Travelin’ Arkansas: Events Taking Place During January

Note to Print and Broadcast Editors: We at the Arkansas Tourism Division recognize that our “Travelin’ Arkansas” media releases are frequently too lengthy to be used in their entirety. However, we feel an obligation to represent a variety of events from across the state. We encourage you to consider adapting “Travelin’ Arkansas” to fit your needs by selecting events you feel meet the interests of your readers or listeners. In addition, we would suggest that “Travelin’ Arkansas” items may be used on a stand-alone basis to fill your space and time needs.

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Visitors can search for diamonds year-round at Crater of Diamonds State Park...even in the winter. The Murfreesboro based park offers winter programs Dec. – Feb. 28. Enhance your diamond hunting experience by watching one of the park’s free programs on diamond hunting, rocks and minerals, or park history.

More programs are usually offered on weekends than weekdays, but unscheduled programs may be offered upon request, depending upon staff availability. 

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Each winter across the state, numerous state parks and private businesses offer guided trips for eagle viewing. Trips include hikes, lake tours and some van tours. All take bird watchers in easy viewing distance of our national symbol. Call ahead about events to ensure availability and confirm dates.

Bull Shoals-White River State Park, Lakeview. Bull Shoals Lake and White River tailwater areas below Bull Shoals Dam play host to more than 100 bald eagles migrating to and through this prime wintering ground. See eagles, hawks, owls and other birds of prey in the wild. Activities include eagle-spotting lake tours, guided bird walks, guest speakers, live bird demonstrations and live entertainment. Tour dates: Jan. 5 and 6. Programs free, except lake cruises: $6 adults, $3 ages 6-12. Contact: (870) 431-5521.

Petit Jean State Park, Morrilton. Park interpreters devote two days to our national symbol, the bald eagle. A variety of programs will be offered, including field trips to Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge to see wintering bald eagles. Tour dates: Jan. 13 and 14. 

Belle of the Ozarks, Rogers. Captain Jay Viator will take passengers into favorite winter habitats for eagles during the 14th annual Eagle Watch on Beaver Lake. Cruises aboard the Belle of the Ozarks will depart from Rocky Branch Marina, located 12 miles east of Rogers. Expert guides on each two-hour cruise inform passengers about birds of prey and other wildlife sighted during each cruise. All seats for cruises are reserved and must be pre-paid. Tour dates: Jan. 26-28. 

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The Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock is where O'Reilly's Autofest will be held Jan. 5 to 7. This “premier indoor collection of street machines, rods, customs, trucks, bikes and more” is the first national-level show to be held in the capital city. One hundred twenty-five of the hottest cars in the state will compete for awards in several categories, including five champion awards, best display and best club display. Celebrity guests (to be announced) will be on hand to sign autographs, plus there will be local and national vendors selling some of the latest products and accessories. Hours are 4-9 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. 

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BANG ’07, a new event in Fort Smith, is an art show and silent auction benefiting the local art community and featuring the works of Fayetteville’s ArtAmiss and the Fort Smith arts community. It will be from 5-10 p.m., Jan. 12 and 1-10 p.m., Jan. 13 at the Old Belle Grove Schoolhouse at 600 N. 6th St. Local bands will also play throughout the event and the cover charge will be $3.

Every kind of medium will be represented in the art show. Some works will be part of the silent auction. Both new and established artists from Fort Smith will show their works. Ten pieces from elementary students will be chosen to be part of the show. Additionally, artists from the ArtAmiss group will submit works. ArtAmiss is a community-based, multimedia art collective showcasing the talents of artists living and working in Arkansas.

The silent auction proceeds will be donated to the Fort Smith Art Center’s annual summer art camp. The cover charge to hear the bands will be given to the Fort Smith Public Schools Art Department.

Bands from Fort Smith and Fayetteville will include: Sam King, Early Morning Bourbon Girls, School Boy Humor, A+ Setup, The Vamps, Bluntsworth and more.

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Arkansas Post Museum’s Annual Civil War Encampment is slated for Jan. 13–14 in Gillett. The annual Civil War Encampment at Arkansas Post Museum will feature living historians, a firing demonstration and a program on women in the Civil War. Visitors will also have the opportunity to tour the encampments. For more information, contact the Arkansas Post Museum at (870) 548-2634.

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Attention outdoor enthusiasts! Lake Charles and Old Davidsonville State Parks offer barge tours in January. Lake Charles State Park in Powhatan will host a birding barge tour on Saturday, Jan. 13, beginning at 9 a.m. The tour will allow participants to enjoy the feathered residents of Lake Charles – don’t forget your binoculars! Registration is required two weeks prior to the event. 

Old Davidsonville State Park is hosting the Black River barge tour on Saturday, Jan. 27, starting at 3 p.m. The tour will start at Old Davidsonville State Park in Pocahontas and will include a boating trip on the Black River and the Spring River. The tour will conclude with a tour of Powhatan Historic State Park. 

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The Clinton Presidential Center and Park in Little Rock’s River Market District will be the site of “Mother Goose & More” on Jan. 16, presented by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. The internationally flavored program features “Ravel’s captivating musical retelling of five fairytales” including Conversations of Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, and Tom Thumb. In addition, Valerie Coleman’s light and breezy Umoja (Swahili for “unity”), John Steinmetz’s colorful Quintet, which emphasizes the oboe’s famous “A440” (the pitch given when an orchestra tunes), Ferenc Farkas’ Renaissance-inspired Ancient Hungarian Dance, and Czech composer Jiri Jaroch’s Children’s Suit, a charming and refreshing nonet (a combination of nine instruments or voices), will be presented. Admission is $25 for the 7 p.m. concert. Tickets can be ordered online through the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Web site: www.arkansassymphony.org/.

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Inspired by John Water’s 1988 hit movie, the Broadway musical Hairspray takes the stage Jan. 16 through 18 at Little Rock’s Robinson Center Music Hall. One of the Great White Way’s newest hits, Hairspray is the winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Book, Best Score, Best Costumes and Best Musical. It tells of the story of the country’s transition from the ‘50s to the ‘60s and Baltimore’s Tracy Turnblad’s turn at stardom after winning a local dance contest, big hair and all. The New York Times review says "If life were everything it should be, it would be more like HAIRSPRAY. It's irresistible!" 

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Coin collectors will want to ink in Jan. 19-21 on their calendars as it marks the weekend of the largest coin show in the state. The 41st Annual Tri Lakes Coin Show will take place in Hot Springs at the Convention Center. The coin, stamp and sports card show will feature 100 vendors buying, selling, and/or trading their collection.

Show hours are Friday 1 - 6 p.m., Saturday 9 -6 p.m, and Sunday 9- 4 p.m. The show is being presented by the Tri-Lakes Coin Club. The club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Garland County Library. 

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Pine Bluff Symphony Orchestra presents Classic Romantics on Jan. 20. Classic Romantics, a program of celebrated pieces demonstrating the balance between classic clarity and romantic passion, will feature the music of Brahms, Mendelssohn and Ravel. The Pine Bluff Symphony Orchestra is comprised of many members who are local residents – some of whom are students – who share their talents and help expose the region to a high quality of music. The orchestra was founded in 1987 to give students an opportunity to improve and continue their musical skills. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Pine Bluff Symphony at (870) 536-7666.

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Relax in a comfortable and warm indoor setting while tapping your feet to a mixture of Bluegrass and Country music during the Ouachita Mountain Jamboree. The free event will take place Jan. 20 at the Rich Mountain Community College Student Center in Mena. The jamborees happen from 7-9 p.m. every third Saturday of the month. The live stage show will feature the Mountain Bluegrass Boys and guests. For more information, contact Bob Dowdy at (479) 243-0577.

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“Springtime in the Ozarks: Floral Quilts from the Enfield Collection” is an exhibit that can be viewed at the Rogers Historical Museum Jan. 23-April 28 in Rogers.

The quilts of the mid-1900s featured the light, bright colors of spring in a variety of floral-inspired patterns. This exhibit includes a sampling of such quilts along with a display of quilting ephemera such as patterns and sewing tools.

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Renowned Guitarist David Burgess to perform at The Ritz Civic Center in Blytheville on Jan. 26. New York guitarist David Burgess will perform some of Brazil’s finest solo guitar music. Receiving critical praise for his technique and flamboyant style, David Burgess has performed throughout North and South America, Europe and the Far East. He has won international guitar competitions in New York, Mexico City, Toronto and Munich. For more information, contact The Ritz Civic Center at (870) 762-1744.

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Have you found some interesting items while digging in your garden? Or did you get a metal detector for Christmas and use it to discover all sorts of treasures but you have no idea what you’ve found? Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park will give you the chance to solve your mysteries on Jan. 27 during Artifact Identification Day. Bring your discoveries to the park visitor center from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and let the resident archeologist examine them. Up to five prehistoric artifacts to be reviewed are allowed; no appraisals will be given. Admission is the regular park fee: $3 for adults, $2 per child ages 6-12.

As of November 2022, Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park has been renamed Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park. For more information, click here.