CALENDAR: June means the official start of summer. How about a picnic for Dad with turkey, purple hull peas, cheese, doughnuts and ice cream?

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Main June calendar Illustration
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Main June calendar Illustration

June is when Dad gets his day, Father's Day -- and just what he wanted, another necktie. But lightning could strike. Not likely, but the unexpected might happen. Why not something different? Give this guy what he really wants, a doughnut.

1 National Doughnut Day, International Men's Month, and doughnuts the way men like 'em:

• For Kull the Conqueror: cruller.

• For Frosty the Snowman: glazed.

• For the New England Patriots: Boston cream.

AYE, DOGGIES LOVE DOUGHNUTS

Lum and Abner Festival remembers the old-time radio characters through June 2, Mena. Details at visitmena.com. Call (479) 394-2912.

SPRINGS ADO,

THINGS TO DO

Mustang Weekend through June 3, Eureka Springs, includes Mustang parade at 4 p.m. June 2. Details at eurekasprings.org.

Great Passion Play, weekends through October, Eureka Springs. Details at greatpassionplay.org. Call (800) 882-7529.

FEEL THE EARTH MOVE

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical through June 3 at Robinson Center Performance Hall, Little Rock. Details at celebrityattractions.com. Call (501) 244-8800.

PIPES LEAK,

FAUCETS DRIP,

BATHTUBS RUN

2 World Championship Running of the Tubs bathtub races, 9 a.m., downtown Hot Springs. Details at hotsprings.org. Call (501) 321-2027.

WALK LIKE A MAN

National Trails Day hikes and programming at state parks including Mammoth Spring north of Hardy, Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton, and Devil's Den State Park near Fayetteville. Details at arkansas.com.

BACON FUTURES

ON THE RISE

Comedian Jim Gaffigan, 8 p.m. at Arkansas Music Pavilion, Rogers. Details at waltonartscenter.org. Call (479) 443-5600.

"I am a guy who talks about bacon and escalators." -- Jim Gaffigan.

BUBBLY ENTERTAINMENT

3 Hot Springs Music Festival through June 16 at venues throughout Hot Springs. Details at hotmusic.org. Call (501) 623-4763.

EDAM UP

4 National Cheese Day -- or as the Camembert said to the Limburger, "What's up with phew?"

RIDERS IN THE SKY

5 How to celebrate Hot Air Balloon Day: Rise to the occasion.

REVERSALS OF FORTUNE

6 National Yo-Yo Day. Gone to walk the dog, be back soon.

SPOON ME

7 National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. I scream, you scream, we all scream: "Who ate last of the chocolate?"

BATCH O' BATS

8 Bat-O-Rama and bat-related programming and activities through June 9 at Devil's Den State Park. Details at arkansas.com. Call (479) 761-3325.

OLD MACDONALD HAD A FLING

Farm Fest and carnival through June 9, Wynne. Details at crosscountychamber.com. Call (870) 238-4183.

THINKIN' TINKIN'

9 Tinkerfest, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Arkansas State University, Jonesboro. Details at astate.edu/museum. Call (870) 972-2074.

• Colonial whiz Benjamin Franklin tinkered together the Franklin stove.

• More than a baker's dozen of bakers claimed over many years to have invented the doughnut. Hanson Gregory, for one: His idea was to fix the gooey center of a sweet roll by eliminating the middle, and so invented the doughnut hole.

• Illinois stonemason Charles Pajeau came up with Tinker Toys in 1914, inspired by watching children play with sticks.

HEART BEETS

Second Saturday cooking and recipes, Little Rock Farmers Market at River Market pavilions downtown. Details at rivermarket.info.

HEY, YOU KIDS! --

GET OFF MY BARNYARD

Donald Duck Day celebrates the darn old quacker's 84th birthday.

SNAP TO IT

10 Little Rock Wind Symphony concert, "Grand Old Flag," 7 p.m. in MacArthur Park, Little Rock. Details at lrwindsymphony.org. Call (501) 666-0777.

WATERCOLOR RESOURCES

Walton Arts Center Artosphere Festival, nature-inspired art, activities, performances through June 23, Fayetteville. Details at waltonartscenter.org. Call (479) 443-5600.

A ZING IN THE STRING

Benjamin Franklin flies his kite in a lightning storm, 1752, and thereby discovers: (A) leave the kite, take an umbrella; (B) electricity, or (C) never stand under a kite-eating tree.

Answer at June 24.

FELINE, YOU'RE MINE

11 National Adopt a Cat Month, Effective Communications Month, National Accordion Awareness Month. A furball to gain, a message made plain, encore "Lady of Spain."

ROCK THIS COUNTRY

12 Shania Twain, 7:30 p.m. at Verizon Arena, North Little Rock. Details at verizonarena.com. Call (800) 745-3000.

THANKS A BEEP

Petit Jean Car Show and Swap Meet through June 16 at the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain. Details at museumofautos.com. Call (501) 727-5427.

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT

Miss Arkansas Pageant through June 16 at Robinson Center Performance Hall, Little Rock. Details at missarkansas.org. Call (501) 321-3506.

THAT OL' SEW-AND-SEW

13 Sewing Machine Day -- when the thread, thread bobbin goes bob-bob-bobbin' along.

ALL A'FLUTTER

14 Flag Day.

BEAT THE DRUMSTICKS

15 Arkansas statehood day. Arkansas joined the nation on this day, 1836, back when the state was said to have giant turkeys -- turkeys so big, they couldn't fly.

"I thought turkeys could fly." -- Arthur Carlson, WKRP in Cincinnati.

TURKEY OUTFIT

How to celebrate Turkey Lovers Month: Gobble, gobble, gobble.

WHAT GOES AROUND

16 World Jugglers' Day -- when things are up in the air even more than usual.

DADDY DOOD IT

17 Father's Day. Better believe it, your father will hear of this.

F is for fishing, he'd go if he could;

A is for attitude, better be good.

T is for tattle, go tattle to dad;

H is for hammock, he wishes he had.

E is for everything going his way;

R is for rest on this one special day.

KEEP CALM,

AND CARRY A SANDWICH

18 International Panic Day, International Picnic Day.

FEAT FEAT FETE

19 How to celebrate World Sauntering Day: Stroll, two-step, wander, trek, jaunt, hike, keep on truckin', silly walk, ankle on down.

BEAN THERE, DONE THAT

20 The Harmonial Vegetarian Society: The Real Story, noon at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, Springdale. The commune cropped up briefly in Benton County in 1857. Details at shilohmuseum.org. Call (479) 750-8165.

"Carrots are divine, you get a dozen for a dime, it's magic." -- Bugs Bunny.

ALL AGLOW

21 First day of summer. The livin' is easy, the heat makes it queasy. Dogs go under the porch from now through the Dog Days of Summer.

CRABS GET THE BEST

OF EVERYTHING

22 CANCER (June 22-July 22): Is today your birthday? If so, it's time for candles on the crab cake. Pinch 'em a good one with fellow crustaceans of the zodiac Khloe Kardashian, 34 on June 27; and Mel Brooks, 92 on June 28.

'SAURS NEVER SAY SORRY

Jurassic Quest XL: Out of Extinction dinosaur show through June 24 at Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs. Details at jurassicquest.com.

ELK AND THEIR ILK

Buffalo River Elk Festival through June 23, Jasper. Details at buffaloriverelkfestival.com.

ARIA SPEEDWAGON

Opera in the Ozarks summer musical festival, through July 20. Performances of Die Fledermaus, Il Barbiere Di Siviglia and The Ballad of Baby Doe at Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale, and the Auditorium and Basin Park Hotel, Eureka Springs. Details at opera.org. Call (479) 253-8595.

OLD TIMES NOT FORGOTTEN

23 Twenty-ninth anniversary party, ice cream and watermelon, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Plantation Agriculture Museum, Scott. Details at arkansas.com. Call (501) 961-1409.

LIKE A BOLT

OUT OF THE BLUE

24 Lightning Safety Month never strikes twice.

CLOUD STORAGE

What's-the-buzz answer: (B) electricity. Batteries not included.

YOU GET A LINE,

I'LL GET A POLE

25 National Catfish Day.

He may not be the sleekest fish,

That even swam the brook;

He may not be the smartest fish

That ever slipped the hook;

But he's the one with whiskers

That look stylish in the bubble:

The fashion men admire so much --

That look of three-day stubble.

LET IT BE

26 Forgiveness Day -- when it's better to give than to need.

BOOM-CHICKA-BOOM

27 Lightning Safety Month never strikes three times.

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE

28 International Body Piercing Day and navel maneuvers.

TILLER, WE MEET AGAIN

29 Purplehull Pea Festival and World Championship Rotary Tiller Race through June 30, Emerson. Details at purplehull.com. Call (870) 547-3500.

NEWS FLASH

30 Lightning Safety Month never strikes -- ZZZZT!

Coming next month: July! Write to Ron Wolfe at

rwolfe@arkansasonline.com

by June 15 to suggest July calendar entries or how to celebrate July as National Hot Dog Month, such as: in the wieners circle. All entries require a web address and/or phone number that is answered during business hours.

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RON WOLFE SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Arkansas statehood day Illustration

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RON WOLFE SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Tub Illustration

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RON WOLFE SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Vegetable Society Illustration

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RON WOLFE SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Donut Illustration

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RON WOLFE SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Rubber duck/Tub Illustration

Style on 05/29/2018

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