Celebrating Arkansas - Segment 3

24th Arkansas Scottish Festival

Rain or shine, Scotland comes to the highlands of Arkansas for the 24th year and the hills reverberate to the sound of bagpipes. Enjoy a weekend of non-stop Scottish music, dance and sports in the rich setting of a Scottish country fair. Try your hand at tossing a caber, putting the shot, pitching the wheat sheaf, or bring a blanket and enjoy sitting by the lake in the Ozarks springtime while the sounds, smells and sights of the Highlands swirl around you. You don't have to be Scottish to love it! April 25-27, 2003

Festival highlights include:

• Music of the Pipes -- Thrill to the sound of Scottish Highland Bagpipes as pipe bands and individual pipers compete throughout the festival.
• Highland Dancing -- See the Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Irish Jig, Sailor's Hornpipe and more as dancers of all ages from across the region compete and perform.
• Sheepdog Demonstrations -- Watch demonstrations of this
• Scottish Sports -- Learn to toss the caber and take part in other unique Scottish events, or sit back and watch the fun, including activities for the kids.
• Scottish Wares -- You'll enjoy browsing in the Scottish booths. Pick out a kilt, a shield, a crest or even a bagpipe.
• Scottish Food -- Booths offer a real taste of Scotland including the famous Scottish Meat Pie.
• Feast and Ceilidh -- Tradition Scottish evening food and entertainment at a real Scottish Feast and Ceilidh (or party).
• Parade of the Mass Bands -- On Saturday, thrill to the sight and sound of more than 100 pipers and drummers in a combined pipe band performance on the main parade ground.

Lyon College
PO Box 2317
Batesville, AR 72503
(870) 698 - 4382
Email: festival@lyon.edu
Website: http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/shp/ASF03MainPage.htm

Auto Show and Swap Meet

The Museum of Automobiles and the Mid-America Old Time Auto Association co-host the annual Auto Show and Swap Meet on the grounds of the museum on Petit Jean mountain. The event draws auto enthusiasts of all kinds looking to buy or swap cars, car parts or just about any other bits and pieces of automotive memorabilia.

There are over 1500 swap meet spaces, food vendors galore and a car show competition on the final day of the event. The 2002 gathering was the 44th annual and the 34th on Petit Jean. Visit www.museumofautos.com or call the museum office at (501) 727-5427 for more information.

Frisco Festival

Each year Rogers, Arkansas celebrates "The Frisco Festival", honoring the long-extinct Frisco Railroad that came to Rogers in 1881 and helped develop the community of Rogers and the surround area. Presented by Main Street Rogers, this fun-filled festival brings people of all ages together for a celebration that highlights community spirit with numerous events such as the Chilisalsapeno Competition, the Great Frisco Cardboard Train Races, the Ugly Pickup Contest, and Fireman's Muster. Web Site: http://www.dworks.net/friscofestival

Mt. Magazine International Butterfly Festival

Mt. Magazine at 2,753 feet above sea level is Arkansas' highest mountain and newest state park. The Mt. Magazine International Butterfly Festival is a celebration of the extraordinary abundance of butterfly species attracted to Arkansas' highest point. Arkansas has about 127 species of butterflies; of these 127, 91 are found on Mt. Magazine, which makes it a unique place for butterfly enthusiasts. The Diana Fritillary butterfly, only rarely seen in other states, is frequently seen atop Mt. Magazine. The festival begins Friday evening in downtown Paris with a street dance, children's costume contest and concessions. On top of the mountain festival activities include a walk-through butterfly conservatory, horticultural and butterfly seminars, nature walks with interpreters, food, gifts and more. http://www.butterflyfestival.com

Wildwood Festival of Music and the Arts, Wildwood Park

The Wildwood Festival began in 1991 as an annual celebration of the arts and nature in beautiful Wildwood Park during the month of June. The festival not only features opera and musical theatre performances, but also chamber music, jazz, country music, film series, dance, art exhibits, lecture series, panel discussions and nature walks and talks. Wildwood Park enriches Little Rock and the surrounding Central Arkansas area in a number of ways. Educational experiences for children in elementary and secondary schools are provided each year through the Wildwood Young Artist Tour and the Wildwood Arts in Education Program. For information on garden tours, special events or the schedule for the upcoming season, contact Wildwood Park at 501-821-7275 or toll free outside Pulaski County at 888-278-7727.

Wildwood Park:
20919 Denny Road, Little Rock, AR 72223
www.wildwoodpark.org
Email: info@wildwoodpark.org
Ann Chotard, Artistic Director
Email: achotard@wildwoodpark.org

Arkansas Hot Air Balloon State Championships

The Arkansas Hot Air Balloon State Championships take place in September of each year in Harrison. Balloon pilots from Arkansas and surrounding states compete events designed to test a pilot's navigational skills. Events are held in early morning and late afternoon on Saturday and Sunday. Friday night features a Balloon Glow and Tether at the Harrison High School football practice field. Spectators can watch the balloons being assembled and kids will enjoy taking short rides in the balloons. After dark, the burners light the balloons up from the inside like giant lanterns. Bring your kids, cameras and lawn chairs!

For information contact: Jim McCammon, bdjem@yahoo.com
For information on ballooning in Arkansas visit: http://www.aristotle.net/~mikev/
Also visit the Ozark Balloon Fest: www.ozarkballoonfest.com
Bentonville/Bella Vista, AR
for information contact: Darrell Weiland 501 271-2286 or weiland@arkansas.net or
The Chamber of Commerce 501 273-2841 or kkhone@ipa.net

Trail of Tears Parade and Pow Wow

A marker at the fairgrounds in DeQueen, Arkansas stands as a reminder of the route taken by Native Americans during the Indian Removal of 1830. For the past three years, the people of DeQueen have been commemorating this event by hosting the Trail of Tears Parade and Pow Wow on the second weekend in September. The commemoration attracts thousands for the history, dancing, food, fun, and games.

For more information, call the DeQueen-Sevier County Chamber of Commerce at (870) 584-3225.
www.dequeen.com/links/chamber.html

Picklefest

There is plenty of family entertainment to be found at Picklefest, happening each May in downtown Atkins, Arkansas. Named in honor of the Atkins Pickle Plant which was the largest industry in Atkins for 56 years, Picklefest celebrates it's 13th year in 2003. Even though the pickle plant has closed, festival organizers, People for a Better Atkins plan to continue the festival for years to come. Live entertainment, arts and crafts, the Atkins Riding Club Parade, pickle eating contests and games and rides for children are just a few of the events the festival offers. Throughout the weekend, live entertainment, including gospel, country and jazz music is featured on the Gillespie Park stage in the center of the town square. The stage was built with Picklefest proceeds. The Mr. Dill Pickle and Miss Sweet Pickle beauty contest is open for boys and girls in different age categories. Friday and Saturday nights, the Atkins Riding Club hosts a rodeo. The Pickle Eating and Pickle Juice Drinking contest is open to children and adults and is held Saturday afternoon.

For festival dates and information, contact Elmo Haney, Picklefest Chairman at Haney's Pharmacy, 479-641-1147

Information and photos from past Picklefests can be found at the Atkins Chronicle site: www.cswnet.com/~chronicl/index.html

The Altus Grape Festival

The unique river valley city of Altus, Arkansas, invites tourist and townspeople to celebrate the grape harvest every summer. The Altus Grape Festival takes place the last weekend of July, and features grape-related fun for folks of all ages.

Festival-goers stomp grapes, sample Arkansas wines and juices, shop the many craft and souvenir booths, learn about the natural state's thriving viticultural region, tour area wineries, enjoy live entertainment and much more.

For information, call the Altus Chamber of Commerce at 479-468-4684 of visit their website at www.altus.ar.totalwebgov.com