July 18
Conway AARP Meeting
CONWAY — The Conway AARP Chapter will have its monthly meeting and lunch at the Ola and John Hawks Senior Wellness and Activity Center, 705 Siebenmorgen Road. Lunch will be at 11:30 a.m., followed by the meeting from noon to 1 p.m. The meal costs $3 for seniors ages 60 and older, and $6 for seniors younger than 60. Misty Pretty, an investigator with the Attorney General’s Office, will present a program on fraud. Membership in the chapter, for $5 per year, is open to anyone who is 50 or older. For more information, call Ron at (501) 327-6803 or Ruby at (501) 327-0498.
July 18-20
Cave Quest Vacation Bible School
HEBER SPRINGS — All children in pre-K through the sixth grade are invited to Cave Quest Vacation Bible School from 5:30-8:30 p.m. all three days at St. Albert Church, 21 Park Road. Family and friends are invited to join the VBS closing at 8:15 p.m. daily. For more information, email cjhaughtym@gmail.com or call (719)-859-4546.
July 18-22
Senior Softball League Registration
CONWAY — A senior softball league will play this fall on the new turf fields at the Don Owen Softball Complex. To participate in the league, players must be at least 49 years old this calendar year. Players can sign up from 6-8 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Don Owen Sports Center, 10 Lower Ridge Road. For more information, call Charlie Lemley at (479) 970-5248.
July 20 and 21
St. John Catholic School Registration
RUSSELLVILLE — Registration for the 2016-2017 school year at St. John Catholic School will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days in the St. John Parish Hall. Classes will begin Aug. 15. Parents who are unable to attend the regular registration may call the school office at (479) 967-4644 to arrange another time. St. John School offers a complete academic program for pre-K through the fifth grade. Space is available in all grade levels, and the school is open to members of all faiths. Those registering need to bring the child’s birth certificate, baptismal certificate (if applicable), immunization record and Social Security card.
July 21
The Lowest Pair Concert
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library will welcome back The Lowest Pair in concert at 7 p.m. The Lowest Pair features the duo banjo picking of Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee, draped in Winter’s high lonesome harmonies and Lee’s Midwestern croon. Their albums Uncertain as It Is Uneven and Fern Girl and Ice Man are out on Team Love Records. To watch a video of the duo’s music, visit www.thelowestpair.com/home. All library events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482, email nancy@fcl.org, or visit Facebook or Twitter.
July 22 and 23
Singing Convention
CONWAY — The 138th annual session of the Faulkner County Singing Convention will begin at 7 p.m. Friday and at 10 a.m. Saturday at Cadron Ridge Baptist Church, 2980 Old Morrilton Highway in northwest Conway. The convention is open to the public. Supporters and singers are expected from diverse Arkansas areas, as well as from several other states. New shape-note songs are the custom, but hymns and gospel favorites are frequently included. After Friday’s session, refreshments will be provided, and the convention will serve lunch on Saturday.
July 23
Hawaiian Movie Luau Party
MORRILTON — The Conway County Library, 101 W. Church St., will offer a Hawaiian Movie Luau Party at 5 p.m. as the library’s Summer Reading Program finale. The event will feature Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, along with Hawaiian-themed food and prizes. For more information, call the library at (501) 354-5204.
The Music Man
LESLIE — The Music Man will be presented by the Leslie Area Merchants Association and the Red Curtain Theatre of Conway at 7 p.m. at the Ozark Heritage Arts Center in Leslie. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. For more information, call (870) 448-2557.
ONGOING
Fall Softball League Registration
RUSSELLVILLE — Registration for the Russellville Recreation and Parks Department’s fall softball league will continue until 5 p.m. Friday. Register at the Hughes Community Center from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Forms are available in the Russellville Recreation and Parks Department Office or at www.russellvillearkansas.org. For information, call the Hughes Center at (479) 968-1272.
Alzheimer’s Awareness Series
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Community Education Center, 130 Village Lane, Suite 5E, will offer a free Alzheimer’s Awareness series from 1-2 p.m. Thursdays. Sessions will continue Thursday with Healthy Living for Your Brain; July 28 with The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease; and Aug. 4 with Effective Communication Strategies. RSVP by calling (501) 884-4440.
Open-Mic Event
FAIRFIELD BAY — An open-mic music event will take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. the second and third Thursdays of each month at the Fairfield Bay Conference Center. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. The event is open to anyone who would like to sing or play an instrument. For more information, call the center at (501) 884-4202.
Third Thursday Farmers Market
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Third Thursday Farmers Market will be open from 9-11 a.m. July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 15 and Oct. 20 in the Fairfield Bay Community Education Center Courtyard, 130 Village Lane. The market features plants, produce and herbs. Setup is at 8 a.m., and there are no vendor fees.
Tea Party Luncheon
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Tea Party has a luncheon at noon every Thursday at Larry’s Pizza, 1068 Markham St. Guest speakers and the members’ “soap box” are featured each week. Anyone interested in governmental and business affairs on the county, state or national level is invited to arrive early, eat pizza and meet the group’s members.
Upcoming
Rhythms of Our Land
CONWAY — The Bi-Okoto African Drum and Dance Theatre will present Rhythms of Our Land, a family-friendly adventure in African culture and heritage, at 10 a.m. July 28 at the Faulkner County Library. Bi-Okoto’s mission is to preserve and share the heritage of Africa by using traditional arts as an educational tool to promote cultural awareness in communities globally. All library events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email nancy@fcl.org.
Internet-Safety Programs
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library and the Office of the Attorney General of Arkansas will present two programs on internet safety at the library. Assistant Attorney General Bilenda Harris-Ritter will present Internet Safety for Parents of Teens from 6-7 p.m. July 28, covering risky behaviors, online predators, cyberbullying, sexting and the importance of a good digital footprint. Harris-Ritter will offer Identity Theft! from 6-7 p.m. Aug. 11, which will take a look at what identity theft is, how it happens and tips to prevent it. All library programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email nancy@fcl.org.
Fishing Derby
CONWAY — The Conway Human Development Center Fishing Derby will begin at 7:30 a.m. July 30 at the CHDC Pond, 150 E. Siebenmorgen Road. Participants must be 12 years old or younger, or community individuals with developmental disabilities. Prizes will be awarded at 10:45 a.m. Anglers must bring fishing equipment, buckets and bait/supplies. Registration is $5 for the early-bird special, or $10 starting at 6:30 a.m. at the derby. For more information, contact Elizabeth Litton at (501) 329-6851, ext. 319 or 370, or elizabeth.litton@dhs.arkansas.gov. Download registration forms at chdconline.wix.com/conwayhdc. The derby’s alternate rain date is Aug. 6.
Arkansas Notary Workshop
RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Tech Small Business and Technology Development Center will present an Arkansas Notary Workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 2 at Arkansas Tech University. Notaries verify signatures on legal and business documents to deter fraud and ensure the proper execution of these documents. The Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office will walk participants through the application process, assist in understanding issues facing notaries, and outline best practices and procedures for notaries public. There is no fee to attend, but registration is required by calling (479) 356-2067 or visiting asbtdc.org/training/russellville-events.
Life Choices Annual Fundraising Gala
CONWAY — Life Choices will have its annual Fundraising Gala on Sept. 13 at the Conway Expo Center and Fairgrounds. This year’s presenting sponsor is Centennial Bank, and the speaker will be actor Kevin Sorbo. The buffet will open at 6 p.m. To reserve seats or sponsor a table, email lifechoicesgala@gmail.com or call (501) 329-5944.
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.