August's Travelin’ the Ozarks: Events Taking Place During August

Note to the Print and Broadcast Media:

In order to better serve your needs and to keep you from getting extremely long documents from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, we have decided to break down our Travelin’ Arkansas release into regions organized by date. This way you will be able to look only at the areas you are interested in covering. The territories covered in Travelin' Arkansas adhere to the six geographical regions found in the Arkansas Tour Guide. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions: communications@arkansas.com or 501-682-7606.

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Tontitown has been celebrating its rich heritage for 112 years. This year’s Grape Festival takes place Aug. 3-7 on the festival grounds of St. Joseph Catholic Church. There will be free concerts by nationally-recognized performers each night. The fun also consists of a huge carnival with games and rides, and an arts and crafts fair. Also a tradition is the serving of homemade Italian spaghetti dinners, and grape ice cream. Visit www.tontitowngrapefestival.com or call 479-361-2615 for more information.

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Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area in Rogers offers a Beaver Lake Discovery Tour on Aug. 5, 8 and 12. Join a park interpreter for this scenic guided tour around beautiful Beaver Lake aboard a new 28-foot commercial pontoon vessel. The tour explores the geology of the Ozarks on Beaver Lake along with the amazing views and abundant wildlife. Space is limited. Call the visitor center at 479-789-5000 for reservations and pre-payment. The tour takes off from Rocky Branch Marina. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12, and free for children 5 and younger.

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The 57th annual Decatur BBQ Festival is packed with more than just great food. This event on Aug. 6-7 in Veteran’s Park has a fun run, poker run and car show, kids games, parade, tiny tot contest, pageant, hot air balloon rides, barbecue, and chicken dinners.

Entertainment will be provided by Bobby Cole Carter Band, Ashlyn Meheny, Buddy Jewel, Dazzle ‘Em Dance, and The Flint Hill Ramblers.

Bring your lawn chairs. Call 479-752-8460 or 479-752-3912 or visit www.decaturarkansaschamber.org for details. Admission is free.

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Bargain hunters will love visiting Eureka Springs on Aug. 6-7 during the 16th Annual Yards and Yards of Yard Sales. Homes and businesses throughout the town will have items for sale. Visit www.eurekaspringschamber.com or call 800-638-7352 for details.

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Summer Diversity Weekend is Aug. 6-8 in the eclectic getaway of Eureka Springs, located in the heart of the Ozarks. Events occur from day to evening at citywide locations. For a detailed schedule of events visit www.diversitypride.com, or phone 479-253-2555 for additional information.

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Ft. Smith’s Mule and Donkey Show Festival on Aug. 6-8 is a sure bet for some fun, but unusual, entertainment. There will be thousands of dollars in prizes and cash money to be competed for in Halter, Western Pleasure, English, Driving, Hitch, Gaited and Gymkhana events. The festival also has a draft horse/mule pulling contest and coon jumping contest. Along with the equine show, the event has music, arts and crafts, tack vendors, and food vendors. The cost is $6 per day, or $15 for a three day pass. Visit www.muleanddonkeyshow.com or call 918-678-2088 for more information.

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The 14th annual Run for the Grapes 5K is set for Aug. 7 with a Kids Fun Run following it. Pre-registration is prior to Aug. 2 and costs $15 for the 5K, and $8 for the kids run. After Aug. 2 registration is $20 and $10, respectively. Visit www.runforthegrapes.com or contact cnixon@ffbh.com for details.

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It’s all about ladies as Lake Charles State Park in Powhatan offers an Outdoor Women’s Fun Day on Aug. 7. Designed especially for women, the one-day workshop includes activities focusing on orienteering, kayaking, GPS basics, and nature crafts. A campfire lunch will be provided. Registration is $20 and registration is required two weeks prior to the workshop. For more information, visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com or phone 870-878-6595.

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Grab the bike and head to Pocahontas for the 7th annual Good Earth Poker Run and Fish Fry on Aug. 7. The first bike departs at 8 a.m. on this 40-mile course. The event also features a fish fry at noon. The event begins at the Good Earth Kilovista site in Birdell. Phone 870-328-2568 for more information.

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August 7-8 is Confederate History Weekend at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Prairie Grove. Programming includes living history activities throughout the weekend at various times and locations. You are encouraged to wander the grounds and talk with the re-enactors. The event is presented by volunteer re-enactors from the Prairie Grove Sons of Confederate Veterans Thomas C. Hindman Camp #656.

On Aug. 8 you can also view the Webb Civil War and Antique Collection. Local residents and dedicated park volunteers, Ann and C. W. Webb, will display and talk about an array of items from their personal collections of Civil War items, antique kitchen ware, and ladies' accessories.

The Burgess Civil War Collection can be viewed Aug. 22. Local Civil War enthusiast Steve Burgess will display and talk about Civil War items from his personal collection, including bullets, cannonballs, and other items found in northwest Arkansas.

Contact the park at 479-846-2990 for details.

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Agriculture has played a major part in the history of Arkansas. The Old Independence Regional Museum in Batesville invites you to attend Cows, Cattle and Change on Aug. 8. The program features Don Hubbell of the University of Arkansas Experiment Station at Bethesda and focuses on how the cattle industry has changed. Contact the museum at 870-793-2121 for details.

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Mammoth Springs holds its 117th annual Old Soldier's Reunion on Aug. 9-14. The family fun for this long-time event includes carnival rides and games, food booths, a talent show, square dancing, crafts, bingo and more. On the 14th, Union and Confederate troops will have an encampment and demonstrate drills and firing weapons. A skirmish between troops will start at 2 p.m. Bring a lawn chair for added comfort. Admission is free. Call 870-625-7364 for more information.

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A summer tradition, the 40th annual Ice Cream Social takes place Aug. 21 in Fayetteville. Enjoy ice cream, cake, live music, living history, and children's activities at historic Headquarters House, built in 1853. Tour the gardens and house, and learn its part in Civil War history. Proceeds benefit the Washington County Historical Society's educational programs for children and adults. Admission is $5 for adults, $2.50 for children ages 6-12, and free for kids 5 and younger. Family tickets are $15. Headquarters House is located at 118 E. Dickson St. in the downtown area. Visit www.washcohistoricalsociety.org or call 479-521-2970 for more information.

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Home of the sweetest watermelons, according to the Chamber of Commerce, the 31st annual Cave City Watermelon Festival is set for Aug. 12-14 in the city park. Activities include a pancake breakfast, car show, and parade. There will, of course, be watermelons galore. Ernie Couch & Revival will provide live music. There is also a beauty pageant and drawings for prizes. Admission is free. Visit www.cavecityarkansas.info or call 870-283-5959 for details.

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The Eureka Springs Bed & Breakfast Murder Mystery Weekend on Aug. 13-15 is dubbed “The Sure Pop Oil Well Scandal.” This is an interactive mystery weekend where you become a character. Active role-playing and clues are used to solve the mystery. Visit www.bridgefordhouse.com/murder-mystery.html or call 479-253-7853 for details.

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The 117th Annual Gravette Day takes place from 6 a.m. to midnight on Aug. 14. The event includes a Kiwanis pancake breakfast, classic car show, motorcycle charity poker-run, vendors and rides, parade on Main Street, chili and salsa cook-off, and more. The Hendren Aviation skydivers are a main feature. Festivities are held in Kindley City Park and admission is free. Check the website www.gravettearkansas.com, or call 479-790-7296 for details and updates.

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Learn how bats can actually be beneficial to your yard and the ecosystem when Davidsonville Historic State Park in Pocahontas hosts a Bat House Workshop on Aug. 14. Discover more about bats, a natural form of pest control, and make a bat house to attract them to your yard. Admission is $15 per family and reservations are required. Participants need to bring a hammer. To learn more, check out www.ArkansasStateParks.com or contact Davidsonville Historic State Park at 870-892-4708.

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Gaston's Resort Fly Fishing School on Aug. 14-15 in Lakeview begins with three hours of one-on-one classroom instruction. Subjects include the art and history of fly-fishing, equipment and the uses of different types of equipment and the basics of fly-fishing. The afternoon will be spent with personal instruction on how to use your fly rod. The second day is spent fly-fishing for trout on the White River with an instructor. The cost of the class is $205. Visit www.gastons.com/school.php or phone 870-431-5202 for registration and details.

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Eureka Springs’ Family Bluegrass Weekend is a citywide event set for Aug. 18-22. There will be numerous free shows in Basin Spring Park as well as shows in the Auditorium and at clubs around town. Pickers also gather poolside at lodging venues throughout town and play until the wee hours of the morning. Visit www.eurekasprings.org or phone 866-947-4387 for details.

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On Aug. 19-21 Harrison holds its 39th annual Northwest Arkansas Bluegrass Festival at Beacon Park, five miles north of the city on Ark. 65. Music styles will include gospel, traditional and modern bluegrass. The festival kicks off each evening at 6:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon matinee are from 1:30 p.m. until 5:15 p.m. Jam sessions are all day long starting at 7 a.m. Festival-goers are encouraged to bring their acoustic instruments and lawn chairs. Visit www.harrisonarkansas.org or call 870-426-3477 for details.

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A one of a kind event for Mountain View, the 6th annual Mountains, Music & Motorcycles event is set for Aug. 20-22 with a majority of the festivities taking place on the courthouse square. There will be biker games, a poker run, and a bike show. Prizes, games, music and food will be part of the fun for the whole family. Visit www.yourplaceinthemountains.com or call 870-269-5004 for more information.

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Looking for a new relaxing hobby? Try weaving! You’ll learn how when Powhatan Historic State Park in Powhatan offers an Egg Basket Weaving Workshop on Aug. 21. Admission is $45 and includes all materials and lunch. Class size is limited and reservations are suggested. For more information, visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com or phone Powhatan Historic State Park at 870-878-6765.

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Enjoy an afternoon tasting scrumptious appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks on Aug. 21 during the Taste of the Inns Tour in Eureka Springs. Eight Bed and Breakfast Inns offer their favorite appetizers and special versions of a non-alcoholic cocktails. Sample, socialize and enter yourself in a contest for a chance to win a prize! Weekend packages are available. The cost for the tour is $25 per person. Visit www.allianceofbetterbandbs.com/eureka-springs-taste-of-the-inns.htm or call 479-253-7853 for details.

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The annual Underwater Treasure Hunt on Aug. 21 in Jordan is a unique event to participate in or to watch. Certified scuba divers search underwater (no deeper than 40 ft.) for tokens and return them for prizes. Sandcastle contest and scavenger hunt for those who don't dive is also part of the fun. The event takes place at Sand Island on Norfork Lake, and is a benefit for the American Cancer Society. Admission is $30 for scuba divers, but free for spectators. Call 870-499-7348 or visit www.jordanmarina.com for more information.

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The Frisco Festival, located in Rogers, is a family festival honoring the town’s railroad heritage. The 26th annual Frisco Festival takes place Aug. 27-28 in the historic downtown. Signature events include: Chilisalsapeno Competition, Kid's Connection, Frisco Chicken BBQ, Frisco Idol, several car shows, and non-stop main stage entertainment starting and ending with Friday and Saturday night street dances. Admission is free. Call 479-936-5487 or visit www.friscofestival.com for more information.

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If you’re a fan of the game “Slug Bug,” plan to visit Eureka Springs Aug. 27-29 for the 18th annual VW Festival, Swap Meet and Tourcade. This is one of the biggest Volkswagen events in the Midwest. The event is based at the Inn of the Ozarks. There are registration fees for participants, but the event is free to spectators. Visit www.nwavwa.com or phone 800-552-3785 for additional information.

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Submitted by the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-682-7606
E-mail: info@arkansas.com

May be used without permission. Credit line is appreciated:
"Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism"