RUSSELLVILLE — A car show and a carnival will be combined for a fundraiser Saturday in Russellville by organizers of the Relay for Life of Pope, Yell and Conway counties.
The local Relay for Life event, which raises funds for the American Cancer Society, had been scheduled in April. However, severe weather forced the event’s postponement. When plans developed for a benefit car show, hosted by the Arkansas Mopar Cruisers,
Relay for Life organizers quickly decided to combine the show with the rescheduled Carnival for a Cure activities.
“When we decided to combine the rescheduled carnival with a car show, we knew it would be such a great family fun day and wonderful for people of all ages,” said Elizabeth Hunnicutt of Russellville, event co-chairwoman.
The combined events will take place in the main parking lot of Russellville High School. The car show, billed as Cruisin’ for a Cure, will begin with car check-in from 8-10 a.m.
Judging will follow, with awards presented at 1 p.m. All proceeds from the show, including the car entry fee, will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
At 11 a.m., Carnival for a Cure will begin at the high school. There will be food trucks, bounce houses, horse rides courtesy of the Equestrian Zone, face-painting, DJ Miles Lowery and a number of pay-to-play games offered by local Relay for Life teams.
An American Cancer Society information booth will also be on-site, as well as a booth for the Cancer Action Network, the cancer-advocacy organization for the American Cancer Society.
The carnival festivities will end at 2 p.m.
Because the relay is a daytime event, the traditional luminaria ceremony will not take place that day. Instead, that ceremony will be from 9-9:30 p.m. Sept. 1 at the Russellville Depot Park downtown. That ceremony will follow the quarterly Downtown Art Walk, scheduled to end at 9 that evening.
“The purpose of Cruisin’ for a Cure and Carnival for a Cure, as it has been with all of our past events, is to raise money for the American Cancer Society,” said co-chairwoman Jennifer Lackie of Russellville.
“You have heard the old adage, ‘Everyone knows someone with cancer.’ Well, that is true,” Lackie said. “You know someone or know of someone who has battled, or lost their fight to, cancer. Through Relay for Life, we fundraise to create a world with more hope, more birthdays and, most of all, to put an end to this terrible disease.”
Hunnicutt said organizers are thankful for all the local support for Relay for Life and other activities throughout the year.
“We greatly appreciate Arkansas Mopar Cruisers for helping us get organized for this car show and carnival,” she said.
“We also want to say ‘thank you’ to the businesses who have donated endlessly and/or participated in our events. Without the help from our local communities and our relay teams, none of this would be possible,” Hunnicutt said.
For more information about the event, visit the local Relay for Life web page at relayforlife.org/popear or the organization’s Facebook page.