April 24
Spirit of Hendrix Award
CONWAY — Hendrix College will honor Conway Locally Grown with the Spirit of Hendrix Award at 11:10 a.m. in Reves Recital Hall on campus. The award is given to an organization that advances the values of Hendrix College. Conway Locally Grown was started in 2008 by Cody Hopkins, a 2001 Hendrix graduate, as a collaborative effort between local farmers and Faulkner County Supporters of Sustainable Communities to provide better methods for farmers to connect with their customers in Conway. Conway Locally Grown has expanded from five farmers and 15 customers in 2008 to 40 farmers and 300 members by 2010.
Printmakers Exhibit Closing Reception
CONWAY — A closing reception will be held from 6-7 p.m. for the Arkansas Society of Printmakers’ exhibit Print Evolution, hosted by the Hendrix College Department of Art in the Art Building A Gallery. Print Evolution is an exchange portfolio by the ASP that features a collection of original fine-art prints. Each print is a collaboration between two members of the group. Included are woodcuts, lithographs, screen prints, etchings and monotypes. Join the artists to find out more. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Hendrix art professor Melissa Gill at gill@hendrix.edu or (501) 505-1562.
April 24 — April 26
Seminar
CONWAY — The Hendrix Players will present the 2014 Senior Seminar Contemporary American Theatre Project Seminar, by Theresa Rebeck. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. today and Friday and at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Cabe Theatre on campus. The show, produced by the department’s senior theater majors, will close out the 2013-2014 season. The production, sponsored by the Hendrix College Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. For more information, contact Hendrix theater professor Ann Muse at (501) 450-1369 or muse@hendrix.edu.
April 24 – April 27
Little Women
RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville High School Drama Department will present Little Women, the Broadway musical, at 7 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday at The Center for the Arts at Russellville High School. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults, and a special mother/daughter combination price of $12. A discount will also be extended to youth groups — two free adults for every 10 students. Tickets may be purchased or reserved by calling The Center for the Arts at (479) 498-6600. Little Women is the story of four sisters, along with their family and suitors, coming of age in the American Civil War era.
April 25
Rally for the Risen King
WONDERVIEW — Rally for the Risen King will be held at 7 p.m. in the Wonderview High School gym. Todd West will be the speaker, and music will be provided by Rapid Fire Ministries. Admission is free. The event is sponsored by Hattieville Baptist Church. For more information, call Brent Schmitz at (501) 208-1132.
April 25 and April 26
Springfest
HEBER SPRINGS — The 27th annual Springfest will be Friday and Saturday in Spring Park. The event will feature arts and crafts, the Butterfly Pavilion, kids’ activities, live music, art demonstrations and festival foods. Ronald McDonald will visit, followed by the Arkansas Children’s Theatre production of The Little Engine That Thought He Could. There will be two car shows: classic cars and motorcycles on the courthouse lawn and Volkswagens in Spring Park; the Pooches With Panache dog contest; an old-fashioned political stumping and pie auction; the annual Miss Springfest pageant; and the second annual Average Joe’s Backyard Burnoff barbecue contest. For a schedule of events, visit www.hebersprings.com.
Faulkner County Relay for Life
CONWAY — Relay for Life of Faulkner County will be held from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday at the Conway Expo Center, 2501 E. Oak St. The event will include an opening ceremony Friday, followed by a survivors’ lap at 6:30 p.m., a caregivers’ lap at 6:35 p.m. and a luminaria ceremony at 9 p.m.. On Saturday, there will be a fight-back ceremony at 5 a.m. and a closing ceremony at 5:30 a.m.
April 26
Relay for Life Fundraising Event
PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN — Petit Jean Mountain Relay for Life chairwoman Sandy Shaw has designated Saturday as a day for awareness and a walk to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The eight-member Petit Jean Mountain Extension Homemakers Relay for Life team will walk trails in the park area for donations. All are welcome to join the team at the park for the walk. The relay walk will be from 1-7 p.m., and a hamburger cookout will take place from 5-7 p.m. in the picnic area of Pavilion A in Petit Jean State Park. To donate to the Relay for Life, call Sandy at (501) 727-5259. Proceeds to the American Cancer Society may be made in memory of Vicki Higgins, an Extension Homemakers member.
Sacred Heart Cajun Feast
MORRILTON — Volunteers for Sacred Heart Catholic School will prepare an all-you-can-eat Cajun feast, to be served from 5-8 p.m. in Ruff Auditorium on the campus. The menu will include boiled crawfish, shrimp, chicken, gumbo, potatoes and corn, chicken and coleslaw. Tickets are $30 through Friday, then $35. Purchase tickets on the school website, at Merle Norman or in the school office (must be 21 to buy tickets). All proceeds will benefit Sacred Heart School. For more information, call 354-4358 or visit www.sacredheartmorriilton.org.
World Tai Chi Day
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library will celebrate World Tai Chi Day from 10 a.m. to noon with demonstrations of tai chi by the library’s tai chi class, under the instruction of Sachiko Halter. The event is open to the public. The annual World Tai Chi Day includes celebrations in 80 nations and several hundred cities in various time zones, ending with final events in Hawaii. Celebrations include mass tai chi and qigong exhibitions and free classes in many participating cities.
Author Reading
CONWAY — April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the Faulkner County Library will feature spoken-word artist, novelist and blogger Turjemia at 2 p.m. for a reading and discussion. Turjemia’s first novel, Betraying Ayanna, explores the pain of living with abuse and the courage required to forgive and move forward to a fulfilling life. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email Nancy@fcl.org.
April 27
Spring Fashion Show
RUSSELLVILLE — The United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church of Russellville will hold a Spring Fashion Show and High Tea fundraiser from 2-4 p.m. in the church’s Family Hall, 304 S. Commerce Ave. Tickets are $10 per person. Children 6 and younger will be admitted free. Tickets are available by calling (479) 968-1232 or at the door. Proceeds will support the church’s missions.
April 28
Audubon Society Meeting
CONWAY — The Arkansas River Valley Audubon Society will meet at 7 p.m. in Room 13 of the Donald W. Reynolds Building at Hendrix College. The speaker will be Sally Entrekin, assistant professor at the University of Central Arkansas, who will speak on Head Water Streams in Arkansas. For directions to the meeting, call Pat Donnell at (501) 977-3889. Refreshments will be served, and guests are welcome to attend.
April 29
Lecture and Film Screening
CONWAY — The Crain-Maling Center of Jewish Culture will present a lecture and film screening by Academy Award-winning filmmaker and television host Ari Sandel at 7:30 p.m. in Mills A. Photos will be taken and refreshments served before the event. Director, writer and producer Sandel won an Academy Award in 2007 for Best Live Action Short Film for his film West Bank Story, a musical comedy about Israelis and Palestinians that takes place between two falafel stands in the West Bank. For more information, contact Crain-Maling Center of Jewish Culture Director Ellen Kirsch at (501) 450-4598 or kirsch@hendrix.edu.
April 30
Fused Glass Class
CONWAY — Art on the Green will present Denise Kimbrough’s Fused Glass Class from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Art on the Green, 1100 Bob Courtway Drive. Participants will make wearable art just in time for Mother’s Day gifts. The cost is $46. For details, call (501) 205-1922.
Ongoing
Computer Training
CONWAY — The Conway Adult Education Center, 125 Center St., is taking registration for computer-training classes and workshops from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday until the sessions begin. For more information, call (501) 450-4810 or visit www.caec.org.
Conway Community Meditation Group
CONWAY — The Conway Community Meditation group meets from 12:30-1:30 p.m. every Tuesday at The Locals, 1024 Van Ronkle St. This session provides a time of unifying harmony with fellow Conway residents. All are welcome. For more information, visit www.thelocals.be/events.
Spanish Practice Group
CONWAY — The Spanish Practice Group meets at 4 p.m. every Friday at The Locals, 1024 Van Ronkle St. Join other Spanish-speaking enthusiasts in conversation. Todos son bienvenidos! For more information, visit www.thelocals.be/events.
Simply Said Storytelling
CONWAY — Simply Said is an informal, open-mic storytelling time held at 6 p.m. every Thursday at The Locals, 1024 Van Ronkle St. Participants are asked to share a story, no notes, in no more than five minutes. For more information, visit www.thelocals.be/events.
Wordpress Conway
CONWAY — Wordpress Conway takes place at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at The Locals, 1024 Van Ronkle St. For anyone who uses Wordpress or wants to learn more about it, this central-Arkansas group can provide help with questions or issues Wordpress users may have. For more information, visit www.thelocals.be/events.
The Fiber Circle
CONWAY — The Fiber Circle is held at 5:30 p.m. the last Wednesday of every month at The Locals, 1024 Van Ronkle St. Those who knit, crochet, stitch or pursue any other craft are welcome to work on their own projects or help fellow craftivists with theirs. For more information, visit www.thelocals.be/events.
TeamKID
MAUMELLE — Southern Hills Baptist Fellowship and JumpZone have teamed up to offer a free children’s program, TeamKID, for first- through sixth-graders. The program is held at 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday at the JumpZone building. For more info, call (501) 851-7729 or visit www.southernhillsbaptist.tv.
Sign Language Class
CONWAY — A sign language class meets at 5:30 p.m. Mondays at the Faulkner County Library.
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.