Springfest adds concerts to weekend

Shown with the banner for Springfest, which will be held April 24 and 25 in Spring Park in Heber Springs, are Brett Graham, from left, treasurer of the Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce; Mayor Jimmy Clark; Fred Glascock, director of public works for the city; Theresa Bobo, event coordinator for the chamber; Clint Bell; Rena Kelley; Will Humphries; Ina Brown, manager of special projects for the chamber; Debbie Thompson; Cleburne County Judge Jerry Holmes; Julie Murray, executive director of the chamber; and Cheryl Shook.
Shown with the banner for Springfest, which will be held April 24 and 25 in Spring Park in Heber Springs, are Brett Graham, from left, treasurer of the Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce; Mayor Jimmy Clark; Fred Glascock, director of public works for the city; Theresa Bobo, event coordinator for the chamber; Clint Bell; Rena Kelley; Will Humphries; Ina Brown, manager of special projects for the chamber; Debbie Thompson; Cleburne County Judge Jerry Holmes; Julie Murray, executive director of the chamber; and Cheryl Shook.

HEBER SPRINGS — Springfest, one of three big events sponsored by the Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, just got bigger.

Julie Murray, executive director of the chamber, said two country-music concerts by Nashville-based recording artists have been scheduled for the April 24-25 weekend.

“This is a huge addition to Springfest,” Murray said. “We’re excited about it.”

Other Springfest activities will be held from noon to 7 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday in Spring Park.

Murray said the new Red River Ram Springfest Concert Series will host Kacey Smith, a female singer/songwriter, from 7-8:30 p.m. Friday and Shelby Lee Lowe, a male singer/songwriter, from 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday. Both artists will perform in the amphitheater in Spring Park.

The annual event will include all the tried-and-true activities, said Theresa Bobo, event coordinator for the chamber.

“Of course, there’s no admission [charge] for any of the events,” Bobo said.

About 60 arts-and-crafts vendors, plus food vendors and booths for nonprofit organizations, will be set up in Spring Park, she said.

“We will have music and entertainment at the Spring Park Band Shell,” Bobo said.

Murray said entertainers will perform at different times throughout the day.

“We’ll put a schedule on our website when all that is finalized,” she said.

The website is www.heber-springs.com.

Bobo and Murray said one of the bigger draws each year is the children’s area.

“We’ll have bounce houses for the kids, a petting zoo and pony rides,” Murray said.

The eighth annual Mountain Top Volkswagen Show will be there all weekend, Bobo said, from noon Friday through 7 p.m. Saturday in Spring Park.

For more information on the Volkswagen show, contact Larry Vanvekoven at (501) 362-3887.

An antique car show and motorcycle display will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday.

“That’ll be around the courthouse, with antique cars and trucks and motorcycles,” Murray said.

She said a favorite activity for children and adults is the butterfly release, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday.

This is Murray’s first Springfest — she was hired last year after the event had been held.

“I went last year; I attended. I haven’t done one,” she said. “If we have the weather we had last year, it will be perfect. Last year was absolutely perfect; the weather was just phenomenal. We’re hoping for the same weather we had last year, but we’ll be there, rain or shine.”

In addition to official Springfest events, Murray said a quilt show is scheduled in Heber Springs.

“There’s also going to be a quilt show in town, and they’re a [chamber] member — Daisy Patch Quilters — and they’re going to be having a good-sized quilt show at the fairgrounds that same weekend,” Murray said. “They’ll be raffling off a quilt; quilting vendors will be there.”

The addition of the weekend concerts changes the dynamic of Springfest, she said.

“I think that this makes it a weekend event,” Murray said. “You don’t want to just drive in for the day and leave. Springfest, the car show, the quilt show — do some shopping downtown, have dinner, and come back out for great concerts Friday and Saturday nights.

“It is the cornerstone of the whole thing.”

Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.

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