Entertainment Fort Smith Magazine - April 2018

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EDITORS’ NOTES

Editorial Staff LINDA SEUBOLD Editor in Chief lindaseubold@efortsmith.com LYNN WASSON Managing Editor lynnwasson@efortsmith.com DONNA PAYNE Senior Editor donnapayne@efortsmith.com MARY JANE HENNIG Art Director Contributing Writers KARRIE KELLY BRITTANY RANSOM KRISTAN ROLAND DALE ANN DEFFER

Contributing Photographers GLENN GILLEY KARRIE KELLY BRITTANY RANSOM KRISTAN ROLAND

Advertising Sales LINDA GILHAM Account Executive lgilham@efortsmith.com 479-629-0235 Advertising Coordinator KARRIE KELLY karrie@efortsmith.com 479-494-1888 CHARLES G. HUBBARD Corporate Sales charleshubbard@efortsmith.com 479-831-3995

Bookkeeping JULIE BERCH HAMILTON accounts@efortsmith.com 479-494-1888 © 2018 eFortSmith.com Media, Inc. efortsmith.com

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Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2018

The past is never dead “It’s not even past,” William Faulkner famously wrote. Around here, the past is pretty lively. For April, a month with a statewide historical conference to be held here, I had planned to write about a visit from descendants of Judge Isaac C. Parker that included meeting a couple who have portrayed the judge and his wife, Mary, for many years. In fact, they are so busy being nominated for state awards, talking with schoolchildren and volunteering at the Fort Smith National Historic Site and Fort Smith Museum of History that I hardy had a chance to get them to sit down and talk.

However, they did and I learned they had met Robert Parker and several members of his family who are descendants of the Parkers of Judge Isaac C. fame.

This Parker is a college friend of Fort Smithian Ed Devero. The modern Parkers met with the re-enactor Parkers at the Museum of History and brought along an heirloom – an engraved chalice presented to the judge by a petit jury.

However, it was another Parker heirloom, a stickpin given to Isaac by Mary, that has stolen the thunder of the descendants.

As we were days – really, hours away from going to press, Judge Parker’s gold, salamander-shaped stickpin with diamond chip eyes was stolen from a locked case at the Museum of History.

Disaster! Dismay! Doom!

No more details than this can be pried from even our friends at the museum, but the Fort Smith Police Department recovered the little pin! – so feared to have been turned into a bit of cash after being melted!

Crisis averted! It’s not the U.S. Marshals who get the credit this time. It’s our finest, the Fort Smith Police Department. We all say thank you, thank you, thank you.

Robert Parker and “Judge Parker” Floyd Robison.

While history isn’t the only thing we have going for us in Fort Smith, it’s top of mind this year as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the city’s founding, originally as a military fort.

Inside these pages, you will find a whole slate of lively bicentennial activities in April, including a 19th-century ball. Dancing about history is like ... well, it’s just dancing and who wants to miss a good party?

Our featured history head, my husband, Joe Wasson, has daringly skipped all the way to the turn of the 20th century for an article about the early barnstorming race car driver Barney Oldfield and his exploits in Fort Smith, which included not only those newfangled automobiles but aeroplanes, as well. Fairview and Ramsey school students, there’s a fun lesson there.

Fort Smith Public Schools and our University of Arkansas-Fort Smith are prominent in our pages this month. Public schools are asking for a vote to grow and offer even more. UAFS, in an article written especially for E Fort Smith, makes a report to the public.

One more school story is, if not historic, at least vintage – Star Trek, that is. You won’t believe your eyes and there’s a video, as well.

The past is not dead. It’s kind of fun.

– Lynn Wasson

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CONTENTS

April 2018

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Racing toward the future: Barney Oldfield in Fort Smith In 1912, Fort Smithians were lucky if they had seen maybe 10 automobiles, total. Suddenly, in just a few years, a famous early race car driver and a pioneering pilot came to town – and raced each other!

University of Arkansas – Fort Smith checks in As an invited contributor, UAFS gives a report of its progress and its ever-growing role as a foundation of this city and area.

Hair today, gone tomorrow ... said Elvis 50 years ago, Pvt. Elvis Presley, freshly inducted into the U.S. Army, got a military buzz cut courtesy of Uncle Sam, right here at Fort Chaffee. That brief but famous visit has played a part in Fort Smith schools for several decades.

The Smartest People in the Room Some of the smartest, most engaged and forward-thinking citizens of this city gave hundreds of hours of research and tough decision-making to recommend a millage increase for Fort Smith Public Schools. Please read and vote May 22.

Party Like It’s 1899: Fort Smith Bicentennial Fun and Activities Downtown Fort Smith has known how to throw a party for almost all of its 200 years. Lace up your corset for a 19th-century Living History Ball.

departments

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34 A Record of Service

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Loving those Lilies

Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2018

Firefly Boutique is au courant on Historic Main Street Van Buren.

HOME PROS Allison Sales has had floors covered for 125 years and is going strong.

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GARDENING Reba Mize considers the lilies, and more lilies.

WHAT’S COOKING Lemon is yellow like the spring sunshine and key in these sweets.

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BEAUTY FOCUS

MUSIC & PERFORMANCE Choose your tickets to Broadway classics before they’re sold out.

EVENTS FOR KIDS It’s going to be Marvel-ous for young library patrons this month.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Consider spring sprung: Outdoor festivals such as Old Timers Day and the Steel Horse Rally are lined up for the coming weeks.

On the cover: Fort Smith’s’ iconic electric trolley on Garrison Avenue.

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Sparks Clinic makes it simple for everyone in your family to see a primary care physician quickly. For your convenience, we have more than a dozen locations. And our services include pediatrics, family care, and adult medicine. Whether you’re looking for a new doctor or connecting with your current one, call 479-782-CARE (2273) and ask about same-day appointments.

PRIMARY CARE MADE EASY. SAME-DAY APPOINTMENTS. ONE NUMBER:

479-782-CARE. Alma • Greenwood • Fort Smith Spiro • Van Buren

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When automobiles and aeroplanes came to Fort Smith By the turn of the 20th century, Fort Smith had developed a water system, a sewer system, a fire department, electric lights, buildings heated with natural gas, railroad lines, a few paved roads, a trolley system, a model public school system and even an opera house. A real first-class city! But soon after 1900, Fort Smith would begin racing into the future.

In 1901, behind a bicycle shop in the heart of downtown, four local men rolled out a noisy little contraption they had been building for two years in their spare time and the first automobile chugged down Garrison Avenue. At the same time, two brothers named Wright were tinkering on an even stranger machine in their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio.

A year later in Detroit, Henry Ford was creating a beast of a race car in hopes of using the new fad of auto racing to get back into business. He already had lost two early automobile companies.

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Soon, these new inventions would converge in, and over, the River City!

A grand new Electric Park was opened in 1905 by the Fort Smith Light & Traction Co. The park, lighted by the novel sight of electic light bulbs, was located at the end of a long trolley route through woods to where Kay Rodgers Park is today.

Dozens of cities across the nation opened electric parks, built by utility companies to show off the wonders of electricity and fill the seats of new electric-powered trolleys.

The success of Fort Smith’s Electric Park spurred the spread of the trolley system into other parts of the city. In 1910, the Fort Smith Light & Traction Co. extended a new line south from Dodson Avenue, along South 21st Street, to the growing Park Hill neighborhood.

That same year, J.C. “Bud” Mars, the 11th pilot licensed in the United States, arrived here by railroad with his Curtiss “aeroplane.”

After the airplane was reassembled, the first manned flight in Arkansas took off from the

Second from left, behind the Christie racer, is Barney Oldfield. The racer with goggles behind the #11 Buick is Harry Goetz. The other goggled driver behind the Benz is Lou Heinemann. The address is North 10th and B Street, now known as Brunwick Place.

Fort Smith Country Club just north of Electric Park. Today, the old golf course is closed, but 108 years ago next month, the future literally took off from there.

All this excitement, progress and the new trolley line inspired a group described by the newspaper as farmers and businessmen to resolve in a January 1911 meeting to hold a fair. The new Arkansas-Oklahoma Interstate Fair Association pledged to raise $200,000 to create a fairground.

With the backing of the Commercial League, forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce, 40 acres was purchased from J.W. Buscamp and 94 acres from Ayers & Co. four blocks south of the city limits on the Jenny Lind Road. The cost was $8,950.

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The plan included a half-mile horse track with a $20,000 grandstand to seat 5,000 people and $55,000 worth of other buildings and improvements.

Incredibly, everything was completed in time for the first Arkansas-Oklahoma Interstate Fair to open Oct. 16, 1911. Crowds were expected, but the attendance was over the top.

For the first time, it appears, horsepower instead of horses raced in Fort Smith on Oct. 19, 1911.

A Buick, driven by J. Walter Gillette, manager of Fort Smith Light & Traction Co., beat a FalCar owned by fire chief Dempsey B. Trowbridge and driven by Bill Hennessy.

Fal-Car (or F.A.L. Car) autos were produced from 1909-1914 and were known as “the car without a name.” They were meant to be renamed by any dealer. We could be driving a Randall today if that idea had caught on.

The race generated only a little press at the time, but it planted a seed. The 1911 fair’s great turnout caused the planners to produce fairs on steroids for the next two years, with more animals, more events, more exhibits, advertised as The World's Fair of the Southwest!

But back to Henry Ford in 1902. Because he was afraid to drive his new four-cylinder, 80horsepower monster, later known as 999, he searched for someone crazy enough to do it.

He found the right guy: a championship bicycle racer from Ohio named Berna Eli Oldfield, 24. The meeting of Ford and Oldfield in Detroit would change America.

Though Oldfield had never driven, after a week of practice, he stunned the racing world. In his first race, he beat the socks off the top driver, Alexander Winton, at the Grosse Pointe horse track. It spelled the eventual end of Winton motorcars and the beginning of Ford Motor Co. Until the end of their lives, Oldfield bragged that he “made” Ford and Ford said he thought they “made” each other.

Winning that first race allowed Ford to go on to invent the Model T, the car that put America on wheels.

Oldfield was the original bad boy of auto racing. He made his own rules. He drove with a cigar clenched in his teeth, thinking the cigar would keep him from having his teeth knocked out in a wreck. He was the first to drive a mile in less than a minute and the first to make a lap at the Indianapolis Speedway at a steady 100 mph, in the same car pictured on the opposite page.

Oldfield clashed with the sanctioning body of racing, the American Automobile Association.

Grandstand at the Arkansas-Oklahoma Interstate Fair. Photo courtesy of Gene McCluney.

In 1910, it banned “The Speed King” from racing after he agreed to an unsanctioned race against boxing great Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion of the world. The contest had racist overtones and the crowd went wild when Oldfield beat Johnson by a nose. A film clip of that race can be seen on YouTube.com.

Defying the ban, Oldfield formed a group of top racers to barnstorm the country. In 1912, they came to Fort Smith’s fair. He owned the cars and employed the racers and they weren't above letting Oldfield win on the last lap.

He was paid $5,000 to bring his racers here.

That's almost $125,000 in 2018 dollars. On Oct. 19, the racers thrilled the crowd and Oldfield broke his own record for the half-mile on our fairgrounds track.

The men and their race cars Oldfield was the most famous race car driver in the nation – perhaps the world – when he was here. He wowed Fort Smith again in 1914 when he, in his Christie race car, and Lincoln Beachey, in a Curtiss bi-plane, toured the country in “The Championship Of The Universe,” an exhibition race of auto vs. airplane. They earned about a quarter of a million dollars that year.

Beachey already had made history in Fort Smith in November 1911. He took off from League Field with a sack of mail and dropped it onto the lawn of the Post Office on South 6th Street, the second airmail drop in U.S. history.

League Field was located just south of Electric Park where the Terry Motel is today.

Sadly, Beachey was killed at the 1915 World's Fair in San Francisco when his experimental April 2018

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monoplane dropped from the sky and sank in San Francisco Bay. A Beachey vs. Oldfield race film can be found on YouTube.

In 1912, Oldfield bought one of the most mythical cars in automotive racing history from its inventor, designer and builder, John Walter Christie – a 1909 front-wheel-drive race car described as the Killer Christie and a Wicked Old Freak. This is the same car he used at Indy in 1916 when he drove it to a sustained speed of 102 mph for one lap. He came in fifth place in the race. He later set a 2-mile record at 113 mph at the Chicago Speedway.

Oldfield then sold the car and it passed through other hands until it was broken up in 1919, because much of it was made of cast bronze.

Driver Harry Goetz, a former bicycle racer, was the mechanic for Ray Harroun when he won the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Goetz was among the first to race on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1914. Later, he was the mechanic for Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker.

Goetz arrived in Fort Smith for the 1912 race driving the #26 Prince Henry Benz. He got a speeding ticket driving the car around town the day before the big race.

Oldfield owned the #26 car. It appears in the 1913 movie “Barney Oldfield's Race For Life” starring Oldfield, Mabel Normand and director Mack Sennett in a rare acting role.

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Goetz moved on to speed boat racing and died a millionaire. The restored Prince Henry Benz sold at a Bonhams antique car auction in 2017 for $1.87 million!

Lou Heinemann, almost forgotten today, also was top racer. He was the driver of the #11 car in the Arkansas Garage photo. It is probably a 1910 Buick, painted white and promoted as The White Streak, “the car for men with real red blood who don't like to eat dust.”

The Arkansas Garage was built in 1908 at a cost of $25,000 by Joe Ward and Robert Perry Harris, brothers-in-law.

The Fairgrounds The Arkansas-Oklahoma Interstate Fairgrounds had a short life. Its first three years were very successful. But in 1914, a week of bad weather resulted in financial ruin. Though announcements were made for a 1915 fair, it never happened. In 1916, the fairgrounds was foreclosed upon and sold to satisfy $22,000 in unpaid debts. It appears the buildings and grandstand were dismantled for the value of the lumber.

In the 1950s, Ramsey Junior High was built on the old fairgrounds, followed by Fairview Elementary. Ahh ... fair view! Now, we know. It is possible the old racetrack was visible until construction of Ramsey in 1955.

– Joe Wasson

Barney Oldfield drives his Christie racer at the 1912 Arkansas-Oklahoma Interstate Fair in Fort Smith.

Then and Now

A 1914 map compared with a Google satellite image. The vertical street is Jenny Lind Road. The Ramsey Junior High School track is not as long, but lies in almost the same location as the racetrack where great Barney Oldfield raced.

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STUDENT SUCCESS

Belt Finds Better Life through UAFS Education Jared Belt always knew he was going to college even though he was the first person in his family to do so.

His parents, both of whom worked in manual labor, constantly stressed to him the importance of education as he grew up, knowing it would lead him to a better life.

He took that lesson to heart. And though college might have been intimidating for some first-generation students, by the time he enrolled full-time at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, it already felt like home. After taking concurrent credit courses with the Western Arkansas Technical Center, Belt had 51 college credit hours by the time he graduated from Van Buren High School. “[WATC] was a lifesaver to help me figure out what I wanted to do,” he said. “It was great to get some of those credits out of the way and mold myself for the college atmosphere. UAFS just didn’t have that big university feel. It had smaller classrooms and more hands-on practice, and I felt like the teachers really cared about the students. UAFS welcomed me with open arms, and it was a seamless transition thanks to WATC.” Belt majored in organizational leadership, knowing that he would need leadership skills to be successful in business once he entered the workforce. He held a full-time job while he went to school and found UAFS flexible and accommodating with his strained schedule.

“I worked 40 hours a week throughout college, and I never had to stop because the university was flexible and committed to my education,” Belt said. “They had all kinds of times available for the classes I needed. Working while going to school is difficult, but it prepared me for the real world and got me ready for the next step.”

While on campus, Belt was able to apply his learnings in the organizational leadership program by becoming involved in the Kappa Alpha fraternity – which was so impactful in his life that all of the groomsmen in his wedding were fraternity brothers – as well as College Republicans and members of other on-campus organizations.

After graduation, Belt met with Ron Orick, director of Career Services at UAFS, who helped connect Belt with ArcBest Corp. Belt interviewed and earned a position at the ArcBest subsidiary ABF. A few years later, he was promoted to service center manager within the company.

“I’m attracted to places that feel like home and have a family environment, and ArcBest was just like UAFS,” Belt said. “They care about their employees just like the university cares about its students. It’s a great company with great values.”

“I don’t know how to describe just how blessed and fortunate and proud I am to say I graduated from UAFS,” he said. “I’m very honored to have been a part of that student-centered culture.”

UAFS Drives Educational Growth in Sebastian County When Sebastian County voters approved a measure in 2002 to let Westark College join the University of Arkansas System and become the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, they did so with the expectation that the newly-formed university would increase the number of local residents with bachelor’s degrees.

Over the last 15 years, UAFS has kept that promise.

UAFS helped increase the bachelor’s degree attainment rate in Sebastian County to 14 percent in 2016 compared to 10.8 percent in 2000, according to Census data. The percentages equate to approximately 5,000 more county residents with bachelor’s degrees.

Those figures represent residents with only a bachelor’s degree.

The total number of bachelor’s degrees awarded since UAFS became a four-year university in 2002 is even higher. In that timeframe, UAFS has awarded approximately 7,200 four-year degrees to graduates. The higher number reflects degrees awarded to residents outside of Sebastian County, such as Crawford and Sequoyah County.

But bachelor’s degrees are more than numbers.

Data shows that those earning four-year degrees have much larger earning potential, longer life expectancy, and happier lives. The growth in bachelor’s degrees has also led to the university’s $301 million annual economic impact on the greater Fort Smith region.

Additionally, studies show the value of a bachelor’s degree is greater than ever. The pay gap between college graduates and those

without bachelor’s degrees is the highest it’s ever been. According to Economic Policy Institute data, the average hourly pay of fouryear graduates is nearly twice as much as someone with just a high school degree.

“The robust growth in educational attainment accomplishes all three points of our mission statement – preparing students for an everchanging global world, advancing economic development, and improving quality of place,” said Dr. Paul B. Beran, UAFS chancellor. “A better educated community is a rising tide that raises all ships. It means a stronger workforce for local business and a healthier and more educated citizenry who can pursue prosperous lives.”

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Training the Workforce of the Future UAFS to Increase Opportunities for High School Students with On-Site Classes A UAFS program that helps address local workforce needs is moving, and next year the courses will be taught on-site at ABB (formerly Baldor Electric Company) and ArcBest.

UAFS hosts Regional Workforce Grants through the Arkansas Department of Higher Education that allow students to receive concurrent credit in cyber systems and robot automation.

The three-year programs now taught at Northside and Southside High schools allow students to graduate from high school with a big jump on degree and certificate programs.

Northside students in cyber systems are on a path to a bachelor’s degree in information technology. Southside students in the robot automation program can move through a

certificate of proficiency in industrial electronics maintenance to a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology.

Next year, students from both high schools will be able to enroll in either program, with the cyber systems courses being taught at ArcBest and the robot automation taught at ABB. “UAFS is excited to enter this new phase of partnership with the Fort Smith Public School district as well as ABB and ArcBest,” said Amanda Seidenzahl, director of regional workforce grants. “Students will benefit from the on-site locations as the connection between classroom instruction and real-world application grows stronger throughout the semester.”

The two industry-driven programs were developed in partnership with local employers and educators to address current and emerging skills gaps in the region’s workforce. A skills gap refers to a career field with a disparity between preferred qualifications of employers and the actual qualifications of employees seeking jobs in the field.

Exposing students to the variety of technologyrelated careers is an important part of the program, said Rich Krutsch, vice president of people services at ArcBest.

“The students don’t always have a clear understanding regarding what career opportunities are available in technology,” he said. “We have a shortage of technology workers in the state, and this program gives us a chance to show these students the possible routes they can take toward fulfilling work in this field. We try to expose them to as many different career paths as possible.”

“The students will have the opportunity to learn robotics automation in a real-world, high-tech manufacturing environment and be exposed to equipment, technology and processes they wouldn’t normally see in a traditional classroom,” said Jason Green, vice president of human resources at ABB. “However, whether they learn the skill on a school campus or on our campus, the main thing is they are developing a skill set, doing it safely, and working to develop a career plan that will prepare them for life beyond high school.”

$301 MILLION IN 2016

The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith contributes (via direct expenditures and related indirect effects) more than $300

million in economic activity, more than 1,500 jobs, and $64.8 million in household income to the greater Fort Smith region as of fall 2016.

Operations spending by the university contributed a total of $81

million in output to the regional economy and supported more than 600 jobs in

$220 MILLION IN 2011

$169 MILLION IN 2008

service and other related sectors.

Annual spending by faculty and staff employed by the university generated almost $87

million in additional economic output and 320 additional jobs to supporting sectors.

Visitors attending university events throughout the year (from outside the greater Fort Smith region) added a total of $580,000 in output to the regional economy.

UAFS TOTAL ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE REGION

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Elvis Presley’s ‘Haircut heard round the world’ becomes yet another learning experience for Fort Smith students Elvis was only present at Fort Chaffee from 11:15 p.m. March 24, 1958, to about 3 a.m. March 28, but his brief stop for a GI buzz cut in its Army barbershop made news around the world.

Decades later, from 1990 to 2018, that famous haircut has been central to many activities by Fort Smith Public School students. In fact, a project

by Beard Elementary students in 1995-96 helped to preserve the barbershop building, which became a museum and tourism destination at Chaffee Crossing. Last month, the annual Elvis Haircut Day drew visitors to sit in the same barber chair and receive the same haircut.

Now, a cross-curricular project by Southside High School students of English, art and DECA club has produced an illustrated, soft-cover book with 93 pages, covering the historical account of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll’s experience here, with period photographs and original artwork.

The book will be the product promoted by a DECA marketing team at a national competition.

In an hourlong book launch presentation, all the student creators of the book were recognized for their contributions of research, writing and editing; making works of art and designing a marketing plan for it.

A special guest at the assembly received the first copy of the book. James Kell was a news reporter who got an exclusive interview with Elvis after his arrival. Student researchers and writers interviewed Kell to obtain his firsthand account, detailed in the book. At the time he interviewed Elvis for KFSA, Channel 22, Kell was 28 and Elvis was 23.

Going into the interview, Kell was not particularly an Elvis fan. But, as he told James Kell students, he was impressed by the singer’s good manners and grateful that Elvis kindly agreed to start the interview over after a tape broke. Sadly, about 15 minutes of recording were lost. The surviving footage was about 43 seconds long as aired, Kell said.

The teachers of the book’s creators are Michele Walker, English; Cassandra Owen, Art; Edina Boatright, DECA, and Jan Honeycutt, who first took note of the educational possibilities of Elvis’ GI haircut in 1990.

Honeycutt learned about the barbershop in a history workshop held by the late Ray Baker, social studies teacher and, later, mayor of Fort Smith.

In 1995, when Fort Chaffee was slated for base closure and realignment, most of the buildings there were slated for demolition. Honeycutt started an economics project at Beard Elementary to save “Elvis’ Barbershop.”

Elvis fan and newspaper columnist Linda Seubold, later a founder of this magazine, began writing about and championing the teacher, students and the idea of preserving the barbershop as a museum and tourism attraction. From 1996-2008, students in Honeycutt’s economics units raised funds. In 2008, Beard kids gave a check for $1,119.58 to the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority for the preservation of the building.

The FCRA, under director Ivy Owen, backed the idea and restored the building to its 1958 appearance, with a museum wing. Many locals have connections that day, including the family of the barber who buzzed Elvis’ hair, James Peterson. A camera used by reporter Jack Cleavenger to snap Peterson in action is on display at 7313 Terry Avenue.

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The book’s cover and chapter headings play off the word “record” and resembles a vinyl 45.

Representatives of the English, Art and DECA classes who made the book pose with artwork and souvenir combs at the book launch.

The project to publish A “Record” of Service was supported by a Fort Smith Schools Foundation grant. Copies of the book were presented to every district school library, local public libraries and to the FCRA. Each student creator has a copy, as well.

Contact Southside High School to obtain a book.

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Citizens Committee consensus: Make schools safer as a top priority of millage proposal

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fter many volunteers hours already given in intensive thought At both Southside and Northside high schools, entryways also need and research, a group of volunteer citizens, educators and design upgrades. Basically, visitors should be funneled through the office. students now have until May 22 to urge voters to vote “yes” to a It’s a fundamental method, according to Terry Morawski, chief proposal to increase a millage devoted to Fort Smith Public Schools. operations officer, over the district’s buildings and grounds, safety and About one-third of millage revenues will be used to increase safety in security and other duties. schools, a goal agreed upon by everyone who helped develop, first, a five“We need universal secure entries for all campuses – it’s becoming year vision for the school district’s future and, then, a specific proposal to standard nationwide,” he said. “When people enter the building, they can meet needs and goals chosen in be seen by an adult, talked to and Time invested by Citizen Action Teams to another round of decision-making. directed to where they may go. A “I was very pleased with the overall check-in system is already in place in develop seven action plans for better schools process and the decision-making all our schools.” Taking away any format, all the way back to the distance between the door and the beginning of the strategic planning office is the goal, he explained, as well process in August,” said Jason Green, as removing any access to corridors, who volunteered to lead, with Alex classrooms or other common areas.

Sanchez, a Citizens Committee that All Fort Smith schools ask for boiled down the detailed visitors driver’s licenses, that then are recommendation to the Fort Smith run against a sex-offender database, he Board of Education to move forward explained. Vendors and service people with greatest need projects. also are checked, he added.

“It was definitely a tough process,” A controlled access system for every Green said of the more than 900 campus, such as coded keycards, also is hours spent by the Citizens Committee in formulating its list, “but I think in the millage proposal and budget. Again, a universal system is the goal, it was well planned and executed and positioned us to make a good he explained, which is more controllable than the use of keys. recommendation.”

Other planned improvements are common-sense, such as full campus Safety and security of all schools remained a priority throughout, coverage of outdoor security lighting and fencing. resulting in a proposed budget tied to the action plan. In-person site visits The security and safety action plan was the first portion of the plan to and consultation with school staff in charge of buildings and security led to gain the full approval of the citizen action teams, he noted. a recommendation to make changes to all remaining open classrooms in His oversight duties include working with the school district’s supervisor Barling, Cook, Morrison and Woods elementary schools. Renovations of safety and security, Eric Huber. Both coordinate with resource officers should be made to create secure, enclosed classrooms, the plan says. whose salaries are shared with the Fort Smith Police Department. In this Likewise, the committee identified Darby and Ramsey junior highs for millage proposal, salary expenditures are not included. needed changes, to enclose outdoor locker areas and create secure Safety and security proposals in the action plan create a universal entryways so people may only enter through adult-supervised areas. standard for 19 elementaries, four junior highs and two high schools.

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“Members of the Citizens Committee have invested over 700 hours in their efforts to learn about the long-term needs of the district and prioritize them as part of a millage proposal for the Board of Education. I continue to be very impressed by their commitment of time and sustained level of engagement in this critically important process.”

– Dr. Doug Brubaker, superintendent Fort Smith Public Schools Group photo of some of the Vision 2023 and Citizen Committee. Courtesy fortsmithschools.org

One of those volunteers is April Minnick, who began as a participant to create the Vision 2023 five-year plan and continued through the Citizens Committee segment, which reached the consensus that a millage increase would be necessary to fund the priority needs it identified.

“If you had asked me after Vision 2023 was finished where most of a millage increase would have gone, I think I would have told you something different than where we ended up,” she said. After reviewing a professional facilities assessment of district buildings and then touring schools in person, needs were apparent to her and her fellow volunteers, she said.

Through this comprehensive process, the committees were furnished with “real numbers, real costs,” Minnick explained. The committee’s recommendation that the school board ask for a millage increase this year was fact-and-figure based, she emphasized.

Voters who weren’t a part of the first-hand experience of the Citizens Committee can see, read and hear almost all of what the members learned through their work, she said. “Every document that is in my Vision 2023 folder and my Citizens Committee folder is online at the school district’s website right now. The videos of the meetings – all of it is out there.”

Student safety came to the top through every step of these discussions, participants agreed.

With the alarming frequency of school violence incidents, paying for safer building designs and installing security equipment systems is worthy of almost one-third of the budget that would be afforded to the district with a millage increase – that was the consensus of all involved.

Well-planned safety and security procedures are in place, Dr. Brubaker recently assured the community in statements after the Parkland, Fla., school shootings.

The Fort Smith Public School District does maintain diligent policies and practices with the well-being of students always in mind.

But both the five-year plan and the millage proposal developed with the diverse groups made up of citizens, administrators, teachers, school staff and law enforcement members all pointed to existing and ongoing needs that must be paid for. Design, construction, renovation and purchases are necessary so that district can do its best to protect everyone in school.

Next month, Entertainment Fort Smith will have an article about other aspects of the proposed uses of a millage increase, including plans for a new Career and Technology Center for education for all Fort Smith Public School students in health care, information technology, manufacturing and other career path opportunities.

To learn more about the recommendations of the Vision 2023 and Citizen Committees studies, visit the Fort Smith Public School District website:

fortsmithschools.org Under “Our District” choose “Citizens Committee” to access all the information used by the members, available to read or download. Video of meetings is also available.

The Citizens Committee’s recommendation to the Fort Smith Board of Education can be seen in full in a video on the site.

Election day is May 22.

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High Schools Southside High School Renovation & Addition Package New Secure Entry/Office and Media Center Ninth-Grade Center New Cafeteria and Kitchen Remodel Existing Admin, Media and Cafeteria to classrooms Add two storm shelters

Proposed use of millage increase, as developed by consensus of participants in Vision 2023 and Citizens Committees. Presented to the Fort Smith Board of Education March 12, 2018

Northside High School Renovation & Addition Package New Secure Entry/Office Ninth-Grade Center Expanded Cafeteria Remodel Existing Admin areas to classrooms Enclose corridor between Main Building and Science Building Add two storm shelters

Southside New Competition Gymnasium Northside New Competition Gymnasium 2,500-seat Gymnasium large enough for school assemblies, athletic tournaments and special events New Locker Rooms Career and Technology Center New Career and Technology Center in Existing Facility Renovation to include specialized lab spaces and classrooms for classes in Health Care, Information Technology, Manufacturing and other programs Junior High Schools / Middle Schools Darby Renovations Secure Entry Enclosure of outdoor lockers/hallway Classroom remodel of Second and Third Floors of Main Building

Ramsey Renovations Secure entry and main entrance/office Remodel of existing offices to classrooms Safety and Security Secure walls/doors added to open elementary classrooms at Barling, Cook, Morrison and Woods Elementaries Renovation of open classrooms to secure, enclosed classrooms Re-routing of HVAC as needed for renovations Security Package: Access Controls, Alarms, Lighting & Accessibility Controlled access system at every campus Secure entry storefront at all elementary schools not currently equipped Exterior site lighting improvements at all campuses ADA Improvements at campuses – Exterior and limited interior Alarm upgrades Technology Student device 1:1 annual replacement cycle Grade 3-12 device implementation on 4-year replacement cycle

Total Dollar Amount & Mills

Total Financed Projects Total Annual Recurring Costs New Millage Rate if Approved

Project Cost

Mills

$28,245,389

1.167

$21,196,563

0.875

$15,579,547 $13,499,472

0.643 0.577

$13,724,046

0.567

$9,664,990

0.399

$3,046,588

0.126

$10,365,975

0.428

$5,500,000

0.227

$825,000

0.569

$121,647,570

$120,822,570 $825,000 42.058

5.558

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Fort Smith Bicentennial events are fun for us and a bonus for visitors

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s April brings warmer weather, special events to observe the 200th anniversary of the founding of the city of Fort Smith begin to go outside. Tourists who are visiting this month have a good chance of bumping into a character who may appear to be a time traveler.

One such occasion will happen April 7 on the parade grounds of the National Historic Site, when actual residents from the Civil War era will be portrayed, describing their lives during the occupation of the city by both Confederate and Union forces.

That complex and unstable time also will be the subject of three history talks on April 5, 12 and 28, concerning secession and two local battles.

A contingent of state historians, members of the Arkansas Historical Association, will hold their annual conference here April 19-21. But the first outing they make will be to tour our most contemporary landmarks – the murals of three Unexpected Projects.

On April 21, a Civil War hospital will be recreated at Clayton House, for the public.

But on April 14, there’s a light-hearted party planned as a Bicentennial activity.

A 19th Century Living History Ball will be held at the Fort Smith Museum of History. With live period music and dance instructors, it will broadly convey the style of parties held in the 1800s. Bear in mind that one of the city’s most memorable celebrations was the 1871 wedding reception of Gen. Benjamin Bonneville to Susan Neis of Fort Smith. Long accounts of the wedding were carried in Fort Smith newspapers The New Era and the Tri-Weekly Fort Smith Herald.

Wedding guests were led, by a cornet player, down Garrison Avenue to Adelaide Hall (still in use today) where they danced and imbibed until 1 a.m., when they retired downstairs for an opulent feast. Then, they returned to dance until 4 a.m., including the 75-year-old groom.

One news account observed: As the guests were reluctantly leaving, it was evident from their looks that each and every one of them wished that weddings like the General’s came around oftener than once or twice in a lifetime.

As Gen. James Blunt, Sophie Barling Kannady and others, Harold and Susan Trisler and more re-enactors will present vignettes at an April 7 Candlelight Tour at the fort’s parade grounds.

National Park Ranger and historian Cody Faber speak on the Battle of Massard Prairie April 28.

Professor Billy Higgins will speak April 5 on Fort Smith and Arkansas during secession from the Union. Educator Col. Tom Waller will give a talk on the Battle of Devil’s Backbone, April 12.

The 19th Century Living History Ball is April 14.

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5 Things You Must Do When in Fort Smith:

Take a look from McClure Amphitheater

Get an old-fashioned ice cream treat from the Fort Smith Museum of History

See the Unexpected Art Ride the Trolley

Wear an eyepatch like Rooster Cogburn

Steampunk is where the future meets the past. Modern technology powered by steam, cogs and wheels set in the 1800s with a backdrop of Victorian England or America’s Wild West.

Imagine Pop-up Vaudeville acts, stilt walkers, fire breathers, and aerial acrobatics. It’s simplistic, fun, imaginary clothing, gadgets and home furnishings. Join us as we offer shopping, food, and entertainment for the entire family!

For more information visit our Facebook page at The Old Timers Day Steampunk Festival or email otdsteampunkfestival@gmail.com April 2018

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These are the voyages of the Starship Parkview

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ou know you have hit Star Trek gold when Captain Kirk himself, aka William Shatner, tweets about you.

For self-proclaimed Trekkie and music educator Kevin Croxton, Shatner’s recent retweet of his elementary music club’s Star Trek homage video, “The Bunny Incident,” served as affirmation for all the hard work he and his students poured into their project.

The Van Buren teacher and his Parkview Elementary School Music Club have become known for their elaborate videos.

An Emmy Award-winning composer, Croxton has great passion for his work and uses the project to teach participants about music and video production processes.

Previous themes have included spoofs on “The Hobbit,” “The Hunger Games,” “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars,” but this year, the club took it to a new level. Croxton spent months putting together a script, score and storyboard for the Star Trek-inspired video.

The fourth- and fifth-grade members read for various parts, before being cast in individual and supporting roles.

Past videos have had Christmas themes. He opted for a spring release this year.

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“I took my time to do this right,” he explained. After deciding on Star Trek, Croxton briefly questioned whether his students would be at all familiar with the original version of the show.

“When I told them what we were going to do, I pulled up pictures of the set where we would be filming. They gasped. They all knew classic Star Trek and talked about how they and their parents loved to watch old episodes.”

“The Bunny Incident” video appears to be part of a series in the Adventures of the U.S.S. Parkview. The premise is the Klingons have captured the Easter Bunny with the goal of depriving everyone from receiving goody baskets.

Croxton gives naming the starship after the school. He also pays homage to Van Buren Schools’ spirit colors and mascot with the green planet, Pointer Prime.

Photos by Brenda Yelvington Communications officer Mia Tucker.

Scheming Klingons Judah Martin, Anthony Keeter, Lillie Grace, Audrey Hildebrand and Gabriela Luna on Planet Pointer Prime.

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Jolted on the bridge of the USS Parkview, Josiah Hamby (on one knee), Evan Everett, Mattie Baker and, in the captain’s seat, Ben Peer. Mia Tucker is behind him on the floor.

“I wanted to create something that felt like classic Star Trek,” noted Croxton.

He based the scenes, script and score on the original television series and worked with students to help them accurately portray their respective characters. Actors were outfitted with replica costumes, made possible through a contract with the world’s largest costumer, Rubie’s.

Filming took place at three different locations. The amazingly accurate onboard scenes were shot near Harrison. In January, Croxton, video participants and their parents took a bus and traveled nearly three hours to film on a recreated U.S.S. Enterprise set.

Despite freezing temperatures, the students proved to be pros. “We filmed there in January and it was freezing. The kids would huddle up in the ‘warm zone’ where we had heaters in between scenes. When it was their turn though, they were ready to go and went into character.

They were impressive.”

Other scenes were shot closer to home.

Croxton was given permission to film the Pointer Prime planet sequence at one of Arkhola’s nearby quarries.

Connor Newberry, Gwen Jerden, Lillie Daws and Maeli Jones prepare to beam down.

Other parts were completed on the school’s stage, using a green screen and digital imagery.

The entire process had countless moving parts and Croxton is quick to credit others for their role in making it all possible. “It was amazing how the right people came along to help.”

From finding the perfect set within driving distance, to having a graphic artist design the spaceship images at no charge – all of the needed elements fell into place.

Over the course of casting and filming, local filmmaker and photographer Brenda Yelvington captured the students and production on film.

“She was incredible. She documented basically every part of this and attended filming both in Harrison and here,” Croxton said. He has worked with Yelvington, director of the documentary “Leaving a Legacy” about the Northside Band program. A winner of regional Emmy Awards as a composer, Croxton created an original score for her documentary.

The project also received tremendous support from the school district and parents, Croxton said.

First officer and Vulcan Josiah Hamby.

The Easter Bunny is revealed as Aaron Croxton, Kevin’s son. This is the only role he’s ever gotten to play in his dad’s videos.

“I had so many parents help us. Some traveled with us to the set in Harrison to chaperone.

They brought snacks and heaters for the kids.

Our PTA provided pizza. Parent Audrea Martin also volunteered to do the students’ makeup.”

Aside from the kind words from Shatner, Croxton and his students have received great praise for their video from fellow Star Trek fans and members of the fan-film community.

Many parents have also expressed their appreciation for the unique project. Saylor McHam, whose daughter Lillie Grace played a Klingon, noted, “As a parent, I appreciate my daughter having the opportunity to learn about the process of music video production. She can now understand the hard work that goes in behind the scenes. She and the other students had an amazing time dressing up, acting and participating in such a creative production.”

Croxton is beyond thrilled with the end result and the publicity the video is receiving. He has undoubtedly given his students an experience they will never forget and created a memorable video that is sure to “live long and prosper” in the world of YouTube.

“It really all came together,” he said. “The kids truly embraced Star Trek and their characters.

Each year, this project escalates and it’s been a big adventure for us all.”

See the video “The Adventures of the U.S.S. Parkview: A Star Trek Fan Production” on YouTube.com.

– Brittany Ransom April 2018

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FASHION FOCUS

Firefly Boutique brings style to Main Street

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estled along downtown Van Buren’s Main Street is the popular shop Firefly Boutique & Gifts. Mindy London keeps her customers tempted with the latest trends in clothing and accessories.

Gifts and décor tucked among the apparel make it easy to pick up something extra.

An adorable red firefly hangs from the awning above the entrance. The storefront’s inviting sidewalk area has outdoor lighting and seating, drawing shoppers to its doors.

The building’s rich past is visible among the racks and displays of merchandise. During renovation, Mindy and her husband, Lonnie, took great care to preserve and highlight the building’s aged charm, exposing wood beams and brick. A sign original to the property is on display, the Londons’ nod to their interest in its historic character and Main Street preservation.

Firefly’s current inventory shows that warmer weather is on its way. “We have lots of florals and polka dots, which are big this season. We also have fun maxi dresses and other great styles for the spring and summer,” noted London. “I had a lot of customers asking me to add more shoes, so we have a lot of new, fun styles.” Labels such as Anna, Qupid, Soda and Beast offer glittery tennis shoes, neutral flats and sandals.

Moms gearing up for the upcoming sports season can show their spirit with baseballthemed hats, jewelry and T-shirts.

“All of my jewelry is made here in Arkansas,” Mindy pointed out. She carries Rustic Design, Rust and Rhinestones and, her latest discovery, Graham Creek Jewelry, which incorporates Swarovski crystals – appropriate for accenting prom or other special occasion apparel.

Owner Mindy London with new selections of shoes for spring and summer at Firefly Boutique.

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FASHION FOCUS

Mindy can’t resist offering home decor along with fashion. Comedically named candles from the Okie Candle Co. make for fun gifts.

Firefly will debut some Steampunk accents in the coming weeks to coincide with Van Buren’s upcoming Old Timers Day. The annual festival will be held April 28-29. Firefly will offer fauxvintage Steampunk style in home decor, pillows, signs, yard decorations, clocks and handbags.

Open throughout the festival, Firefly will serve as official sponsor of the Penny Farthing, which will be available for free bicycle rides.

While at Firefly, shoppers can mosey over to the organic bath and body shop, Natural Treasures, which opens into the boutique. It also stocks natural foods and kitchen items.

The two shops’ inventories complement one another and help customers get everything they need during their visit.

Firefly Boutique & Gifts 613 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

Visitors encounter an inviting bench and sidewalk displays in front of Firefly Boutique, which enthusiastically supports historic Main Street’s ambiance.

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goodies Garmin Forerunner 645M watch holds up to 500 songs and more. Found at True Grit Running Co.

Open-back romper paired with a beaded necklace and fringe purse from Designer Again.

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Varieties of Malibu Rum available at In Good Spirits.

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goodies

Topsies stretch sandal flip flops from Luther Stem Pools & Spas.

Ginger jars in varied sizes available at A to Z Variety.

Go-Go Sport four-wheel scooter found at Coleman Pharmacy.

April 2013

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goodies SoundGear Tunz custom-fit, high-definition audio monitors from Center for Hearing.

Floral romper with drop earrings available at Clothologie.

Hand-tied stone necklaces and bracelets found at Salon Elements.

Under Construction: Rolex watches will soon have a new room at Newton’s Jewelers.

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goodies Tiffany sunglasses available at Dr. Steven Stiles Eye Group.

Pillow, cotton stem decor and wooden garland from The Goods.

Children’s flip flops found at Katiebug’s.

April 2013

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goodies

Micale Lynn scrunchies available at The Polka Dotted Zebra.

Vintage canisters from This ‘n That Shoppe.

Pierre Duma wedges found at Zoe Bugs in Charleston.

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goodies

Pots with succulents found at Potting Shed in Alma.

Moisture maintenance styler from Vanity Calls.

Accent and glider chairs available at Mike’s Furniture.

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goodies

Sun hats, garden gloves and Trake combination trowel & rake garden tool from Neumeier Nursery & Greenhouses.

Sparkling slide sandals available at Firefly Boutique & Gifts.

Stuffed olives and peppers found at Paul’s Meat Market.

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DESIGNER NOTES

Since 1925, Allison Sales has covered floors

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llison Sales Co. knows floors. It’s not a slogan. In business for nearly a century, the Fort Smith-based flooring company has been helping homeowners furnish their homes in the Fort Smith area since 1925.

The family-owned company originally sold hardwood lumber, but for the last 20 years has focused exclusively on flooring, from carpet and hardwoods to vinyl and ceramic tile.

Chase Allison is the fourth generation in his family to work in the business. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Vincent, who remains active in the company. The two are very proud of their family enterprise and work hard to provide their customers with a wide selection of high-quality flooring, as well as expert installation service.

Their large showroom displays an extensive selection of ceramic tile, glass tiles, decorative mosaics hardwood flooring, carpet and more.

“We have more than 100 porcelain tiles, 40 carpets, 50 different mosaics and 15 different vinyl materials in stock,” explained Chase.

Allison imports high-quality tiles and new designs arrive monthly. “Eighty percent of our imports come from Italy and Spain,” he said.

The company also carries dozens of natural stone varieties and a full line of grout and mortar choices for every material.

Over this many years in business, Allison’s has seen many flooring trends come and go, then return in an updated form.

“Styles are constantly evolving and trends changing,” noted Chase.

It’s not only floors: a display of a few of many backsplash tile options in glass and natural stone.

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DESIGNER NOTES

One of the current trends he is seeing is the use of luxury vinyl tiles in homes.

“Many are choosing to use this vinyl option. It is water resistant and durable, and it is also easier to do yourself compared to many other materials,” he said.

Team members work hard to stay on top of popular new materials and design trends, but Chase also makes sure to stock classic materials that work in any space.

Customers just starting the process of choosing their flooring can request a free estimate from Allison and take home samples of the materials to see in place. The staff helps customers choose the right floor covering for each space’s intended use, for durability, comfort and beauty.

Those shopping on a budget, such as owners of rental property, can browse a large clearance section. Often, bargains are found on quality tile, carpet or flooring materials that have been discontinued or are surplus from a job.

In addition to offering a wide selection of products, Allison employs a professional sales staff that is committed to helping clients find their best flooring solution.

Long-time associate Linda Montgomery has more than 15 years’ experience with Allison Sales and Crystal White has been there for the past eight years. Chase has worked in the business with his father for 12 years. In addition, Allison’s team includes seven experienced installation crews.

The company also specializes in large commercial jobs. Crews utilize an industrial floor scraper that can tear out several thousand feet of flooring in a single day.

Customers can visit the showroom to pick out their products or survey the same choices online, where there is a detailed listing of material options. Allison Sales also operates a second location, Tiles and Stones, in Tulsa.

Allison Sales Co. 7101 U.S. 271 South, Fort Smith, Ark. allisonsalesonline.com April 2017

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WHAT’S COOKING with KRISTAN ROLAND

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WHAT’S COOKING

There’s Nothing Sweeter Than Lemons LEMON RASPBERRY LAYER CAKE Cake 2 cups cake flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 cup salted butter, softened Zest of one lemon 3 large eggs 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 tsp. lemon extract Raspberry Filling 24 oz. frozen raspberries, thawed and pureed 2 small envelopes unflavored gelatine 2/3 cup granulated sugar 3 tbsp. lemon juice Lemon Buttercream 3 sticks salted butter 1/3 cup lemon juice 3 tsp. lemon extract 6 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to sugar mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in lemon juice and lemon extract, giving the bowl a few good scrapes from the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Prepare raspberry filling: In a medium bowl, sprinkle packets of gelatin over 1/2 cup cool water. Let sit until gelatin has absorbed water and expanded.

In a medium saucepan, combine pureed raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Add gelatin and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Let boil for one minute, then pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator until cool and firm. Before using, I like to beat it with a hand mixer to break it up and make it easier to spread.

Prepare lemon buttercream: In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, lemon juice and lemon extract on medium-low speed until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar, beating until just barely combined. Increase mixer speed to high and beat for one minute.

Assemble cake: Using a serrated knife, cut cakes in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a plate. Top with 1/4 of lemon buttercream. Spread 1/3 raspberry filling on top of that. Repeat three times, finishing the cake with the remaining lemon buttercream.

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WHAT’S COOKING

LIMONCELLO POUND CAKE 1 stick salted butter, slightly softened 1 cup granulated sugar Zest of two medium lemons 2 large eggs 1/4 cup Limoncello 11⁄2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 cup buttermilk Syrup 1/4 cup Limoncello 2 tbsp. granulated sugar Glaze 1/4 cup Limoncello 2 cups powdered sugar Zest of one medium lemon Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour one 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Cream butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of your mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the Limoncello.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. With the mixer on medium, add half of the flour, mixing until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the buttermilk, mixing until combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Pour into the loaf pan, smooth, and bake for about 45 minutes or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs but no batter.

While the cake bakes, cook the remaining 1/4 cup Limoncello and 2 tablespoons sugar in small saucepan over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for two minutes, until the mixture thickens. When the cake is done, poke holes all over the surface with a fork. Pour syrup over the cake and let soak for about 20 minutes.

Using a butter knife, loosen the cake from the edges of the pan. Turn cake out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together Limoncello powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in lemon zest.

Spread over the top of cake.

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GARDENING

Consider the lilies, because there are so many to consider

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es, those carefree days of sippin’ sweet tea and eating little cucumber sandwiches on the veranda are finally here. Wait, while I slap myself. Snap out of it! Get your garden pants on – let’s dig in the

dirt!

As we Southern women say, “Sweetheart, your yard is just a picture.” But as Jem says in “To Kill A Mockingbird,” “We just don’t say what it’s a picture of.” So let’s get to it.

If you have done most or some of your clean-up, the fun starts. I wait as long as I can to mow, so my yard is covered as long as possible in the lovely clover I planted years ago. My one azalea is blooming so I know we will have another frost, but hey, let’s live dangerously. I have my garden journal, my one glove – I always lose one – and my spade.

I only need eight people to help me execute my grandiose notions.

Every year at my “garden lunch” with like-minded friends, I brag that last year my coneflowers went crazy and fear that my precious Monarda disappeared. I won’t know if it will come back until later. If so, it will give me a chance to experiment with a new plant in that spot.

We talk about who has the best price on hanging ferns and what color geraniums we’re going to buy at the Zonta Club geranium sale.

I’m thinking peach, although I always buy red.

Each year, we discuss our favorite plant or what we would recommend to a new gardener. This year, hands-down, my answer is lilies. Daylilies are really my favorites.

But I’m loving my Asiatic lilies, which come in at close to 5 feet tall. I am reading about a variety called Orienpet lilies. They’re also being 40

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commercially labeled OT or tree lilies. They sound spectacular.

But let’s consider the daylilies - Hererocallis – and how far they have come from the unkindly named, orange “ditch lily” growing alongside the roads. Some people call them “tiger lilies.”

There’s not a thing wrong with them. I think they are beautiful.

But currently, garden stores and catalogues are carrying endless varieties and colors of daylilies. Do a little research and you will find they have become almost as varied as the iris.

If you want to try these pretties, their cultivation is simple. Like most perennials, they won’t tolerate wet feet, so choose an area with decent drainage. These plants also tolerate full sun. Around here, they will also appreciate afternoon shade in hot summer.

After the first few weeks of nurturing these beauties after planting, they will reward you with weeks of blooms for years to come. Once established, they are resistant to most insects and diseases.

The joy of these cheerful bloomers is that they spread, which makes them a great choice for an area that needs lots of coverage. Every three years or so, when clumps get large, you can divide them. Use the same technique you employ to divide other perennials. Enhance your garden or share them with your grateful friends. I prefer reblooming varieties, just to squeeze that extra little bit of color during the season.

With more than 70,000 varieties, according to the American Hemerocallis Association, you can have endless fun picking out the color, texture and height of your lily garden.

– Reba Mize

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GARDENING

Short, tall, double, different colors – lilies now come in so many varieties

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MUSIC

April 4 Symphonic Band Concert The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Symphonic Band will hold a concert as part of the university’s Season of Entertainment 37. The band is under the direction of Dr. Alexandra Zacharella, director of bands and associate professor of low brass. The band of almost 50 students from Arkansas and Oklahoma will be performing works by Dana Wilson, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Franz von Suppé, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Copland and more. Admission is by season ticket, or $6. 7:30 p.m. ArcBest Performing Arts, 55 South 7th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. Box office: 479-788-7300 tickets.uafs.edu

& performance

The Crumbs

April 4 Martin Sexton Martin Sexton got his start singing in the streets and subways of Boston in the early ’90s. Still fiercely independent and headlining venues from The Fillmore to Carnegie Hall, he has influenced a generation of contemporary artists. His songs have appeared in television series such as Scrubs, Parenthood, Masters of Sex and in numerous films, though it’s his incendiary live show, honest lyrics and vocal prowess that keep fans coming back for more. $20; $30. 7:30 p.m.

Starr Theatre, Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets.waltonartscenter.org

Ben Miller Band

Symphony plans a program full of Fort Smith flavor APRIL

It’s time for a musical birthday party! The 200th anniversary of the founding of Fort Smith will be celebrating in a huge symphonic way with exuberant film scores and world premieres. Fort Smith’s own folk band, The Crumbs, will be special guests, along with the internationally acclaimed Ben Miller Band.

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Composer Phillip Schroeder was commissioned by the symphony to compose an original work for the occasion. “From Disparate Lands” will be about Fort Smith. The concert and world premier of the new symphony is an official Fort Smith Bicentennial event.

“It will be about how many different people from different cultures have made Fort Smith their home,” said John Jeter, music director. Jeter said the program will be an untraditional but fitting celebration, with folk music by The Crumbs and “Ozark Stomp” by the Ben Miller Band.

Cinematic music of the West, including scores from the movies “The Cowboys” and “The Magnificent Seven” and more.

Tickets are available by phone or online. 7:30 p.m. ArcBest Performing Arts Center, 55 South 7th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-7575 fortsmithsymphony.org 42

Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2018

Blues Boss Kenny Wayne April 4 Kenny Wayne at University of the Ozarks Monster keyboardist and soulful singer Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne is a veteran blues and boogie piano player and a three-time Juno Award nominee, including a win for his album titled “Let it Loose.” With his colorful, multi-hued French custom-tailored stage suits, Wayne is a throwback to the golden age of classic rhythm and blues. His music ranges from boogie woogie to New Orleans-fueled R&B, from blues and jazz to good-time rock ’n’ roll. Hailed as “an artist bringing the piano back to the front ranks of contemporary blues,” award-winning blues and jazz pianist Wayne is called “Blues Boss” for a reason. His musical career began as a child prodigy in the late 1950s and has flourished for more than 60 years with Wayne at the forefront of modern day blues piano practitioners. Born in Spokane, Wash., raised in New Orleans and now based in British Columbia, Wayne has built a stellar reputation within Canada and abroad for his lively attire and energetic concert performances. He released his first solo album, “Alive & Loose,” in1995.

Established in 1992, the Walton Arts & Ideas Series at the University of the Ozarks is made possible through an endowment by the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. 7 p.m. Rowntree Recital Hall, University of the Ozarks, 415 North College Avenue, Clarksville, Ark. 800-264-8636 ozarks.edu

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MUSIC & PERFORMANCE April 5 Thomas Rhett Current multi-CMA nominee and ACM Awards Male Vocalist of the Year Thomas Rhett will kick off his Life Changes Tour 2018 in Tulsa. $39.75-$77.75. 7 p.m.

BOK Center, 200 S Denver Ave, Tulsa, Okla. ticketmaster.com

April 5-8, 11-14 Calendar Girls This true story of 11 “mature” English women became a smash-hit movie in 2003. When Annie’s husband dies of leukemia, she and her friends resolve to raise money for the local hospital. Their unusual fundraiser involves posing nude for an “alternative” calendar. Play by Tim Firth. Directed by Eric Wells. Five 7:30 p.m. curtain times; one matinee. Fort Smith Little Theatre, 401 North 6th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-2966 fslt.org

Voice Play April 6 Voice Play at VoiceJam Festival What began quite literally as a street corner barbershop act has now evolved into an internationally acclaimed touring sensation. VoicePlay is unlike any theatrical experience available today, recreating the orchestrated sound of an entire musical production with nothing but the human voice. $14; $30. 7:30 p.m.

Starr Theatre, Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets.waltonartscenter.org April 7 VoiceJam Competition The hottest vocal bands from around the country will compete for the title of VoiceJam Champion. Hosted by aca-amazing a cappella producer Deke Sharon, the competition portion of the VoiceJam festival is full of audience participation and fun for all ages. $19-$39. 7:30 p.m. Baum-Walker Hall, Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets.waltonartscenter.org April 2018

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MUSIC & PERFORMANCE April 8 UAFS Men’s Basketball Championship Celebration Hear the UAFS Lions basketball coaches and players recap their Heartland Conference regular season championship season and NCAA Division II National Tournament appearance. Includes dinner. $12 adults; $7 children. 2 p.m. UAFS Blue Lion, 101 North 2nd Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 tickets.uafs.edu

Comedy Tour April 14 WellRED Comedy Tour From Dixie with Love, featuring stand-up comics Trae Crowder, Drew Morgan and Corey Forrester. $35.50.

7 p.m. Baum-Walker Hall, Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets.waltonartscenter.org

Alma students present Sideshow

April 17 I’m With Her Concert I’m With Her is Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan. From their early contributions in bands such as Nickel Creek and Crooked Still, these three musicians are noteworthy for their recent and extensive solo career successes, including several Grammy awards. With special guests Smokey and the Mirrors. $32.50. 7 p.m. Baum-Walker Hall, Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets.waltonartscenter.org

APRIL

Each spring, the Alma Public Schools performing arts programs from junior high to high school age combine to present a truly spectacular show combining dance and acrobatics. This year’s extravaganza, performed by 300 students, is titled “Sideshow.”

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Sideshow is an original story, told wordlessly through dance – all styles of dance. The story is based on a circus. There will be dancing and acrobatics but also fire-breathing and live animals among other traditional circus acts.

Dance students have trained since December to learn these new skills and to perfect their dance numbers. It will be unlike anything Alma students have presented before.

The Alma Schools offer dance for boys and girls – plenty of boys dance! – as an elective course in grades 7-12. There are two performances, at 7 p.m. April 28 and 2 p.m.

April 29. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Alma Performing Arts Center box office, by phone or online. Alma Performing Arts Center, 103 East Main Street, Alma, Ark. 479-6322129 almapac.org.

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Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2018

Students from grades 7-12 learn not only dances but unconventional new skills for this circus-themed show that will include firebreathing, acrobatics and gymnastic routines.Some 300 boys and girls take the stage in this annual, spectacular dance show.

Cinderella April 23 Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella Cinderella is the Tony Award winning musical thrilling audiences with its surprisingly contemporary take on the classic tale. This lush production features an incredible orchestra, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments everyone loves – the pumpkin, the glass slipper, the masked ball and more – plus some surprising new twists. Be transported back to childhood or introduce a child to some of Rodgers & Hammerstein's most beloved songs, including "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible/It's Possible" and "Ten Minutes Ago." 7:30 p.m. Arcbest Performing Arts Center, 55 South 7th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 tickets.uafs.edu

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MUSIC & PERFORMANCE

Chorale April 24 Fort Smith Chorale: Images of the Past The Smith Chorale celebrates the city’s 200th anniversary through pictures, narration and song.

Dates, events and music will be tied together. “Tenting Tonight,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again” and “Skip to My Lou” joined with “Colorado Trail” and “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” are just a few of the songs relating to this city’s history. $15 tickets available at Newton’s Jewelers or online. Students free with I.D. 7:30 p.m. Northside High School, 2301 North B Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-242-SING fortsmithchorale.com April 24-29 Beautiful: The Carole King Musical The inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from half of a hit songwriting team, to one of the most successful solo acts in pop music history. The show has beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil, including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend” and “Beautiful”. $44-$83. 8 performances.

Baum-Walker Hall, Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets.waltonartscenter.org April 28 Brantley Gilbert: The Ones That Like Me Tour Aaron Lewis and Josh Phillips join Gilbert, known for his hit singles “Kick It in the Sticks,” and “The Weekend.” Tickets from $32.75. 7 p.m. Walmart AMP, 5079 West Northgate Road, Rogers, Ark. 479-443-5600 buy.amptickets.com May 1 A Grand Night for Singing An evening of music theatre and light opera, with songs from the great American songbook and some of the most enduring Broadway musicals. Talented oung vocalists and musicians bring a high level of energy to the performance, certain to delight listeners of all ages. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Arcbest Performing Arts Center, 55 South 7th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-7887300 tickets.uafs.edu May 15-20 The Sound of Music The hills are alive! A brand new production tells the spirited, romantic and beloved musical story of Maria and the von Trapp Family. $36-$66. 8 show times.

Baum Walker Hall, Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets.waltonartscenter.org

NPR Affiliate for over 30 years

April 2018

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KIDS events

April 1-30 Art Exhibition: Grace Academy Students The artwork of student artists from Grace Academy in Fort Smith is on display in the Community Room of the Main Library. Under the direction of art teacher Amy Scoggins, students are exhibiting a mixed media body of work highlighting their recent in-depth study of anatomy. These works represent the talent of both junior high and high school students who attend Grace Academy. Free. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 2 Suncatcher Craft Paint emoji suncatchers to decorate sunny windows.

Free. 4 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 April 2-30 Teen Time On Mondays and Tuesdays, teens learn crafting, life skills and more. On Wednesdays, it’s game time. Free.

3:30 p.m. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045 April 2-May 14 Spring Classes at CSA Community School of the Arts is enrolling students for classes and lessons for the spring semester. Fiveweek private lessons in music, theater, dance or visual art is available. All ages and levels are welcome.

Classes in theater, dance and ukulele for children are also offered in April. Home-school classes include theatre and dance in April. St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 2701 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-434-2020 csafortsmith.org April 3 Nature Break Story Time: Story with a Critter!

Karen Westcamp-Johnson, regional educator with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, will bring along one of her favorite turtle friends for a lesson about the box turtle and other reptiles. This fun evening for kids of all ages will also include a craft and snack. Free. 6 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org

Wash the Frisco Engine!

Or enter our coloring contest APRIL The real Frisco 4003 steam engine needs a bath! But it is too big to drive to the car

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wash. So, if you are not afraid of soap bubbles and water, help wash the steam engine. Take your own brushes. The Trolley Museum will provide the soap and water. Washing the engine is for elementary-aged kids and older whose parents will supervise or wash along with them.

All kids up to sixth grade can color this picture and enter their art in an Entertainment Fort Smith coloring contest! Enter at the Wash the Frisco Train event on April 28. Yes, you can color on this page or make a copy. Three winners will win a gift certificate to take four guests for an oldfashioned ice cream soda at the Fort Smith Museum of History and five tickets to ride the trolley!

Free. 1-3 p.m. Fort Smith Trolley Museum, 100 South 4th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-650-0103 fstm.org 46

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April 3-24 Baby & Me Babies through age 3 and their caregivers can sing, enjoy finger plays, bubbles, parachute play, a story and play time. This is an opportunity for social interaction for both babies and their adults. This program supports early literacy and language skills. Free. 10:30 a.m. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045 April 4-25 Preschool Story Time Every Wednesday is preschool story time with Ms. Lara. Enjoy fun and exciting stories and crafts. Free.

10 a.m. Cedarville Public Library, 737 Pirates Way, Cedarville, Ark. 479-410-1853 April 4-25 Mommy & Me Thursdays offer story time for babies and toddlers.

Moms need to plan on remaining with their children.

Free. 10 a.m. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226

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KIDS CALENDAR April 4-25 Story Time On Wednesdays, Ms. Megan leads story times for babies and toddlers. April’s themes are rain and jokes.

There will be songs and a craft. Free. 10:30 a.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 April 4-25 Baby Rhymes Story Time Toddlers can learn finger plays, play with simple toys, listen to fun songs, learn nursery rhymes and read an age-appropriate book together. Free. 10 a.m. Wednesdays. Mountainburg Public Library, 1300 U.S. 71 North, Mountainburg, Ark. 479-369-1600 April 4-25 Story Time Children’s story times on Wednesdays are an opportunity to hear new stories, sing songs, make crafts, make friends and check out books. Free. Two sessions: 9:30 and 11 a.m. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045 April 4-25 Homework Help Every Wednesday, students are welcome to hang out after school. Get help with homework assignments. If homework is done, read or get on a computer (with parental permission). Free. 3:30 p.m. Mountainburg Public Library, 1300 U.S. 71 North, Mountainburg, Ark. 479-369-1600 April 5, 12, 26 All-Ages Program Fun for the whole family at Thursday All Ages programs. Lego Brick Builders day is April 26. Free. 3:30 p.m. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045 April 5-26 Teen Program Every Thursday, participate in a fun activity. Free. 4 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 April 5 STEM Fun Teens get together for science, technology, engineering and math. Free. 3:30 p.m. Cedarville Public Library, 737 Pirates Way, Cedarville, Ark. 479-410-1853 April 5-26 Story Time Traditional story time for pre-schoolers with reading, songs and crafts. Free. 10 a.m. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226 April 5-26 Story Time PLUS A Thursday story time designed for older children in grades K-2. Free. 3:45 p.m. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226 April 5-26 Coding for Kids Learn how to make robots do what you tell them to do. Coding is for boys and girls, from elementary and up. Every Thursday. Free. 4:15 p.m. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226

April is Marvel Movie Month APRIL Watch movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe each Friday in April.

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The first week’s feature is “The Avengers,” rated PG13. In this sci-fi action adventure, the earth’s mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.

The library has lots of books and other materials about Marvel’s mighty characters, the Avengers. Kids can enjoy the Friday movie series and then read more! Learn the history of Marvel Comics and this pantheon of superheroes. Learn about the comic artists who first created Captain America, Thor, Loki and all the others. There are books with adventures beyond the stories told in the popular movie series.

Free. 3:30 p.m. Dallas Street Branch Library, 8100 Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5650 fortsmithlibrary.org

April 6 Nature Break A 30-minute nature activity is planned for 2-7 year olds. Free 3:45-4:15 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 rivervalleynaturecenter.com April 7 RAM Saturdays Every Saturday, there will be a free, fun, hands-on exploration of a new medium or type of art at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum. Participants will experiment with techniques and materials in the RAM studio and have the opportunity to make their own original works of art. This Saturday, the craft is making refrigerator magnets. Please wear art-making clothing. This program is free and for all ages. Noon-4 p.m.

Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-784-2787 fsram.org

April 7 Saturday Story Time All kids can enjoy this funny story time, all about jokes.

Laugh along with books like “The Little Golden Book of Jokes and Riddles,” “April Foolishness,” “Ha ha Baby” and “Mary McScary.” Enjoy pranks, jokes and craft a clown. Free. 10:30 a.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 fortsmithlibrary.org April 7-28 Canoe and Kayak Program Staff members will assist boaters on Wells Lake. A parent or guardian must accompany children. Participants are required to wear life jackets, which will be provided. This activity is weather permitting. Free Noon-2 p.m. Saturdays. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 April 2018 Entertainment Fort Smith 47

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KIDS CALENDAR April 7-28 Laser Shot Sharpen hunting skills with a computer program similar to a video game, complete with laser gun. This activity is dependent upon availability of the multi-purpose room. Free. Noon- 2 p.m. Saturdays.

River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 April 7-27 2018 River Valley Student Art Competition Teachers from the River Valley area encourage their students to create original artwork for the juried competition. This year, 450 students from more than 26 local schools are participating in the exhibition. The mission of the Center for Art and Education is to promote artistic experiences for our community. See website for full schedule. Free. Center For Art and Education, 104 North 13th Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-7767 art-ed.org April 8-29 Archery Archery for beginners. Equipment, basic instruction and safety tips provided. Free 2:30 p.m. Sundays.

River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 April 9 Teen Lounge: Poetry Workshop April is National Poetry Month. Attend workshops with writing exercises. Supplies and light refreshments will be provided. All junior high and senior high school students are welcome. Free. 3:30-5:30 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org

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April 9 Hot Air Balloon Craft Children and tweens will use household items such as string, toilet paper rolls and paper to craft a colorful hot air balloon. Free. 4 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 April 9-May 28 CAE Home School and Afterschool Program The Center for Art and Education offers a spring home school and Afterschool art education program on Mondays. Register by phone. $50. 1-5:30 p.m. Center For Art and Education, 104 North 13th, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-7767 art-ed.org

April 11 Mini Masters: Beautiful Blooms Welcome spring and explore the beautiful blooms in Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection. After story time, budding artists will create their own floral masterpieces back in the studio. For ages 4 to 5 with an adult. $10, $8 members. Register online or with guest services. Walton Arts Center, 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Ark. 479-657-2335 crystalbridges.org April 12 Teen Leadership Committee The Teen Leadership Council is a great way for students earn some volunteer hours while helping their community. Free. 3:30 p.m. Cedarville Public Library, 737 Pirates Way, Cedarville, Ark. 479-410-1853 April 12 Open Mic Night at Dewey’s Café Sign-up at the door; arrive early to ensure a spot on the list. Acoustic music only. Please note the special

date for the National Library Week event. 7 p.m.

Dewey's Cafe at the Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

April 12 Preschool Playdate: Around We Go! A dome, circles and silly swoops! Head over to the museum’s north lawn for sculpture creation, hulahoop hops and drawing inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome and Mark di Suvero’s Lowell’s Ocean! Playdate begins with a performance in the Great Hall. Free. 11:30 a.m. Walton Arts Center, 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Ark. 479-657-2335 April 13 Nature Break A 30-minute nature activity for 3- to 7-year-olds. Free.

3:45-4:15 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 April 13 Owl Prowl Take a stroll along Wells Lake and the Beaver Creek Trail. Take a flashlight for the walk back. Free 7:30 p.m.

River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993

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KIDS CALENDAR day that her boss will notice her drawings and discover her artistic genius. It seems like that day will never come until a shipment of magical pens unleash the dreaded Doctor Shock Clock off the page and into real life. It is up to Stephanie to create her own team of super heroes to conquer this dastardly super villain.

Purchase tickets at the Center for Art & Education, 104 North 13th Street, or Metro Gallery, 610 Main Street, Van Buren. 7 p.m. on April 13; 2 p.m. on April 14. 7 p.m. King Opera House, 427 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-7767 April 14 RAM Saturdays Exploration a new medium or type of art. This Saturday, learn tape resist painting in the RAM studio.

Please wear art-making clothing. This program is free and for all ages. Noon-4 p.m. Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479784-2787 fsram.org

April 13 Marvel Movie Month: The Avengers: Age of Ultron Watch a selection of movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe each Friday in April. This week’s feature is “The Avengers: The Age of Ultron” (PG-13).

When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it's up to Earth's mightiest heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plan. Free. 3:30 p.m. Dallas Street Branch Library, 8100 Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5650 fortsmithlibrary.org April 13-14; 20-21 Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Lilly loves almost everything! She loves school, she loves wearing disguises, she loves her awesome teacher, but not her stinky baby brother Julius. Lilly has her own way of doing things and even on the bad days, when you have movie star sunglasses and a purple plastic purse that plays music, how bad can it be?

Adapted from the awardwinning children's books by Kevin Henkes, Trike Theatre brings to life Lilly's hilarious and heart-felt journey where even young mice make mistakes and have to find the courage to apologize. A 10 a.m. April 14 show has special modifications to serve adults and children with sensory-input disorders, autism or other developmental or cognitive disability. 5 performances. Starr Theatre, Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets.waltonartscenter.org April 13-14 Comic Book Artist Big Little Theatre presents a live play performed by a talented group of first- through eighth-graders from the Center for Art & Education theater class. Stephanie Leonardo Sappovitz wants nothing more than to become a comic book artist. When she gets a job as a janitor at Wonder Comics, she anxiously awaits the

April 16 Lego Club: Earth Day! Design, create, and build unique creations with the Lego Club. This month’s theme is Earth Day. Supplies provided. Free. 5-6 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 April 16 Earth Painting Craft Celebrate Earth Day with a special earth painting craft for all ages. Free. 4 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140

April 17 Native Plants: Making America Native Again

by Planting This, Not That Learn the different types of “native plant species” and why it is important to include them in our home and business landscapes. Enjoy a wide variety of family friendly activities “after-hours” at the nature center.

Free. 6-8 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 April 20 Marvel Movie Month: Captain America: Civil War This week’s feature is “Captain America: Civil” (PG13). Political involvement in the Avengers' activities causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man. Free. 3:30 p.m. Dallas Street Branch Library, 8100 Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5650 April 14 RAM Saturdays Make a button tree to take home. Please wear artmaking clothing. This program is free and for all ages.

Noon-4 p.m. Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-784-2787 fsram.org April 21 Princess and Pirate Party!

Calling all princesses and pirates! Join the Miller Branch Library for a fabulous party featuring princess and pirate games, crafts, and face painting. Library staff will dress up as pirates and Princesses Belle, Moana, and Poppy will all be there, too. Feel free to dress up and drop in between 2-4 p.m. for this festive open-house occasion. Free. Miller Branch Library, 8701 S. 28th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-3945 fortsmithlibrary.org April 2018

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KIDS CALENDAR

April 21 Studio Squad: Masterpiece Mashup Explore the exciting new reinstallation of Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection galleries. Look at several spotlight artists, then mashup the different techniques you discover. This workshop is designed for tweens without an accompanying adult. Free. Register online or with guest services. Walton Arts Center, 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Ark. 479-657-2335 crystalbridges.org

April 22, 29 Barn Swallow Survey Circumnavigate the lodge to tally nesting birds, especially barn swallows. These amazing flying bug zappers are raising families in almost every nook and cranny around the complex. Explore barn swallow life history and watch amazing aerobatics. Free. 9 a.m.

Mount Magazine State Park, 577 Lodge Drive, Paris, Ark. 479-963-8502 mountmagazine@arkansas.com

April 23 Cinderella Presented by UA-Fort Smith, “Cinderella” is the Tony Award-winning musical from the creators of South Pacific and The Sound of Music that’s delighting audiences with its surprisingly contemporary take on the classic tale. This lush production features an incredible orchestra, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love – the pumpkin, the glass slipper, the masked ball and more – plus some surprising new twists! $50. 7:30-9 p.m. ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Fort Smith Convention Center, 55 South 7th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com

sor Drive Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 fortsmithlibrary.org

April 23 Teen Lounge: Thor Ragnarok Movie, Craft and Snacks Celebrate the upcoming release of “Avengers: Infinity War” at Teen Lounge. Channel your inner Thor and make your own all-powerful Mjolnir while watching “Thor: Ragnarok!” Supplies and light refreshments will be provided. For junior and senior high school students. Free. 3:30-5:30 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 23 Bookworms Book Club The club for children and tweens will discuss “Savvy,”

by Ingrid Law. Enjoy a discussion, crafts and snacks.

After each meeting, check out the book for the upcoming month. Free. 4 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 April 26 Money Smart Week: Financially Lit for Kids & Teens This financial education program is designed for kids, tweens, and teens to learn about finance and how it will one day impact their future. Free. 3:30 p.m. Wind-

April 26 Marvel Night: Cosplay and Trivia Cosplay and Marvel trivia, with a first place prize consisting of tickets to see Avengers: Infinity War. Teams of up to three can compete in Marvel Cinematic Universe trivia and enter a raffle for other giveaways.

Showing up in costume earns an extra entry. Open to all ages. Free. 6-8 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 April 27 Marvel Movie Month: Thor: Ragnarok This movie is rated PG. Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. Free. 3:30 p.m. Dallas Street Branch Library, 8100 Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 27 Nature Break A 30-minute activity for 3- to 7-year-olds. Free 3:454:15 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 rivervalleynaturecenter.com April 28 RAM Saturdays Create and decorate a paper plate hand fan in this Saturday, hands-on art exploration. Experiment with different techniques and materials in the RAM studio and make their original works of art. Please wear art-making clothing. This program is free and for all ages.

Noon-4 p.m. Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-784-2787 fsram.org April 28 Venomous Snakes of Arkansas Local reptile enthusiasts Jeremy Sloan and Brad Birchfield will present a family-oriented, live snake demonstration with safety information and educational information about snakes. Free. 1 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 rivervalleynaturecenter.com April 29 Tea Time with Miss Arkansas Meet and talk with Miss Arkansas 2018, Maggie Benton. Guests can a take a photo with her, enjoy sweet treats and share in Maggie's platform, "Giving is a Gift". Free.

2-4 p.m. Grayce DeWitt Dance Studio, 3400 Rogers Avenue #118, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7748 idancewithgrayce.com April 30 Paper Straw Tulip Craft April showers bring May flowers. Children can craft paper straw tulips and take home their own creations.

Free. 4 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140

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WORD SEARCH

S M R A W D U O L C

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S P U D D L E F Q S SPRING

PUDDLE

SUN

CLOUD

SOW

MAKE

IS

FROG

FUN

SKY

HOE

DIRTY

SPRUNG

RAIN

SEED

DRIP

YARD

KID

MUD

SHOWERS

ROSE

WARM

MAY

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CALENDAR of events

April 1 There Is Passion A script by Arron McAllister, supported by a passionate cast and crew, offers a fresh approach to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Free. 10:30 a.m.

Howard Hill Assembly, 3515 Gate Nine Road, Greenwood, Ark. 479-996-2496 howardhillag.com April 1-6 Exhibit 20x20: Posters for Peace An exhibition featuring 20 posters from prominent Iranian artists and 20 posters by international graphic designers will be on display at Windgate Art & Design at UAFS. The exhibition by Pasaj Cultural Collaborative strives to bring forth the potential of posters as a medium for political expression and interaction with society at large. Curated by Pouya Jahanshahi and Zahra Pashaie, the exhibit features original works created by designers specifically for the event. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Windgate Art & Design, 535 North Waldron Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7920 uafs.edu

Cherokee Bill: Tried twice, hanged once APRIL Author Art Burton will discuss the life of Cherokee Bill, one of the most infamous

April 1-12 Smoked Baby Back Rib Sale The Fort Smith Trolley Museum is pre-selling smoked baby back ribs that will be prepared by the Fort Smith Barbeque Society and available for pick up between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 14. All ribs must be ordered and paid for in advance. Order online at fstm.org – click on the rib icon. $23 per rack; orders of five or more racks, $21 per rack. April 12 last day to order by phone. Fort Smith Trolley Museum, 100 South 4th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-650-0103 fstm.org

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outlaws hanged at the Fort Smith gallows, for the lecture series “Jurisdiction and Judgment: Fort Smith Marshals in Indian Territory.” The annual spring lecture series, held by the U.S. Marshals Museum, is highlighting the role of the marshals service as white settlement moved west in the 19th century.

Crawford Goldsby, born in Texas in 1876, used Cherokee Bil as an outlaw nickname. After living at Fort Gibson, Okla., with his mother, who may have been of Cherokee, black and white descent, and away from his Buffalo Soldier father, who was said to have had Mexican, white and Sioux ancestry, Goldsby turned criminal as a teenager. He escalated from fights to attempted murder and, with the Cook Gang, armed robberies of trains, banks and stagecoach stations in the Indian Territory. When Goldsby killed a bystander during a 1894 robbery in Indian Territory, he earned the murder charge for which he would eventually be hanged in Fort Smith.

While a wanted man, however, he proved tricky for U.S. marshals to arrest. Captured and tried in federal court in Fort Smith for the murder, he obtained an rare appeal after Judge Isaac C. Parker sentenced him to death. While in the federal jail awaiting a second trial, the inmate made an armed escape attempt during which everyone in the cells was endangered by the crossfire. He killed a jail guard, Larry Keating. Another well-known prisoner, Henry Starr, called for a ceasefire and persuaded Cherokee Bill to give up his contraband pistol. After a brief second trial, Goldsby was hanged on March 17, 1896, before a crowd of thousands.

Guest lecturer Art Burton is the author of the books “Black, Red and Deadly,” which included research about deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves and “Black Gun, Silver Star,” a full biography of the effective and feared lawman. The attention brought to Reeves by Burton and others led to a community movement to erect a statue of Reeves in Fort Smith in 2012.

Admission is free. 6:30-8 p.m. UAFS Blue Lion, 101 North 2nd Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-709-3766 usmarshalsmuseum.org 54

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Miss Laura’s by John Bell Jr. April 1-22 John Bell Jr. Exhibit Works of the late artist John Bell Jr. are on exhibit in a retrospective of his life’s work at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum. Paintings, drawings, watercolors and sculpture have been loaned for the exhibit by Bell’s family and patrons to offer a sweeping representation of his talent. Bell was an acclaimed American painter and sculptor whose career spanned nearly 50 years. Most familiar will be a selection of original paintings reproduced for a popular series of prints depicting Fort Smith scenes that include churches, businesses, landmarks and city streets. The surprises are the extent and variety of Bell’s other works. The exhibit is a part of the Fort Smith Bicentennial celebration.

Admission is free. Museum hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tuesday-Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-784-2787 fram.org

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 1-23 Soul of a Nation Exhibition at Crystal Bridges Organized by the Tate Modern, London, this exhibit shows American culture reshaped through the work of black artists from the tumultuous 1960s-1980s.

Works of 60 artists include paintings, sculptures, street photography and murals. Free. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Ark. crystalbridges.org April 1-30 Art Exhibition: Photography by Dianna Elkins Elkins took up photography at her school newspaper where she developed film in a darkroom. She captures seasons, waterfalls, old barns and long-forgotten places. Free. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 April 1-30 Pet Food and Supply Drive Fort Smith Public Libraries hold a supply drive for HOPE Humane Society, which relies on donations to care for shelter animals. Give dry or canned food, treats, clay litter, stainless steel bowls, toys, beds, grooming supplies, towels and janitorial supplies. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 April 2 Spring has Sprung Little Girls Dress Class Sew an adorable dress with ruffles, a bow and zipper.

Call to register. $30 includes materials. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith. 479-484-5351 sewingmachinecenterfs.com

April 2-30 Ballroom Dance Lessons Mike and Lisa Lawrence teach group lessons on Mondays. Beginners, 7:30-8:30 p.m.; advanced, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dance style changes monthly. $5. 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Eagles Ballroom, 3321 South 66th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-208-1072 April 2-30 Artist of the Month – Dennis Russell Huntington photographer Dennis Russell exhibits local landscapes. After becoming affected by a disability, Russell enriched his life through photography.

He began shooting seriously after a class with Carroll Copeland and joined the Photographic Alliance. Free.

Miller Branch Library, 8701 South 28th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-3945 fortsmithlibrary.org April 2-30 National Poetry Month Blackout Poetry: Verses and Flow Take words from printed pages to create new poetry and let it flow. Patrons are also invited to write Post it Note Poetry. Free. Windsor Drive Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 April 3 First Tuesday in Downtown Fort Smith Shop a street fair, ride the trolley at First Tuesday downtown. Stores have socials, such Belle Starr Antiques’ “Vintage After Dark,” with door prizes of gift certificates to other shops and eateries. Catch the streetcar at Ross Pendergraft Park. Free. 5-8 p.m.

Ross Pendergraft Park, 200 Garrison Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-650-5456 fstm.org

April 4, 11, 18 ARTS with Grace RAM partners with Arts with Grace, a nonprofit organization that has programs for adults with disabilities and seniors. Participants learn about art, are given in-depth instruction and the chance to create. Led by a professional artist. Free. 3:30-5 p.m. Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-784-2787 fsram.org April 5-26 Drop in and Draw Every Thursday, RAM provides a live model and studio space. Artists furnish their own materials; easels are provided. Free. Noon-4 p.m. Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-784-2787 fsram.org April 6 UAFS African Night The UAFS African Student Association presents a night of entertainment showcasing African culture and cuisine with a fashion show and performances by a renowned African dance group and a UAFS music team. Sherman Banks, Consul of the Republic of Ghana of Little Rock, will speak. Enjoy samples of the tastes of many countries and cultures of Africa.

Tony Osagwu, president of the UAFS African Students Association, describes the event as a celebration of African culture. General admission $15; $10 UAFS students and kids 13 and under. UAFS Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center, Reynolds Room, 800 North 49th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7891 uafs.edu

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 6 Junior League of Fort Smith – Fostering Fashion This second annual "girls night" event offers a runway fashion show, shopping and refreshments. Retailers showcase their newest spring clothing and accessories. Fostering Fashion also will have a shopping area called the "Men Den." $40. 6-9 p.m. Fort Smith Convention Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. eventbrite.com April 6-7 Mulberry Edamame Festival Music, a barbecue cookoff, community booths, food vendors and kids activities make up this two-day celebration of the versatile, nutritious delicious vegetable, edamame (tender young soybean pods). Edamame is increasingly a successful crop in Crawford County.

Judge Parker band and Rylee Renee perform. Kirksey Park, Mulberry, Ark. Facebook/EdamameFestival

Masterpiece: Little Women Special Pre-broadcast Screening with AETN APRIL Celebrate National Library Week with a special pre-broadcast screening of the

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upcoming PBS Masterpiece drama “Little Women.” Preview the three-part television adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s coming-of-age classic.

Loved by generations of women worldwide, “Little Women” is a truly universal coming-ofage story, as relevant and engaging today as it was on its original publication in 1868. The drama will be introduced by local historian and UAFS faculty member Tom Wing, who will give a short discussion of the time period to set the mood for the program.

Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, the story follows sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March on their journey from childhood to adulthood. With the help of their mother, Marmee, and while their father is away at war, the girls navigate what it means to be a young woman: from sibling rivalry and first love, to loss and marriage.

BAFTA Award-winner Emily Watson (“The Theory of Everything,” “Genius”) plays Marmee, the iconic matriarch of the March family. Academy Award-winner Dame Angela Lansbury (“Murder, She Wrote,” “The Manchurian Candidate”) will play the girls’ wealthy relative – the cantankerous Aunt March. BAFTA Award-winner Michael Gambon (“Harry Potter,” “Churchill's Secret”) takes the role of the benevolent neighbor Mr. Laurence. Exciting young actors play the March sisters Jo, Beth, Meg and Amy and their charming neighbor Laurie.

Wing is an assistant professor of history at UAFS and director of the university-owned Drennen-Scott Historic Site. His areas of expertise include, among other things, 19th century American and Civil War History.

Set in Concord, Mass., Alcott’s semi-autobiographical story became an instant bestseller when it was published and remains one of the most widely read novels of all time. A recent Harris poll listing it as one of America’s 10 favorite books confirms its enduring place in the cultural landscape. The library will provide drinks and dessert. Free. Noon. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org 56

Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2018

April 7 TrailBlazers Hiking Club Waterfalls Hike Hike to two iconic Arkansas waterfalls. The amazing Glory Hole drills through a rock bluff line. The hike is 2 miles round trip, rated moderate for its half mile of steady uphill climb. Onward, up and down hills, to Smith Creek Preserve for another trek to Qui VaLa Elise Falls. 4-5 miles of hiking, rated moderate. Any responsible, able hiker is welcome to go with the group and must provide their own lunch and water.

Meet at Cloverleaf Plaza parking lot in Van Buren at 7:50 a.m. to carpool or caravan. 8 a.m. Ozark National Forest, Arkansas 21, near Fallsville, Ark. 479-646-9562 thcfs.com April 7 Candlelight Tour of the National Historic Site Six living vignettes will depict experiences of Fort Smith residents who lived through the Civil War. Fort Smith. Held on the parade grounds of the military fort, the tour’s re-enactors speak as known citizens from 1861 secession through the Union occupation. 6-8:30 p.m. Fort Smith National Historic Site, 301 Parker Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. April 7 All About Ruffles Pillow Cover Project Class Learn how to make a pillow cover lined with dainty ruffles. Register by phone. $20 includes all materials.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Ave, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 sewingmachinecenterfs.com April 7 Community Health Fair and Rummage Sale Good Samaritan Clinic combines a health fair and rummage sale. UAFS School of Nursing students cohost, providing free testing and education on diabetes, hypertension, nutrition, medication management and exercise. Friends of Good Sam Auxiliary holds the sale to raise funds for the clinic. Free. 9 a.m.-noon. Good Samaritan Clinic parking lot, 615 North B Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0233 goodsamaritanfs.com April 7-8 Cog7 Strong Conference 2018 The Church Of God Seventh Day young adults (1835) of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas will engage in passionate worship, united fellowship, Bible-based teaching of the Word and community service. $30. Church Of God 7th Day, 3915 Massard Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-459-5579

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 7-28 Come Clay with Us Cre8ive Arts Network, a nonprofit arts collective, offers basic pottery classes and pottery-making for workshops, date nights, birthday parties, girls night out and more. Gift certificates available. Register online for April classes. Cre8ive Arts Network at Chaffee Crossing, 7408 Buckhorn off Terry Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-357-9079 cre8beartsy.com April 8 Fort Smith Flow Jam Flow jam events are a donation-based meetup for flow and movement artists of all kinds. The event is not a class but more of a practice space to expand the flow community and meet like-minded people interested in this form of art. Second Sundays. 5 p.m. Ben Geren Regional Park, 7200 South Zero Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-222-9033 April 10 National Library Week: Customer Appreciation Day The Windsor Branch of the Fort Smith Public Library welcomes its library friends for a special customer appreciation day during National Library week. Check out a book, use a computer and share in a sweet treat.

Free. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Windsor Drive Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 April 10 The Book Lover’s Club Read up to three titles and give a short report. The Book Lover’s Club meets the second Tuesday of every month at the main library. Free. 10:15 a.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 11 Handy Take-Along Iron Caddy Class Make an iron caddy that opens up and becomes a heat-proof ironing mat. Register by phone. $30 incudes all materials. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 sewingmachinecenterfs.com April 11 High School Art Competition Exhibit Reception The UAFS Chancellor's Coalition for the Visual Arts invites the public to a reception for the High School Art Competition Exhibit. The gallery will display the works of students through April 30. Free. 5-6 p.m. UAFS Reynolds Room Lobby, 800 North 49th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7667 April 12 Authors in the Afternoon with David Banks Alma author David Banks will appear at the Fort Smith Public Library to promote and sign copies of his book, “Fort Whiskey.” Based on a true family story told to the author by his grandmother, the book is set in Civil War-era Arkansas.

Born in Fort Smith, Banks has served as a minister for the past 25 years. The author has worked as a substitute teacher and is a volunteer firefighter. He lives in Alma. Books will be available for purchase and signing during the open-house style event. Free. 4 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

The Narrative Impulse: Ke Francis APRIL Windgate Art and Design Gallery at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith presents

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an exhibition by Ke Frances, including book arts, printing and painting. Exhibition continues through May 28. Gallery hours are 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Free. Windgate Art and Design, 535 North Waldron Road, Fort Smith, Ark.

Grand Savings Bank WELCOMES

Vice President Fort Smith

www.GrandSavingsBank.com April 2018

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Help Wanted! Apply at the Annual Volunteer Fair APRIL Alongside the park rangers of

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the Fort Smith National Historic site, volunteers help as guides, desk clerks, grounds workers, interpretive reenactors and in other roles. The park has an annual Volunteer Fair to recruit helpers. It also invites other groups to recruit. Prospective volunteers can browse the booths of many nonprofits to find a fit. Donating time at these sites will increase your knowledge while showing pride in Fort Smith’s rich past.

Fire up to Voluntr!

Maybe you’re not ready for the infantry. But there’s a place for you to volunteer – these nonprofit organizations want you! Learn about local historic sites and parks and the roles you may play – from manning a desk to more unique experiences.

Volunteering is for all ages and abilities. Your skills may be what these groups need.

Fort Smith National Historic Site U.S. Marshals Museum Clayton House

Ad provided by

Girl Scouts Area Agency on Aging

Drennen-Scott Historic Site

Project Compassion

Bonneville House

We Care Foundation

Fort Smith Trolley Museum

Ronald McDonald House

Miss Laura's Visitor Center

Mercy Crest Assisted Living

Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center River Valley Nature Center HOPE Humane Society

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Literacy Council of Western Arkansas Reynolds Cancer Support House STEPS and Family Resource Center Fort Smith Parks and Recreation 9 A.M.-1 P.M. LUNCH AT 11 A.M. RIVERPARK EVENTS BUILDING 121 RIVERFRONT DRIVE FORT SMITH, ARK.

At the W.H.H. Clayton House and DrennenScott Historic Site in Van Buren, volunteers can help to present the domestic activities of another era. Both historic homes are known to put on socials in the manner of their long-ago residents. They offer gardening, preservation and interaction with children. The U.S. Marshals Museum needs volunteers as it drives toward its 2019 opening.

The Fort Smith Trolley Museum trains drivers to run its restored electric streetcars. Women and younger volunteers are welcome to take the training. Mechanically minded people are needed to restore other rolling stock. A museum library needs archivists and clerks.

Miss Laura’s Visitor Center is staffed by volunteers seven days a week who greet visitors and direct them to local attractions.

To serve our youngest and oldest neighbors, work with groups who help elders, children and families. Educators and trainees can teach all ages to read through the Literacy Council.

The Girl Scouts need adult leaders in their new STEAM Center and for traditional Scouting fun.

River Valley Nature Center has opportunities related to nature, youth and education at its beautiful Chaffee Crossing park.

HOPE Humane Society has urgent needs to increase the number of folks helping abandoned pets. Jobs include dog-walking to compassionate pet care.

Every nonprofit agency would be thrilled to gain volunteers with business and computer skills, public relations and communications knowledge and fundraising talents.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 13 Waves of Color Bargello Quilt Top Class Learn how to make a colorful Bargello-style quilt top.

Register by phone. $50 includes all materials. 10 a.m.

-4 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 April 13 Subiaco Academy Spring Shadow Days Subiaco Academy, a Catholic, college preparatory boarding and day school for boys, is hosting Shadow Days for prospective students and parents interested in the junior and senior high program. A Friday program is for boys in grades 6-10. Shadow Days give visiting students an opportunity to spend the Thursday night before in one of the residence halls and shadow current students in class. Free overnight accommodations are available for parents. The 130-year old school offers a challenging curriculum for young men in grades 7-12 with extra-curricular and athletic opportunities. Register by phone. Subiaco Academy, 405 North Subiaco Avenue, Subiaco, Ark. 800-364-7824 subiacoacademy.us April 13-15 31st Annual Ozark Mountain UFO Conference A gathering of the top experts and investigators in the field of UFOs, extraterrestrials, lost civilizations, crop circles and the paranormal. April 13 features author Richard Dolan, to present “UFOs and the Media: Disinformation or Disclosure?” Marc D’Antonio will present “Exoplanets and Alien Life: What We Know.” Linda Moulton-Howe will present “Military Whistleblower Revelations About UFOs.” Keynote speaker and nuclear physicist Stanton Friedman closes with “Star Travel? YES!” April 14 has extraterrestrial contactee Donna Lynn. Author and researcher Nick Redfern presents “The Real Men in Black,” about how the MIB phenomenon began in the late 1940s. Chase Kloetzke, an expert on the mysterious Starchild Skull, presents “The New Evidence: The Elongated Skulls of Peru.”

Clairvoyant Tricia McCannon closes with “Ancient and Modern Visitation of the Star Nations.” April 15, ET experiencer Nancy Tremaine will present “Re-Introduction To The Reptilians.” Veteran UFO investigator Grant Cameron will make the final presentation. A vendor area can be visited free. Best Western Inn of the Ozarks, 207 West Van Buren, Eureka Springs, Ark. 479-738-2348 ozarkufoconference.com April 14 Mountain Gate Poker Run Thousands in cash prizes, 50/50, scavenger hunt, live music and more. $30 per hand includes evening meal.

Sign in at Pam’s Hateful Hussy Diner, 304 Dallas Street, Talihina, Okla. Last stop is Chuck’s Classic Cycles in Tuskahoma, Okla. First out at 9 a.m. Last out at noon. Back to last stop by 5 p.m. Open to all vehicles. Talihina Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, 201 First Street, Talihina, Okla.

918-567-3434 talihinacc.com April 14 Boater Education Course The course teaches the fundamentals of safe and responsible boating. Anyone born after 1985 must pass the course and carry a valid boating education card to legally operate a motorboat powered by an engine of 10hp or more (including personal watercraft) in Arkansas. Free. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 rivervalleynaturecenter.com

April 14 Spring Antique Machinery Show The River Valley Antique Tractor Club will host an antique machinery show at the Fort Smith Trolley Museum. See trains, tractors, trolleys and small engines.

There will be a mobile blacksmith shop along with other interesting displays. Trolley rides will be free, and the museum 5 and 10 Gift Shop will be open.

Lunch will be available from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free.

10 a.m. Fort Smith Trolley Museum, 100 South 4th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-650-010 fstm.org April 14 BUNCO – Rolling for The CALL This girls night BUNCO night supports The CALL in Crawford and Sebastian counties, an organization that works to support and encourage foster families and children. $10. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Grace Community Church, 4001 Brooken Hill Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-353-0767 thecallinarkansas.org April 14 River Valley Music Talent Show Dysengage Studios and Tha Ave invite local artist to the first River Valley Music Talent Show. Every genre of music is welcome. $25 entry fee; the winner will receive $100 and a studio session at Dysengage Studio. 21 and up; nonsmoking, beer and wine bar. $5. 7 p.m. Tha Ave, 3211 Towson Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-561-9743 April 14 Wine and Roses 2018 Fort Smith native and TV personality Rossi Morreale returns to this gala as the wine auctioneer. One of People Magazine’s "Sexiest Men Alive," Morreale has hosted more than 40 national television shows and knows how to keep a party going. After attending the University of Arkansas as a starting wide receiver for the Razorbacks, Morreale ended up in California and has been entertaining audiences ever since. A variety of talented artists showcase their work with direct sale proceeds going to the Cancer Support House. Tickets for a chance to win a ladies Rolex Watch, courtesy of Newton's Jewelers and valued at $8,700, are $10 each; $50 for six or $100 for 13. Need not attend to win.

Tickets to the black-tie optional gala are $125 with sponsorship opportunities available. Proceeds from this premier event benefit the free programs and services offered to cancer patients and their families in this community. 6-11:30 p.m. Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-424-1812 reynoldscancersupporthouse.org April 2018

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Bicentennial Lectures cover significant events in Fort Smith’s 200-year history

Secession APRIL Arkansas Billy Higgins illuminates the thoughts of Fort Smith citizens just before the Civil War. From the 1850s up to the state’s secession on May 6, 1861, feelings were divided locally and regionally. Strong political differences developed in-state over slavery. Unionists and secessionists clashed.

Party like it’s1899:

19th Century Living History Ball

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The associate professor of history at UAFS is a member of the Arkansas Historical Association, Fort Smith Historical Society, the Southern Historical Association, the Society for American Baseball Research and the Arkansas Association of College History Teachers. He is the author of “A Stranger and a Sojourner: Peter Caulder, Free Black Frontiersman in Antebellum Arkansas,” a 2004 co-winner of the Ragsdale Award for the Best Book on Arkansas History; “Fort Smith: Vanguard of Western Frontier History” and “The Barling Darling: Hal Smith’s Life in Baseball.”

Free. 6-8 p.m. Historic Frisco Station, 100 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. Civil War Battle of Backbone Mountain APRIL Ret. Army Col. Thomas G. Waller gives this presentation. Waller is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. His assignments include assistant professor of history, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, and director, gunnery department, Army Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Okla.

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His second career has been in education. He taught history and political science at River Valley Christian School and was principal at Union Christian Academy before becoming an adjunct professor of history at UAFS. Waller’s article “War on a Flying Cloud: Tactical Innovation on the Fort Smith Campaign of 1863” was published in the September 2013 Journal of the Fort Smith Historical Society. Free. 6-8 p.m. Historic Frisco Station, 100 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark.

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Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2018

APRIL

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In celebration of Fort Smith’s Bicentennial, the Fort Smith Museum of History presents a 19th Century Living History Ball.

The Camp Followers Band provide live music, traditional dances, period refreshments and history coming to life!

The ball is reminiscent of those held at the garrison at Fort Smith, at Adelaide Hall and in fine homes of the city. Rosalie Peterson and Danny McMillen from Missouri will instruct guests in the Virginia Reel, an old American dance, plus the Gay Gordons and the Cumberland Reel, Scottish country dances; and the Military Two Step. Period costumes are welcome but not required.

Prints of paintings by Michael Haynes, including "The Founding of the Fort Smith," will be available for purchase. $10 for adults; $5 for children 8 and over. Proceeds benefit the Fort Smith Museum of History, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. $10 adults, $5 children (8 and over). 7-9 p.m. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.org

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 15 Third Sunday Art Show – Birds and Blooms!

Every third Sunday, Michael's Mansion is open for the public to browse the art gallery, filled with works from featured artists, for sale. The month of April is themed “Birds and Blooms.” Meet the artists, browse beautiful original artworks and enjoy refreshments by Chef Mike. Free. 1-4 p.m. Michael's Mansion, 2900 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-883-8336 michaelsmansion.biz April 15 Heavener Runestone Viking Festival Viking games, re-enactments, Icelandic animals, swordplay, blacksmith demonstrations and many merchants and food vendors celebrate the Heavener Runestone’s mysterious history. A carvings of runes, ancient alphabetical letters used in Northern Europe, are found on a massive boulder in the park. Could ancient Vikings have carved these runes into stone in central North America? Since the symbols were discovered in the early 1920s, much research and controversy has transpired, with no definitive conclusion.

Heavener Runestone Park in LeFlore County, Okla., was formerly a state park, now operated by the Friends of Heavener Runestone, a nonprofit organization. The Viking Festival held there on two weekends a year serves as a fundraiser for operating and maintaining the park. The 55-acre park has trails, bluffs, a gift shop and interpretive center. $5 per person (5 & under free) 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 18365 Runestone Road, Heavener, Okla. 918-653-2241

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Greenwood Courthouse after1968 tornado.

April 16 50th Anniversary of the Greenwood Tornado The public is invited to a program of the South Sebastian County Historical Society, sharing memories and stories on the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Greenwood Tornado. Visitors are invited to share their recollections and photos. Free. 7 p.m. Community Room, Farmers Bank, 71 West Center Street, Greenwood, Ark. 479-996-0715 Facebook.com/OldJailMuseum April 16 Ruffle Bum Baby Romper Class Learn how to make a baby romper with ruffles along the bum. Register by phone. $25 includes materials.

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 April 17 Daughters of the American Revolution Daughters of the American Revolution will tour the Fort Smith Visitor's Center, and conduct a meeting afterward at the Fort Smith River Park Pavilion, 100 North B Street. Guests are welcome. Members are present to answer basic questions about joining DAR and researching lineage. Free. 1-2 p.m. Miss Laura's Visitors Center, 2 North B Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-5170 April 2018

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 17 Native Plants Learn to recognize native plant species. Free. 6 p.m.

River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 rivervalleynaturecenter.com April 18 Fort Smith Public Library Writing Club Flex those creative muscles with writing exercises, flash poetry and personal readings. This is a club for writers of all skills, disciplines and ages. Free. 4-5 p.m.

Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org Racing brothers Leroy and Robert Winters at their father’s cycle shop on Towson Avenue.

Museum Mounts Motorcycle Memories APRIL Motorcycle Memories, one of the Fort Smith Museum of History’s most

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popular exhibits, is timed to coincide with the Steel Horse Rally and the motorcycle riding season. It includes iconic motorcycles, live programs and an outdoor motorcycle show during the rally.

Originally curated with the late Robert Winters, 1966 race winner of the 250 Grand Prix, the exhibit acknowledges the Winters family’s central place in the region’s biking. His father, Quin Winters, started with a bicycle shop and segued to motorcycle sports. Robert’s brother Leroy won the 1956 Jack Pine Enduro and achieved a national racing career, then operated a well-known bike shop that was a hangout for local riders.

The Harley-Davidson bike on which Leroy Winters won the 1956 National Endurance Championship is on loan from the AMA Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio.

During the Steel Horse Rally, programs will be presented at 1 p.m. May 4 and 5. The museum hosts a motorcycle show on the street, May 5. A $15 donation is recommended for entry.

"Burgers and Beer" is also May 5, with food sponsored by First National Bank. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit museum.

Vintage bikes and photos explore the “art of the motorcycle” in the region from the 1940s through present day. In 1940, Ercie Gann, Kathryn Johnson and Jean Fivekiller became charter members of the Motor Maids, a national club for female motorcyclists. The annual “Razorback Run,” a 150-mile roundtrip ride from Fort Smith to rugged White Rock Mountain near Mulberry, Ark., drew enthusiasts from 1952 to 1955. Otis Spiker played a vital role in the area cycling culture. One of the few manufacturers of Henderson motorcycle parts, Spiker gained national recognition, as well as becoming a local legend.

Ercie Gann

Fort Smith native Danny Hammond also raced motorcycles professionally from 1959-1969. After retirement, Hammond raced in the Vintage Dirt Track Racing Association, winning the national championships 2004-2007.

The spirit of revving engines comes to life with in Motorcycle Memories. Programs will be available to area students during April and May. This project is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Fort Smith Museum of History was selected to receive proceeds from the Steel Horse Motorcycle Rally scheduled for May 4-5 in downtown Fort Smith. Museum admission: $7 adults; $5 veterans/military; $2 children; under age 6 are free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.org 62

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April 18 Pieces of Patchwork T-Shirt Dress Class Learn how to make a patchwork skirt. The skirt will be attached to a T-shirt to make a t-shirt dress. Take a T-shirt. Register by phone. $30 includes materials. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Ave, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 April 18 JOY Club Health Fair This Senior Care Alliance health fair will give the public an opportunity to learn about services offered in the community including Medicare, Medicaid, Homemaker Services, Respite Care, Home Health Care, Hospice, Legal and Financial issues and more. Free.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Immaculate Conception Parish Hall, 22 North 13th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-478-3000 arseniorcarealliance.com April 19 Authors in the Afternoon featuring Wayne Hancock Fort Smith author Wayne Hancock will sign copies of his latest novel, “Off to War,” the fourth book and exciting conclusion of his Gotcha! Series. In this book, Buck Pettit’s investigating club is chasing German spies instead of murderers. Hancock spent his youth in Warrensburg, Mo. He used his knowledge of the hardest times in our nation’s history, the Great Depression, to tell this small-town saga.

Hancock lives with his wife of 24 years and their three daughters in Alma. Besides writing, his hobbies interests include antiquing and woodworking. All of Hancock’s books will be available for purchase and signing. Free. 3-5 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 19 Pointer Palooza Van Buren High School students present Pointer Palooza, a fun celebration and food drive for a great cause. This event includes multicultural foods, entertainment, crafts, games, displays and more. Students and entire families will find lots of activities and fun.

Admission by donations of canned food for the VBSD IMPACT Program. Free. 4-6 p.m. Van Buren High School, 2001 Pointer Trail, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6821

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Mark Twain 100 Years Later APRIL Celebrate the life of American author and humorist Samuel

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Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain.

Most noted for his novels “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” (1876) and its sequel, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” (1885), Twain was lauded as “the greatest American humorist of his age” and also “the father of American literature.”

A long-time favorite performer in Branson, Mo., Dave Ehlert, will bring Mark Twain to life in his appearance at the Fort Smith Public Library.

The program present’s Twain’s life story, wound around famous Twain quotes, with a strong emphasis on the importance of literacy.

Twain’s Tom and Huck were American characters that American readers could recognize. The mischievous boys noticed – and committed – human foibles, as did the author of himself.

“If you are with the quality, or at a funeral, or trying to go to sleep when you ain't sleepy – if you are anywheres where it won't do for you to scratch, why you will itch all over in upwards of a thousand places,” Twain observed, in “Huckleberry Finn.”

Free. 7 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org

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Arkansas Historical Association “Frontiers and Borders” APRIL

The Arkansas Historical Association will hold its 77th Annual Conference here over three days that will include presentations on all manner of interaction and exchange among peoples, nations and cultures within and around Arkansas. Its theme is Frontiers and Borders. Conference presentations are open to anyone, for a $20 membership fee.

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Of particular interest to local researchers will be the lead event, a Genealogy Workshop with Angela Walton-Raji. She is recognized nationally for genealogical and historical research on the Civil War west of the Mississippi, as well as her work with Oklahoma Native American records.

Her book, “Black Indian Genealogy Research,” is the only publication of its kind focusing on freedmen on the Dawes Rolls Angela Walton-Raji (the records of people accepted between 1898 and 1914 by the Dawes Commission as members of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole tribes).

It is a two-part workshop: “Getting Started with Genealogy Research,” covers genealogy basics, as well as resources for Arkansas research.

Part II, “Arkansas/Oklahoma Genealogy Research,” will focus on resources pertaining to the Fort Smith area, including state censuses, Five Civilized Tribes records, and 19th-century military records.

Attendance to Walton-Raji’s workshop is free for AHA members and $20 for nonmembers, who will be automatically enrolled as AHA members. Seating is limited; pre-registration is encouraged. 1-4 p.m.

Judge Parker Room, DoubleTree City Center, 700 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith.

Topics of local interest (various times) April 20-21 include: • Grand Rapids of the West: Fort Smith’s History of Furniture Making • Frontier Justice Meets Its Nemesis – Paperwork: The Trials and Tribulations of District Court Clerks Appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, 1874-1904 • Fort Smith as a Hub for Early Arkansas Botanical Exploration • Mame Stewart Josenberger: Fort Smith Businesswoman, Activist, and Internationalist, 1868-1964 • Crossing Boundaries From Fort Smith to Fifth Avenue: Thyra Samter Winslow’s Magazine Fiction A complete schedule of presentations is on the AHA website. All presentations will be given at the DoubleTree City Center, DoubleTree City Center, 700 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith. arkansashistoricalassociation.org

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Stroll downtown and browse vendor tents – paintings, wood carvings, pottery, handmade jewelry, blankets and organic honey are some of the items for sale – but also to view vintage WWII planes at the local airport. Food trucks, fresh farmers market goods and Oklahoma wineries will offer refreshment. Music includes bands from Northeastern University, Tahlequah High School, as well as the Tahlequah Middle School Choir. Byron Berline, renowned fiddler.

Tahlequah’s Red Fern Festival APRIL

Thousands of visitors are expected to attend this fiveday, Tahlequah, Okla., festival named after the book “Where the Red Fern Grows,” by Wilson Rawls. The 1961 children’s novel is set in Tahlequah and became one of the all-time best-selling children’s books. More than 6 million copies have been sold. The story is about a boy, Billy, and two faithful redbone coonhounds dogs he raises from pups to be champion hunters. Based on his memories, the poignant book is evocative of life in the Cherokee County Sparrow Hawk Mountains and Illinois River region surrounding Tahlequah, where Rawls was born in 1913.

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In honor of the book’s famous pair of dogs, Old Dan and Little Annie, a coon hunt demonstration and hound dog field trials are held Thursday and Friday during the festival.

The week is also the 175th anniversary of the Cherokee Nation establishing its capitol at Tahlequah. Cherokee museums and historic sites will be open.

Weekday events begin at 5 p.m. in Norris Park. Weekend hours noon to 10 p.m. on Friday; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday. 100 North Muskogee Street, Tahlequah, Okla. 918-431-1655 tahlequahmainstreet.com

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 19 Greenwood Chamber Business Symposium A Manufacturers Symposium where panelists will discuss how they overcame challenges and capitalized on opportunities to start their businesses. Ample time for dialogue with panelists from JTM Enterprises; Armedica Manufacturing Corp., All-Tech Machine and Tool, Arkansas Box and Fort Smith Brewing Co. $15.

Noon-1:30 p.m. Wilkinson Pavilion at Bell Park, 1050 Bell Park Road, Greenwood, Ark. 479-996-2742 greenwoodarkansas.com

Doug Kidd as a Civil War doctor.

April 21 Sutton Mansion Union Hospital Re-Enactment In 1864, the Clayton House, then known as the Sutton Mansion, was confiscated by the Union Army for use as a hospital. As a Bicentennial Celebration event, reenactors will portray soldiers, the sick and injured, nurses and the chief surgeon. Doug Kidd, as Dr. Bennett, displays period reproduction medical equipment and an operating room and explains Civil War medical practices. Music, games and crafts for children. $5 for adults. $5 beans and cornbread lunch. 10:30 a.m.3:30 p.m. Clayton House, 514 North 6th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-3000 claytonhouse.org April 20 Diamond Dance Enjoy dancing to a variety of music including swing, ballroom, latin, and country. Dress attire is dressy casual. $5 per person. 8-10 p.m. Eagles Ballroom, 3321 South 66th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-208-1072 April 21 TrailBlazers Hike the Ozark National Forest Hike in two scenic areas. Roundtop Mountain Loop has a profusion of wildflowers in the spring. The easy, three-mile loop follows a bluff line with views of the Little Buffalo River Valley. Also, hike Alum Cove Natural Bridge Scenic Area. Take lunch and water. Meet at Cloverleaf Plaza parking lot, Van Buren at 7:50 a.m. to carpool and/or caravan. 8 a.m. Ozark National Forest, Arkansas 7, Jasper, Ark. 479-646-9562 thcfs.com April 21 2018 Sprint For Compassion 5K/10K/Mile Proceeds benefit residents in 26 area nursing homes.

The HOPE Humane Society Mobile Adoption Team offers pets for adoption. 7 a.m. check-in. 8 a.m. start.

Register by phone or online. $10-30. Euper Lane Elementary School, 6601 Euper Lane, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-2273 unsignup.com April 23 Fort Smith Montessori School Bingo Night Win games and prizes donated by area businesses.

Proceeds will go toward expanding the school. Pizza, snacks and drinks sold by students to support their "Going Out" expeditions. $5 per card or five cards for $20. 6-8:30 p.m. Riverfront Pavillion, 100 North B, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-7225 fsmontessori.com

River Walk Then Wine for Arkansas Citizens’ Climate League APRIL In four venues across the state, on one evening, the Arkansas Citizens’ Climate

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League will hold its first statewide benefit gala to unite seven chapters for climate activism. Arkansas Climate Accord venues in Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Little Rock and Altus will each host their own unique shindig, each with an original title. Attendees at all four parties will be connected virtually. Each has its own entertainment and guest speakers.

Arkansas chapters of Citizens' Climate Lobby are dedicated to the idea that addressing climate change can benefit both our state economy and natural way of life.

Fort Smith’s venue is the Riverfront Events Building, adjacent to the Greg Smith River Trail. At 5 p.m., everyone is invited to walk the beautiful trail along the banks of the Arkansas River. Return by 5:45 p.m., when corks will be pulled for the first pour of a special Arkansas-made wine to be launched this evening. Chateaux Aux Arc vineyard of Altus introduces “Splinters,” a variety specially bottled and labeled for ARKCCL to support climate action.

A meal catered by R&R Curry Express of Fort Smith will be served with remarks by guest speaker Chris McRae of Solar Under the Sun, a Presbyterian mission project that trains volunteers to design and install solar power systems with communities that lack reliable electrical power, worldwide. Entertainment by singer-songwriters Still on the Hill follows.

Arkansas Citizen Climate League’s Fort Smith chapter meets the first Monday of each month at the First Christian Church, 3501 Rogers Avenue. Admission to River Walk Then Wine is free; donations to the 501(c)3 Arkansas Citizens Climate League are welcomed. 5 p.m. walk; 6 p.m. dinner, program and entertainment. Riverfront Events Building, 121 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. ARKCCL.com April 2018

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 26 Where Life Meets Love Banquet A fundraising banquet for Hannah House. Donationbased admission. 6-8:30 p.m. Fort Smith Convention Center, 418 South 17th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-5683 hannahhouseark.org April 26 United Way of Fort Smith Area 25th Annual Day of Caring Day of Caring promotes volunteerism, increases awareness of local human service agencies and gives people a chance to put in one day of work to see firsthand the impact that United Way has on this area.

Free. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Kick-off breakfast at the Riverfront Amphitheater, 121 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-1311 unitedwayfortsmith.org April 26 Welcome Neighbor Book Club A discussion of “The Life She Was Given” by Ellen Marie Wiseman. Free. 11:30 a.m. Dewey’s Cafe, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 972-849-3004 welcomeneighborftsmith.weebly.com

Battle of Massard Prairie Program APRIL In celebration of the City of

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Fort Smith Bicentennial, the Fort Smith Museum of History presents The Battle of Massard Prairie, a program on the July 1864 Civil War battle with Cody Faber, Fort Smith National Historic Site Park Ranger.

On July 27, 1864, Confederate troops led by Brig. Gen. R.M. Gano surprised Union troops at Massard Prairie, southeast of Fort Smith.

Due to a forage shortage, Brig. Gen. John Thayer ordered four companies of the 6th Kansas Cavalry to the prairie to graze the herd of horses. Taken by surprise in the early morning hours, Union forces were overwhelmed by Confederates attacking from three directions.

Learn more about this significant Civil War battle in Fort Smith. Faber has worked at the Fort Smith National Historic Site since 2008.

He is an Arkansas native, a graduate of UAFS and holds a master’s in education and historical interpretation from Lindenwood University in Missouri. A lifelong scholar of the Civil War, Faber has a deep understanding of local Civil War engagements including the Battle of Massard Prairie.

Admission is $5 for veterans and military; $7 adults, $2 children. 6-7:30 p.m. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.org 68

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April 24 Doc Night: Faces Places (PG) This 2017 documentary features filmmaker Agnès Varda and a professional muralist/photographer, JR, who form a unique friendship as they travel the French countryside, creating large-scale murals to celebrate local community members. Fans of Fort Smith’s own Unexpected Project may be interested in the collaboration of these two internationally known visual artists.

Free. 6 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 April 24 Stabilizer 101 Class Learn the beginning basics of machine embroidery.

Register by phone. $20. 10 a.m.-noon. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 sewingmachinecenterfs.com April 24 Clearinghouse Guild Membership Meeting All people interested in helping Fort Smith Community Services Clearinghouse projects are welcome to attend. 11:30 a.m. Fianna Hills Country Club, 1 Essex Place, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-462-4288 April 25 Healthy Cooking: Healthy, Affordable, Delicious Learn how to cook nutritious and delicious food for the family on a budget. Each class includes a cooking demonstration and prepared meal. Guest speaker is Jamison Bonds, elder law attorney, who will answer legal questions concerning Medicare, Medicaid, VA and estate planning. Seating is limited, reserve by phone. Free. Noon. Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-6302 ReynoldsCancerSupportHouse.org April 25-28 Highway 64 to Gore This enormous roadside yard sale spans the Oklahoma border all the way to Gore, Okla., and is an antique or bargain hunter’s treasure hunt. 6 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sequoyah County Oklahoma, U.S. 64, Sequoyah County Oklahoma, Okla. 479-670-0661

April 26 Adult Crafty Corner Rediscover a creative spark. This month, participants will be experimenting with watercolors. Free. 2-3 p.m.

Miller Branch Library, 8701 South 28th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-3945 fortsmithlibrary.org April 26 Trendy Fringed Shorts Sewing Class Make a trendy pair of fringed shorts. Learn how to cut a pattern, use appropriate inseams, and follow steps.

Class fee includes all materials needed. Register by phone. $25 includes materials. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 sewingmachinecenterfs.com April 26-July 29 The Essence of Place: David Halpern Photographs from the Gilcrease Collection David Halpern has been making photographs for more than 65 years, inspired by his love of nature and the American landscape. His subjects are found in nature – landforms, water, rocks, trees, clouds – and the variables that alter our reactions to them – light, wind, rain, snow and fog. Despite being born too late to find and photograph any undiscovered wild places in America, Halpern has found great satisfaction in creating his own interpretations of the wonders around us. The exhibit showcases a series of his photographs depicting extraordinary landscapes in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. April 26. Free for members. $10 nonmembers. Daily admission is free. Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-784-2787 April 27 3rd Annual Golf Fore Paws Friends of Kitties and Kanines presents a 4-person, 18-hole scramble. 11:30 a.m. lunch and shotgun start. $380 per team, due April 20, includes: two carts, green fees, food, range balls and two mulligans per player. First place $300; second place $200 in two flights. Sponsor a hole for $100. Contact Kim BurtonNorman 479-650-5957 or Chuck Fawcett 479-2853052. 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Ben Geren Golf Course, 7200 Zero Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-5301

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 27 Sack Lunch Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon An event to honor the hundreds of Sack Lunch Program volunteers who serve people of the Fort Smith area. Each day, a meal and a kind smile is served to every customer who comes to the serving window.

Preregistration required; call 479-252-1360 by April 20 to register. 12:30 p.m. First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 3501 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-9912 April 27 Vincent Van ... Gone! Mystery Dinner Harvest Time Academy hosts an interactive mystery dinner that includes live entertainment, silent and live auctions and a catered dinner. $50 per person; $75 couple. 7-10 p.m. Harvest Time Academy Gym, 3300 Briarcliff Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-434-3211 HTAcademy.net April 27-28 Sequoyah County OHCE Quilt Show Sixty quilts and quilted items will be displayed. A chicken and dressing lunch with all the trimmings, dessert and drink is available Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for $7. Crafts and pies, cakes, cookies, brownies and candy will be sold on both days. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. $2. Sequoyah County Fair Building, 464101 East 1070 Road, Sallisaw, Okla. 918-315-1749 April 28 Botanical Garden of the Ozarks Plant Sale Annuals and perennials grown by BGO horticulturists will be on sale, with an emphasis on native, butterfly host and nectar plants. Take cash to purchase merchandise from area vendors. Credit card accepted for BGO-grown plants and merchandise. Members shop from 5 to 8 p.m. April 27. Everyone welcome from 8 a.m.-noon April 28. Free. Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, 4703 North Crossover Road, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-750-2620 April 28 TrailBlazers Hiking Club: Twin Falls A beautiful hike to Twin Falls is a six-mile roundtrip on a primitive trail. A side trip to Richland Falls adds about half a mile. This is a difficult hike, with two creek crossings. The reward is to see huge boulders in the creek, gushing water, towering bluffs, wildflowers along the trail and one of the prettiest waterfalls in the state. Take lunch, water, wading shoes, towel and insect repellant. Meet at Cloverleaf Plaza parking lot in Van Buren at 7:20 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m. departure.

Richland Creek Wilderness Area, FR# 1205, near Ben Hur, Ark. 479-646-9562 thcfs.com April 28 Miles for Mutts 5K and 10K Run/Walk Pets and families welcome at this charity run/walk. $30. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Riverfront Pavilion, 121 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-4395 app.regwiz.io/register/milesformutts/324 April 28 31st Annual Greenwood Open Car Show Tour street rods, rat rods and more. Car owners can pre-register or register the day of the show. More than 100 awards and doors prizes for car owners. Free for spectators. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Greenwood Square, #1 Townsquare, Greenwood, Ark. 479-739-6075 greenwoodarcarshow.com

April 28 Girls Inc.'s Annual Crawfish Boil This tasty annual event is held to benefit Girls Inc. of Fort Smith, whose purpose is to deliver enriching programming, in and out of school, for girls and serves a mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold.

Unlimited crawfish, sides, refreshments and treats. $40 adult tickets; children under 12 free with the purchase of an adult ticket. $500 reserved tables of six with bottle of wine and private wait staff. 5:30 p.m. The Barn

by Two Brothers, 3720 South 87th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-434-6737

April 28 Moonlight Masquerade: River Valley Equality Center's Fifth Annual Gala This event funds the River Valley Equality Center's activities throughout the year, including Pride and support groups. Starting at $65. 6-10 p.m. Riverfront Pavilion, 100 N B St, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-274-0825 gala.rvecark.org April 28 Writing Fiction for Children Led by Mark Burgh, Ph.D., three-hour workshop requires no experience. Class is intended for adults ages 18 and up who want to write books for young people.

Free. 2-5 p.m. Miller Branch Library, 8701 South 28th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-3945 April 2018 Entertainment Fort Smith 69

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A Colorful Airing of the Quilts MAY For the ninth year, Greenwood turns the old household tradition of “airing” quilts in the spring sunshine into a two-day quilt show of a fine domestic art form. Handmade quilts have become so much more than bed linens – they’re worthy of gallery walls.

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View beautiful examples of the quilter's art at the Ninth Annual Airing of the Quilts and enjoy the growing tradition of residents and stores displaying quilts outdoors, all over town. The Old Jail Museum also opens this weekend and will have quilt displays.

At Bell Park’s Wilkinson Pavilion, quilts are on display in a gallery style.

Other attractions are a raffle for a beautiful quilt, a silent auction and interesting, related vendors.

Miss Sue's Tea Room will serve lunch from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. daily for $8.

To enter a quilt in the show, call Kay Voss at 479-883-0254. The annual quilt show is sponsored by Alpha Delta Chapter, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, benefitting the South Sebastian Historical Society.

Admission is $5 at the door. 9 a.m.-5 a.m. Wilkinson Pavilion, 1050 Bell Park Road, Greenwood, Ark. 479-996-6357 facebook.com/GreenwoodQuilts 70

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April 28 Zonta Club of Fort Smith Annual Geranium Sale Proceeds from this sale support local and international projects to advance the status of women. Local support includes the Esther House, Girls Shelter, Girls Inc., The Crisis Intervention Center, First Impressions Workshop and a career fair for local junior high girls.

The Zonta Club of Fort Smith also awards five educational scholarships to area women from the proceeds of the flower sale. Pre-sales of flats of geraniums and giant marigolds end April 20. Pre-sales guarantee color choices. To order, leave a message at 580-7477596. Flats are $27 for 18 plants. Pick up orders at the April 28 sale. Day of the sale, individual plants are $1.50 each. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sagely and Edwards Realtors, 3101 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 580-747-7596 zontafortsmith.com April 28 Mother of a Wild One HTV Vinyl T-Shirt Class Learn to make a super cute vinyl T-shirt using an Artistic, Silhouette or Cricut vinyl-cutting machine. Patterns for boys and girls. Take a T-shirt. Register by phone. $20. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 April 28 Game of Throws Baggo Tournament Compete in a Baggo team tournament or just enjoy a dinner by the Whole Hog Cafe and music by Wingnut.

Live and silent auctions, Bingo games and a 50/50 raffle benefit the Community Services Clearinghouse.

Register online by April 20. Team entry fee of $70.

Warm-up at 4 p.m. Tournament begins at 5 p.m. $25 tickets for non-players include dinner, two games of baggo, two alcoholic beverages. 5 p.m. 700 Block Municipal Parking Lot, 720 Garrison Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-739-6833 csclearinghouse.org April 28-29 Lupus I Care Foundation Shoot Out Lupus 3-on-3 Basketball Tourney Walk-ins begin at 8:30 a.m. There will be a special high noon event – a 3-point shoot out. The grand prize will be a $75 gift card from FinishLine. $25 per team.

8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Jeffery Boys and Girls Club, 4905 North O Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 501-749-9649 lupusicarefoundation.com April 28-29 41st Annual Old Timers Day Steampunk Festival Stroll Main Street, lined with craft-makers and unique vendors in this annual street fair. Shops and eateries are open. Enjoy street entertainment and special seminars on the artistry of steampunk design. Vendors can email otdsteampunkfestival@gmail.com. 9 a.m.

Historic Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-926-8024

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 30 Picture Perfect Panel Pillow Class Learn how to make an adorable pillow with a framed out area in the center to display a coordinating fabric.

Register by phone. $25 includes materials. 10 a.m.3 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351 April 30 Vietnam Ceremony Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon An observation of the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, April 30, 1975. Guest speakers are Hobe Runion and Greenwood Mayor Doug Kinslow. The Greenwood High Schools Band, JROTC and VFW 6527 will participate. 10 a.m. Bell Park, 1050 Bell Park Road, Greenwood, Ark. 479-782-3421 sebastiancountyar.gov April 30 Arkansas Cherokee Language Culture and Removal Dr. Justin Nolan, anthropology professor at the University of Arkansas, speaks, sponsored by the Arkansas Chapter Trail of Tears Association. The association is a national support network for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Designated by Congress in 1987, the trail commemorates the forced removal of the Cherokee people from their homelands in the southeastern United States to Indian Territory in 18381839. The Arkansas chapter focuses on the history and recognition of Indian removal routes through Arkansas. Shiloh Museum, 118 West Johnson Avenue, Springdale, Ark. 479-750-8165 May 1 First Tuesday in Downtown Fort Smith In the evening, shop stores and browse outdoor booths in downtown Fort Smith. Take a ride on a restored 1926 streetcar that operated in Fort Smith until 1933. Catch the trolley at Pendergraft Park. 5-8 p.m.

Ross Pendergraft Park, 200 Garrison Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-650-0103 fstm.org May 3 Power Parenting: Bullying 101 Child Care Aware of NWA presents powerful information to parents about bullying. Learn the warning signs of bullying, how to identify if your child is the bully and how to end it. Story time and a craft will be provided for younger children accompanying parents.

Free. 6 p.m. Windsor Drive Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 May 4-Sept. 29 Old Jail Museum Complex Opens for Season The Old Jail Museum has permanent exhibits on the Story of Greenwood, Coal Mining in South Sebastian County and the Battle of Devil's Backbone Mountain Ridge and several temporary exhibits. Maintained and operated by the South Sebastian County Historical Society, the museum and surrounding historic properties are open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, MayOctober, or by appointment. Old Jail Museum, South of the Square, Greenwood, Ark. 479-996-6357 May 5 Junior League of Fort Smith Day at the Derby Kentucky Derby watch party raises funds for projects benefiting local children in foster care. Raffles, mint juleps, bar, Derby-style food, lawn games, bourbon tastings and silent auction. Prizes for best hat and best bow-tie. $35. 2-7 p.m. Clayton House, 514 North 6th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-3930 jlfs.com April 2018

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS May 5 Friends of the Fort Smith Public Library Used Book Sale: Mostly Fiction The spring sale features mostly adult fiction selections of hardbacks, paperbacks, videos and audiobooks.

Most paperbacks are 50 cents; most hardbacks, $1.

The sale continues Sunday with remaining titles half price. Clearance begins May 7 with remaining items priced by the bag. Proceeds are used to buy library materials and fund special events and projects.

Friends-only Preview Sale from 4-7 p.m. May 4, with a 25 book limit. $10 memberships are available at the preview. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

4th Annual Steel Horse Rally Rides In Fort Smith’s annual, massive motorcycle rally ads racing to its schedule this year. The Steel Horse Shootout, a fast-paced motorcycle racing event featuring professional and amateur riders will is May 4, at TriState Speedway, off I-540 in Pocola, OK. The race is an officially sanctioned race in Oklahoma - a new addition to the Oklahoma Land Rush Motorcycle Flat Track Series.

MAY

4-5

May 5 Nurses of Faith Annual Nurses' Prayer Breakfast This 10th annual breakfast is open to all active, inactive and retired RNs, LPNs, APNs, as well as nursing students. A visual devotion called Fruit of the Spirit will be presented by Louise Rogers, LPN, and Sue Rusher, LPN. Guest speaker will be Dr. Carolyn Mosley, PhD., RN, CS, FAAN, ANEF. She is a professor and dean of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. She has a Ph.D. in nursing from Texas Woman’s University and a post doctorate in research from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Mosley has an abundance of educational and clinical experiences, community service activities and numerous recognitions and honors. She has served as a member on numerous boards and organizations in the short time she has been in Arkansas.

Free to attend; optional breakfast available for purchase. 8 a.m. registration. 8:30-10 a.m. program.

Golden Corral, 1801 Waldron Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-1040 facebook.com/nursesoffaith May 5 Cinco De Mayo Trio Challenge: Disc Golf A three-player team format disc golf tournament offers cash prizes for pro players and player packs for amateurs. Played on Ben Geren Regional Park’s white and orange flying disc courses. Taco trucks will offer food on-site. A bonus T-shirt is available for entrants who register by April 5. Three-member team entry fees are $90. Register online by May 3. 8 a.m. Ben Geren Regional Park, 7200 South Zero Street, Fort Smith, Ark. discgolfscene.com

The Steel Horse Rally again headquarters in downtown Fort Smith for fun, concerts and bikes on parade. A Vendor Village is set up in the 800 block of Garrison Avenue. Bikes may park in the middle of Garrison Avenue for portions of the festival, between scenic route motorcycle rides, a concert and Miss Steel Horse Rally Bikini Contest May 5 at The Sound Room, 817 Garrison Avenue.

Bobaflex, Shallow Side and others will play.

A Birds of Prey Show is May 5 at Cisterna Park and the Thunder Though the Valley Motorcycle Parade will roar down Fort Smith’s main drag at 4 p.m. a spectacular sight and sound. Parade lineup begins at 3 p.m. Parade starts at 4 p.m., ending on Garrison Avenue.

May 6 TrailBlazers Hiking Club Spring Finale TrailBlazers Hiking Club will end its16th season with hiking and biking on trails at Ben Geren Regional Park followed by a wiener roast/potluck. Take beverages and a side dish, such as salad, vegetable or dessert to share. Hot dogs and fixin’s will be furnished by the club. Meet at Pavilion 3 at 3 p.m. Ben Geren Regional Park, 7200 South Zero Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-9562 thcfs.com

Proceeds benefit area non-profits. This year’s beneficiaries will be the Buddy Smith Home for Veterans, ARC for the River Valley, the Children’s Service League and the Fort Smith Museum of History, which presents a Motorcycle Memories exhibit and live bike show for the rally.

May 7 Free Skin Cancer Screenings Presented by Dr. Garrett Nelson of Johnson Dermatology. Register by phone. Free. 6-8 p.m. Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-6302 ReynoldsCancerSupportHouse.org

Register online for all Steel Horse Rally events. Rally headquarters will be the 800 block of Garrison Avenue, in the municipal parking lots between Rogers and Garrison Avenues, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-414-3775 TheSteelHorseRally.com

Check for updated or revised events online at each event’s listed phone number or website.

This magazine’s website is efortsmith.com, where the full calendar of events is also published.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

How to submit items to the

Calendar of Events In every issue, the most-read content is this magazine’s comprehensive Calendar of Events, which cover the current month and a few dates into the following month. Here are answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

Where do these events come from?

Events are contributed in advance by citizen reporters who submit their festivals, fund-raisers, concerts, classes, parades, runs, rallies, rides (and more) online at efortsmith.com. We could not possibly know everything – unless you tell us!

Citizen reporter? I’m not a reporter!

That’s okay! The magazine’s simple online form asks all the right questions for us to publish your event. We ask for your contact info in case we have questions.

Can I just send you our flyer?

We ask for written submissions. Please type into our online form because it asks for more details than a flyer or digital poster may contain.

Who, what, where, when, why and how much – that’s what we require.

What’s the deadline?

Please fill out our online form by the 10th of the month prior to your event. That gives us time to edit and publish events accurately.

Is that really the deadline?

We ask that you submit on time. But do submit it, even late, to appear in the online calendar (much visited!) If possible, we’ll try to forgive you – and get it in print.

What don’t you print?

For-profit events – because we sell display advertising to for-profit businesses. Advertising supports this free city/regional magazine and allows us to serve our community. Non-profits also can advertise events to really stand out.

Questions? Technical difficulties?

Email lynnwasson@efortsmith, managing editor, or calendar@efortsmith.com. Phone: 479-494-1888. Mail: E Fort Smith, P.O. Box 1341, Fort Smith, AR 72902 April 2018

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This Year Don’t Just Budget. BudgetWi$e In Online Banking.

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BancorpSouth’s BudgetWi$e Online Budgeting Tool is available for no charge. You must be enrolled in Online Banking.

While this tool is free, carrier data charges may apply. See your carrier’s plan for details. © 2017 BancorpSouth. All rights reserved.

BancorpSouth.com/BudgetWise

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2018 Grit Award Nominees RESTAURANT PARTNER

A lodging that proactively draws people through custom sales and outreach; delivers quality service to visitors, tourists and conventions groups; shows involvement and demonstrates pride in Fort Smith heritage. The nominees are:

Rolando’s Nuevo Latino Restaurante

DoubleTree by Hilton City Center

La Huerta Grill on Garrison

The Fort Smith CVB will host a Grit Awards Ceremony April 12 at the Fort Smith Convention Center where businesses, organizations and individuals who have been nominated will gather to celebrate their accomplishments.

We believe something so important to Fort Smith’s future shouldn’t be a thankless job. These awards are our way of publicly saying thanks to the people who have most earned our local tourism community’s respect and gratitude.

Bricktown Brewery

ATTRACTION PARTNER

An organization that holds events to promote itself and Fort Smith; continually improves and refreshes facilities, programs or exhibits to create an exciting experience for visitors; demonstrates pride in this area’s heritage. May be in the surrounding area including Oklahoma. The nominees are:

Fort Smith Regional Art Museum

Courtyard by Marriot Downtown Hampton Inn Fort Smith Homewood Suites Holiday Inn Express

POLLY CREWS

HOSPITALITY PERSON OF

THE

YEAR

Someone who is just plain awesome. Goes above and beyond to positively promote Fort Smith. Demonstrates leadership and vision in the business community about Fort Smith’s tourism future. The nominees are:

Pam Kelly

The Sound Room

Fort Smith Bicentennial Committee

Trolley Rides & Robberies

Daleana Vaughan

Fort Smith Museum of History

Patrick Charlton

BUSINESS PARTNER

A business or corporation that shows vision and leadership in the business community about Fort Smith’s tourism future and seeks to engage and support the tourism community. Nominee is known to positively promote and represent Fort Smith.

The nominees are:

CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU 2 North B Street - Fort Smith 800-637-1477 / 479-783-8888

PARTNER

A restaurant that shows community involvement, positively promotes Fort Smith, delivers quality service to visitors, tourists and convention groups and may occupy a unique niche as a tourist destination itself.

The nominees are:

Savoy Tea Company

The Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau’s presents annual Grit Awards (Giving Recognition In Tourism) honors those who go beyond expectations to encourage and support tourism in Fort Smith.

LODGING

NEW HORIZONS AWARD

Recognizes a new attraction or contribution to the region that adds to tourism and culture.

Fort Smith Park Fishing Pavilion Riverfront Skate & Bike Park

CyberSpyder, Inc.

Temple Live

First National Bank of Fort Smith

Mad Possum Pictures 5 Tribes Cultural Festival

Weldon, Williams & Lick, Inc. Arvest Bank Downtown

Vote online through April 8 at

FortSmithGRIT.com

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DINING GUIDE 2018 READERS FAVORITES dining

CALICO COUNTY Consistently named Favorite Home Style Cooking, Calico County is destination dining for its served-first cinnamon rolls, alone. Entrees such as meat loaf, pork chops and juicy pot roast are “like mother made” – if you were so blessed. Senior discount, kids menu. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. 2401 South 56th Street, Fort Smith

Favorite International Fare and downtown restaurant

Rolando’s

LEGACY GRILL The new Legacy Grill is attracting foodies to Belle Grove Historic District with its fresh and imaginative cuisine like Surf & Turf. Full bar, extensive lunch and dinner menu and signature appetizers such as Legacy’s deep fried deviled eggs. Valet parking.

407 North 8th Street, Fort Smith. Call for dinner reservations, 479-434-3494.

LA HUERTA

FAVORITE Brunch, Gourmet Deli, and Restaurant Overall

River City Bistro Favorite Patio Dining and Mexican Food

La Huerta

Fort Smith’s Favorite Patio Dining and live music and Favorite Mexican Food is at La Huerta on Garrison Avenue. At any of three area locations, the fajitas are sizzling and the margaritas are icy. The same extensive menu available at 400 Garrison Avenue, 5511 Towson Avenue and 3501 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith.

RIVER CITY BISTRO

Chosen by our readers repeatedly as Fort Smith’s Favorite Restaurant Overall, Catering and Gourmet Deli. Chef Jason presents seasonal creations, always has a classic bistro/deli menu and offers stellar catering. Full bar. Lunch to 3 p.m. seven days a week. 7320 Rogers, Ste. 7, Fort Smith. 479-434-6474

ROLANDO’S

Now in its beautiful, much larger, new downtown location, Rolando’s carries on as a beloved Fort Smith Favorite Restaurant Overall choice. Founder Rolando Cuzco’s original, nuevo Ecuadorian menu is unique, full of fresh ingredients and flavors. Full bar.

Lunch and dinner. 917 North A Street, Fort Smith. 479-573-0404

When you dine where you see this award, from any year, proudly displayed, you’ll know you’re eating at a “Favorite” choice of Entertainment Fort Smith readers.

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