[title subtitle=”words: Marla Cantrell
Images: courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism”][/title]
We live for June when the kids are out of school, and we can take some time to explore this great state of ours. Arkansas is bursting with life this month, with festivals, fishing, and food. So, take a look, get input from your family, and plan an outing that you’ll be talking about for years to come.
Lum and Abner Festival
June 3rd & 4th – 10am to 10pm
512 Seventh Street, Mena
Free | visitmena.com
From 1931 to 1954, Chester Lauck and Norris Goff, natives of Mena, Arkansas, worked their comedy magic on a syndicated radio show called Lum and Abner. Chester and Norris played Lum Eddards and Abner Peabody, and their show was set inside the fictional Jot Em Down Store. Today, Mena celebrates Lum and Abner with a two-day festival at Janssen Park on the first weekend of June that includes live re-enactments and movies of the radio show. There are also free concerts, arts and crafts, lots of food, fishing derbies, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a 5K run, a car show, a firefighter’s challenge, a baby crawlin’ contest, the Lil’ Miss and Mister Lum and Abner Pageant, Kiddie Korner with inflatables, a BBQ cook-off, a lumberjack show, and a gunfighter re-enactment.
National Trails Day
June 4th – 8am to 8pm
Petit Jean State Park, Morrilton
Free | petitjeanstatepark.com
Spend the day at Arkansas’ first state park, and enjoy more than twenty miles of trails. There will be hikes for all ages. If all that walking makes you hungry, stop by Mather Lodge’s restaurant for the State Parks Pizza, Cedar Falls Fried Cheesecake, the Mather Lodge Burger or the Bear Cave BLT. This event corresponds with American Hiking Society programs nationwide. Contact the park for a schedule.
Peak to Peak Border Run
June 4th – 9am to 4pm
Mt. Magazine State Park, Magazine & Queen Wilhelmina State Park, Mena
$30, $20 for each additional rider | 479.394.2863
Get your motorcycles ready for a ride like no other. Two of Arkansas’ highest mountains are home to Queen Wilhelmina State Park and Mount Magazine State Park. And in between those two peaks are ninety miles of scenic highways, national forests, and beautiful landscapes that make for the most scenic motorcycle touring in the state. The ride starts at Queen Wilhelmina. Join riders from far and wide and take in the views while competing for prizes.
Bat-O-Rama
June 10th thru 12th – 8am to 10pm
Devils Den State Park, West Fork
Free | 479.761.3325
Bats have gotten a bad rap for centuries, and those who love them say they’re the most misunderstood creatures in the world. At Devil’s Den State Park, the staff works hard to protect these mammals and to educate us about their worth. (Hint: they can eat a ton of mosquitoes!) During Bat-O-Rama weekend, special guests will be on hand to talk about bats and how they benefit us. You can stay and watch a nighttime capture and release that will be conducted by college students who are studying the bats.
Art and Cocktails in the Garden
June 14th – 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, Fayetteville
$25 members, $35 non-members, reservations suggested | 479.750.2620 | bgozarks.org
Enjoy gorgeous flowers, frosty drinks, and an art show featuring local artists. The event’s signature cocktail will be paired with a featured flower. There will be live music by Bill Dollar & the Loose Change, light tastings, craft beer by Apple Blossom Brewing Company, complimentary wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. The art on display will be for sale, with a commission going to support the Garden. Cocktails in the Garden raises awareness about the many activities and programs of the Garden as well as acting as a cultural event for the community.
Auto Show and Swap Meet
June 14th thru 18th – 8am to 7pm
Museum of Automobiles, Morrilton
Free | museumofautos.com
Are you one of those people who believes they just don’t make ’em like they used to? Do you reminisce about your first car, or want to see the cars your grandparents drove when they were young? This is the event for you. Crowds gather every year at the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain in Morrilton to see classic and vintage cars and trucks from across the region. There’s also a swap meet for auto enthusiasts. Head up the mountain, relive some great memories, and meet the people who love these vehicles as much as you do!
Trout Days
June 17th & 18th
Bull Shoals
Free, excludes lake and river cruises
870.445.3629
There’s nothing quite like trout fishing, and the White River is one of the nation’s best places to do it. Trout Days is for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or an expert. There will be fly tying demonstrations, trout cooking demonstrations, kids’ programs, and river and lake cruises. If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at casting, and wanted to feel the joy of reeling in a trout, this is the event for you!
Rodeo of the Ozarks Street Dance
June 18th – 6pm to 10pm
Emma Avenue, Springdale
Free | rodeooftheozarks.org
The street dance for the Rodeo of the Ozarks has been an Arkansas tradition since 1944, the same year the rodeo began. It started with fiddlers playing for a group of townspeople who had gathered downtown and were celebrating Independence Day. That small event has grown, and now includes stage coach & pony rides, a live band, a dance floor, and concessions. Bring your family and your lawn chairs and have a boot scootin’ good time in downtown Springdale. The dance gets you ready for the rodeo which takes place from June 22-25.
Prospector’s Gemboree
June 18th
Crater of Diamonds State Park Visitor Center, Murfreesboro
$8 ages 13 & up, $5 ages 6-12, ages 5 & under free
craterofdiamondsstatepark.com
One of the things that makes Arkansas such a wonderful state is the Crater of Diamonds State Park, where you can mine for diamonds. At the Prospector’s Gemboree, you can meet those who found diamonds at the park, play games, and see the Famous Crater Diamond Exhibition. Hear the stories of the beautiful diamonds found in Arkansas, and if you’re lucky you might be the next miner to come home with a gem you mined yourself!
Father’s Day Fishing Tourney
June 19th – 8:30am to 5:30pm
War Eagle Mill, Rogers
Free | wareaglemill.com
What a great way to celebrate Father’s Day! Gather the kids and let them go fishing with dad. This fishing derby is fun from start to finish and offers prizes for the biggest fish, the smallest fish, and even the ugliest fish. Since it’s being held at War Eagle Mill, you’ll want to treat dad to lunch at the mill’s restaurant, The Bean Palace.
Full Moon Kayak Tour
June 20th – 8pm to 9pm
Lake Catherine, Hot Springs
$15 | 501.844.4176
Oh, that moon in June! Take advantage of it by signing up for the moon-lit tour on Lake Catherine. The park says its flat-water kayaks are easy to navigate and are incredibly relaxing. No experience is required, but you should be comfortable around water. Kayak, life jacket, and paddle are provided. This is a great chance to get out on the water, enjoy the night sky, and see the world from a new perspective.
Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza
June 24th thru June 26th – 6am to 1pm
Arkansas River
$80 per day | arkansasbigbass.com
You might be able to end the month of June a whole lot richer than you started. The Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza is the state’s largest amateur fishing tournament with $100,000 in guaranteed prize money. A whopping $50,000 goes to the lucky person who catches the biggest fish. There are five weigh-in sites in Fort Smith, Dardanelle, North Little Rock, Pine Bluff, and Dumas.
Gordon Lightfoot
June 23rd, 8pm to 10pm
The Auditorium, Eureka Springs
$55 – $65 | theaud.org
Gordon Lightfoot, an icon of the 1960s and 1970s with hits like “If You Could Read My Mind” and “Rainy Day People,” has been called Canada’s greatest songwriter. If you remember his folk-rock sound, or if you’d like to introduce someone else to it, now’s your chance. Lightfoot is scheduled to perform at The Auditorium in Eureka Springs, a venue that seats 1,000. Plan your day around this concert, and see the sights of this incredibly popular tourist town.
Mt. Magazine Butterfly Festival
June 24th & 25th – 9am to 8pm
Mount Magazine State Park Visitor Center, Paris
Free | mountmagazinestatepark.com
In any given year, approximately 134 species of butterflies will be found in Arkansas. A good number of those can be seen on Mount Magazine. We love butterflies so much that we even have a state butterfly, the Diana Fritillary. Celebrate all these facts at the Mount Magazine Butterfly Festival, where you can see butterfly exhibits, hear live music, make crafts, play games, go on guided nature walks and a garden tour.
Riverfront Blues Festival
June 24th & 25th – Gates open at 4pm
Harry E. Kelley Park, Fort Smith
$10 per day, kids 12 & under free with adult
riverfrontbluesfest.org
This year’s Riverfront Blues Festival lineup includes the Eric Mathews Band, Fat Head, Colin Lake, Blues N Greens, Mr. Sipp “The Mississippi Blues Child,” Selwy N Birchwood, Gracie Curran, Toronzo Cannon, and Curtis Salgado. Bring your sunscreen, lawn chairs, and blankets if the weather calls for it, and your driver’s license if you plan on buying alcoholic drinks while you’re enjoying this phenomenal music.
There you have it, fifteen ideas to take you through the month of June. Have fun, and be sure to send any photos you take to editors@dosouthmagazine.com. Your photos could end up in a future issue of Do South® Magazine!
