Kerry Kraus

NaturalStateBlogger@gmail.com

 

 

DATE UPDATE:

 

According to the local contact for the always-anticipated Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival, the daffodils should be in bloom in time for the festival which will be held March 20-21 and 27-28. Updates will be reported to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism as are warranted; call 501-682-777 to get the latest report.

 

 

In addition to the seven acres of daffodils featuring 30 varieties, there is going to be arts, crafts, barbecue, cobblers, beverages and more. Crafters will be on site through Easter Sunday. An area just for the purchase of daffodils is going to be available. Young and old alike enjoy the beauty of these eye-catching flowers.

 

This eagerly awaited harbinger of spring is held at the Wye Mountain United Methodist Church with proceeds benefiting the church. It is located at 1402 Ark. 113 South in Bigelow.

 

 

Grab your planner when you join me each Monday because I’ll be previewing upcoming events that you won’t want to miss.

Jill M. Rohrbach

jillsjourneys@gmail.com

Arkansas State Parks have plenty of fun scheduled to help kids and their families celebrate Spring Break.

Two lakeside parks offer Spring Break programs for kids and families. Join park interpreters at Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville during the week of March 13-28 for programs and activities that feature nature and the signs of spring. Admission is free. Call 479-967-5516 for details.

More Spring Break adventures take place at Lake Fort Smith State Park near Mountainburg on March 20-28. Families are invited to explore the scenic beauty of the park and activities such as nature crafts, hikes, kayaking, boat tours, and more. Call 479-369-2469 for details.

 

 

Devil’s Den State Park in West Fork is encouraging people to turn off cell phones and leave their gadgets and gizmos at home during the Spring Break Celebration set for March 19-28. Throughout this week, park interpreters will lead hikes, cave tours, pedal boat cruises and campfire talks. The event is free. Call 479-761-3325 for more information.

 

Click here for more information on Spring Break fun at these and other state parks.

Click here to read the article “A Spring Break That Won’t Break the Bank.”

Click here to read the article “20 Spring Break Ideas in The Natural State.”

Friday blogs are a mix of things instead of fitting a theme like my other blog days. Most of the time it will be event oriented and other times just something I needed to share.

Jill M. Rohrbach

jillsjourneys@gmail.com

The 2010 Season Passes for the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View are now available at a cost of $65 for adults and $30 for kids 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are admitted free.

A season pass gets you into the Craft Village and allows you to attend regular evening music concerts throughout the season. Celebrity Concerts are not included.

The season runs from April 16 through Oct. 31. The Craft Village is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday from April 16 through Sept. 30, except on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. On those holidays, the park is open Sunday and Monday also. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday during the month of October.

The passes may be purchased at the park or by calling (870) 269-3851. For a detailed schedule of music concerts and other events, visit OzarkFolkCenter.com. Workshops are available throughout the year for many traditional crafts, music and herbs.

The mission of this state park is to preserve, perpetuate and interpret precious traditional folk arts. The Craft Village presents more than 20 different demonstrations of Ozark mountain pioneer crafts such as basket making, pottery, blacksmithing, quilting and broom making. Craft items are for sale both from the artisans directly and in the Homespun Gift Shop. The Village also contains an herb garden and children’s area. Music is a big part of this as well.

In addition to the Crafts Village and Music Theater, the Folk Center offers a full service restaurant open during the season from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Duplex-type cabins are available year round. The park also has convention and banquet facilities.

 

Looking for weekend ideas? Check out the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site and dive into civil rights and human rights films and documentaries.

On Saturday, February 20th and Sunday, February 21st at Market Street Cinema, the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, in partnership with Market Street Cinema, is hosting the fourth annual “Reel Civil Rights" Film Festival at Market Street Cinema, located at 1521 Merrill Drive in Little Rock.

The festival highlights documentaries and films related to past and current civil and human rights issues in the United States and abroad. The festival is free and open to the public. This is a great opportunity to watch these featured films because the event is free and no tickets are required. You might want to arrive early because seats will be granted on a first come, first served basis. 

Films showcased include, 4 Little Girls, A Spike Lee Joint, Interracial Dating In America, directed by Chris Clay, Soul of Black Girls Produced by Meet Daphne Valerius and Black Gold: A Film About Coffee and Trade co-directed by Nick and Marc Francis. For a complete line up of films, visit our www.nps.gov/chsc or call 501-374-1957, or contact Market Street Cinema at 501-312-8900 or www.marketstreetcinema.net.

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site is located at 2120 Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive, diagonally across the street from Central High School. The visitor center is open from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Admission is free. For more information call (501) 374-1957 or email cchsc_visitor_center@nps.gov.

 

 
My blog each Wednesday is going to discuss the wine offerings of Arkansas from individual vineyards, wines, festivals, to wine-infused events and more.

Jill M. Rohrbach

jillsjourneys@gmail.com

Arkansas Wine Country is no longer exclusive to the river valley. In the Ozark Mountains in northwest Arkansas, Keels Creek Winery opened in 2006 in Eureka Springs. The retail wine sales and tasting room are located in a Spanish-style building that is shared with Keels Creek Art Gallery.

The vineyards are located in the hills of Keels Creek about 3 miles from the city limits of Eureka Springs. The ten acres of land which was initially planted in 2004 and 2005 now contains more than 10 varieties of grapes. Co-owners Doug Hausler and Edwige Denyszyn estimate that the optimal production from the vineyard will be about 40 tons of grapes which will make about 5,000 gallons of wine.

In addition to its own label, Keels Creek offers one of the largest selections of Arkansas wines in the state.

I have been to several wine tastings here and a majority of the folks who participated bought more than one bottle of wine at the end. Most people walk out with a box filled with several varieties. Not only is the wine good, but the tasting is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. If Edwige is there, and she usually is, you’ll enjoy her beautiful French accent, and passionate description of each glass she pours for you. Both owners and their staff are masters at helping individuals understand the nuances of wine and discover what they like best.

Twice I have walked into the tasting room to see a group of six or so women in the middle of a tasting laughing, clinking glasses, sipping wine and having a grand time. It’s an infectious moment that you want to jump right in and be a part of.

In addition to the wines, it’s always nice to explore the large, open art gallery. Eureka Springs is, after all, an artist town.

Keel’s Creek Winery is located at 3185 E. Van Buren; 479-253-9463; www.keelscreek.com

Friday blogs are a mix of things instead of fitting a theme like my other blog days. Most of the time it will be event oriented and other times just something I needed to share.

Jill M. Rohrbach

jillsjourneys@gmail.com

Do you love original art? Here are upcoming events whether you want to view art, buy art, or produce art. Or maybe you want to do all three!

Engaging Hands, Creative Minds is the winter exhibit on view now until mid-March at Fresh Air Art Gallery in Clinton. It includes works by 10 artists with more than 300 collective years of perfecting their crafts. Glassblowers, potters, sculptors, bead makers, jewelers, and photographers have come together for this show. The gallery is located at 358 Main Street. For more information call Carol Corning at 501-745-2266 or visit www.freshairyoga.org.

The Arkansas Craft Guild is now taking artists applications to exhibit in the Guild's Spring Show set for May 13-15 at the Clarion Hotel in Bentonville. There will be a VIP Preview on Thursday the 13th from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. Show hours on Friday the 14th will be from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., and Saturday the 15th from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. The deadline for applications has been extended to March 15th. A detailed standards document is available on the Guild website at www.arkansascraftguild.org For more information visit: arkansascraftguild.org/springshow.

The Eureka Springs School of the Arts class schedule is now available. Summer classes will begin May 14 and run through Aug. 6. Fall classes run from Sept. 10 through Oct. 10. Most classes are five days in length and include: Masters/Class Portraits in oil taught by Kevin Kresse of Little Rock, and New Ideas for the Traditional Basket taught by re-known Huntsville basket maker Leon Niehues. Sessions will also be held in off-loom weaving, watercolors, bookmaking, figure drawing, clay hand-built forms, and many other subjects that range from beginning to advanced levels. Youth sessions for ages 11 through 17 and 7 through 10 years-of-age are also offered. See the detailed schedule at www.esartschool.org/and phone 479-253-5384 for more information.

 

My Friday blogs are a mix of things instead of fitting a theme like my other blog days. Most of the time it will be event oriented or last minute information I just received. So, how would you like a little art, music and romance for your Friday?

Jill M. Rohrbach
jillsjourneys@gmail.com

Calling All Romantics
I’m on a ton of email and enewsletter lists. I recently received from the Crescent Hotel and New Moon Spa in Eureka Springs notice of a special it is running seven days a week from now through Feb. 11. You can get a one night stay in a Jacuzzi suite, $100 dinner voucher in the Crystal Dining Room, couples massage plus private sauna for two, breakfast for two, and a free walking trail map to visit the springs for $289 plus tax. You can even upgrade to a penthouse suite based on availability. Visit www.crescent-hotel.com or call 800-342-9766 if you’re interested. (Hello husband! Do you read my blogs? Getting any ideas? Yeah, that’s what I thought.)

There are tons of specials out there to take advantage of at hotels, restaurants and attractions across the state. The best place to find them is on www.arkansas.com. Click on Hot Deals & Packages and then pick from tons of deals in numerous categories of interest such as golf, spas, birding, music and entertainment, honeymooning, motorcycling, and the list goes on. It’s that easy. Just click and pick.

Wakarusa Announces Lineup
Here are 40 of the more than 100 artists set to appear at Wakarusa 2010 on June 3-6 at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark.

The initial lineup: STS9, The Disco Biscuits, Slightly Stoopid, John Butler Trio, Blues Traveler, Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa, Bassnectar, Railroad Earth, The Machine performs Pink Floyd, JJ Grey & MOFRO, Lotus, Rebelution, ALO, Tea Leaf Green, Boombox, Black Joe Lewis, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, EOTO, James Zabiela, Split Lip Rayfield, Hayes Carll, Sub Swara, Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers, Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Trampled by Turtles, Wookiefoot, Mishka, Big Gigantic, Truth & Salvage Co., Fort Knox Five, Mountain Sprout, Band of Heathens, Last Waltz Ensemble, Cash'd Out, Earl Greyhound, Bluetech, Uglysuit, Passafire, Simplified, Hoots & Hellmouth, Resident Anti-Hero

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. For updates and ticket information go to www.wakarusa.com.

A Photographic Journey
In association with Julie Wait Designs Gallery, an artist reception for northwest Arkansas photographer Stephen Ironside will be tonight (Jan. 15) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Poor Richard’s Art in Rogers. The exhibition takes you to some of the most natural places in the world from Arkansas to the jungles of Costa Rica. The gallery is located at 318 South First in Rogers, and is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday by appointment. Call 479-631-8706 for more information or check out the event page http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190885289829&ref=mf