Sept. 1
Golf Ball Drop Fundraiser
CONWAY — Independent Living Services will hold its 11th annual Golf Ball Drop fundraiser from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Centennial Valley Country Club. The Conway Fire Department will drop numbered golf balls, and the ticket holder of the ball landing closest to the “hole” will win $2,016. For tickets, contact Robert Wright, director of development, at robert@indliving.org or (501) 580-0098, or buy them at the event.
Sept. 2
Maumelle Newcomers Club Coffee
MAUMELLE — The Maumelle Newcomers Club will have its monthly coffee at 10 a.m. at the Maumelle Community Center. The club is a social, charitable and educational organization designed to provide a way for women in Maumelle to meet others and gather for various activities of their choice. The activity chairwomen will be available at the coffee to describe their activities and answer questions. For more information, call Barb Spahr at (501) 766-4664.
Sept. 3
Canoe/Kayak Race
PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN — The Petit Jean Extension Homemakers Club’s third annual Canoe/Kayak Race will begin at the Boat House at Petit Jean State Park. Grilled hot dogs, chips and drinks will be sold after the race, with proceeds benefiting the Homemakers Club. Registration is $15 per craft the day of the race, or preregister by calling (501) 940-2243 or (501) 215-9726, or visiting www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-petit-jean-mountain-eh-club-canoekayak-race-pre-registration-tickets-26782809103?aff=eivtefrnd. The park has a few canoes, kayaks and paddle boats for rent, or participants may bring their own boats. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m., with the first heat around 8:30 a.m. T-Shirts will be available for purchase.
BayFest Street Festival
FAIRFIELD BAY — The BayFest Street Festival will take place at the Fairfield Bay Village Mall. This family event will feature an opening ceremony at 10 a.m.; street vendors, including food and arts and crafts, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; a car show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a pet parade from 1:30-3 p.m., with prizes awarded; and live music, with Hwy 31 performing from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Lucky Draw playing from 3-6 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from food sales will benefit the Fairfield Bay Animal Shelter.
Sept. 5
Holiday Closing
RUSSELLVILLE — The Hughes Community Center, 1000 East Parkway, will be closed Monday for observance of Labor Day.
Sept. 6 and 7
Blood Drive
CONWAY — Conway Regional Medical Center and the Arkansas Blood Institute will host a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Conway Regional Auditorium, 2302 College Ave. If possible, donors are asked to make appointments at www.yourbloodinstitute.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/196678. For more information, contact Vince Maniace, the Arkansas Blood Institute’s blood-drive coordinator, at vince.maniace@obi.org. Donors can enter a drawing for a $50 Walmart gift card each day of the drive.
Sept. 6, 13 and 20
Conway Women’s Chorus Auditions
CONWAY — The Conway Women’s Chorus is seeking new members for the fall semester. Open rehearsals will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday and again Sept. 13 and 20 in the building attached to the Conway Dinner Theater, 2201 Washington Ave., Suite 12. “If you are looking for a way to use those singing talents, we’ve got just the thing for you,” said Joan Hanna, director of the chorus, as well as its sponsor, the Faulkner Academy of Arts. For more information, call Hanna at (501) 339-7401 or visit www.faulkneracademyofarts.org.
Sept. 7
First Wednesday Ladies’ Lunch Break
CONWAY — The First Wednesday Ladies’ Lunch Break will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in the Second Baptist Church Fellowship Hall at Dave Ward Drive and Farris Road. Enter the church off Farris Road. Women of all ages are invited to attend. Lunch, for $5, includes a drink and dessert. Child care is available at no charge with advance registration by calling (501) 327-4066 or (501) 730-4106 by Monday.
ONGOING
Conway County Library Bookmobile Routes
MORRILTON — The Conway County Library, 101 W. Church St, will begin routes for its new bookmobile, which will carry a complete mobile library collection, including books and audiobooks for all ages. The bookmobile will begin routes in September. Stops will include Petit Jean Mountain: The Museum of Automobiles; Oppelo City Hall; Blackwell Liquor; Plummerville City Hall; Menifee City Hall; Springfield: Decker’s Grocery; Birdtown: DeSalvo’s Store; Nemo Vista School; Austin: Austin Grocery; Hattieville: Beeson’s Grocery; Saint Vincent: Nick’s Grocery; Jerusalem: Circle H Store; and Cleveland: Cleveland Grocery. For more information, call the library at (501) 354-5204.
Stroke Support Group
CONWAY — A Stroke Support Group meets from 1-2 p.m. the third Thursday of every month at Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, 2210 Robinson Ave. Participants are invited to have coffee and share stories about life after stroke. They gain practical guidance on nutrition, exercise, and social and emotional support, with resource networking. The free meetings feature special guest speakers and topics of interest.
Friday Night Bingo
HEBER SPRINGS — Friday Night Bingo takes place each week at the American Legion Hall, 49 Park Road. Doors open at 5:30 for bonanzas, and regular play starts at 6:30 p.m. Food is available.
Faulkner County Coin Club Meetings
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Coin Club meets the first Thursday of each month at the Ola and John Hawks Senior Wellness and Activity Center, 705 E. Siebenmorgen Road. The 5 p.m. dinner is optional, and a $6 donation is suggested for those 60 and younger. A fellowship time takes place from 5:30-7 p.m. and includes educational speakers, show-and-tell, news and door prizes. The meetings are open to coin collectors, history buffs or anyone interested in coins, tokens, medals, paper money, documents, etc. For more information, call (501) 327-2895 or (501) 908-9678.
Annual Food Drive
MAUMELLE — Maumelle AARP Chapter 5359 is sponsoring a food drive through Sept. 11 for the Hope Alliance Ministry Food Pantry, which serves the Maumelle and Marche communities. The food drive is also in honor of National Hunger Action Month. All nonperishable food items will be accepted. Collection points include the Maumelle Kroger, the Maumelle Community Center, the Maumelle Library and the Maumelle Senior Wellness Center. For more information, call Beverly at (501) 425-9312.
Open-Mic Event
FAIRFIELD BAY — An open-mic music event takes 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. 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
Author’s Presentation
FAIRFIELD BAY — Stanley Lombardo will be the September presenter at 1 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Fairfield Bay Community Education Center, 130 Village Lane, Suite 5E. Lombardo has taught screenwriting, technical writing, British literature, film studies, science fiction and applied linguistics at Arkansas Technical University since 1977. He will read “The Martyrdom of Saint Windbreaker” and “The Ballad of Sir Halliwell Hobbes,” poems in his books Paxton in the New World and Paxton Versus the Armada, respectively. For more information, call the center at (501) 884-4440.
Golf Tournament
HEBER SPRINGS — The Rotary Club of Heber Springs will host its annual Scholarship Four-Person-Scramble Golf Tournament on Sept. 9 at the Red Apple Inn and Country Club. Lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m., followed by a 1 p.m. shotgun start. There will be prizes for closest to the hole on all par 3s. Funds raised will provide scholarships to 2017 graduating seniors. For entry information, call Trey Miller at (501) 362-3131, or to be a sponsor, call Lloyd Langston at (870) 267-2312.
Antique Tractor Show and Swap Meet
HEBER SPRINGS — The fourth annual Little Red River Flywheelers Antique Tractor Show and Swap Meet will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept 9 and 10 at the Cleburne County Fairgrounds, 880 Bittle Road. There will be a lawn tractor pull at 1 p.m. Sept. 10, courtesy of Central Arkansas Mini Pullers. The hook-up fee for the pull is $10, and there is no admission fee. Following judging for the tractors and engines, trophies will be awarded. Swap-meet vendors are welcome. For more information, call (501) 270-1810 or (501) 368-5408.
Relay for Life Fundraiser
WILBURN — The Wilburn Friends and Family Relay for Life Team will sponsor a
barbecue dinner and gospel singing Sept. 10 at the
Wilburn General Baptist Church on Arkansas 110. Supper will start at 5 p.m., followed by singing at 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted. For more information, call Danita Hayes at (501) 206-2505.
Duo Performance
CONWAY — Award-winning songwriter and bestselling author W.C. Jameson and Buddy Case, an Arkansas guitarist and songwriter, will perform from 2-4 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Faulkner County Library, in conjunction with the release of their latest CD, Dirt Road Home. 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.
Second Saturday Bingo
HEBER SPRINGS — Second Saturday Bingo will take place Sept. 10 at St. Albert Catholic Church, 21 Park Road. Play will begin with Quickfire games at 5:30 p.m. There will be a concession stand with homemade desserts.
Book Signing
CONWAY — Chris Nooner, a native of central Arkansas, will have a book signing at 1 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Faulkner County Library. His novel Shadow Souls tells the tale of Eli Seven Crow and features the mythology of the Cherokee and Choctaw. The story is an urban fantasy that explores the rich and mysterious Native American history in Arkansas, including the Toltec Mounds and the mysterious King’s Seat just outside of Evening Shade. 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.
Southern Gospel Concert
PLUMERVILLE — All are invited to an evening of Southern gospel music with Jerry Trammell at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at Plummerville United Methodist Church, 200 W. Church St. The concert is free, but an offering will be taken. Trammell was an original member of the Venable Quartet. For more information, call the church at (501) 354-2309.
The Miracle Worker Auditions
CONWAY — The Conway Dinner Theater, 2201 Washington Ave., will have auditions for The Miracle Worker, by William Gibson, and an informational meeting at 5 p.m. Sept. 12. Child-youth actors are needed for the roles of Helen, who is struck deaf and blind by a fever; Martha, a servant child; Percy, a servant child; James Keller, Helen’s half-brother; an additional servant; and children of the Perkins Institute for the Blind. Rehearsals will begin at 5 p.m. Sept. 19. Production dates are Dec. 2-3, 9-10 and 17-18. The entrance to the theater is on Hutto Street. For more information, call 339-7401 or email faulkneraarts@yahoo.com.
Business Development Series Course
RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Tech Small Business and Technology Development Center will offer a four-week Business Development Series course from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, starting Sept. 13, at the Russellville campus. Current business owners and those who want to start a business are encouraged to attend. The course address four basic challenge areas to every business: an attractive business concept, a strong organizational structure, lasting customer relationships and profitable business operations. The course fee is $99. Registration is required by Sept. 12 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.
Heber Springs Dulcimer Day
HEBER SPRINGS — The second annual Heber Springs Dulcimer Day for mountain-dulcimer players will take place Oct. 8 in the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 201 N. Fourth St. The one-day workshop offers beginner instruction by Wayne Randolph and intermediate classes by Lee Cagle. The cost is $20 for two sessions: 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. A limited number of loaner dulcimers will be available. There will be a free concert at 7 p.m. at the William Carl Garner Visitor Center featuring Cagle and local band Strings & Things. Preregister for the workshop by emailing bstracen@yahoo.com or calling (501)-206-9566. For more information, visit www.leecagledulcimers.com.
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.