Juneteenth Celebration in Fort Smith
June 5, 2009 10:20 AM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Each year communities around the nation hold celebration events. Fort Smith’s 2009 Juneteenth Freedom Fest will be Tuesday, June 9 through Sunday, June 14 at Harry E. Kelley Park.
The event will include music, food, games and rides. You can buy armbands on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for the “Carnival on the River.” Numerous artists are scheduled to perform on Friday and Saturday. National recording artist Lenny Williams will play on Friday, June 12 and DJ UNK with hits “2Step” and “Walk It Out” will play on Saturday, June 13. Other entertainers will include: Sims, Shirlandria, Brotha Pone, Live Sosa, Bobby Lopez, Hi Def, Multi & JoToRiouS, Lil Rob, and Kia Shine. For details, visit the Web site www.juneteenth-fortsmith.org.
The Art of Wine
June 2, 2009 7:46 AM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
One of my favorite events of the year in Fayetteville will take place this week – The Art of Wine Festival at the Walton Arts Center on June 4-6. I have my tickets (and a babysitter) for Friday night. What’s so great about it? First, hundreds of wines are available for me to sample. Last year, I found an appreciation for Sauvignon Blanc. Second, the arts center is full of chatter and laughter as friends and strangers discuss what everyone there has in common. Third, this is the Walton Arts Center’s biggest fundraising event with proceeds supporting the Center's award-winning arts learning programs for schools and teachers.
One of the largest tastings in the region, it features a Winemaker’s Dinner, a Wine Lover’s Brunch, a Grand Tasting, and new this year, a Premier Wine Tasting. Here’s some detail:
Winemaker's Dinner
Thursday, June 4, 2009, 6pm/Tickets $150
Hosted by Gallo Wineries, the Winemaker's Dinner is an elegant evening of wine and haute cuisine prepared by Chef Miles James of James at the Mill restaurant. Winemaker Eric Cinnamon with Rancho Zabaco will guide diners through food and wine pairings, and share unique winemaking insights. Limited ticket availability.
Grand Tasting
Friday, June 5, 2009, 7pm/Tickets: $85
Choose from more than 400 wines in the largest tasting event of the festival, taking place throughout the Walton Arts Center's main building, including the main stage. Enjoy live entertainment by the Ben Harris Trio and DJ Soulfree, a unique silent auction featuring signed show posters, special wines and other items, and food from more than a dozen of the region’s best restaurants. A program will be provided to help you track your tastings. A limousine service will also be available.
This year’s restaurant participants include: 1936 Club, Bordinos, Brickhouse Kitchen, Café Rue Orleans, The Common Grounds, Ella’s Restaurant at The Inn at Carnall Hall, The Flying Burrito Company, Hog Haus Brewing Co, James at the Mill, Jammin Java, Nibbles Academy of Cooking, Penguin Ed’s, River Grille, Ruth’s Chris, and Soul.
Wine Lover's Brunch
Saturday, June 6, 2009, 11am/Tickets: $50
The Wine Lover’s Brunch will be held in Studio Theater at Nadine Baum Studios. Joe Farnan of E & J Gallo Winery will guide guests through a mid-day exploration of food and wine as he shares tips for wine tasting, pairing, storage and serving. Food will be provided by Chef Miles James of James at the Mill. This event sells out quickly.
Premier Tasting
Saturday, June 6, 2009, 7pm/Tickets: $125
The Premier Tasting offers a greater number of premier wines for our guests on a separate night from the Grand Tasting. This tasting offers patrons a more intimate and exclusive event featuring reserve wines, gourmet food prepared by select local restaurants and live music. Limited ticket availability.
Tickets are available by calling the Walton Arts Center Box Office at 479.443.5600 or online at www.waltonartscenter.org/. Patrons must be 21 or older to purchase tickets to the Art of Wine Festival.
Wakarusa Is Here!
June 1, 2009 4:22 PM
Previously the festival was held in Lawrence, Kansas, but organizers announced in December that it would be moved to northwest Arkansas. So there’s plenty of excitement over the music and the new venue.
Mulberry Mountain is an event and lodging facility on about 650 acres surrounded by the Ozark National Forest.
About 10,000 people are expected to attend.
Four stages will be filled with musicians day and night. The Black Crowes will headline Saturday night. The 2009 artist lineup will include: Gov't Mule, STS9, Yonder Mountain String Band, Les Claypool, G Love & Special Sauce, Matisyahu, Gomez, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Galactic, Shpongle, Buckethead, Sly & Robbie, Railroad Earth, Steve Kimock, Crazy Engine featuring Melvin Seals, Perpetual Groove, Porter Batiste & Stoltz, JJ Grey & MOFRO, Jimmy Herring Band, The Egg, 20/20 Soundsystem, Lucero, Split Lip Rayfield, The New Mastersounds, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, EOTO, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Big Smith, and about three times more bands. For the full list and details of what time and which stage they will play, visit www.wakarusa.com.
There are several ticket packages ranging from attending one day to attending the entire event with camping or even VIP packages. There are no refunds on tickets, and the festival will take place rain or shine. No dogs are allowed at the event. Wakarusa plans to keep the festival clean and green with its Recycalusa recycling program.
To stay up to date on ticket pricing and artist additions, and to see festival details, visit the Web site. For an inside scoop on artist appearances, “secret” sets and other information, sign up for Wakarusa text messaging. Text WAKA to 744559 to join the list or sign up on the Web site to receive the texts and/or an email newsletter.
Each year Wakarusa also holds pre and post parties. This year's parties will be at George’s Majestic Lounge, one of Arkansas' legendary music venues, on Dickson Street in downtown Fayetteville. Playing on June 3 will be Elephant Revival, Blue Mountain and Telepath. Bands scheduled for the post party on June 7 are Jesse Baylin, Hoots & Hellmouth and Madahoochi. The June 8 post party bands will be Old School Freight Train, Scythian, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band. These parties are included with Full Event and VIP Pass tickets.
If You Go:
Mulberry
Mountain
is located on the Pig Trail Scenic Byway, which is Ark. 23 from the south boundary of the Ozark National Forest to its intersection with Ark. 16 at Brashears. The rugged and forested Boston Mountains region of the Ozark Mountains provides the setting for this route, portions of which run through a tunnel of foliage during spring, summer and fall. The byway crosses the Mulberry River and the 165-mile Ozark Highlands Trail.
Little Clifty Loop Now Open on Hobbs
June 1, 2009 8:31 AM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
Last winter’s ice storm caused plenty of damage in northern Arkansas and many state parks are still dealing with the damage. Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area near Rogers has been working to remove some 4,000 trees on its trail system. Final clean up on the Little Clifty loop of the HD-MUT has just been completed and this nine-mile section of trail is now open for use by hikers, non-motorized bikers and equestrians.
The War Eagle loop received the worst ice damage and remains closed as the clean up continues. Pigeon Roost Trail, Historic Van Winkle Trail, and the Shaddox Hollow Nature trail, as well as the Bashore and Dutton Hollow loops of the Hidden Diversity Multi-Use Trail, have been open for many weeks.
Also, have you checked out the new Visitor Center at Hobbs?
The 17,500-square-foot center features an exhibit gallery, wildlife viewing area, two rooms for group field studies, orientation room with a 65-inch LCD screen, murals, and gift shop. Interactive displays include computerized notebooks that convert to Spanish.
A replica of a karst cave is inset into a wall and an example of an Ozark bluff with water flowing over it is featured in the main entry area. Exhibits include a full mount deer and black bear, metal three-dimensional sculptures of birds of prey, and examples of endemic flora and fauna. You're gonna love it!
For more info, visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com or phone 479-789-5006.
Mena Hosts Lum & Abner Festival
May 31, 2009 5:42 PM
Zoie Clift
The Lum & Abner Festival is set for June 5-6 at
Janssen Park in Mena. A tornado hit the town in
April and crews have worked diligently to get the park repaired in time to host the annual festival. During the event (which is set to include arts and crafts, a car
show, live concerts, etc,) The Ouachita Little Theatre will
re-enact Lum and Abner radio shows. The shows,
which start at 7:30 p.m., will provide audiences the opportunity to see how the
live radio shows were produced in the 1920s-‘50s. Lum and Abner was a radio show that aired from 1932 to 1954. Chester Lauck (
who was born in 1901 in Aleene) played Lum and Norris Goff ( who was born in
1906 in Cove) played Abner. Both Lauck and Goff moved to Mena in 1911
and lived there until their move into show business. In the show they played
the co-owners of the Jot 'em Down Store in the then fictional town of Pine
Ridge. The theater is located at 610 Mena St. Cost is $2 and kids 6 and under
get in free. For more details on the festival
call LeAnn Dilbeck at 479-394-8355.
Fayetteville Family Featured in Family Circle Magazine
May 29, 2009 1:30 PM
The Hudson family of Fayetteville is featured in the recently released June issue of Family Circle Magazine. Each month Family Circle runs a column called “My Hometown” where a family and the town they live in are highlighted. The column covers what the family likes to do, where they like to eat and why they love their city.
In the article, Tim Hudson, his wife Charlotte Taylor and their two sons, Renwick and Richard, discuss their life in Fayetteville, a city described as “a perfect blend of culture and wilderness—a thriving arts scene set against the backdrop of the Ozark Mountains.”
Tim and Charlotte attended the University of Arkansas as undergraduates and knew they wanted to return to the area. In the article, they talk about the great outdoors, the Razorbacks, Dickson Street, the Farmers’ Market and the Walton Arts Center as some of the their favorite things about Fayetteville.
This is the first time an Arkansas family has been showcased in this column.
Coming on the heels of a No. 4 ranking by Forbes Magazine as one of the Best Places For Business and Careers, and as a not-to-be-missed destination in the March/April issue of Endless Vacations magazine, Fayetteville has recently been a focal point for national recognition.
Top 200 Outdoor Towns in America
May 29, 2009 9:45 AM
According to
Outdoor Life Magazine, Arkansas has five of the 2009 Top 200 Best Hunting and Fishing Towns in America. The magazine describes these communities as “affordable, thriving and perfectly wild towns” in the United States.
Mountain Home comes in at #19, followed by Heber Springs as #23. Rogers ranks #42, Helena is #113 and Stuttgart ranks #146.
The complete list can be found on the
Outdoor Life Web site.
Congratulations to the Arkansas Fabulous Five!
Maritime Museum Open Longer for Summer
May 28, 2009 2:32 PM
Kerry Kraus
Hours are:
Wednesday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday - 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Monday-Tuesday
Exhibits that make up the museum include the
USS Razorback submarine and the
USS Snook Memorial, along with a reference library. Future plans call for the addition of the
USS Hoga tug boat and the Beacon of Peace and Hope. The
USS Razorback can be booked for birthday parties and overnight stays are available for groups.
For more information, please call the museum at 501-371-8320 or visit www.aimm.museum.
Eureka Springs Blues Weekend
May 28, 2009 11:13 AM
Other headliners appearing throughout the weekend include EG Kight, Moreland & Arbuckle, Mary Flower, RJ Mischo, Lee McBee & the Confessors, Deanna Bogart and John Nemeth. Also, International Blues Challenge winner JP Soars & the Red Hots and Ozarks Blues Society Blues Challenge winners Oreo Blue and Kory Montgomery & Isayah Warford will be opening acts.
For acoustic guitar lovers, Delta blues legend David “Honeyboy” Edwards will play the afternoon of May 30.
Shows will also be held throughout the weekend in the 1905 Basin Park Hotel's Barefoot Ballroom and Ozark Room, Basin Spring Park, and at various clubs and restaurants around Eureka Springs.
This year’s Blues Weekend will be a fundraiser for The Blues Foundation’s Handy Artist Relief Trust and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge.The HART fund provides assistance to musicians in need, including acute, chronic & preventive medical & dental care, as well as funeral expenses.
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is located seven miles south of Eureka Springs on Ark. 23. It provides lifetime refuge to abandoned, abused, and neglected "Big Cats", with emphasis on tigers, lions, leopards, and cougars. Natural habitats have been built over the past decade to allow the "Lions, Tigers & Bears" to live in more natural surroundings. For more information, visit www.TurpentineCreek.org.
For more information, visit www.eurekaspringsblues.com/ or phone 888-855-7823.
Bandits, Badges & Bars
May 27, 2009 12:41 PM
Zoie Clift
Travelarkansas@gmail.com
If stories about figures
such as Bonnie and Clyde and Al Capone interest you, swing inside The Old State
House Museum sometime. The museum is currently hosting an intriguing exhibit,
Badges,
Bandits & Bars: Arkansas Law & Justice, which explores the state's
history of crime, law enforcement, courts, and prisons from pre-territorial
days to the mid-1980s.
The exhibit, which will
be on display at the museum until March 2011, hosts four distinct galleries: The
Criminal Element, which chronicles the story of Arkansas badmen; Upholding the
Law, which tells the story of Arkansas law enforcement; The Scales of Justice,
which narrates the colorful history of Arkansas's courts; and Behind Bars,
dealing with Arkansas's quest to reform its prison system.
Tony Perrin, Region II
Supervisor for Arkansas State Parks, is co-curator of the crime and law
enforcement sections. Perrin is a former law enforcement official and a
national authority on crime and law enforcement history. The museum is open
M-Saturday from 9-5 and Sunday from 1-5.
H.O.G.s in NWA
May 26, 2009 10:15 AM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
Northwest Arkansas
will be stampeded this week by H.O.G.s -- not the Razorback kind, but the two-wheeled version. More than 5,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders will roll into Northwest Arkansas for the May 28-30 Harley Owners Group 17th annual Arkansas State H.O.G. Rally. The rally is based at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center and Embassy Suites in Rogers. For those of you that want to go watch the fun, activities for the public will include a bike show, parade and vendors selling merchandise. For the Harley members there will be a reception, three concerts, guided rides, bike games and more. With more than 1,100,000 members and over 1,400 chapters in 136 countries, the Harley Owners Group is the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world.
Last-Minute Memorial Day Weekend Ideas
May 22, 2009 4:54 PM
Kimberly J. Williams
Well, it's Friday afternoon and the three-day holiday weekend begins in a matter of
minutes!! If you're looking for something to do, it's not too late!!
Check out the
Calendar of Events here on Arkansas.com for places to go and things to do. But don't wait much longer!! Hurry....hurry!!
Delta Cultural Center Celebrates the Arkansas Delta’s Gospel Heritage
May 22, 2009 4:25 PM
The 9th annual Arkansas Delta Family Gospel Festival will be held on Saturday, May 23, from the stage of the Cherry Street Pavilion, located on Cherry Street in historic downtown Helena. The music ranges from contemporary to traditional and features quartets, choirs and individuals. The lineup features local, regional and national performers, including 
Avalon, the Jackson Southernaires, the Racy Brothers, the Myles Family, the Selvy Singers, the Songbirds, Gzosh, Voices of Joy, the Rev. Daniel "Slick" Ballinger, and the Brown Singers.
The gospel festival begins at 11 a.m. There is no admission cost and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets as no seating is provided at the outdoor stage. To find out more about the 9th annual Arkansas Delta Family Gospel Festival, log on to www.DeltaCulturalCenter.com or phone 800-358-0972.
New Heifer Village Opens June 5
May 22, 2009 3:25 PM
Zoie Clift
A few co-workers and I got the chance to preview the new Heifer Village, set to open June 5 in Little Rock. The village, which was a $13.5 million project, is an interactive global education facility and is designed as a sustainable and environmentally sensitive building. Adjacent wetlands, which support native species, complement the building’s design.
Located on the campus of the Heifer International Center, the goal of the village is to educate visitors about solutions to global hunger and poverty. A dedication and opening has been set for 10 a.m. on June 5 with guest
keynote speaker Dr. Paul Farmer, 1993 Genius Grant winner and founder of Partners in Health, an international aid organization focusing on medical services for the poor. Following the dedication, the village will be open for tours. During the weekend, June 6-7, the site will host Family Day from 9-4 each day. The event will feature Heifer animals, crafts, multicultural music, international dancing, an appearance by children’s musician Dan Zane, and more. For a detailed schedule of events and more information on the village visit
www.heifer.org.
Bandit Run Makes it to Hot Springs
May 22, 2009 3:24 PM
Zoie Clift
Today the replica of Snowman’s semi trailer and a
group of Trans Am honoring the Smokey & the Bandit movie (which was the
second highest grossing film of 1977, just behind Star Wars) drove into
Arkansas.
Since 2007, fans have
gotten together once a year to recreate the famous run to Atlanta also known as The Bandit
Run. For the first time, the group made a stop in the state on their route. The
run started yesterday at Area 57 in Branson, MO. The group (which includes
around 60 cars) is scheduled to leave for Tennessee tomorrow and then on to Georgia.
The daily mileage is said
to be
kept at around 2-300 miles of travel a day and the run ends on May
16.
This afternoon the group
parked their cars in the Hot Springs Convention Center Hall C
( the spot served as a last minute location change from outdoors to indoors due
to the weather forecast)
Here are
a few shots from their pit stop in Hot Springs. For more
details, visit
www.TheBanditRun.com
Running of Tubs a Go Rain or Shine
May 13, 2009 8:50 AM
Zoie Clift
Due to the weather we’ve
been having lately, an email came this way reminding everyone that Saturday's
(May 16) Fourth Annual Stueart Pennington Running Of The Tubs (ROTT) bathtub
races in Hot Springs will take place at 9 a.m. rain or shine.
"The whole point is
for the participants to get wet," said Steve Arrison, CEO of the Hot
Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. "One team member is going to be
submerged in 10 inches of water the entire race, and past experience
indicates all the other team members will be soaked about two feet into
the race."
The tub races begin on
Bathhouse Row in downtown and a pre-race party, which the public is invited to
attend, will be held Friday at 5 p.m. at the downtown parking deck. For more
information visit
www.hotsprings.org
or call the Hot Springs CVB at 501-321-2027.
Explore Ancient Egypt at the Arkansas Arts Center
May 12, 2009 11:57 AM
Kerry Kraus
This amazing exhibit, presented in conjunction with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, “explores the long-vanished world of ancient Egypt and the pyramids.” It includes more than 200 incredible objects including a colossus of Ramses II, Egyptian arts, amulets and jewelry, statues, stone objects and artifacts.
Individual tickets go on sale
June 1. Information about tickets for groups of 10 to 150 people, along with reservations, is available by calling 501-372-4000 or 1-800-264-2787. You can also email
Groupsales@arkarts.com. A special price for school groups is also being offered and information can be obtained by using the contact information above. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Crawdad Days Festival
May 11, 2009 1:02 PM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
It’s Monday, and boy oh boy is it (for me anyway). So let’s think about the weekend already and something fun to do. The Crawdad Days Festival in Harrison starts Friday evening (May 15) with festivities taking place all day Saturday (May 16).
Attended by thousands each year, the festival is held the third weekend of May around the banks of Lake Harrison and the downtown historic square. It began 18 years ago as a one-day event, but now offers something for the entire family. And, if you like crawfish, all the better of course.
Below is the latest schedule of events that I’ve seen, but you can visit www.crawdaddays.com or phone 870-741-2659 for up-to-date information.
May 15th
6 p.m.-9 p.m. Friday on the Square
6 p.m.-8 p.m. Gospel Night on the main stage
May 16th
All Day Car Show and Cruise In
8 a.m. 5K Run/Walk
8:30 a.m. Super Series Baseball Tournament
9:15 a.m. Crawdad Crawl
10 a.m. Tennis Tournament
10 a.m. Deborah Moore Academy of Dance
11 a.m. Skateboard Competition
11 a.m. Horseshoe Tournament
11:30 a.m. Home Depot Build a bird house
Noon SPinRad in Main Stage
1 p.m. Mt. Meadows Massacre on the main stage
1:30 p.m. Ms. Christy’s School of Dance
2 p.m. The Clogging Studio
2 p.m. Burnout Competition
2:30 p.m. Ozark Children’s Choir
2:30 p.m. Loose Cannons on the main stage
3 p.m. Cardboard Boat Race
4 p.m. Rubber Duck Race
4 p.m. Trent LeJeune & Doubletime on the main stage
5 p.m. Crawdad Eating Contest
5:30 p.m. Guinness World Record attempt for most crawdads eaten
6:30 p.m. Damon Fowler on the main stage
8 p.m. The Devonshires on the main stage
Here’s a particular event to think about taking part in because you could winner a 37-inch Visio flat screen television – the Rubber Duck Race hosted by the Grace Christian School. You “adopt” a duck to race bridge to bridge down Crooked Creek. Tickets for this race cost $5 each. Call the school at 870-741-8505 for more information.
Ack, now I can hear Bert (or is it Ernie) from Sesame Street singing “rubber ducky you’re the one for me” in my head. It really is a Monday.
American Idol Finalist Comes Home
May 11, 2009 10:02 AM
Susannah Spoon and Cheryl Ferguson
As a crowd of 15,000 flocks to the Riverfront Amphitheater in Little Rock, We wait for American Idol finalist Kris Allen to take the stage for his first concert since returning to The Natural State. Allen arrived home via private jet last night and went directly to Fox 16 for his first hometown interview.
Today is a day packed with fun and excitement for the state of Arkansas and Kris Allen of Conway. He began the day with a 7 a.m. wake-up call at several Little Rock radio stations, just the start of a long day ahead. Next he headed to the Governor’s Mansion for a private visit with Governor Mike Beebe. The rest of Allen’s afternoon was scheduled with back-to-back appearances, ending with a concert at Conway’s Farris Center.
Arriving at the Riverfront Amphitheater at 9 a.m. we were able to stake a claim front and center – just perfect to showcase our “Welcome to Arkansas” sign. Slowly the crowd filled in the previously green, grassy areas amassing to the 15,000 estimated for the concert. The roar of the crowd became deafening as the time drew near for Arkansas’s own American Idol finalist to take the stage.
Allen took the stage right on time (11:45) singing such crowd favorites as She Works Hard for the Money, Ain’t No Sunshine and Falling Slowly. Signs welcoming Allen home and declaring undying love for the Conway student were plentiful. Speaking of signs be sure to look for the “Welcome to Arkansas” sign held by yours truly.
The concert was good, with the caliber of the songs sounding just as good, if not better as they had during the live American Idol performances. Allen was friendly and just as humble as on American Idol. Of which , I’m sure, is much to the chagrin of American Idol Judge Simon Cowell who has previously criticized Allen for being nice and humble.
With the addition of obligatory announcement from Fox the appearance lasted about 30 minutes. Next Allen was off to his hometown of Conway on his mission of putting Arkansas on the map. Not since the 1992 announcement of Bill Clinton for President of the United States has there been a larger or more enthusiastic crowd.
GPS Adventure Comes to Smackover
May 10, 2009 9:22 AM
Zoie Clift
travelarkansas@gmail.com
An exhibit opening for “GPS Adventures
Arkansas” will be held at
the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in Smackover on May 16 from 11-1:30.
The exhibit is a traveling exhibition introducing the history of GPS
technology and its current uses. The exhibit focuses on geocaching and
navigation and offers an opportunity for geocachers to log a find. The exhibit
will be showcased at the musuem until December 30.
According to a news release sent
by musuem director Pam Beasly, visitors will learn the basics of traditional
and modern navigation, see examples of GPS technology in use today, preview
coming developments, and try their hand at designing future applications.
Geared toward ages six through adult, the exhibit will travel to seven museums
throughout Arkansas.
The museum is located at 3853 Smackover Highway and hours
are from 8-5 Monday –Saturday and from 1-5 on Sundays. For more information
call 870-725-2877.
Fun in Fayetteville: Photo Scavenger Hunt and Stage Race
May 7, 2009 2:02 PM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
Two fun things start today in Fayetteville – a photo scavenger hunt contest to “Discover Fayetteville” and the Joe Martin Stage Race.
Let’s start with the scavenger hunt. The Fayetteville Visitors Bureau wants people to “Discover Fayetteville” through a photo scavenger hunt contest.
The scavenger hunt has 20 clues and participants must use the clues to photograph different places in Fayetteville. Participants must turn in 10 correct photographs to be entered in the drawing for a gift basket. There will also be prizes for the best photograph of “my favorite place in Fayetteville clue” and for the funniest photograph of a clue. Participants can get the clues starting today (May 7) from the Fayetteville Visitors Center (lcoated on the square) or on the Experience Fayetteville Facebook group or Fayetteville, AR Facebook fan page. The clues must be turned in by 5 p.m. Thursday, May 14 to the Visitors Center. Or you can email the photos to info@experiencefayetteville.com.
The goal of the hunt is to help people see attractions or places of interest in the city that they may not know existed. It’s also just for fun. Fayetteville is offering the event for National Tourism Week, which is May 9-17.
National Tourism Week is an annual salute to the power of the travel industry and is celebrated in cities all over the country.
Now for information on the Joe Martin Stage Race. It starts today with the Pro Men 1's Time Trial starting at 3 p.m. at Devils Den State Park located south of Fayetteville. There is an exciting field of riders (including Floyd Landis) prepared to take on some very challenging courses during this four-day stage race in the Ozark Mountains which all leads to the conclusion at the event with the Sunday Criterium on Sunday, May 10 around the Fayetteville downtown square and Dickson Street area combined with kids and community events scheduled in conjunction with the races.
For more info:
Fayetteville
Visitors Bureau 479-521-5776
www.joemartinstagerace.com/
Hammer-In Is Fun for All
May 6, 2009 5:36 PM
I am neither a bladesmith, or a knife enthusiast, but I went to the event last year with my family and we were fascinated by the skill of the knife makers in the cutting competition. In this event, knife makers work their way through a sort of obstacle course cutting soft things like a rope and straw as well as hard things like golf balls and two by fours, all with the same knife. My seven year old loved it and we have a treasure box of cut up rope, and sliced tennis balls, water bottles and golf balls that he gathered from the site.
The 4th annual Hammer-In will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. At 10 a.m. there will be a cutting demonstration and a chance for people to try their hand at wielding a knife through the course. BladeSports master cutters will be on hand to supervise.
The BladeSports Cutting Competition will start at 2 p.m. in the yard behind the administration building. And this is more than just a show for visitors to the park. It is a “Points Cut,” with the finalists earning points toward the National Finals, which will be held in Atlanta.
You can also vote from noon to 4 p.m. in the Ozark Folk Center People’s Choice Knife Show in the Knife Shop. Knife makers can register for the show and have their blades on display for judging (get there before 11 a.m.). Winners of the Peopll’e schocie Awards will be announced at 4:30 p.m. at the cutting course.
Don’t worry if there’s inclement weather. The competition will be moved to the stage in the large auditorium.
Tickets to the Craft Village at the Ozark Folk Center are only $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12. Children 6 and under are free. There is no additional charge to watch the BladeSports Cutting Competition or to compete in the knife show. If you need more information, visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com.
If You Go
Stop and skip rocks in a river or stream on your way there and when you leave. Maybe the White River or the Buffalo National River, depending on where you’re coming from.
Bandit Run Coming to Hot Springs
May 5, 2009 8:45 PM
Zoie Clift
Bandit Run ’09, a
re-enactment of the legendary 1977 Burt Reynolds “Smokey and the Bandit” movie
race, will be driving through Hot Springs next week May 11 and 12.
According to a news
release sent this way, in addition to the famous black Pontiac Trans Am driven
by Reynolds (The Bandit) in the movie, the ’09 Bandit Run features a
meticulously re-created semi-trailer like the one driven by his buddy Cledus
Snow, also known as Snowman (Jerry Reed), in the movie. A total of 60 cars and
the Snowman truck take part in the convoy.
The vehicles are
anticipated to arrive in town around 3:30 p.m. (they will be traveling from
Branson) on Monday May 11 and will be on display until around 6. They
will depart for Memphis early the next day.
The Bandit Run began
in 2007 as a way of marking the 30th anniversary of the movie, which is about a
trip by two friends (Reynolds and Reed) delivering a truckload of 400 cases of
Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta.
For the re-enactments,
a group of “runners” has re-created Snowman’s 1970s-era Kenworth semi-trailer.
Fans will be able to have their photos made with the truck. For more information
contact Steve Arrison at 501-321-2027.
Day Use Passes Available at Greers Ferry Lake
May 5, 2009 8:39 AM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
Spring is a great time for camping and a choice spot to go is around Greers Ferry Lake, which is located in Heber Springs in the north-central portion of the state. Sporting activities include boating, swimming, camping, picnicking, scuba diving, and water skiing. There is a developed nature trail winding up SugarLoafMountain, an island in the lake, which from its summit affords a breathtaking view of the lake and surrounding countryside.
The lake was formed by Greers Ferry Dam which was completed in July 1964 at a cost of approximately $46,500,000. The lake and dam were dedicated in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, his last public appearance before the fateful trip to Dallas.
With 40,000 acres of lake surface to accommodate both boaters and fishermen, the fishing at the lake is superb throughout the year. You’ll find great walleye fishing and excellent crappie fishing. Almost every game fish native to the state has been stocked in the clear waters of the lake by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery
is located adjacent to the Little Red River below the dam. It furnishes the rainbow trout for stocking and fishing in the lake and river. The hatchery has a visitor center with aquarium and you can take self-guided hatchery tours.
The William Carl Garner Visitor Center is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ VisitorCenter for GreersFerryLake. The center is located on Ark. 25 North just west of Greers Ferry Dam near Heber Springs.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at GreersFerryLake has Annual Day Use Passes for 2009 in stock and available. The passes cost $30 each. Holders of Golden Age or Access Passports or America the Beautiful Senior or Access Passports may purchase them for $15. The Corps office is near the dam at 700 Heber Springs Road North.
Purchasers of passes this year will see a change from previous years. The month and year stickers will now reflect the expiration date instead of the purchase date. This means there will not be a 2009 sticker issued but one that expires in 2010. This change will make the pass expiration more clear.
The DayUsePass is a tag that is hung from the interior rear view mirror of the vehicle. A visitor may purchase more than one annual day use pass at full price.
Day
Use
Pass
holders may use any day use area managed by the Corps nationwide at no additional cost. At GreersFerryLake, area day use fees are charged at DamSitePark. These passes do not apply to other types of use fees, such as camping or picnic shelter reservation fees.
Greers
Ferry
Lake
’s first round of campgrounds opened for the 2009 recreation season in March. John F. Kennedy and Dam Site parks are now open for camping. On April 1, Choctaw, Cove Creek, Devils Fork, Heber Springs, Hill Creek, Narrows, Old Highway 25, Shiloh, and SugarLoafParks opened for camping.
Art and Music at Terra Studios
May 1, 2009 11:45 AM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
Okay, so it’s supposed to rain in northwest Arkansas this weekend. But, a lot of the activities taking place at Terra Studios on Saturday, May 2 will be inside. So go ahead and make plans to attend the Terra Studios and Muse Gallery Spring Art and Music Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at Terra Studios in Durham (just outside Fayetteville).
The event will feature musicians from northwest Arkansas and more than 35 regional artists showing at the Muse gallery. There will be demonstrations by glassblowers and potters. Terra Studios also contains a coffee house and art park. It is the home of the original “Bluebird of Happiness.”
To get a feel for what Terra has to offer, visit www.terrastudios.com. You can get in touch with them by phone at 800-255-8995.
How to get there:
If you are traveling south on Bypass 540, take Exit 62 (Farmington/Prairie Grove exit) and turn left. This places you on Sixth Street going east. You will drive past the University of Arkansas and you will cross 71B (O’Reillys Auto Parts on right hand side). As you continue east on Sixth Street you will drive through a residential area. Sixth Street will eventually turn into Ark. 16 East. While you are on Ark. 16, you will drive through two towns, Baldwin and several sections of Elkins. Durham is approximately 4 miles east of the last section of Elkins. Just past the grocery store in Durham, there is a large sign for Terra on the right hand side of the road. Turn right at the sign and follow Hazel Valley Road for approximately 2/3 of a mile. The entrance to Terra is on the right side of the road and is bordered by two large vases. There is ample parking, including handicap spaces next to each gift shop.
Or more simply, it’s located 16 miles southeast of Fayetteville on Ark. 16 east. Watch for the easy to spot sign in the town of Durham.
Celebrating the History of Pocahontas and Randolph County
April 30, 2009 8:07 PM
Kimberly J. Williams
deltatraveler@gmail.com
I love Pocahontas – the town, not the Disney princess, although she’s okay too. Pocahontas has one of the loveliest town 
squares I’ve ever visited and it’s also home to TWO of my FAVORITE restaurants in my territory – the Green Tomato Café and Brenda’s Sale Barn Café. And the town also has some of the nicest people I’ve ever met… they love their community and support it in every way possible. I always look forward to visiting Pocahontas, because it also has an amazing history that rivals any town in the region.
Starting tomorrow, Friday, May 1, the community will host
Founders Day
. The two-day event will celebrate the town’s history with a series of events, including walking tours of the historic downtown, live music, a barbecue cook-off, a quilt trail, a live bluegrass show at the Randolph County Music Theatre, living historians, demonstrations, special geocaches, and dress-up contests for kids.
If you’re a history buff, there are several places in and around Pocahontas that you MUST visit, including
Davidsonville Historic State Park
, the
Eddie Mae Herron Center
, the
Randolph County Heritage Museum
and
Maynard Pioneer Museum and Park
in nearby
Maynard
.
While you’re downtown, check out
Black River Beads and Pottery
for some amazing handcrafted items, including hand blown beads and jewelry that defy description.
If you’re staying through the weekend, check to see if the
Imperial Dinner Theatre
still has seating available for their latest production – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar.
If you’re a geocacher, there’s a meet and greet at the Green Tomato Café starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, followed by special caching events at 9 a.m. I’m taking a couple of friends up on Saturday morning to do a little caching of our own!
To find out more information on Founders Day, visit www.SeeRandolphCounty.com or call 870-892-4426. And maybe I’ll see you there!!
Springhill Park Fishing Derby
April 30, 2009 5:00 PM
Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com
Youth fishing derbies are popular this time of year and you can catch one this weekend at Springhill Park in Barling. On Saturday, May 2, children 12 years of age and younger will compete for prizes at this annual fishing derby.
The fishing will begin at 9 a.m., and the weigh-in will begin about 10:30. The event concludes at noon with a picnic lunch. There is no charge to participate. Boats will also be on display and kids can learn about the environment at an educational program.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission personnel will ensure the pond is freshly stocked with catfish. Children should bring their own fishing poles, tackle and bait, and be accompanied by an adult. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded in three categories. Prizes include rods and reels, tackle boxes, catfish poles, gift cards, assorted lures and tackle, fishing videos, and more.
Springhill
Park covers 337 acres on the shores of the Arkansas River off Ark. 59 in Barling. The park offers public boat launching, picnic grounds, group picnicking, hiking and biking trails, drinking water, camping, handicap accessible facilities, restrooms and a playground.
For more information, call Park Ranger Rick Bradford at 479-667-2129.
Fish, Food and Fun in Mountain Home This Weekend
April 30, 2009 8:30 AM
Kerry Kraus
The event includes vendors and exhibitors, games, instruction for spin, bait and fly-casting; fly-tying demonstrations, hatchery tours and other activities. There will also be free food. 
The Norfork hatchery averages 280,000 visitors annually and is open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. It has been declared by the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce as the major tourist attraction in Baxter County!
Go see for yourself what all the fun is about.
War Eagle Weekend
April 28, 2009 11:31 AM
Jill M. Rohrbach
The 36th annual War Eagle Mill Antiques and Crafts Show will take place this weekend, May 1-3, in the historic village of War Eagle. The Sharp Show will be set up in the meadow beside the mill. Jointly, the two shows provide more than 300 professional craftsmen selling handcrafted items.
Show hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. There are free concerts on the mill porch each day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The featured act for Friday and Saturday, back by popular demand, is the award-winning bluegrass band SpringStreet.
What can you find to buy at the shows? Antique china jewelry, primitive ceramics, stoneware, wooden toys, hand-painted vintage items, copper and glass garden art, unique art clothing, dolls, birdhouses, framed art, and hand-carved wooden utensils with onsite demonstrations. To sustain you while you shop, you’ll find beef wellington, strudel, spinach and broccoli puffs, barbecued ribs, brisket, chicken, cowboy beans, hamburgers, french fries, turkey legs, corn dogs, and several Chinese entrees. Or try the Helmut’s apple and cheese strudel, funnel cakes, homemade peanut brittle, honey kettle popcorn and a fresh limeade or lemonade.
In addition to the crafts shows, War Eagle Mill is a treat in itself. You can sample and purchase fresh breads along with organic whole grain flours, meals, mixes, sugarless fruit-spreads and more. On the first floor you can watch corn being milled at this still operational grist mill. War Eagle’s 150 year-old mill-stones are powered by the only 18-foot, undershot waterwheel in operation in the country. It is powered by the beautiful War Eagle River. The second floor gift shop features cast iron cookware, quilts and locally crafted jewelry, knives and beautiful pottery. Head to the third floor for lunch at the Bean Palace Restaurant, where you’ll find beans and cornbread with fine corn relish along with hot black berry, pecan and sugarless apple cobblers for a delightful dessert. The Bean Palace Restaurant will serve a full country breakfast starting at 7 a.m.
Getting there:
From Rogers take Scenic Highway 12 East to War Eagle Road (98); turn South 1½ miles. From Eureka Springs, take Hwy 23 South to Hwy 12 West to War Eagle Road (98); turn South 1½ miles. From Springdale take Hwy 412 East to Hwy 303 North travel 8 miles to the mill. For more information contact us at 11045 War Eagle Road, Rogers, AR 72756 or by phone 479-789-5343 or toll free 866-492-7324 or by fax 479-789-5100. Find more info at www.wareaglemill.com and our email is info@wareaglemill.com.
Other fairs in the area during the same weekend include:
-- 4th annual Spring Craft Fair, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, 7 miles south of Eureka Springs on Ark. 23.
479-253-3790; www.turpentinecreek.org
-- May Crafts Fair, Pine Mountain Village Shopping Center, Eureka Springs.
479-253-8737; www.eurekaspringschamber.com
May Brings Music and Motorcycles to El Dorado
April 27, 2009 7:41 AM
The
10th annual Bugs, Bands & Bikes Festival will take place May 2 in El Dorado.
The
event is geared toward motorcyclists and will feature a poker run, motorcycle
parade and a bike show with cash prizes.
Entertainment will feature Wes Jeans, Monty Russell and the Hardcore
Troubadours, and L Boogie. Jeans was voted one of the best guitar players in
the nation by
Guitar Player magazine and
has opened up for B.B. King.
There will also be a Celebrity Crawfish Eating Contest, food vendors,
and many other activities. Crawfish will also be prepared by Mel’s Seafood for
attendees to enjoy. For more information, visit
www.bugsbandsandbikes.com
or call Main Street
El Dorado at 870-862-4747.