Sept. 1
Spring River Gem & Mineral Club Meeting
CHEROKEE VILLAGE — The Spring River Gem & Mineral Club will meet from 10 a.m. to noon at the Omaha Center. The program will be Metal Detecting: Digging in the Dirt for Fun and Profit, by retired geologist Michael Howard. His talk and demonstration will describe what metal detecting consists of, where to find things, and what types of detectors to choose from and their cost. The program is free, and visitors are welcome.
Sept. 1 – Sept. 5
Davidsonville Legacy Week
POCAHONTAS — Davidsonville Historic State Park is celebrating Davidsonville Legacy Week through Monday. Activities and talks will take place throughout the week and weekend to celebrate the history of the park and the people who have contributed to its creation and preservation. For more information, call the park at (870) 892-4708. Davidsonville Historic State Park is a 15-minute drive south of Pocahontas on Arkansas 166.
Sept. 3
Girl Scouts Informational Meeting
CABOT — The Juliette Low Service Unit of the Girl Scouts Diamonds – Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas will hold a Girl Scouts informational meeting from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Community Room of the Cabot Public Library, 909 W. Main St. Girls in kindergarten through the 12th grade in the Cabot, Beebe, Lonoke, Carlisle, England and Hazen school districts and their parents are invited to drop in anytime during the event to learn more about joining a Girl Scout troop. For more information, contact Beverly Keathley at beverlykeathley@yahoo.com or (501) 606-1539.
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.
Main Street Farmers Market
BATESVILLE — The Main Street Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon in the Pocket Park on Main Street, featuring products from Stewart Farm of Poughkeepsie, Mahan Farm of Southside, Garden Girl Farm Fresh Produce and More of Pleasant Plains and Batesville, Brood Farm of Cave City and Home Made Home. The market also features artists and craftspeople, including Karen Barker and In the Land of Wild Artists. Bakers will include the Downtown Pie Co. The Music at the Market Series will feature live music starting around 9 a.m. The market is open the first and third Saturdays of each month. For more information, check the Main Street Batesville Facebook page, or contact market manager Jean Larson at (208) 869-1445 or jeallo16@gmail.com.
Sept. 4
White County Iris Society Meeting
SEARCY — The White County Iris Society will meet at 2 p.m. at 605 E. Race Ave. The program will include reviews of the AIS National Convention, current local school projects and the Harding iris project. The meeting is open to all. For more information, call (501) 279-8010
Sept. 5
District Fair Entry Deadline
MELBOURNE — All entries for the North Central Arkansas District Fair must be made online by Monday to avoid paying a late entry fee. A $5 late fee per entry will then be charged for entries (for all exhibits) received through Sept. 10. The fair will be Sept. 26 to Oct. 1 at the fairgrounds on LaCrosse Road. Make online entries at www.ncadistrictfair.org, with a link for junior exhibitors (18 and under) and a link for open or adult entries. All entry fees are due Sept. 10: Mail to NCA District Fair, P.O. Box 92, Sturkie, AR 72578. For more information, email ncadfair@yahoo.com.
ONGOING
Republicans Meeting
NEWPORT — The Jackson County Republicans meet at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Merchants and Planters Bank, 915 Arkansas 367 N. For more information, call Jeff McDonald at (870) 731-7646.
Reading and Learning Diagnostic Center
SEARCY — The Reading and Learning Diagnostic Center, 1200 S. Main St., will open Wednesday. The center is enrolling new students from 1-5 p.m. daily. Parents can call (501) 278-1810 to make an appointment to come in and fill out paperwork to reserve a place for a child. The center, on the Unity Health South Campus, provides one-on-one tutoring for first- through eighth-graders in reading and math.
Adult Education Enrollment
BEEBE — Enrollment has begun for fall classes at the Arkansas State University-Beebe Adult Education centers on the Beebe, Searcy and Heber Springs campuses. The centers provide instruction and testing to students 18 or older who want to obtain a General Educational Development (GED) diploma. Sessions are available in the morning, afternoon and evening, and the classes are free. New enrollment begins every six weeks. To set up an appointment to enroll, call Adult Education at (501) 207-6290. For more information, visit www.asub.edu.
Introduction to Art Continuing Education Course
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Ozarka College in Mountain View will once again host Introduction to Art courses, offered through Continuing Education. These four-week courses, taught by Leah Balowski, will meet from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays and Wednesdays. The first section of the course has begun. Additional class dates are Sept. 26 – Oct. 19; Oct. 24 – Nov. 16; and Nov. 28 – Dec. 21. The course presents a hands-on approach to the fundamental media, techniques and concepts of making art. The tuition is $35 per student, or $30 for ages 60 and older. Preregistration is required by contacting Lindsay Wilson-Galloway, director of Ozarka College in Mountain View, at (870) 269-5600 or lhgalloway@ozarka.edu.
Free GED Classes
MELBOURNE — Free GED classes will be offered at Ozarka College in Melbourne, Ash Flat, Mammoth Spring and Mountain View. Classes will meet at Ozarka College in Melbourne from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; in Ash Flat from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; and at Mammoth Spring and Mountain View from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Registration is ongoing. For more information, call Ozarka College’s Adult Education Department at (870) 368-2051.
KidStage Fall Registration
SEARCY —Registration is open for Center on the Square’s fall KidStage production. Holly Cannon and Penny Turpin will direct the fall session on producing one-act plays. Performance dates will be Nov. 10-12. Classes for second- through sixth-graders will meet from 4-6 pm., beginning Tuesday. Classes for seventh- through 12th-graders will meet from 4-6 p.m., beginning Sept. 8. The registration fee is $95, and registration forms are available at www.centeronthesquare.org and at Center on the Square, 219 W. Arch Ave.
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.
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.
Cabot Lions Club Meetings
CABOT — The Cabot Lions Club has regular get-togethers at noon the first and third Thursdays of the month at the Kingpin Sports Grill. Lions serve local communities and work to protect the planet. Club members provide children with eyeglasses, offer food for seniors and provide assistance when disaster strikes. All are invited to attend the meetings.
Upcoming
Arkansas Constitutional Tea Party Meeting
CABOT — The Arkansas Constitutional Tea Party will meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 in the Meeting Room of the Days Inn & Suites, 1302 W. Locust St. For more information, call (501) 813-6980.
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 in Russellville 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.
Girl Scouts Informational Meeting
CABOT — The Juliette Low Service Unit of the Girl Scouts Diamonds — Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas will hold a Girl Scouts informational meeting from 6:30 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 in the cafeteria of Cabot Middle School North, 1900 N. Lincoln St. Girls in kindergarten through the 12th grade in the Cabot, Beebe, Lonoke, Carlisle, England and Hazen school districts and their parents are invited to attend and learn about joining a Girl Scout troop. For more information, contact Beverly Keathley at beverlykeathley@yahoo.com or (501) 606-1539.
History of Performance Art and Practice
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Ozarka College in Mountain View will offer an eight-week Continuing Education course titled History of Performance Art and Practice, with instructor John Chiaromonte, from 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays from Sept. 8 through Oct. 26. The course will include readings, videos of artists’ works and discussion. Students will be engaged in exercises to prepare them to create and perform their own performance-art pieces. Tuition is $25, or $20 for senior citizens ages 60 and older. Register by contacting Lindsay Wilson-Galloway, director of Ozarka College-Mountain View, at (870) 269-5600 or lhgalloway@ozarka.edu.
Gridiron Gala
BATESVILLE — Lyon College will present its first Gridiron Gala, an auction and fundraiser, at 6 p.m. Sept. 9 in Edwards Commons at Lyon College, 2300 Highland Road. The event will raise money for scholarships for Lyon College students. The gala will feature a gourmet dinner, cocktails, a dance with live music, and silent and live auctions. General admission is $100. Tickets are available in limited quantity and will be held at the door. For more information or tickets, contact Cindy Qualls at cindy.qualls@lyon.edu or (870) 307-7211.
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.
Mountain Man Rendezvous
CALICO ROCK — The Calico Rock Museum and Visitor Center will host the annual Calico Rock Mountain Man Rendezvous in Rand City Park on Sept. 9 and 10. This annual family event will feature authentic tents, re-enactors in period dress, competitions, vintage demonstrations and vendors. Daisy Air Guns, an Arkansas company, donated a BB gun that is inscribed for the occasion and will be raffled. Raffle tickets, at $1 each or six for $5, can be purchased in advance at the Calico Rock Museum or at the Rendezvous. For more information, call the museum at (870) 297-6100 or visit www.calicorockmuseum.com.
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.
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.
Fish/Chicken Dinner Fundraiser
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Foster and Adoptive Parents Association will have its annual fish/chicken dinner fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 10 at First Baptist Church, 610 E. Main St. Tickets are $8. The meals, dine-in or drive-thru, will be provided by John 3:16. For tickets, at $8 each, call Charles Dean at (870) 834-3625 or any association member. Contributions may be made through PayPal to independencefpa@gmail.com.
The SAME Cafe
SEARCY — The SAME Cafe will be open from 4-5:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at the West Side Church of Christ, 709 W. Arch St., for anyone in the community who would like a free warm meal. This is a change in the cafe’s normal schedule, which is the first Saturday of the month, but because that is Labor Day weekend, the SAME Cafe will be open on the second Saturday this time only.
September Gallery Artist
RUSSELLVILLE — The River Valley Arts Center, 1001 E. B St., will present Valeria Smith as its September gallery artist. There will be an opening reception for her exhibit from 1-3 p.m. Sept. 11. An Arkansas native, Valeria Smith most recently studied oil and watercolor painting at the River Valley Arts Center. The exhibit will be on display Sept. 1-27. The center’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. For more information, call (479) 968-2452.
Independence County Retired Teachers Meeting
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Retired Teachers will meet at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 12 at Kelley-Wyatt’s Restaurant in the Ramada Batesville, 1335 N. St. Louis St. The guest speaker, Mary Alice Hughes, will speak on insurance needs.
Arkansas 4-H Poultry Chain Show and Auction
SEARCY — The White County 4-H Poultry Chain show and auction will be Sept. 12 in the Animal World Barn at the White County Fairgrounds. All birds should be in place by 5 p.m., and the show will begin at 6, with the auction to follow. The 4-H Poultry Chain project is designed to teach 4-H members recommended management practices for the family laying flock. County extension agents enroll 4-H members to participate and provide guidance for growing good-quality birds. The poultry breed this year is Hyline Browns, which lay brown eggs. Anyone who wants to purchase birds is invited to attend the show and sale.
Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour
MOUNTAIN VIEW — The 15th annual Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour, a free self-guided driving tour of the private working studios of fine and functional artists, will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 16 and 17, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 18. For this event, 32 artists in 22 studios will open their private spaces to the public for a look at how and where they create their distinctive pottery, jewelry, painting, photographs, weaving, wood items, furniture, baskets and more. The tour showcases artists located within 30 miles of the Courthouse Square in Mountain View. A Guide to Artists’ Studios is available at www.offthebeatenpathstudiotour.com.
Officer Will McGary Memorial Car Show
SEARCY — The fourth annual Officer Will McGary Memorial Car Show will take place Sept. 17 at Valley Baptist Church, 3328 Arkansas 36 W. Registration will be at 9 a.m., and awards will be presented at 3 p.m. Register online at willmcgaryfoundation.org, by mail or the day of the show. Donations are accepted. There is no fee for emergency-response vehicles. Make checks payable to the Will McGary Foundation, and mail with registration forms (one registry per vehicle) to Jim Pinner, P.O. Box 1505, Searcy, AR 72145. For more information, call Pinner at (501) 268-3112 or David English at (501) 230-4351.
North Central District Fair Queen Scholarship
MELBOURNE — Ozarka College has announced that a $500 scholarship will be awarded to the winner of the 2016 North Central District Fair Queen Contest. The pageant, a preliminary to the Arkansas State Fair Queen Contest, will take place Oct. 1 in Ozarka College’s John E. Miller Auditorium, 218 College Drive. The North Central Fair District is made up of Cleburne, Izard, Independence, Sharp, Fulton, Stone and Van Buren counties. For more information about the pageant, call Kathryn Lamb at (870) 291-5237. For more information about Ozarka College scholarships, contact Suellen Davidson, Ozarka College director of advancement, at (870) 368-2059 or sdavidson@ozarka.edu.
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 per person 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.
Oktoberfest
JACKSONVILLE — The Ladies of the Knights and Knights of Columbus Council 11604 will host their 13th annual Oktoberfest at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 108 N. First St. The evening will feature a German dinner, music and dancing. Tickets are $15 per adult. Proceeds will be used to fund the Knights and Ladies’ charitable organizations. For tickets or more information, call Theresa at (501) 843-8251 or Linda at (501) 843-7655. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.
To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, Three Rivers Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; send faxes to (501) 378-3500; or email trnews@arkansasonline.com. Deadlines for calendar-item submissions are noon Friday for Thursday editions and noon Tuesday for Sunday editions.