Donald Trump and Hillary Rodham Clinton are set to draw crowds of at least 1,000 people each when they visit the state Friday and Saturday.
The presidential candidates are traveling to Arkansas to raise money at the Reagan-Rockefeller and Jefferson-Jackson dinners. The events are the largest fundraisers of the year for Arkansas Republicans and Democrats.
"Arkansans are cheering this, they want to be educated, they want to listen," said Doyle Webb, chairman of the state Republican Party. "We're pleased with the sales that are occurring and had to open up additional seating for those who are interested in coming."
He said the party is changing the venue of its Reagan-Rockefeller dinner to a larger hall in the Hot Springs Convention Center because the original space wasn't big enough.
And Candace Martin, state Democratic Party executive director, said floor seating at the party's Jefferson-Jackson dinner in North Little Rock's Verizon Arena is booked.
"We're going to have a crowd of over 2,000 at least -- if not larger," she said. "There was just such tremendous interest from the public about seeing Hillary."
The Democratic Party has sold all 1,500 $200 tickets for banquet seating and is now offering $15 stadium seats, which don't include dinner, Martin said.
For those with the more expensive tickets, dinner will probably be chicken cordon bleu, salad and a dessert. Produce is likely to be grown in Arkansas, she said.
Webb wouldn't say how many tickets had been sold this year. In the past, he said the party has sold about 400 tickets for its dinner.
The halls the Republicans booked have a banquet seating capacity of 2,700, according to the Hot Springs Visitor Center. Horner Hall -- which the party had previously booked -- has banquet seating for 1,000.
Webb said the party wanted to move the event to the Bank of the Ozarks Arena, but it was already taken.
"I can say it'll be one of the largest events we've had," Webb said. "We're at the largest venue available in Hot Springs."
This year, prices at the Republican event are $75 for a speech-only ticket and $150 for a dinner seat; $350 will secure admission for two people to the reception and dinner -- plus a photo opportunity with Trump.
There's going to be "good Southern politics and good Southern cooking," Webb said, adding that his wife normally picks the food.
The Republicans and the Democrats said inviting a candidate to the dinners did not amount to an endorsement.
Still, Mireya Reith, executive director of the Arkansas United Community Coalition, said the group would have a presence in Hot Springs to respond to Trump's comments on Mexican immigrants.
"They're bringing drugs," Trump said as part of his speech announcing his presidential candidacy. "They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."
Webb would not comment on Trump's words.
"That puts us in a position of taking a position on a candidate," he said.
Reith said Trump's words were unacceptable.
"As a group that advocates for Arkansas immigrants and the communities in which they live, we're greatly disappointed," she said. "His statements are based on myths. We feel it's racist and discriminatory behavior."
SundayMonday on 07/12/2015