May 5
Book Signing
CONWAY — Lois Giorgis will have a book signing from 10 a.m. to noon at the Faulkner County Library. She will sign copies of Life Keeps Happening, a set of two novellas for young readers: Three Weeks and its companion novella, Saying Goodbye. Giorgis is a former high-school counselor and the mother of two and stepmother of three. She is also a longtime artist. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482, email nancy@fcl.org, or contact Facebook or Twitter.
May 6
Maumelle Newcomers Coffee
MAUMELLE — The Maumelle Newcomers will have a monthly coffee at 10 a.m. at the Maumelle Community Center. All women in the community are invited. For more information, call Pat Matthews at (501) 803-0225.
May 6 and 7
Rock the Nest Fest
VILONIA — Rock the Nest Fest, a community event organized by high school students to benefit Arkansas Children’s Hospital and a fellow classmate recently diagnosed with leukemia, will take place from 5-11 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at Vilonia Middle School, 49 Eagle St. The event will feature multiple craft vendors, live music, food trucks and more.
May 7
Bean Supper
PLUMERVILLE — The Plumerville Homecoming Committee will sponsor its annual bean supper from 3-6 p.m. at the W.C. Plummer Senior Center, just east of the Arch Ford Co-op campus. The menu will consist of two varieties of beans, home-fried potatoes, slaw, cornbread and desserts. The cost is $7 for adults and $5 for children. All are invited to treat their mothers with dinner for Mother’s Day.
Dan and Jeff Clanton Concert
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library will present a concert by local father/son duo Dan and Jeff Clanton at 3 p.m. Guitarist Dan plays and sings original songs, as well as selected covers in the singer-
songwriter genre, and is usually accompanied by Jeff, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist who also plays old-time acoustic blues and Americana tunes. 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.
Master Gardeners Plant Sale
RUSSELLVILLE — The Pope County Master Gardeners, a program sponsored by the Pope County Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, will hold its annual plant sale from 8 a.m. to noon at the Pope County Fairgrounds,
500 S. Knoxville St. There is no admission charge.
Springtime Festival
FAIRFIELD BAY — A springtime festival that combines two family-
friendly outdoor events will take place Saturday. Bloomin’ in the Bay, a celebration of spring, will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Ed Leamon Park, and the new Blues & BBQ will be from 1-6 p.m. across the street in the Fairfield Bay Senior Center parking lot. Blues & BBQ will feature live music, food vendors and a barbecue competition.
Cruzin’ the Bay Car Show
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Cruzin’ the Bay Car Show and Shine, hosted by the Fairfield Bay Chamber of Commerce, will be presented from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Village Mall Parking lot, near the Clock Tower. There will be a raffle, prizes and other giveaways.
Pony Up for HAVEN
CONWAY — Pony Up for HAVEN, the third annual Kentucky Derby Party to benefit Help for Abuse Victims in Emergency Need, will be from 4-7 p.m. at Back Achers Ranch, 3725 College Ave. Tickets are $30 each or $100 for four. The event includes hors d’oeuvres and drinks and viewing the race, plus a live auction. Attendees are asked to wear traditional Kentucky Derby attire. Tickets are available at havenar.eventbrite.com. HAVEN is a residential home for abused and neglected girls ages 6-18.
May 9 and 14
Pajama Party Auditions
CONWAY — The Conway Dinner Theater will hold auditions for its summer musical, Pajama Party, from 7-9 p.m. Monday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 14 at the theater, 2201 Washington Ave., Suite 12. Those planning to audition need to prepare 16 bars of any musical-theater piece. There will be cold readings with directors. Performance dates are July 22, 23, 30 and 31, and Aug. 5 and 6. For more information, call (501) 339-7401 or email faulkneraarts@yahoo.com.
May 11
Cars of the Fifties Lunch and Program
MORRILTON — As part of its continuing centennial celebration, the Conway County Library, 101 W. Church St., will present a Cars of the Fifties lunch and program at noon. The guest speaker will be Buddy Hoelzeman from the Museum of Automobiles, who will discuss the impact the interstate system, roadside attractions and diners had on American travelers. There will be a drawing for a model car kit, and Sam Lasuzzo will present a mini car display of ’50s automobiles. The Pathfinders will serve light refreshments. For more information, call the library at (501) 354-5204.
ONGOING
Music in the Mall
FAIRFIELD BAY — Music in the Mall, featuring local and drop-in performers, will take place from 6-9 p.m. the first, second and fourth Thursdays of the month at the Education Center Gazebo in the Village Mall. All are invited to bring instruments, their singing voices, lawn chairs and neighbors. The event is free. For more information, drop by the Fairfield Bay Community Education Center, 130 Village Lane, Suite 5, or call (501) 884-4440.
Learn to Swim Program Registration
RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville Recreation and Parks Department will conduct swim lessons with certified Red Cross instructors this summer at the M.J. Hickey Pool. The program will begin June 6, with sessions and classes determined by the number of participants. Each session will include eight lessons in two weeks. Morning and evening classes will be offered. Registration will be accepted from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Hughes Community Center, 1000 E. Parkway. A parent or legal guardian needs to register minors, and the fee is $60. For more information, call (479) 968-1272.
Meeting Date Change
RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville Recreation and Parks Commission has changed its meeting date to noon the second Thursday of each month. The commission meets at the Hughes Community Center.
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.
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.