TODAY
Jubilation Jazz Concert
BATESVILLE — Jubilation Jazz will perform Christmas favorites with a big-band twist at 3 p.m. in Sloan Auditorium of the Brown Chapel and Fine Arts Building at Lyon College. The band consists of band directors, retired band directors, retired military musicians and other professional musicians from all over Arkansas and neighboring states. They donate their time, travel expenses and musical abilities to share God’s message in a big-band jazz format.
Searcy Tour of Homes
SEARCY — Women for Harding will host the 36th annual Searcy Tour of Homes from 1-5 p.m. Guests can view Christmas decor during the tour of five local homes. Tickets are $25 the day of the tour and can be purchased at hardingtickets.com or by calling (501) 279-4276.
Chamber Singers Concert
SEARCY —The Harding University Department of Music will present a concert featuring Harding’s Chamber Singers at 7 p.m. in Harding’s Reynolds Center Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call the music department at (501) 279-4343.
MONDAY
Piano Recital
SEARCY — Penny Chen will give a piano recital at 7 p.m. in the Reynolds Center Recital Hall at Harding University. The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, call the music department at (501) 279-4343.
Community Music Gathering
BATESVILLE — There will be a community music gathering from 6-8 p.m. at First Community Bank. Instrumentalists, singers and listeners are all invited to attend.
Tuesday
Student Recital
BATESVILLE — Lyon College vocal and instrumental students will perform selections of popular and classical music as part of their student recital at 7:30 p.m.
in the Bevens Music Room of the Brown Chapel and Fine Arts Building. All are welcome to attend, and admission is free.
Legion Riders Meeting
CABOT — A Legion Riders group — for veterans who are motorcycle riders — will meet at 7 p.m. at Criswell-Robinson American Legion Post 71, 114 N. First St. For more information, call (501) 203-5715.
Tuesday – Dec. 14
Festival of Trees
FAIRFIELD BAY — The annual Festival of Trees will be on display from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Dec. 14 in the Fairfield Bay Conference and Visitor Center. Visitors are encouraged to bring cameras to capture holiday photos. There is still time to enter a tree, and it’s free. The trees may stay on display into the new year. For more information, contact Erin Taylor at Taylor’d Marketing at (501) 813-7155 or erinptaylor@gmail.com.
Wednesday
Springtime in the U.K.
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Community Education Center will present Springtime in the U.K., a pictorial essay highlighting places visited, including castles, landmarks and scenic views of England and Scotland, by Lee Phillips, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Indian Hills Club, 337 Snead Drive. This free event is hosted by the Fairfield Bay Rotary Club. For more information, call the center at (501) 884-4440.
Thursday
Who Feast
RUSSELL — A Who Feast fundraiser will take place at 5 p.m. at the old Russell School. Tickets are $7, and food will be provided by the Silver Dollar Grill. More information is available by calling Brenda Poole at (501) 278-6249.
Freemans Christmas Banquet
JUDSONIA — Rowland Promotions will present the eighth annual Freemans Christmas Banquet at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Activity Center in downtown Judsonia. Tickets are $15 each or two for $25 for the full dinner and concert. Canned goods and toys for local families in need will be collected. For tickets or information, call or text Robert Rowland at (501) 388-6828 or visit www.the-freemans.com/appearances. Cash, checks and credit/debit cards are accepted. Purchase tickets by Monday.
Friday and Saturday
Ye Olde Christmasse Madrigal Feaste
BATESVILLE — The Southside High School Choir Department’s 24th annual Ye Olde Christmasse Madrigal Feaste will take place at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the South Castle, aka the Southside Middle School Cafetorium. The event will feature a wandering minstrel, followed by a feast of wassail, French onion soup, beef tenderloin, green-bean bundles, twice-baked potatoes, fresh warm wheat loaves and flaming dessert. During dinner, there will be juggling, magic, stories and antics of the jester, followed by a short concert by the Senior Madrigals. Tickets, at $22 each, must be purchased in advance by calling the Southside School Administration Building at (870) 251-2341 or (870) 612-2846, or visiting southsideschools.org.
Saturday
Searcy KLIFE Christmas Fun Run
SEARCY — Searcy KLIFE will host its fourth annual It’s a Wonderful KLIFE 5K/1M fun run at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Searcy. The run will start in front of the Courthouse Square. The fun run is for people of all ages and activity levels, with trophies and medals for multiple age groups. To register, call (501) 593-3666 or visit racesonline.com/events/it-s-a-wonderful-klife. For more information, visit Facebook, Instagram or www.searcy.klife.com.
Powhatan Historic State Park Holiday Open House
POWHATAN — All are invited to see Powhatan Historic State Park decked out in its Victorian Christmas finery at the park’s Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the courthouse. Admission is free to this family-oriented day of crafts, tours, activities and refreshments. For a schedule, contact the park at (870) 878-6765 or powhatan@arkansas.com.
ONGOING
Holiday Nut Sale
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Conservation District still has varieties of nuts for sale for Christmas gifts or baking needs: Fancy Mammoth Pecan halves or pecan pieces in 1-pound bags, $9; 1-pound English Walnuts pieces and halves, $8; and specialty nuts, all in 1-pound bags, $9 — Chocolate Amaretto, Praline, Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Pecan Halves; Sugar-free Chocolate Pecans, $10; Chocolate Almonds, $7.50; and Double Dipped Chocolate Peanuts,$6. Also available are Pistachios, $8.50; Chocolate Macadamias, $8.50; Chocolate Cashews, $9; and a 5-pound bag of raw peanuts. A variety of gift tins are also available. To purchase nuts, visit 490 E. College St., Room 242, in Batesville or call (870) 793-4164, ext. 3, for more information.
Single Parent Scholarship Application Deadline
BATESVILLE — The spring deadline is Jan. 15 to apply for a scholarship from the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Independence County. Single parents who are Arkansas residents, have earned a GED or high school diploma and are enrolled at an Arkansas college or university for spring 2019 are eligible to apply. Go to www.aspsf.org, select “Scholarships,” and select Independence County and complete an application. For more information, contact Alodia Hankins, program manager, at (870) 214-2460 or ahankins@aspsf.org.
Ice-Skating Rink
BATESVILLE — A 40-by-40-foot ice-skating rink under the Riverside Park Amphitheater will be open through Dec. 31. The open-skate schedule is 4-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to midnight Fridays; 1 p.m. to midnight Saturdays; and 1-6 p.m. Sundays. The cost to skate is $5 per person. Party reservations will be available for Sunday evenings for $125 per hour with a 30-skater maximum. To make a reservation, call at (870) 698-2427 or visit www.batesvilleparks.com.
Heber Springs TOPS Meetings
HEBER SPRINGS — TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets each Monday at the Church of the Nazarene, Eighth and Quitman streets. Weigh-in begins at 7:30 a.m., and a support meeting emphasizing weight loss and healthy living takes place from 9:30-11 a.m. Prospective members are welcome to attend. Enter the church through the back entrance. For more information, call Geneva Earles at (501) 827-1243 or Janiece Brierly at (501) 250-5087.
Feed the Veterans
CABOT — The Feed the Veterans food pantry, 214 Rainbow Drive, is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Saturday of each month. The pantry, which lets veterans shop for the items and amounts they need, serves military veterans, their spouses and children younger than 18. Retirees, guardsmen and reservists are welcome. The only requirement is proof of military service — a DD-214 or a Veterans Affairs Health Care card or military ID. For more information, check out the organization’s Facebook page, page@feedtheveterans.
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Searcy Lions Club
SEARCY — The Searcy Lions Club meets at noon every Tuesday on the second floor of the Heritage Building on the Harding University campus. The Lions Club raises funds for eye care and eye glasses for White County residents who otherwise could not afford such care. New members are always welcome. For more information, go to Searcy Lions Club on Facebook.
VFW Tuesday Night Bingo
QUITMAN — Tuesday Night Bingo takes place each week at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1295 Bee Branch Road. Doors open at 5:30 for bonanzas, and regular play starts at 6:30 p.m. Food is available. For more information, call (501) 362-9979.
American Legion 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. For more information, call (501) 362-9979.
Cabot Lions Club Meetings
CABOT — The Cabot Lions Club meets at noon the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at Colton’s Steak House & Grill, 195 Northport Drive. All are invited to the meetings.
Free Brown-Bag Lunch
CABOT — The Mount Tabor United Methodist Church Women of Cabot serve a free brown-bag lunch at 11 a.m. each Thursday at the church, 4100 Arkansas 89 S. All are welcome. To volunteer or make a donation, call (501) 843-3797.
Bluegrass Music Night
HEBER SPRINGS — Heber Springs Christian Church, 1101 N. Broadway St., offers a bluegrass music night from 6:30-8:30 every Tuesday. Musicians are invited to participate. Free coffee will be available. For more information, call the church at (501) 362-2389.
Beebe Kiwanis Club Meetings
BEEBE — The Beebe Kiwanis Club meets at noon the first and third Thursdays of each month in the Stephens Room of the Student Center at Arkansas State University-Beebe. Kiwanis is a volunteer organization with the mission of helping youth in the community. For more information, call Flo Fitch at (501) 230-2890 or Debra Crisco at (501) 454-3505.
Civitan Meetings
CABOT — Civitan meets at 6 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month at First Security Bank in downtown Cabot. Civitan is an organization that provides training and support for people with developmental disabilities.
Opportunity for Bridge Players
BEEBE — Bridge players are needed at 1 p.m. Wednesdays at the Shepherd’s Center at Beebe United Methodist Church, 302A N. Main St. Beginners are welcome. For more information, call (501) 843-2930.
Beebe Caregivers Support Group
BEEBE — The Beebe Caregivers Support Group meets at 3 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at the Shepherd’s Center at Beebe United Methodist Church, 302A N. Main St. For more information, call Sandra Garrett at (501) 940-4021.
Alzheimer’s Support Group
CABOT — The Alzheimer’s Support Group meets at 10 a.m. the second Tuesday of each month at Cabot United Methodist Church, 2003 S. Pine St. For more information, call (501) 265-0027.
Republicans Meetings
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.
Upcoming
Dynamic Duo Christmas Concert
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Dynamic Duo will present a Christmas concert at 2 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Fairfield Bay Conference Center, 110 Lost Creek Parkway. Sponsored by the North Central Arkansas Foundation for the Arts and Education, the concert will feature holiday fun with vocals, guitar and keyboard selections by Lucy Jackson and Gary Gibbs of Mountain View. There is no admission charge.
AARP Drive Smart Course
CABOT — An AARP Drive Smart Course will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at Cabot United Methodist Church, 2003 S. Pine St. The instructors are Deborah Landers and Jerry Yates. The cost of the course is $15 for AARP members with an AARP ID card or $20 for nonmembers. Participants are asked to bring a sweater or jacket because the room is usually cool. To register for the class, call Jean Davenport at (501) 843-5694.
Macros Using Excel — New!
BATESVILLE — The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville will offer Macros Using Excel — New from 8:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 13 in Room 222 of the UACCB Main Campus Building. The class fee is $69, and Rhonda Byrd is the instructor. This course, for advanced Office users, covers automating everyday tasks in Excel and is a prerequisite for the Visual Basic for Applications class. For more information or to register, call (870) 612-2082 or email communityed@uaccb.edu.
Apple Basket Weaving Workshop
POWHATAN — An Apple Basket Weaving Workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 15 at the Courthouse at Powhatan Historic State Park. Participants will learn to weave an apple basket and are asked to bring a sack lunch. The workshop fee is $30, and all supplies will be provided. To reserve a space, call (870) 878-6765 or email powhatan@arkansas.com.
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. The deadline for calendar-item submissions is noon Tuesday.