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Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
West Helena will be the scene of the 21st Annual Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival Oct. 5-7 on Historic Cherry Street near the banks of the Mississippi River. Previously known as the King Biscuit Blues Festival, thousands of fans make an annual pilgrimage to the land of the Delta Blues to celebrate the musical art form. The festival is known as the largest free blues festival in the nation as well as one of the most respected. Four stages, three days, and 78 performers will carry out this living celebration to the blues. For more information, contact the Sonny Boy Blues Society, which works year-round on educational programs, live music events, the festival and programs that preserve the heritage of the blues, at (870) 338-8798 or visit www.bluesandheritage.com The Southern Council Federation of Flyfishers Conclave will be Oct. 5-8 at the Baxter County Fairgrounds in Mountain Home. The annual conclave, the federation’s premier event, offers on-stream workshops, casting clinics, tying clinics, seminars, youth conclave, vendors, auctions and prize drawings. Activities will take place Oct. 5-7 with a business meeting on Oct. 8. For more information, phone (877) 664-4401 or visit www.southerncouncilfff.org. Admission varies depending on membership. The Historic Arkansas Museum in downtown Little Rock pays homage to three Arkansas women photographers of note with the “Arkansas Artists: Nancy Nolan, Maxine Payne and Kat Wilson” exhibit, Oct. 5-Jan. 21 The exhibit’s subject matter is ad diverse as the women who captured the images. Nancy Nolan is widely known for her up close and personal portraits of celebrities like Jermain Taylor, Bill Clinton and Billy Bob Thornton. Illustrating the rural Arkansas lifestyle through documentary-style black-and-white photography is Maxine Payne’s specialty. And Kat Wilson deftly poses both everyday and exotic household furnishings with her subjects as she captures them on film. Admission is free. Contact Ellen Korenblat at (501) 324-9351 or info@historicarkansas.org for more details. The museum is located at 200 East Third. Check www.historicarkansas.org for additional information on the museum and the exhibit. The 19th annual MusicFest will take place in downtown El Dorado Oct. 6-7. Four stages with more than 30 bands will be highlighted at the festival along with a magician, arts and crafts, food and beverage tents, a Kid’s World set up, 5K run/walk, motorcycle ride and chicken grill-off. Headliners include the classic Charlie Daniels Band, known for songs such as "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," which is among a music catalog that spans more than 35 years. Guitarist and vocalist Michael Burks, one of the blues world’s fastest rising stars as well as rock and roll pianist Jason D. Williams also headline the event. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for ages 7-13. Children 6 and under get in free. For further details, call (870) 862-4747 or log on to www.musicfesteldorado.com The 32nd Annual Arkansas Oktoberfest will take place Oct. 6-7 in historic downtown Hot Springs. The German-themed festival attracts thousands of people to the city each October. Musicians and artists bring both culture and entertainment -- traditional German music and many other genres will also be represented. There will be arts and crafts on hand and traditional food and dancing. Admission to the event is $5. For more information call Amanda Bryant at (501) 321-1700, e-mail her at Amanda@hotspringschamber.com or visit www.hotspringschamber.com. Visitors and residents alike will be able to learn easy and productive ways to keep The Natural State natural at the Natural State Expo 2006 on Oct. 7. Hours for the event, which is being held in the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock, are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Governor’s Hall I. The expo is sponsored by the Arkansas Sustainability Network, a new non-profit organization whose mission is to empower Arkansans to pursue and achieve sustainability. Approximately 50 exhibitors of eco-friendly products and services will showcase their programs, a multimedia community education area will consist of informative panels and discussions on such sustainability topics as food, water, energy, shelter, and community, while the youth expo will have fun and educational activities to encourage future generations to “think green.” Admission is $1. More information is available from Kathryn Elliott at (501) 837-7959 or naturalstateexpo@yahoo.com. Check the Web site for a list of activities. Jacksonville will have a full weekend of events Oct. 7 and 8 as the 9th Annual Wing Ding Festival and 34th Annual Central Arkansas Gem and Mineral Show take place. October 7 brings Wing Ding events from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Dupree Park. There will be plenty of family oriented events, food and entertainment along with free admission and parking. Contact the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce at (501) 982-1511 or jaxevents@centurytel.net for a schedule of activities. The Jacksonville Community Center will be the location of the Gem and Mineral Show, Oct. 7 and 8. Dealers from across the United States will show, sell and exhibit minerals, fossils, beads, lapidary materials, and jewelry from around the world. Admission is $2. Pat Kissire can provide additional details at pkissire@sbcglobal.net or (501) 821-2346. The 4th Annual White River NWR Festival will take place October 7th in St. Charles at the White River NWR Visitor Center. The free event begins at 10 a.m. with children’s activities that include birdhouse building, bird feeder making, T-shirt printing and button making. There will be free boat tours offered on the hour from 10-2 p.m. There will also be wildlife programs, photographic sessions, and guided walks throughout the day. Refreshments, books, and gift items will also be available. The 10,000-square-foot White River NWR Visitor Center houses an auditorium, environmental education classroom, an exhibit hall, and the Friends of White River Bookstore. It features a 28-foot cypress tree that houses representations of native fauna, including two bear families. Interpretive displays educate visitors about the human and ecological histories of the area, the hydrology of the White River and the bottomland hardwood forest ecosystem. For further details, call (870) 282-8200 or e-mail friends_whiteriver@yahoo.com. Little Rock’s historic Mount Holly Cemetery will be the site once again of the annual "Tales of the Crypt" on Oct. 10, presented by Parkview Arts-Science Magnet High School. Come meet the “ghosts” of Arkansans as students dressed in costume present vignettes from Arkansas history. Two candlelight tours featuring eight gravesites are offered and begin at 5:30 p.m. This free event is sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church, Mt. Holly Cemetery Association and Parkview Arts/Science Magnet High School. Fred Boosey at Parkview can provide additional information at (501) 447-2362 or fred.boosey@lrsd.org.  Have a comment? Please e-mail us. ŠThe Voice 2006 Revised 09/13/2006 11:05:03 PM— http://www.uamont.edu/Organizations/TheVoice/4_5/travel.htm |
