Arkansas Events Taking Place April 3-29

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. October 14, 2008

APRIL 2, 2008. 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.

The Fort Smith National Historic Site will hold an Execution Anniversary Program on April 3, 8, 13, 17, 19, 21, 23, 27 and 30. Ranger-led programs are held at the reconstructed gallows on the anniversary dates of executions carried out by the federal court from 1873-1896. Information about the condemned individuals will be discussed: their crimes, court cases and executions. The nooses hung on the gallows represent the number of men executed that day. The free programs are presented at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more information, contact Nancy Stimson at 479-783-3961 and visit www.nps.gov/fosm. Admission will be free.

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The 11th annual Halley Fire Department Rummage and Bake Sale will be April 4-5 in Halley. Area families donate items and baked goods to the sale, which benefits the Halley Volunteer Fire Department. For more information, call 870-538-9352.

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A Murder Mystery Weekend will be held April 4-6 in Eureka Springs. Reservations are being accepted for this clue-filled, sleuthing weekend hosted by the 1884 Bridgeford House Bed and Breakfast Inn and the 1881 Crescent Cottage Inn. Packages include a two-night stay at either inn, a cocktail party to kick-off the weekend, full gourmet breakfast each morning, around-town clue hunt and a buffet dinner to expose the murderer.

"Eureka Springs is a Victorian mountain village offering old-world charm and European flavor. It is a natural, theatrical backdrop full of intrigue for the super-sleuth or the weekend gumshoe," said Sam Feldman, innkeeper of the 1884 Bridgeford House. "Our mystery weekends have been so successful we wanted to offer this exciting, interactive, theatrical opportunity once again at the start of the season. The mystery, titled The Conrail Affair, takes place in 1905 with a party at a Victorian mansion in the 'Silk Stocking District' to celebrate the opening of the new railroad. But not everything on this festive evening goes well."

Availability is limited so the first clue is - make reservations now. Package prices range from $399 to $509, depending on room. For more information, contact the 1884 Bridgeford House at 888-567-2422 or 1881 Crescent Cottage Inn at 800-223-3246. Additional information can be found at www.bridgefordhouse.com or www.1881crescentcottageinn.com.

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Mammoth Spring State Park in Mammoth Spring will host a Fly-fishing for First Timers Workshop on April 5. Participants will spend the morning learning all the basics and then, in the afternoon, get some first-hand fly-fishing experience. To reserve a space in the workshop or for more information, contact Mammoth Spring State Park at 870-625-7364 or visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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Explore historic downtown Dumas at the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program's Walk Through History tour of Dumas on April 5. The event is co-sponsored by the Desha County Museum. For more information, contact the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program at 501-324-9880 or visit www.arkansaspreservation.org.

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For anglers ages 15 and under, the annual Youth Fishing Derby at Lake Chicot State Park in Lake Village is set for April 5. Participants should bring their own bait and pole - but only one pole per person. For more information, call Lake Chicot State Park at 870-265-5480 or visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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The Ozark Mountain Bike Festival will be April 5-6 at Devil's Den State Park in West Fork. Riders of all experience levels are invited to participate in a weekend of guided bike rides in the park and surrounding Ozark National Forest. An evening social is scheduled for April 5. Admission is free. For more information, phone 479-761-3325.

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Oklahoma! will be featured at the Imperial Dinner Theatre in Pocahontas on Apr. 5 - May 11. Relive one of the favorite musicals of all time, where the corn is as high as an elephant's eye. To learn more, call 870-892-0030 or visit www.imperialdinnertheatre.com.

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The 17th annual Hogskin Holidays Festival will take place Apr. 5-12 at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds in Hampton. The festival is a family oriented event celebrating the heritage of Calhoun County. Activities include a pork barbecue cook-off, arts and crafts, a carnival, racing and diving pigs, a children's tractor pull, mounted wildlife exhibit, antique cars and tractors, horseshoes, 3-on-3 basketball, a parade, pageants and gospel singing. For more information call 870-798-2100 or visit www.hogskinholidays.com.

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Rich Mountain has a wonderful variety of wildflowers, and spring is the time to see them. Spring not only decorates the park with wildflowers, but also adds butterflies and songbirds. April in Bloom will take place Apr. 5-26 at Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Mena. Join a park interpreter for guided hikes, demonstrations and other programs as the beauty of spring bursts forth on the mountain. Contact the park at 479-394-2863 for a detailed schedule or visit www.queenwilhelmina.com.

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Crowley's Ridge State Park in Paragould will host fifth graders at its Early Settler School Days on Apr. 7-8. Students will step back in time to experience Arkansas in the early 1800s with demonstrations and living history characters. For more information, visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com or phone Crowley's Ridge State Park at 870-573-6751.

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Village Creek State Park in Wynne will offer the program The Wonder of Wildflowers on Apr. 8-12. Stroll through the woods along Crowley's Ridge and experience the beauty of nature as spring flowers are decked out in their spring glory. Programs will include guided trail walks, slide shows, crafts and other activities for all ages. To learn more, contact Village Creek State Park at 870-238-9406 or log on to www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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The Walnut Ridge Army Flying School Museum in Walnut Ridge will host the 10th annual Air Field Reunion on Apr. 11-12, honoring those who worked and trained there during World War II. Activities include museum and airfield tours, a memorial service, a benefit auction and more. For more information, contact the Walnut Ridge Army Flying School at 800-584-5575 or visit www.WingsofHonor.org.

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Ozark Springtime Wildflower Weekend will be Apr. 11-13 at Bull Shoals-White River State Park in Lakeview. Enjoy the beauty of spring wildflowers in the Ozarks as well as activities such as guided wildflower walks, craft projects, children's programs, lake and river cruises and evening slide shows. All activities are free except for the lake and river cruises. For details, phone 870-445-3629.

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The 20th annual Ozark UFO Conference will be Apr. 11-13 at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center in Eureka Springs. The conference will include lectures and audiovisual presentations on all aspects of UFOs by researchers, authors and speakers. Speakers will include: Art Campbell on new revelations of the Roswell crash; Paul Von Ward on "Meeting the Alien Mind: Are We Ready for Engagement?;" Timothy Good; Linda Moulton Howe; Wendelle Stevens; Nancy Talbott; Ted Phillips; and Dr. Claude Swanson. Also present will be vendors of UFO-related items. For more information, contact Lucius Farish at 501-354-2558 or visit www.ozarkufo.com. Admission is $45 through April 7 and $50 per person at the door.

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Lake Poinsett State Park in Harrisburg will offer a Dutch Oven Cooking Workshop on Apr. 12. Learn to make an entire meal from start to finish without gas or electricity in a Dutch oven. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information, contact Lake Poinsett State Park at 870-578-2067 or log on to www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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Learn the basics of recreational kayaking when Lake Charles State Park in Powhatan offers a Kayaking Basics Workshop on Apr. 12. After the instruction, you'll get the chance to enjoy a guided kayak tour of Lake Charles, a 645-acre spring-fed lake in the foothills of the Ozarks. Space for the workshop is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information, call 870-878-6595 or visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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Mammoth Spring State Park in Mammoth Spring will host a Basket Weaving Workshop on Apr. 12. The workshop will teach the art of basket weaving and offer an opportunity to learn a new hobby. Participants will make their own basket to take home. Space is limited; pre-registration is suggested. For details, call Mammoth Spring State Park at 870-625-7364 or visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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The Second Saturday Gallery Stroll in Eureka Springs will be April 12. The nine participating galleries include: Iris at Basin Park, Susan's Signature Gallery, Zark's Gallery, Quicksilver Gallery, The Jewelry Box, Eureka Fine Art Company, 83 Spring Street, Al Hooks Gallery, and Serendipity at the Crescent. For more information, phone 479-253-7679 and visit www.artofeureka.com.

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Pettigrew Day, a celebration and homecoming for residents and friends of this south Madison County community, will be Apr. 12 at the historic Pettigrew Community Building on Ark. 16, 40 miles east of Fayetteville. The theme is "Leaving Home," focusing on those who left the Ozarks to live and work in other parts of the country. Activities begin at 1 p.m. with a program at 6:30 p.m. by Brooks Blevins, author of Hillfolks. For more information, contact the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale at 479-750-8165 and visit www.springdaleark.org/shiloh.

The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History is a regional history museum focusing on the Northwest Arkansas Ozarks. The museum takes its name from the pioneer community of Shiloh, which became Springdale in the 1870s. The museum highlights the real shapers of Ozark history - the everyday men, women, and children who lived in the towns and rural communities. The museum tells their stories through a variety of exhibits on native peoples, pioneers, the Civil War, the fruit and timber industries, and traditional folk life. There is plenty of fun for all ages - you can use a grinding stone, try on some old-timey clothes, listen to folk music, or sit and play a game of checkers.

Along with exhibits, you can explore six historic buildings on the museum grounds, including a log cabin, a barn, and a town home of the 1940s. Shaded walking paths and picnic tables offer a chance to relax and remember a time when life moved at a slower pace.

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The 46th annual Arkansas Folk Festival is set for Apr. 17-19 on the courthouse square of Mountain View. The spring celebration features handmade crafts, frontier life demonstrations, parade and dancing. There will also be folk, mountain and bluegrass music. The Ozark Folk Center State Park opens for the season with free admission to the Crafts Village during this weekend. Free round-trip shuttles from downtown to the folk center will be available. The park holds its Open House Apr. 18-20. See demonstrations of traditional pioneer crafts such as blacksmithing, pottery, soap making, quilting and more. For more information on the festival, phone 870-269-8068 and visit www.YourPlaceInTheMountains.com. For more information about the park, phone 870-269-3851 or visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com.

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Antique Walk takes place Apr. 18 in downtown Hot Springs from 4-8 p.m. Tillman's Antiques, celebrating twenty-five years in the 100 block, has been joined by the new shops - Rampant Lion, Art-Tiques, Manor House Antiques and Joan Good Antiques of Royal Street, New Orleans. For more information, call 501-624-4083.

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The 7th annual Great Cotter Trout Festival will be Apr. 18-19 at Big Spring Park on the White River in Cotter. There will be trout fishing programs, kids fishing holes, exhibits, arts and crafts, food and entertainment. Admission is free. For more information, phone Sonny Sharp at 870-492-4483 and visit www.cotterarkansas.com.

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April 18-19 are the dates for the 4th annual Carving in the Ozarks event in Eureka Springs. Chainsaw carvers from the country will attend. Vendors and concessions will be available. The auction of all carvings carved during the competition will be at 4 p.m. on April 19. Admission will be free. For more information, contact David Blankenship at 479-253-2080 or visit www.carvingintheozarks.com.

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The sound of bagpipes will echo through the Ozarks again this spring, as Lyon College in Batesville hosts the 29th annual Arkansas Scottish Festival Apr. 18-20. The festival features a vast array of events and exhibits, a kilted golf tournament, food vendors offering traditional Scottish dishes and, of course, bagpipes. For more information, contact Lyon College at 870-698-4382.

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The Tired Iron of the Ozarks 16th annual Spring Show will be Apr. 18-20 in Gentry. Displays of antique tractors and engines, exhibitions of farm and home-related antiques, and farming activities such as baling and threshing and sawmill operation will be part of the event. The show will take place at 13344 Taylor Orchard Road. Admission is free. For more information, phone John Burger at 479-736-5800 and visit www.tiredironoftheozarks.org.

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The 22nd annual Spinach Festival will take place in downtown Alma on Apr. 19. Alma is known as the "Spinach Capital of the World." The festival will include arts, crafts, food vendors, carnival rides, games, spinach eating contest, spinach cook-off, live music and more. For information on the festival, contact Eldon Mushrush at 479-632-4127 and visit www.almachamber.com.

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A Star Party is set for Apr. 19 at Sunset Point in Mt. Nebo State Park in Dardanelle. Dr. Jeff Robertson, Arkansas Tech University's Observatory Director will present the program.

Participants can view stars through a telescope. The program will be from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., but is weather dependent. For more information, phone 479-229-3655.

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The 5th annual Gumbo Fest Cook-Off will be April 19 in West Memphis. Teams will be cooking throughout the day and, if you're lucky, you'll get a chance to taste-test food from the variety of cooking categories, including gumbo, chicken wings and exotic meat. Spend the afternoon and evening enjoying great food and live music. For more information, contact the West Memphis Chamber of Commerce at 870-735-1134 or visit www.wmcoc.com.

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Celebrate Earth Day at Crowley's Ridge State Park in Paragould on Apr. 19. Booths and exhibits will be set up throughout the park with tips on how you and your family can make the planet better, as well as a variety of games and activities for kids. For more information, visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com or phone Crowley's Ridge State Park at 870-573-6751.

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Hampson Archeological Museum State Park in Wilson will present an Effigy What? Workshop on April 19. In this beginner's workshop for ages 8 and up, participants will learn about the ceramic decorative techniques of the Nodena Mississippian people and then make their own duck-head effigy vessel. Pre-registration is required. For details, call Hampson Archeological Museum State Park at 870-655-8622 or log on to www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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The 15th annual Battle of Fayetteville Commemorative will be Apr. 19 at Headquarters House in Fayetteville. The Battle of Fayetteville was fought April 18, 1863 on the grounds of the Headquarters House. Civil War re-enactors will display a campsite and Civil War-era food will be served. A memorial will be presented honoring those who lost their lives. Admission will be free. For more information, phone Dee Dee Lamb at 479-521-2970 and visit www.washcohistoricalsociety.org.

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Village Creek State Park in Wynne will host a Horsemanship Clinic on Apr. 19-20. Learn how to build a better relationship with your horse and learn new riding skills. Renowned horse trainer Fred Woehl will present a horse clinic titled Building Trust and Forming Partnerships. To learn more, phone Village Creek State Park at 870-238-9406 or visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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Celebrate the legacy of National Parks during National Park Week Apr. 19-27 in Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs. This week coincides with the anniversary of Hot Springs Reservation, which was on April 21, 1832. Contact the park at 501-620-6701 or www.nps.gov/hosp/ for more details.

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Explore the wonders and mysteries of our state through a new exhibit, "Arkansas Reflections of Our Past" opening Apr. 21 and running through Dec. 8 at the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in Smackover. There will be an emphasis on Arkansas State Parks and the role they have played in the development of the state's rich history. For more information, phone 870-725-2877.

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Warfield Concerts in Helena-West Helena will host its annual Warfield Music Festival Apr. 22-27. The St. Petersburg Ballet will present Swan Lake on Apr. 23. The Four Shadows will perform an evening of hits featuring music from five decades on Apr. 24. On Apr. 26, Chris Brubeck's Triple Play will take the stage with a musical repertoire ranging from jazz to blues to folk. Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers close out the festival on Apr. 27 in an exciting outdoor concert. All performances are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Warfield Concerts Web site at www.warfieldconcerts.com.

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Set for Apr. 23-25 in Eureka Springs, the Tri-Angler Fishing event will take place on the White River, Kings River and Beaver Lake. Anglers will be fishing for trout, small mouth bass, and striper. This is a family event for participants and spectators. For more information, phone 800-638-7352 and visit www.eurekaspringschamber.com.

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Dulcimers - both Mountain and Hammered - will be the focus at the annual Dulcimer Jamboree Apr. 24-26 at the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View. There will be workshops, seminars, competitions, jam sessions and concerts featuring these traditional folk instruments. Instructors for the Hammered Dulcimer include Rick Thum, David Moran and Ruth Smith. Lois Hornbostel, Judy Klinkhammer, Larry Conger, Jeff Hames and Joe Collins will be instructing on the Mountain Dulcimer. For more information, phone 870-269-3851 or visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com.

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The 8th annual Wild Hog Motorcycle Rally & Musicfest is slated for Apr. 24-27 in historic downtown Helena. The event features food and merchandise vendors, a motorcycle parade, a poker run, field events, Ms. Wild Hog contest and music, music, music. For more information, visit the Wild Hog Musicfest & Motorcycle Rally Web site at www.wildhogmusic.org.

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The Dickson Street Music Festival will rock Dickson Street in Fayetteville Apr. 25-26. Performing will be Sonic Youth, Charlie Daniels, .38 Special, Shooter Jennings, Little Feat, Michael Franti and Spearhead. Tickets start at $30 for each day, or $50 for both days. To get tickets, go to www.majesticconcerts.com/DSMF.html.

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The 24th annual Cowie International Amateur Wine Competition will be Apr. 25-26 near Paris. The awards take place at Cowie Wine Cellars, located about three miles west of Paris on Ark. 22. Awards are given to amateur wine producers for home use. The top award is an ounce of gold and other awards are ounces of silver. For more information, phone Robert Cowie at 479-963-3990 and visit www.cowiewinecellars.com. Admission is $15.

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The 34th annual Dogwood Festival will be Apr. 25-27 in the City Park of Siloam Springs. The festival includes home-cooked foods, and a Kid Zone provides rides and activities for kids. For more information, phone the Siloam Springs Chamber at 479-524-6466 or visit www.siloamchamber.com. Admission is free. In conjunction with the festival, the 31st annual Dogwood 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run will be Apr. 26 at Bob Henry Park. Registration begins at 7 a.m. The 5K race begins at 8 a.m. and the 1-mile run after the 5K. To register, phone 479-524-5779. Admission is $15 for pre-registration in the 5K and $20 the day of the race. The fun run is free.

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Join the staff of Jacksonport State Park in Newport as they celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Arkansas State Parks on Apr. 26. The day's events include the unveiling of a photographic exhibit of Jacksonport State Park and Arkansas State Parks. Visitors are encouraged to share their photographs and memories of the park during the event. To learn more, contact Jacksonport State Park at 870-523-2143 or check out www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

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The 4th annual Bloom'N Blues & Cajun Crawfish Boil will be Apr. 26 at Chateau Aux Arc in Altus. The event includes food, wine, music and art on the grounds of this Altus winery. For more information, phone Audrey House at 479-468-4400 and visit www.chateauauxarc.com.

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Junior Ranger Day will be Apr. 26 at the Fort Smith National Historic Site in Fort Smith. To celebrate National Park Week, the Fort Smith National Historic Site will present free programs for children of all ages. Children can earn a special Junior Ranger pin or badge. For more information, contact Nancy Stimson at 479-783-3961 or visit www.nps.gov/fosm.

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The Arts Council of Mississippi County in Blytheville will present Pinocchio, the classic fairytale about the wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy, on Apr. 29 at The Ritz Civic Center. The Wildwood Young Artist Tour will bring this children's classic to life on stage. For more information, contact the Arts Council of Mississippi County at 870-762-1744.