calendar

THREE RIVERS AREA — To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, Three Rivers Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; send faxes to (501) 378-3500; or email trnews@arkansasonline.com. Deadlines for calendar-item submissions are noon Friday for Thursday editions and noon Tuesday for Sunday editions.

SATURDAY AND AUG. 5

Sales Tax Holiday

The Arkansas sales tax holiday for 2012 will begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and will continue through 11:59 p.m. Aug. 5. State and local sales tax will not be collected during this 48-hour period on the sale of clothing and footwear if the sales price is less than $100 per item; clothing accessories and equipment if the sales prices is less than $50 per item; school supplies; school art supplies; and school instructional materials. For more information and a list of items that will be tax-exempt, visit www.dfa.arkansas.gov.

TODAY

Melody Boys Quartet Concert

JACKSONVILLE — The Melody Boys Quartet, a Southern gospel music group, will perform a free concert at 6 p.m. at Bayou Meto Baptist Church, 2 62 0 0 Arkansas 107 in Jacksonville. For more information, call (501) 988-1966.

MONDAY –FRIDAY

Vacation Bible School

CABOT — Our Savior Lutheran Church, 301 S. Pine, will hold Vacation Bible School with the theme “SKY: Everything Is Possible With God” from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call Helen at (501) 605-8850.

Drama Camps

BATESVILLE — The Batesville Area Arts Council will offer half day drama camps Monday through Friday. Artists from the Trike Theatre, Northwest Arkansas’ professional theater for youth, will be in residence and teach the camps, which use drama skills to build life skills for kindergartners through eighth-graders. Registration information is available at the BA AC Art Gallery on Main at 246 E. Main St. For more information, call (870) 793-3382 or email baac@suddenlinkmail.com.

THURSDAY

Gem and Mineral Club Meeting

CHEROKEE VILLAGE — The Spring River Gem and Mineral Club will meet at 10 a.m. at the Omaha Center in Cherokee Village. The program, “Name That Rock” by state geologist Bill Prior, will be about identifying minerals, a process that helps identify types of rock. For more information, call Ruth Maxedon at (870) 257-2361.

Democratic Forum and Fundraiser

NEWPORT — A Democratic Forum and Fundraiser will be held for Scott Ellington from 4-6 p.m. The event, hosted by the Jackson County Democratic Women, will be in the Garden Room at 306 Front St., next to Napoli’s Restaurant. The public is invited to meet the candidates and enjoy pizza and salad catered by Napoli’s.

SATURDAY

SAME Café

SEARCY — The SAME Café will be open from 4-6 p.m. Saturday at the West Side Church of Christ, 709 W. Arch St. in Searcy. The SAME Café is open the first and third Saturdays of the month to anyone in the community who would like a free warm meal. For more information, email d.dawson@cablelynx.com.

ONGOING

Farmers Market

HORSESHOE BEND — Faith Presbyterian Church sponsors a farmers market from 8 a.m. to noon each Wednesday in the church’s parking lot at Fourth and Church streets in Horseshoe Bend. Everyone is welcome to bring fruits, vegetables, crafts or baked goods to sell. There is no fee to participate.

Adult Flag Football Registration

JACKSONVILLE — Adult Flag Football registration will continue through Aug. 23. The games are seven-on-seven with up to 12 people on the roster. Games will begin at 2 p.m. every Sunday. The cost is $350 per team. A coaches meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Jacksonville Community Center. For more information, contact Megan Handy at (501) 982-4171 or mhandy@cityof jacksonville.net.

Wednesday Movie Nights

BATESVILLE — Believers Community Church, 3645 N. St. Louis St. in Batesville, invites the community to free movie nights at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday.

Mission 5,000 Free Meals

JACKSONVILLE — First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville provides a free meal to the community twice a week. Mission 5,000 is open from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the church’s Family Life Center, 308 W. Main St. Everyone is invited for food and fellowship. For more information, call the church at (501) 982-8176.

Searcy Burn Ban

SEARCY — As a result of the extremely dry conditions, a burn ban has been issued for the city of Searcy. This ban is effective for all areas within the city. The ban will run concurrently with the burn ban recently issued for White Count y by Count y Judge Michael Lincoln and will be in effect for the duration of the countywide burn ban.

UPCOMING

MOPS Preview Party

CABOT — The Cabot Mothers of Preschoolers will hold its 2012 Preview Party from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 6 in Room 103 at First Baptist Church Cabot. Moms are invited to find out if MOPS is for them through a showcase of each aspect of MOPS, including monthly speaker topics, discussion groups, community service, crafts/activities, MOPPETS and food. MOPS is a nondenominational program designed to nurture mothers who are pregnant or have children who are infants through kindergartners. For more information, call Katherine Bynum at (501) 258-5531 or email cabot_ mops@hotmail.com.

Healthy Woman

NEWPORT — Former The Biggest Loser contestant Abby Rike will be featured at the annual Healthy Woman event at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at the ASU-Newport Student/ Community Center. Rike will talk about how health and wellness can promote spiritual, emotional and physical healing, and will be available for a meet and greet and book-signing after the event. Tickets are $20, payable upon admission, and include dinner. Participants must register by calling (870) 512-3081 or by visiting www.harrishospital.com/healthywoman.

Barbecue and Auction

LONOKE — The Open Arms Shelter will hold its annual Barbecue and Auction at the Lonoke Primary School Cafeteria from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 7. Catered by Bubba’s BBQ, a $10 adult ticket includes a barbecue plate dinner, and a $5 children’s ticket provides a hot-dog plate. The live auction will begin at 6:30 p.m., and the silent auction will close at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the shelter at (501) 676-6166 or may be purchased at the door. Donations may be mailed to Open Arms Shelter, P.O. Box 161, Lonoke, AR 72086. To learn more about the Open Arms Shelter, visit www.openarmsshelter.org.

New Teacher Welcome

JACKSONVILLE — New teachers will be welcomed to Jacksonville from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Jacksonville Community Center. The Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce requests donations for goodie bags to be given to new teachers. Items for the bags may be dropped off at the chamber by Aug. 9, or call (501) 982-1511 to arrange for pickup.

Sip and Paint

NEWPORT — The Iron Mountain Regional Arts Council will host the second annual Sip and Paint from 5:30-8 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Newport Business Resource Center, 201 Hazel St. This is a social evening intended to inspire artists and encourage the arts in Newport and Jackson County. Participating artists will be Debra Bennett, Barbara Smock and Donna Hohn. Those who attend will have their choice of two images to work with. The cost is $30, payable at the door. Space is limited, so to RSVP, call Bennett at (602) 290-5249. Participants are asked to bring their favorite beverage. All other supplies will be provided.

Chuck Wagon Gang Concert

WARD — The Chuck Wagon Gang mixed quartet will give a gospel concert at 7 p.m. Aug. 16 at First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Ward. For more information, call (501) 843-3336.

Batesville Driver Safety Class

BATESVILLE — During August, with the help of local sponsors, the AARP Driver Safety Program will allow educators to take the driver safety course for $5. The discount will apply to teachers, retired teachers and all other school workers, including home-school teachers and Sunday School teachers. In Batesville, the class will be held at First Community Bank on Aug. 25. For more information, call (870) 307-0110. There is no test in class, and those who are 55 and older who complete the course can expect to qualify for a discount on their vehicle insurance premiums.

Tatting Basics

MOUNTAIN VIEW — The Arkansas Craft School will hold a Tatting Basics class Aug. 25 to teach the technique for handcrafting a durable lace constructed by a series of knots and loops. Students will create a child-sized caterpillar bracelet; then learn how to follow pattern directors for making a Christmas ornament. The class is taught by artist Becky Holden. Tuition is $50 with a $15 materials fee, which includes shuttle, tatting thread and a handout. For more information, call Terri Van Orman at (870) 269-8397.

Business Expo

WALNUT RIDG E — T h e Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce will host the second annual Business Expo from noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 28 at Walnut Ridge First Baptist Church. The expo’s theme, “Cruisin’ to Success,” will emphasize the rockabilly roots of the area. Booth space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The registration and payment deadline for booths is Aug. 14. For more information, call (870) 886-3232.

Rubber Ducky Regatta

BATESVILLE — The Rubber Ducky Regatta duck race will be at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 8 during the White River Carnival. The cost to sponsor a duck is $10. The first prize is a new Bad Boy Mower. All proceeds will benefit the Christian Health Center. For more information, contact Alisa R. Lancaster at (870) 805-0798 or email AlisaAPN@gmail. com, Riley Davidson at (870) 834-5441 or ARileyD@gmail.com, or the Batesville Chamber of Commerce at (870) 793-2378.

Ward Jamboree

WARD — The Ward Chamber of Commerce’s annual Jamboree will be held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 15 at the chamber building. The free event includes a concert by John Michael Vance and the Delta Blues, as well as other musical groups throughout the day. A beauty pageant for infants to 17-year-olds will be held, with cash prizes and trophies. There will also be bingo games, cakewalks, a silent auction and the Arkansas vs. Alabama football game on the big screen, which will be raffled off afterward. For more information about the pageant, contact Kelly Probus at (501) 658-9384. For more information about renting booth space to sell, advertise or promote products, services, organizations, businesses or political candidates, contact Chris Mann at (501) 941-9987. For more information, visit www.wardchamber.com.