April 25
Taste of the Valley
RUSSELLVILLE — The 21st annual Taste of the Valley will be held at the Historic Russellville Depot in the city’s downtown district. This award-winning tasting party will showcase River Valley area restaurants, bakeries, caterers, delicatessens and vineyards. The event will include live music, and food and drinks will be available. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the event. For more information, contact Main Street Russellville at (479) 967-1437 or msrsvl@centurytel.net, or visit www.mainstreetrussellville.com.
Choir Spring Concert
CONWAY — The Hendrix College Choir, under the direction of Nancy Fleming, will present its spring 2013 concert, Music for Royal Occasions, at 7:30 p.m. in Greene Chapel. The program, which is free and open to the public, will feature four centuries of music composed for British royalty on the occasion of coronations, weddings, funerals and other celebrations. For more information, contact Fleming at (501) 450-1248 or fleming@hendrix.edu.
Journalist, Author Lecture
CONWAY — The Crain-Maling Center of Jewish Culture at Hendrix College will host journalist and author Dan Raviv at 7 p.m. in the Worsham Student Performance Hall at the Student Life and Technology Center. The event is free and open to the public. Raviv is a national correspondent for CBS News. Copies of his book Spies of Armageddon: Inside Israel’s Secret Wars, will be available at the event for purchase through Village Books, and a book signing will follow the program. Refreshments will be served. Raviv will be available for photos at 5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Ellen Kirsch, director of the Crain-Maling Center of Jewish Culture, at (501) 450-4598 or kirsch@hendrix.edu.
April 26
Film Festival
CONWAY — The annual UCA Film Festival, featuring films by undergraduate students in digital filmmaking at the University of Central Arkansas, is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall. The screening is free and open to the public. The purpose of the festival is to present the work of UCA students to the community and to provide networking opportunities. The program will be set the week of the festival. For more information, visit www.ucafilm.org, or contact Dull at (501) 852-2377 or jdull@uca.edu.
Arbor Day Tours
DARDANELLE — The Arkansas River Valley Regional Library will host a Trees of Distinction and Historic Places walking tour of Front Street. Tours will originate from the Regional Library at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dardanelle has many trees on the Arkansas Trees of Distinction list. These are the largest of their species in the state. From the library the tour groups will walk to seven trees and pass by six locations with National Trust Listings (previously the National Register of Historic Places). The guided walks will be on mostly flat surfaces and will about an hour and a half to complete. For more information, call Donna Evans at (479) 229-4418. All events are free and open to the public. The library is at 501 N. Front St.
April 26 and April 27
Aquatic Conservation Camp
RUSSELLVILLE — Lake Dardanelle State Park will offer an Aquatic Conservation Experience Camp on Friday and Saturday. This two-day, one-night camp for children ages 10-13 will teach them about the lake and its inhabitants through a variety of activities, including kayaking. The registration fee of $65 includes meals and activities. For more information or to sign up, contact the park at (479) 967-5516 or lakedardanelle@arkansas.com.
Pork Butt Fundraiser
HEBER SPRINGS — The Rotary Club of Heber Springs will smoke Boston pork butts Friday in the Eagle Bank Main Street parking lot. To place an order, call Lewis Haller’s office at (501) 362-6018 or contact any Rotarian. The price is $35, and pickup will be from 7:30-9:30 a.m. Saturday. Proceeds will support scholarships and community projects.
Springfest
HEBER SPRINGS — An art and photography walk will kick off Springfest in Heber Springs on Friday, with more activities planned for Saturday. There will be crafters, children’s activities, gardening information and food. For more information, contact Melisa Gardner at (501) 362-2444 or chamber@heber-springs.com, or visit www.heber-springs.com.
April 27
Cemetery Meeting, Cleanup
GREENBRIER — The annual meeting and cleanup at McNew Cemetery is set. This cemetery is in northern Faulkner County about one mile east of Woolly Hollow State Park. Work usually begins early in the morning and is followed by the annual meeting. All who have an interest in the cemetery are invited to attend. Activity reports will be given, and other business items will be discussed.
Yard Sale and Pancake Breakfast
GREENBRIER — The Spring Community Yard Sale and Pancake Breakfast will be at the City Event Center in Greenbrier. The breakfast will start at 6 a.m., and the sale opens at 7 a.m. Proceeds from the breakfast benefit the Faulkner County Road Runners Club, and the Greenbrier Lions Club will be selling hot dogs for lunch. For more information, call (501) 679-6362.
Bloomin’ in the Bay
FAIRFIELD BAY — Bloomin’ in the Bay will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Ed Leamon Park, 522 Dave Creek Parkway. The event will feature the Van Buren County Master Gardeners’ annual plant sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to plants, vendors will sell garden-related items and Japanese maple trees. Admission is free. For more information, call Eleanor Hilsenrath at (501) 884-3884. Bloomin’ in the Bay will also include live folk music, puppeteers, arts, crafts, children’s activities and a dinner and concert featuring Still on the Hill. For more information, contact Erin Taylor at (501) 813-7155 or email erin@taylormack.com.
Party in the Park
RUSSELLVILLE — The Party in the Park will offer music, food, art and more on Saturday at Russellville City Park on B Street near Knoxville. There is no admission fee. For more information, contact Betty LaGrone at (479) 968-2452 or chamber@russellville.org.
April 28
Fashion Show
RUSSELLVILLE — A spring mother-daughter fashion show and tea will be held at 2 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church Family Hall, 304 S. Commerce. Intergenerational models (grandmothers, mothers and children) will wear spring and summer fashions. A high tea with finger sandwiches, savory snacks and scones will be served. Joann Hays will be the narrator. Admission is a $10 donation, which will be used for United Methodist Women mission projects. Guests will be eligible to win door prizes. For ticket information, call Joann Hays at (479) 968-6562.
April 30
Credit Union Meeting
MORRILTON — The annual meeting of the Arkansas Kraft Employees Federal Credit Union will be from 2-4 p.m. in the conference room at the Green Bay Packaging mill sight. Refreshments will be provided. Members will vote on the election of two board members and annual reports will be given.
Diabetes Meeting
CONWAY — Racheal Nelson, a pharmacy doctorate candidate from Harding University, will discuss the relationship between diabetes, weight loss and improved mobility during the next meeting of the Conway Regional Diabetes Care Group. The group meets from 7-8 p.m. the last Tuesday of each month in the Women’s Center Classroom on the medical center campus. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information, call the diabetes education coordinator at (501) 513-5248.
May 1
Ladies’ Lunch Break
CONWAY — There will be a Ladies’ Lunch Break from noon to 1 p.m. at Second Baptist Church in the fellowship hall. The meal cost is $5. Call (501) 327-4066 or (501) 730-4106 if child care is needed.
Ongoing
Scholarship Opportunity
MAUMELLE — The Maumelle Newcomers Club is offering a $1,000 scholarship. All residents of Maumelle are eligible to apply, as well as immediate family members of Newcomers Club members. Applicants must have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade-point average and cannot be the recipient of a full scholarship. The scholarship is available to those attending a four-year or two-year institution or an accredited technical college. Graduate and part-time students are also eligible. Applications must be postmarked by Friday and can be obtained at the Maumelle Public Library or by calling scholarship chairwoman Ann Lewis at (501) 803-3669.
Cherokee Bingo Fundraiser
CONWAY — Cherokee Bingo will be held every Tuesday and Thursday at Bob’s Grill in downtown Conway. Doors will open at 4 p.m. for dinner, with bingo mini packs starting at 6:15 p.m. and main packs starting at 6:45 p.m. Proceeds from the event will go to the University of Central Arkansas Athletic Scholarship Fund.
Senior Wellness Center Volunteers
MAUMELLE — The Maumelle Senior Wellness Center, 550 Edgewood, is a day activity center for senior citizens. The center needs volunteer drivers to take members to medical appointments, as well as van shuttle drivers to transport members to and from the senior center. The center serves lunch daily and needs kitchen volunteers. For more information, call (501) 851-4344 or email pholt@maumelle.org.
Upcoming
The Wizard of Oz
LESLIE — The Wizard of Oz Young Performers’ Edition will be presented at 7 p.m. May 4 at the Ozark Heritage Arts Center. The youth of the Conway Dinner Theater will be featured. The show is presented by the Conway Dinner Theater in association with the Faulkner Academy of Arts and the Greater Searcy County Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children 10 and younger. Tickets will be available at the door while they last, or for advance tickets or more information, call (870) 448-2557.
Nature Celebration Day
CLINTON — The South Fork Nature Center at 962 Bachelor Road will host Nature Celebration Day from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 4. There will be docent-led trail tours, a scavenger hunt and an auction. Lunch will be served at noon at the 100-year-old log cabin.
Health Fair
CONWAY — The Conway Human Development Center Health Fair will be held from 8 a.m. to noon May 8 in the center’s gymnasium, 150 E. Siebenmorgen Road. The event will offer free health screenings for fasting cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure and pulse, body-mass index and fibromyalgia, as well as prostate and breast exams and cardiac assessment. Lunch will be available for $5, and proceeds will go to Special Olympics. An American Red Cross blood drive will be held in conjunction with the fair, and the Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter will land. For more information, contact Diann Jones at (501) 329-6851, ext. 288 or ext. 267.
Hershey Track and Field Meet
RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville Recreation and Parks Department will hold the local Hershey Track and Field Meet at 10 a.m. May 11 at the Russellville High School track. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. This is a free event for boys and girls ages 9 to 14. Entry forms are available at the Hughes Center or online at www.russellvillearkansas.org. For more information, call (501) 968-1272.
Flag-Retirement Ceremony
MAUMELLE — A flag-retirement ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. May 11 at Veterans Memorial Park at Lake Willastein. Sponsored by the Maumelle Veterans Memorial Committee, people may bring faded, torn or tattered flags to the ceremony or drop them off at Kroger lobbies in Maumelle through May 10. For more information, call (501) 851-2085.
To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, River Valley & Ozark Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; fax to (501) 378-3500; or email to rvonews@arkansasonline.com. Deadlines for calendar-item submissions are noon Friday for Thursday editions and noon Tuesday for Sunday editions.