Dec. 15
Nativity Spectacular
SEARCY — A drive-thru living-Nativity spectacular will be held from 5-8 p.m. at First Assembly of God, 101 Benton St. The Nativity will feature a cast of more than 200 volunteers, exotic animals and handcrafted scenery. Each visitor will receive a complimentary hot chocolate and a CD of the Christmas story to listen to during the tour. For more information, visit www.livenativity.net or call Mark Ferren at (501) 278-6354.
Cabot Annual Christmas Parade
CABOT — The Cabot Annual Christmas Parade has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. today down South Pine Street/Arkansas 89. The parade theme is “It’s A Dr. Seuss Christmas!” Trophies for entries will be awarded in five categories: School/Civic, Church, Business, Animal/Equestrian and General/Personal. Route maps are available at the Veterans Park Community Center, the Cabot Chamber of Commerce office and www.cabotparks.com. For more information, contact the Parade Committee at (501) 920-2122 or email cabotbeautiful@yahoo.com.
Christmas Cantata
CABOT — The Mount Tabor United Methodist Church Choir will present its Christmas cantata, Silent Night, Holy Night, during morning worship at 9:30 at the church, 4100 Arkansas 89 S. in Cabot. A Christmas lunch will follow in the Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited to attend the event.
Dec. 16
Session for Musicians
BATESVILLE — Accordion, guitar, keyboard, violin and harmonica players of all experience levels are invited to come listen or play at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of First Community Bank for the last session of the season. For more information, call (870) 307-0258.
Dec. 17
Committee of the Whole Meeting
SEARCY — A meeting of Searcy’s Committee of the Whole has been scheduled for 5 p.m. Dec. 17 in the Searcy City Hall Council Chambers. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the projections for the use of the city’s proposed sales-tax revenues.
Dec. 18
Red Cross Blood Drive
BATESVILLE — A Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mount Zion Masonic Lodge on Batesville Boulevard, across from the airport.
Dec. 21
SAME Café
SEARCY — The SAME Café will be open from 4-5:30 p.m. at the West Side Church of Christ, 709 W. Arch St. 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.
Ongoing
Bridge Players
BEEBE — The public is invited to play bridge at 1 p.m. Wednesdays in the Shepherd’s Center at Beebe United Methodist Church. Beginners are welcome. For more information, call (501) 843-2930.
Cabot Artist’s Works in Exhibit
LITTLE ROCK — Two pastel paintings by Anne Lyon of Cabot are on view until Feb. 22 in the Arkansas Pastel Society’s fifth National Juried Exhibition, Reflections in Pastel, at the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, 401 President Clinton Ave. in Little Rock. The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Free GED Classes
MELBOURNE — Free GED evening classes are available at the following locations: Calico Rock, City Hall, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays; Mammoth Spring, Ozarka College, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays; Cave City, Middle School, 5-8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays; and Mountain View, Ozarka College, 5-7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Registration is ongoing. For more information on these and other classes, call the Ozarka College Adult Education Department at (800) 821-4335, ext. 2051, or (870) 368-2051.
Exercise Class
CABOT — A PEPPI (Peer Exercise Program Promotes Independence) exercise class will be taught at 10 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at the Cabot Senior Center, 600 N. Grant St. The class is geared for older adults.
Craft Night
JACKSONVILLE — The youth of Landmark Baptist Church will host a craft night from 6 to midnight the second Friday of each month at 2200 Marshall Road. Participants will spend time with fellow crafters painting, scrapbooking or doing other kinds of crafting. The cost is $5 per table or any donation amount. Proceeds will help the youth take a mission trip and attend camp this summer. For more information, call Tamara Blanchard at (501) 554-3972.
China Painters
GARNER — The Daisy Petals China Painting Club meets at 9 a.m. every Monday at Garner Baptist Church, 114 N. Main St. Beginners are welcome. For more information, contact Glenda Hale at (501) 726-3281.
Friends of the Library Book Shop
HEBER SPRINGS — The Friends of The Library Book Shop, 2255 Arkansas 25B N., is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. The shop offers a large variety of books at bargain prices. Proceeds will benefit all the libraries in Cleburne County, including the new library in Quitman. Volunteers at the book shop are always welcome. Stop by for more information.
Children’s Story Time
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Library, 368 E. Main St., offers story time for preschoolers at 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday. The event includes stories, videos and crafts conducted by librarian Vanessa Adams. The program lasts about an hour, and parents are requested to attend. For more information, call the library at (870) 793-8814 or visit www.indcolib.com.
Computer Classes
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Library offers free computer classes, geared for adults of all ages. Topics will include using a mouse and setting up an email account. Reservations are required. Call the library at (870) 793-8814 to register. For more information on this and other library events, visit www.indcolib.com.
Free GED Classes
MELBOURNE — Free GED classes are available at the following Ozarka College campuses: Melbourne, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; Mammoth Spring, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; Ash Flat, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; and Mountain View, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 5-7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Registration is ongoing. For more information, call the Ozarka College Adult Education Department at (800) 821-4335, ext. 2051, or in Izard County, call (870) 368-2051.
Cabot Civitan Club Meetings
CABOT — The Cabot Civitan Club meets at 6 p.m. the first and third Mondays of each month at First Security Bank in downtown Cabot. The public is invited to attend. For more information, call Tom Nolting at (501) 606-3731.
Republican Committee Meetings
CABOT — The Lonoke County Republican Committee meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month at Grandpa’s Bar-B-Cue. For more information, call Irene Ernst at (501) 941-4905, or visit lonokegop.com.
Ceramic Classes
JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Senior Wellness and Activity Center is offering ceramic classes for people 60 or older. Membership is $20 per year. Classes meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. For more information, call the center at (501) at 982-2011.
UPCOMING
First Day Hike
POWHATAN — The third annual First Day Hike will be held at 2 p.m. Jan. 1 at Lake Charles State Park, 3705 Arkansas 25 in Powhatan. Park staff will lead participants on the White Oak trail as they take in views of Lake Charles and hunt for clues in the hike’s scavenger hunt. The program is for children and adults of all ages. Light refreshments will be provided for those who register. For more information, call (870) 878-6595.
Note-Burning Ceremony
CALICO ROCK — The Calico Rock Museum will host a note-burning ceremony at 11 a.m. Jan. 11 at 104 Main St. During the ceremony, the museum foundation will receive the final gift necessary to pay off the organization’s bank loan and burn the mortgage. The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will be followed by a reception and a tour of the final phase of construction. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be rescheduled, with the date to be announced on the foundation’s website. For more information, call the museum at (870) 297-6100 or visit www.calicorockmuseum.com.
Kids’ Yoga/Art Classes
BATESVILLE — The Batesville Area Arts Council will host Kids’ Yoga/Art classes at Lyon College for five consecutive Tuesdays, Jan. 21 through Feb. 18. Classes will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for first- and second-graders, and 7-8 p.m. for third- through fifth-graders. The classes will demonstrate the basics of yoga movement, taught by certified yoga instructor Sammie Shaw, while incorporating art activities. The cost is $85 per student, and the registration deadline is Jan. 10. Students will receive a yoga mat to keep. For more information, contact BAAC at (870) 793-3382, email baac@suddenlinkmail.com, or stop by the BAAC Gallery on Main, 246 E. Main St., to sign up.
Basic Welding Skills Course
MELBOURNE — The Ozarka College Continuing Education Department will offer a basic welding skills course from 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 21 through Feb. 25. Randall Lovelace is the instructor. The classroom lectures will be Jan. 21 and Feb. 4 and 18 in Room 112 of the Hall Building at Ozarka College-Melbourne, 218 College Drive. The lab will be taught Jan. 28 and Feb 11 and 25 at White River Trailer and Equipment, at the junction of Arkansas highways 69 and 58, south of Melbourne. Participants will learn introduction to welding principles, proper welding techniques and basic welding repair applications. The cost is $85, and space is limited. To register or for more information, contact Kathryn Langston at (870) 368-2083 or klangston@ozarka.edu.
Food Fest and Silent Auction
SEARCY — St. James Catholic Church will hold its sixth annual International Food Fest and Silent Auction at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1 in the St. James Parish Hall, 1102 Pioneer Road. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. There will be a raffle for four cash prizes of $250, $250, $500 and $1,000.
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.