Travelin’ Arkansas: Events Taking Place Early May

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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From Monday, May 1 through Wednesday, May 31 the City of Eureka Springs will offer a myriad of activities in celebration of the arts.

The theme for this year’s May Festival of the Arts is "Birds." Activities will include gallery walks, concerts, dance, artist receptions, parade, contests, workshops and art demonstrations. Most events are free, take place at various locations around town, and range in interest for kids to adults.

For more information or a list of individual event listings per specific calendar date, phone (888) 855-7823 or visit www.eurekasprings.org.

Joining in the celebration will be Harmonious Wail, a gypsy swing band, on May 5; Saffire -The Uppity Blues Women in concert on May 13; and, The Glengarry Bhoys, Celtic "rhoots" and rock band from Canada on May 15. Tickets are on sale at www.PaperMoonAttractions.com or by calling (479) 363-0363.

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Morning yoga classes will be offered at Mt. Nebo State Park throughout the Spring. Each Wednesday at 9 a.m. now through the end of May certified instructor Roxy Slagle of Restorative Yoga in Russellville will bring her years of expertise to the mountain for this introductory yoga course. It is a non-strenuous class meant to promote relaxation, breathing and health in one of the state’s most beautiful settings. It is open to all people of any fitness level. No previous experience or special equipment is required. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a mat or blanket. The cost for each class is $12 per person. Classes will be held in the large pavilion near the campground.

The park is located south of Dardanelle and Russellville. From I-40, Exit 81, take Ark. 7 South through the city of Russellville to Dardanelle, turn right onto Ark. 22 West, then left on Ark. 155 South up the mountain. For more information, call the Visitor Information Center at (479) 229-3650 or visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com/MtNebo.

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The annual Ozark Festival Charity Horse Show is set for May 4-6 at the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Arena in Fayetteville. Hundreds of participants gather for this three-day event featuring Missouri Fox Trotters, Tennessee Walkers, The Racking Horse, Spotted Saddle Horse, Peruvian Paso and Paso Fino.

For the past 30 years, the Northwest Arkansas Gaited Horse Club has put on a horse show committed to charity. A portion of this year’s admission fee will benefit the D.E. King Equine Program at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

For more information, contact Evonne Fulkerson at (479) 273-2782 or visit www.equineprogram.org. Admission will be $5 with children 12 and under free. The Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Arena is located just to the south of Interstate 540 on Ark. 112.

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Join musicians from all over the region for three days of pickin’ and singin’ at Village Creek State Park in Wynne during Pickin’ In the Park May 4-6th. Bring your instruments and lawn chairs and sit down to play or just listen to some great bluegrass, gospel, and old-time country music.

Covering more than 6,900 acres, Village Creek near Forrest City is the second largest of the state parks in The Natural State. While in town for the festival, take along the fishing rod as Village Creek State Park is home to two small lakes, Austell and Dunn, both of which have gained reputations as excellent bass fisheries.

For more information on this free event, phone (870) 238-9406 or email villagecreek@arkansas.com.

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A Cinco De Mayo Celebration will touch down in Mountain View at the Ozark Folk Center on May 5th. The day will serve as a celebration of the food, music and crafts of Mexico. There will also be a celebrity concert event at 7:30 that night featuring traditional folk music of Mexico.

The Ozark Folk Center is located on 640 wooded acres, just north of the city of Mountain View, a small town of less than 3,000 residents, in Stone County. The center is dedicated to providing living history and exists to reserve, document, display and interpret the cultural and social history of the Ozark region.

For more information, check out www.ozarkfolkcenter.com or call 870.269.3851.

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On Friday and Saturday, May 5-6, the Southwest Arkansas town of Doddridge will host in its City Park the annual Spring Bank Ferry Festival. Admission will be free.

A fish fry and music by local gospel performers will kick off the festival on May 5. Hours will be 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Festival hours on May 6 will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and scheduled activities include a 5-K run, a breakfast, a parade, a scavenger hunt, bingo games and local country music performers.

Doddridge is located on Ark. 160 about 33 miles south of Texarkana via U.S. 71. City Park is located off Ark. 160. For more festival information, phone Emily Burnett at (870) 691-2442.

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It is Silver Anniversary time for Conway and its annual Toad Suck Daze extravaganza as the event celebrates 25 years in 2006. Dates are May 5, 6 and 7. Toad-themed events, such as the Toad Jam Basketball Tournament, the Toad Store, toad breakfast, toad dinner, toad pageant, and Tour de Toad, abound. But the activities don’t stop there. In addition, there will be a fireman’s competition for kids, a poster contest, car show, pony and carnival rides, magic and puppet shows, and a bicycle demonstration show. Also on the schedule are an art & crafts sale and show, a rock climbing wall, a pet show, a Civil War display, a cowboy showdown, “stuck on a truck” contest, plus tons of entertainment and food. Sunday brings a Daze of Praze as well. Many, many more activities are scheduled. For a complete list and times, check the Toad Suck Daze Web site: www.toadsuck.org, e-mail toadsuck@conwayarkcc.org, or call (501) 327-7788.

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The 36th annual World Famous Armadillo Festival on Friday through Sunday, May 5-7 in downtown Hamburg will feature on its opening day a crawfish boil beginning at 4:30 p.m. and a 6 p.m. street dance with live music provided by local bands the Haley Creek Boys, Even Side and Autumn’s End. Carnival rides will be available that evening and on May 6. Festival admission will be free.

Other activities scheduled for May 6 include live entertainment; a 5-K run; a fun run for children ages 5-12; a children’s circus show and pedal-powered tractor pull for kids hosted by Dune Buggy the Clown; vendors of arts, crafts, commercial goods and food; bubble gum-blowing and frog-jumping contests; and an evening of live music and dancing beginning at 5 p.m. and featuring the L.A. Codgers, Ben Coulter and the Trey Hawkins Band. Activities on Sunday, May 7 will include the vendors, who will open at noon, and an afternoon of live gospel music beginning at 1p.m. and featuring the Bolin Family.

Hamburg is located 29 miles south of Monticello via U.S. 425. For additional festival information and for information on area attractions and accommodations, contact the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce by phone at (870) 853-8345 or by e-mail at hchamber@seark.net.

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Discover the magic of one of the Grimm Brother’s fairy tales as the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre presents "The Frog Prince" May 5 to 21. This new musical production revives the traditional folktale penned by the brothers and is sure to delight both kids and adults. The story is of a vain and selfish Princess who promised to kiss a frog. She reneges on her vow but finally realizes the importance of honesty and honor, and keeps her word. The kiss breaks the spell and transforms the frog back into a handsome Prince. Admission is $14 for adults and $11 for children.

May 6 will be The Frog Prince Family Day at the center featuring an afternoon of improvisation and learning. Children will be led through a fast-paced introduction of basic theatre techniques, getting an idea of movement and voice in a performing arts workshop full of fun. An interactive gallery guide is provided for individual expeditions. In addition, there will be docent-led family tours of the Young Arkansas Artists 45th Annual Exhibition. Admission is $6 per workshop. The theatre is located at 501 East 9th Street in Little Rock’s historic MacArthur Park.

Information on both can be obtained by contacting the Arkansas Arts Center at (501) 372-4000, info@arkarts.com, or on the center’s Web site: www.arkarts.com.

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Altus’s 28th annual Springtime Gala and 5K Race is set for May 6 at the Altus City Park in downtown.

The gala will be from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with free admission. Activities include arts and crafts booths, music, games, 5K Race and Fun Walk, and Spring Gala Prince and Princess Contest, an annual tradition for boys and girls ages three to five.

"In addition to the festival activities, visitors can enjoy tours of the local wineries and the historic St. Mary's Catholic Church, and shop in the downtown businesses," Mayor Veronica Post said. "For the history buffs, visit the Coal Miner’s Memorial in the city park and be sure to stop in the Heritage House Museum just across the street."

In conjunction with the festival will be a London and Paris by bike and Arkansas Wine Country tour with a champagne brunch. Participants will have a choice of three routes, which start and finish at Altus. The London trip is 100 miles, and the trip to Paris is 63 miles. The tour of the wineries is 16 miles.

Registration and check-in will be from 7 a.m.-8 a.m. at the gazebo on the southeast corner of the Altus square with the rides beginning shortly after 8 a.m. The brunch will be served from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. on the square after the 16-mile ride. Helmets are required. The entry fee is $35 and are tax deductible. The rides are supported with stops and a car following the tours.

For more information regarding the bike tours, visit www.tri-peaks.org. For gala information, phone (479) 468-4191. For more information on Altus, visit www.altusarkansas.com.

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Downtown Ashdown will be the site of the city’s 10th annual Whistlestop Festival on Saturday, May 6. Among the planned activities are vendors of antiques, arts, crafts, and food; a 5K walk/run; antique car and motorcycle shows; country, gospel and other live music by local and regional acts; a petting zoo and other children’s activities; a climbing wall; and a CASI-sanctioned chili cook-off. Admission will be free.

The festival will begin at 8 a.m. and will conclude following an evening street dance at about 9 p.m. Also scheduled during the festival is an exhibit of some 160 photos taken in Little River County from 1892 to the present day. The photos and other exhibits will be displayed at the new Two Rivers Museum at 15 E. Main St. The Little River Challenge Bike Race, which previously had been conducted in conjunction with the festival, will be held this year on Saturday, April 29.

Ashdown is located 16 miles north of Texarkana via U.S. 71. For more festival and bike race information, contact Clayton Castleman by phone at (870) 898-2642. For information on Ashdown area lodging, restaurants and other attractions, including the nearby Millwood State Park, phone the Little River County Chamber of Commerce at (870) 898-2758.

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The 13th annual South Arkansas Mayhaw Festival and the 7th annual MainStreet Crawfish Boil will provide additional reasons to visit El Dorado’s already bustling "oil boom" downtown on Saturday, May 6. General admission to both events is free.

Mayhaw jelly and trees will be sold during the festival, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the historic John Newton House at 510 North Jackson St. Festival events will include an arts and crafts show, a Dutch-oven cooking demonstration with free tasting, music and other entertainment, a living history presentation by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a quilt show, children’s activities and a lunch of grilled chicken with trimmings.

The mayhaw, a member of the hawthorn family, is native to the acidic soils of Southern river bottoms, streams and swamps and its cranberry-like fruits are prized for the making of jellies, wines and pies because of their tart, juicy flavor. For more festival information, contact the South Arkansas Historical Foundation by phone at (870) 862-9890 or by e-mail at sahf@msn.com.

Beginning at noon, the crawfish boil will feature sales of crawfish dinners with corn and potatoes and a Battle of the Bands with competing musical groups performing 45-minue sets. Prizes awarded the winning group will include an appearance during the city’s annual MusicFest in October. The deadline for entering the contest is April 14.

The festivities, which will continue until 11:30 p.m., will be held across from the Rialto Theatre on East Cedar St. one block south of the Union County Courthouse Square. Hamburgers and hot dogs will also be sold and several restaurants are located downtown. For more information on the crawfish boil and band contest, phone MainStreet El Dorado at (870) 862-4747 or e-mail mainstreeteldorado@sbcglobal.net. To inquire about El Dorado accommodations, restaurants and other attractions, visit www.boomtown.org or phone the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce at (870) 863-6113.

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The third annual Bluegrass Music Festival at White Oak Lake State Park on Saturday, May 6 will be showcasing Arkansas talent with performances by four well-known bluegrass groups that call the state home. The park lies about halfway between Prescott and Camden in Southwest Arkansas and is located on Ark. 387. Festival admission will be free and food vendors will be on hand.

Event hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bands and their performance times scheduled to date include the Acousticatz of Benton, 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.; the Cooper Road Bluegrass Band of Malvern, 10 a.m.; the Nichols Family of Fordyce, 11 a.m.; and the Hartleys of Arkadelphia, 2 p.m. The Acousticatz have been state champions and national semifinalists in the Colgate Country Showdown, the nation’s largest country music competition.

For more event and park information, phone 870-685-2748 or e-mail whiteoaklake@arkansas.com. More information on the park, which has 45 campsites, is available at www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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The 27th annual North Arkansas Woodcarvers Show and Sale is set for 10 a.m.-5 p.m., May 6 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 7 at the Baxter County Fairgrounds in Mountain Home. The show offers people the opportunity to see, enjoy and appreciate the skill, creativity and beauty of wood carving firsthand.

One of the biggest shows in the area, it features whittlers, woodcarvers, wood turners, vendors, judged competitions, demonstrations, and a carving contest. Participants are from all levels - novice to professional. Many nationally-known, professional carvers from across the United States participate in the show each year, along with local carvers.

The show is a project of the North Arkansas Woodcarvers Club, which organized in 1974. The club supports its community in many ways, including carving classes for the Baxter County Library summer youth program, support of regional cultural arts development efforts and community service organization fundraising drives. Members have also donated time to various carving projects in the community such as the Mountain Home Christian Clinic and Cooper Park. The park projects include the large tree mural in the youth center at the park, two totem poles and a stump in the park’s lower area.

For more information, contact Sandy Smith or Bonnie Davis at (870) 431-8070 or visit www.northarkansaswoodcarvers.org. Admission is free.

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With spring migration at its peak, this is an ideal time to observe many bird species at Devil’s Den State Park. The park will offer Birders’ Weekend May 6-7. Activities will include guided bird watching walks, a birds of prey demonstration and other interpretive programs. A highlight of the event will be video footage of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker from David Laneau.

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"Books in Bloom, A Garden Party Celebration for Writers and Readers" will be from noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, May 7 at the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs. In its second year, this event features writers working in genres ranging from prose to poetry, from courtroom dramas to cookbooks, from nature writing to novels set in Northwest Arkansas.

The author lineup this year includes best-selling fiction writer Lawrence Block, winner of numerous awards for mystery writing. Block is the creator of characters Matthew Scudder and Bernie Rhodenbarr who appear in two of Block's award-winning crime novel series.

In all, eighteen writers will be featured at the festival, to talk about their craft, give readings, sign books and meet readers. These include poets, novelists, nature writers and cookbook authors. Some of the authors whose names are well known in Northwest Arkansas include novelists Donald Harington, Joan Hess and Radine Trees Nehring.

"Our goal is to bring together accomplished authors and their readers," says Lin Wellford who, with Carroll and Madison County Library Systems administrator Jean Elderwind, co-chairs the event. "And we want to celebrate our 'homegrown' talent by inviting authors living in the region to participate."

"We're proud of the diversity of writing styles being featured," says Elderwind. "We have a number of mystery writers attending, yes, but also poets and writers of Western literature."

The event, established by the Carroll and Madison Public Library Foundation, is free and open to the public. Writers Lawrence Block, William Bernhardt, Deborah Crombie, Joan Hess and Red Hawk will give presentations in the Crescent Hotel Conservatory and, throughout the afternoon, the other guest writers will give informal readings in the Writers' Tent. Books by all of the festival's writers will be available for sale. There will also be events for children, and a parking shuttle.

For more information about Books in Bloom, please go to the festival's web site, www.booksinbloom.org or contact Jean Elderwind at (870) 423-5300.

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The 17th annual Yell Fest is set for May 12-13 at Veterans Memorial Park in Dardanelle. In a carnival setting, activities will include a yelling contest, a 5K run, craft booths, food vendors, a classic car show, an ugly dog contest, a horseshoe tournament, a rock climbing wall, and a Little Miss and Mister pageant. Fireworks, free kids games with prizes, and live music groups will provide additional entertainment. Friday night is traditionally gospel night.

Prior to the official start of the festival will be Yell Fest Idol from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. May 11 at the park stage. The festival will then run from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. May 12. On May 13, registration for the 5K race will be at 7 a.m., and the festival will close at midnight. Admission is free, except attendees must purchase armbands or tickets for carnival rides. Armband night will be from 6 p.m.-11 p.m. May 12.

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The Hope Chamber of Commerce Free Bluegrass Festival set for Friday and Saturday, May 12-13 in Hope will be marking its 10th anniversary with featured acts such as the Old School Bluegrass Band from Jacksonville, the Nichols Family from Fordyce, Grand Prairie from Lonoke, and the Hartleys from Arkadelphia.

The festival will be held outdoors in the city’s Fair Park, but will be moved into a park building in the event of rain. Hours will be 1:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. both days. Admission is free and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. Concessions will be available at the festival site and a variety of restaurants are located within easy driving distance from the park. Fair Park includes a full-service RV campground (fee required) that can accommodate up to 300 vehicles. For RV reservations, call (870) 777-7500.

To reach Fair Park from Exit 30 on Interstate 30, take U.S. 278 to U.S. 67 and turn right. Then, proceed to Ark. 174 and turn left. Watch for the Fair Park signs. For additional festival information and to inquire about Hope’s accommodations and restaurants, contact the Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce by phone at (870) 777-3640 or by e-mail at hopeark@arkansas.net.

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The World’s Greatest Chicken Cook-off and a performance by Arkansas rockabilly legends Sonny Burgess and the Pacers will be among the highlights of the 10th annual Rough and Ready Days festival to be held Friday and Saturday, May 12-13, in Monticello. The festival site will be McCloy Park on U.S. 425. Admission will be free.

The chicken cook-off will begin at noon on May 12 with judging to start at 5 p.m. Chicken dinners will be served beginning at 6 p.m. Burgess and the Pacers, who recorded for the famed Sun Records of Memphis in the 1950s, will play from 7:30 p.m. until 10. Additional live music by area performers, other local entertainment and arts and crafts vendors are scheduled both days.

The May 13 musical headliner will be Kenny Bill Stinson, a rockabilly artist from Downsville, Louisiana, who will also play from 7:30 p.m. until 10. Other activities scheduled for that day include the festival’s popular chicken races; a 5-K run/walk at 8 a.m.; quilt and antique car and tractor shows; a children’s fishing derby; a bicycle ride; a motorcycle poker run; a silent auction from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; various activities for children; and tours of the Drew County Historical Museum.

For more festival information, contact the Monticello/Drew County Chamber of Commerce by phone at (870) 367-6741 or by e-mail at monticellochamber@sbcglobal.net. More Monticello information is available on the chamber’s Web site at www.montdrewchamber.com.

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Environmental activist John Seed will lead the workshop "Earth, Spirit Action on May 12-14 at River Spirit retreat in Murray Valley.

A renowned rainforest activist, Seed is a dynamic and pro-active leader in the global ecological movement. He co-authored the book "Thinking Like a Mountain" with Joanna Macy and is also an accomplished eco-troubadour. With Macy, Seed developed the practices of deep ecology (such as the Council of All Beings) to dispel the illusion of separation between human beings and the natural world. An Australian, he is the founder and director of the Rainforest Information Centre in Lisbon, Australia. Seed has been working for the protection of nature since 1979.

The weekend workshop will be an experiential deep ecology practicum. Through interactive exercise, rituals, guided meditations, body and breath work, Seed will work to help attendees deepen their empathy for the Earth. Seed believes “spiritual connection with the living Earth empowers and sustains creative and joyous action.”

The cost of this workshop is $150.00, including meals and camping. There are six indoor lodging spaces available for an additional cost. Some partial work exchange positions are available. All profits from this workshop will go toward rainforest protection.

An additional evening event consisting of a lecture, music, poetry and film will be at 7 p.m. on May 11 at the Headwaters School for a suggested donation of $5 to $20.

For more information about Seed, visit www.rainforestinfo.org.au/deep-eco/johnseed.htm. For more information regarding River Spirit Retreat, visit www.riverspirit.com or phone (870) 446-5642.

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A Chamber Music Festival will take place at the Gem Arts Center in Heber Springs from May 12th-23rd. There with be five chamber music concerts performed by acclaimed international musicians as well as faculty and fellows. Also present at the festival will be open rehearsals, music related documentary films, an art walk, and poetry readings.

Admission to all five concerts at the festival is $60 though separate day rates for the concerts are available. The historic GEM Community Theater has experienced many changes in becoming the performing arts venue it is today. Once vacant, the Cleburne County Arts Council ran a successful campaign to renovate the GEM and it re-opened with the play "Steel Magnolias" in 1998. The GEM Community Theatre Art Gallery exhibits a wide range of artwork, year-round and admission to the gallery is free.

For more information on the music festival, contact Linda Anderson at 501.250.5367 or email bobandlindaanderson@cox-internet.com.

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The Lake Charles Auto Show will cruise through Powhatan May 13th at Lake Charles State Park from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Along with the auto show, there will be other activities and entertainment on site as well.

Along with car enthusiasts, anglers and nature lovers will enjoy this park on the shore of Lake Charles, 645 acres of spring-fed waters in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The lake offers good catches of bass, crappie, bream and catfish. For further details, call (870) 878-6595 or email lakecharles@arkansas.com.

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As many as 200 antique and collectors’ automobiles are expected to be on display on Saturday, May 13 during the 11th annual Hot Springs Cruisers Car Show at Hot Springs Memorial Field airport, which is located on U.S. 70 in southwestern Hot Springs. Admission will be free for spectators.

The show will open with vehicle registration at 8 a.m. and will conclude with trophy presentations at 3 p.m. Registration will be $20 per vehicle, but pre-registration is available for $15. Breakfast and lunch will be available from food vendors and there will be prize drawings.

Event proceeds will benefit The Potter’s Clay, a faith-based program in Hot Springs that provides support for women in crisis. For pre-registration details and other information on the show, phone (501) 767-6383.