calendar

LITTLE ROCK — THURSDAY Cajun Feast BENTON - The annual Benton Area Chamber of Commerce Cajun Feast will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Christian Life Center. The menu will include Cajun food, and for an extra price, 2 pounds of crawfish can be purchased.

Advance tickets are $10 per person, and $20 with crawfish. Tickets will be $12.50 at the door, but crawfish must be ordered in advance. For more information, contact the chamber at (501) 315-8272.

ONGOING Tax-Return Preparation BRYANT - Free preparation of tax returns, including free e-filing, will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays at an AARP Tax-Aide site at Park Place Baptist Church, 22208 Interstate 30. To make an appointment, call Larry at (501) 303-6829. Walk-ins will be welcome but will be served after those with appointments.

Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition BENTON - A representation of the creative efforts of Arkansas artists in grades K-12 will be on display through April 20 at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. The works are award winners from the 50th annual Young Arkansas Artists Competition and Exhibition conducted at theArkansas Arts Center in Little Rock and features four Saline County artists. The display is open during regular library hours. Call (501) 778-4766 for more information.

TODAY Retirement Service GRAPEVINE - Hedden Chapel Assembly of God will honor Pastor C.C. Hodges’ upcoming retirement with a special service at 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (870) 942-8255.

MONDAY Habitat Application Meeting BENTON - Habitat for Humanity of Saline County will hold a meeting for anyone interested in learning more about the affordable housing program at 6 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library.

Information about the application process and requirements will be distributed. For more information, call the Habitat office at (501) 315-5434.

Movie Monday BENTON - All ages are invited to attend a family-friendly movie, selected for ages 12 and under, at 4 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. For more information, call (501) 778-4766.

Village Writers’ Club HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE - Arkansas author Gwen Ford Faulkenberry will address “The Write Stuff: What It Takes to Tell Your Story and Get It Published” at the Village Writers’ Club meeting at the Home Plate Café, 5110 N. Arkansas 7. There will be an informal read-around at 11:15 a.m. and a Dutch-treat lunch for $8 at noon, followed by Faulkenberry’s program. For reservations, which are required, call Joyce Anderson at (501) 922-9077. For more information, visit www.villagewritersclub.com.

TUESDAY Creative Outlet BRYANT - Teens are invited to participate in a make-andtake craft from 4-5:30 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library. For more information, call (501) 847-2166.

TUESDAY - FRIDAY BOWFIRE Concert HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE - The Hot Springs Village Concerts Association will close its 20th Anniversary Season with performances of BOWFIRE at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at the Woodlands Auditorium. BOWFIRE presents a show of fiddle and violin artistsperforming music that includes jazz, classical, bluegrass, Celtic, rock, gypsy and Texas swing. For more information, call Mary Ann Mueller at (501) 922-1277.

WEDNESDAY Percussion Ensemble ARKADELPHIA - Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts will present OBU’s Percussion Ensemble in concert at 7:30 p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall. The ensemble will be under the direction of Ryan Lewis, OBU assistant professor of music, with aspecial guest appearance by acclaimed percussionist Harvey Price. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Ryan Lewis at lewisr@obu.edu or (870) 245-5421.

Creative Writing BRYANT - Jennifer Watson will teach creative writing for ages 16 and older at 6 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library. No registration is required. Call (501) 847-2166 for more information.

Art Exhibit Opening Reception ARKADELPHIA - An opening reception for artists Veda and Meda Rives will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Hammons Gallery of OBU’s Mabee Fine Arts Center. Ouachita Baptist University’s Visual Arts Department will host the artists’ guest exhibit, “Confluence, Divergence, Concurrence” from Tuesday through April 13. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Exhibits are also available on evenings when other School of Fine Arts events take place. For more information, contact Donnie Copeland at copelandd@obu.edu or (870) 245-5559.

FRIDAY Deadline to Order Smoked Meats MALVERN - Friday is the deadline to place orders in St. Paul United Methodist Church’s smoked-meat sale. The church will smoke 14- to 16-pound Petit Jean hams and 7- to 9-pound turkey breasts. Whole hams are $ 50, and half hams are $ 28. Turkey breasts are $40 whole and $20 for half. Pickup time will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 6. To place orders, call (501) 337-7364. The United MethodistWomen will also have a bake sale April 6 from 9 a.m. until all items are sold.

Golf Tournament BENTON - The Boys and Girls Club of Saline County Golf Tournament will begin with a morning tee off at 8 a.m. at the Longhills Golf Course. The afternoon tee off will begin at 1 p.m. For registration information, call Deena Johnson at (501) 315-8100.

Habitat Youth United Event BENTON - The Youth United group from Habitat forHumanity of Saline County will host the fourth annual “Sleepout on the Courthouse Lawn,” beginning at 6 p.m.

Friday. The event will be the kickoff to “Act! Speak! Build!

Week,” April 1-7. The cost to attend is $15. Ages 13 through 25 are encouraged to attend.

For more information, visit www.habitatsalinecountyar.

org.

UPCOMING Bridge Caravan BENTON - The Saline Crossing Regional Park and Recreation Area Inc. will host a caravan to the Old River Bridge at 2 p.m. April 1. The tour will begin from the old Saline County airport behind Holland Chapel MissionaryBaptist Church on Airlane Drive. The public is invited to view the second-oldest bridge in Arkansas, circa 1891. For more information, call Lynn Moore at (501) 778-8661.

Kelly Miller Brothers Circus MALVERN - The Malvern Area Kiwanis Club and the Malvern Moose Lodge will host the Kelly Miller Brothers Circus on April 6. The shows will be at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Malvern Moose Lodge, 2365 U.S. 67 S.

Proceeds from this event will go for various service projects that benefit area children. For more information, call Susan at (501) 337-6422.

Banquet Featuring Gus Malzahn HOT SPRINGS - Gus Malzahn, the new head football coach at Arkansas State University, will be the keynote speaker at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes banquet at 6 p.m. April 27 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. The event will raise money to support FCA in its ministry to youth insouth-central Arkansas. For more information or to attend the banquet, be a sponsor or table host, or play in the FCA golf tournament, call Angie Heaton at (501) 318-7740 or email aheaton@fca.org.

To submit a school or community event for the Tri-Lakes Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, Tri-Lakes Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; fax to (501) 378-3500; or email to tlnews@arkansasonline.

com. Deadlines for calendaritem submissions are noon Friday for Thursday editions and noon Tuesday for Sunday editions.