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News • Arkansas • United States • 2011-08-18

September Events Taking Place in the Arkansas Delta

Spend the evening listening to the sounds of jazz, rhythm and blues, country, easy listening and more as Legoria Payton and Friends perform at the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas’s Live@5 series in Pine Bluff on Sept. 2. The event begins at 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Visit www.ArtsScienceCenter.org or phone 870-536-3375 for details.

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An Arkansas Delta tradition, the 70th annual Labor Day Picnic in Rector is slated for Sept. 2-3. Held in the city’s Memorial Park, the annual celebration includes games, carnival rides, a performance by the ASU Marching Band, a parade, and beauty pageants. A variety of food, an ice cream social, a e entertainment and political speeches are also a part of the gathering. The new Rector Visitors Center and Veterans’ Memorial Park will be open for tours. For more information phone 870-595-3591.

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Enjoy a morning of fishing with your young angler at the Junior Fishing Derby at Cane Creek State Park in Star City on Sept. 3. Youngsters ages 15 and under will compete for small prizes. Bring your pole for a morning filled with fun. The fishing derby starts at 8 a.m. and participants meet at the park’s visitors center. For more information visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com or phone 870-628-4714.

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Spend the day searching for treasures when the Arkansas Post Museum State Park in Gillett hosts an Old-Fashioned Swap Meet on Sept. 3. Vendors line the park grounds, offering items ranging from arts and crafts to antiques and “gently-used” merchandise. Booths are available for vendors. Admission is free but make sure and bring money to purchase goodies! For information on booth rental or the event contact the park at 870-548-2634.

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Join the staff of Cane Creek State Park in Star City for a Dutch Oven Dessert and Game Night on Sept. 4. The evening starts out with a Dutch oven demonstration on making the dessert…and then everyone plays recreational and table games while the yummy treat cooks! The event is free. Contact the park at 870-628-4714 for more information.

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\"Jazz on the Lake,\" scheduled for Sept. 9 at beautiful Saracen Landing, pays tribute to Pine Bluff’s own legendary trumpeter Clark Terry. Terry, who lives in Pine Bluff, played with Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones, to name a few. The Grammy Award-winning musician has won over 250 awards during his 60-plus-year career. The evening of music begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. For more information visit www.SaracenLanding.com or call 870-536-0920.

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Help keep The Natural State and your Arkansas State Parks litter free. Volunteer for the Great Arkansas Cleanup on Sept. 10. Participants will help clean up their favorite park, including Crowley’s Ridge State Park in Paragould, Lake Frierson State Park in Jonesboro and Village Creek State Park in Wynne. The event is a great service opportunity for scouts, church groups and families. Lunch will be provided, along with necessary supplies for collecting trash and refuse. Visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com or contact Crowley’s Ridge State Park at 870-573-6751; Lake Frierson at 870-932-2615; and Village Creek at 870-238-9406.

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Learn about the different types of weapons used by prehistoric Native Americans when Hampson Archeological Museum State Park in Wilson offers a Primitive Weapons workshop on Sept. 10. Outdoor demonstrations, including spear throwing, and bow and arrows, are also scheduled. Call the park at 870-655-8622 for details.

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Have a piece of pottery or an interesting object that you’ve always wondered about? Parkin Archeological State Park in Parkin offers an Artifact ID Day on Sept. 10. Archeologists will be on hand to provide insight (not appraisals) on identification and age of objects and artifacts. To find out more log on to www.ArkansasStateParks.com or contact Parkin Archeological State Park at 870-755-2500.

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Food always seems to taste better when prepared over a campfire! Join the staff of Lake Poinsett State Park in Harrisburg on Sept. 10 for a Kid’s Campfire Cooking Workshop. Kids of all ages are invited to come learn fun and easy recipes for great campfire snacks. To learn more or to register contact Lake Poinsett State Park at 870-578-2064.

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Cooking outdoors is a time-honored tradition, especially in Arkansas State Parks. Discover the basics of outdoor cooking as Cane Creek State Park in Star City offers a Dutch Oven Cooking workshop on Sept. 10. The workshop is an opportunity to get hands-on experience and a chance to sample your work. Cost of the workshop is $40 and includes a Dutch oven to take home. For details phone 870-628-4714.

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Arkansas native Glen Campbell brings his “Goodbye Tour” to the East Arkansas Community College Fine Arts Center in Forrest City on Sept. 10. A member of the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame, Campbell first gained fame as a singer and songwriter before becoming a television host and actor, including a part in the original “True Grit” with the legendary John Wayne. Tickets start at $35. The show at EACC is Campbell’s only stop in Arkansas. Visit www.eacc.edu or phone 870-633-4480 for questions or to purchase tickets.

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It’s fair time! Piggott is the site of the 79th annual Clay County Fair on Sept. 14-17. Held at the Clay County Fairgrounds, the time-honored tradition features carnival rides, exhibits, concessions, a demolition derby, and a fireman’s rodeo. Phone 870-324-0075 for more details.

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Get ready for some barbecue. Pine Bluff welcomes the Smoke on the Water Barbecue and Music Festival on Sept. 16-17. The event, being held at Regional Park and the Pine Bluff Convention Center, features the Arkansas Barbecue Championship, live music, arts and crafts, carnival rides, a kids Fun Zone, and food vendors. Log on to www.SmokeontheWaterBBQ.com or phone 870-536-8175 for more information.

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Cooking outdoors is a tradition in Arkansas State Parks. Discover how to make it part of your repertoire as Lake Poinsett State Park in Harrisburg offers a Dutch Oven Cooking workshop on Sept. 17. Participants will prepare a meal from start to finish. Cost is $45 and $5 for additional guests. Contact the park at 870-578-2064 for details.

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Spend a beautiful day at Lake Frierson State Park in Jonesboro and see part of the park from horseback. The park hosts Kids and Horses in the Park on Sept. 17. The rides are hand-led by experienced staff. To learn more call the park at 870-932-2615.

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Explore the heritage of West Memphis and the town’s commercial historic district as the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program leads a Walks through History tour on Sept. 17. Join a staff member from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program to learn more about the properties and their past. Learn how the first automobile bridge across the Mississippi River transformed the city’s main street. The tour begins at 11 a.m. at the West Memphis Chamber of Commerce at 108 W. Broadway St. For more information visit www.arkansaspreservation.org or phone the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program at 501-324-9880.

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You’ll never have to buy another bar of soap after you attend the Lower White River Museum State Park’s Soap-Making Workshop on Sept. 17 in Des Arc. Participants learn the art and science of making the cleanser using the cold-process method. After the workshop, you’ll take home recipes, several bars of soap, and the knowledge of how to become squeaky-clean. Admission is $20 and includes all materials. Registration is required. Contact the park at 870-256-3711 for more information or to register.

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Lake Poinsett State Park in Harrisburg offers a Hunter Education Class during September. The class encompasses topics including firearm safety, hunting ethics and basic outdoor survival skills. The class is free but pre-registration is required. Classes are scheduled for the evenings of Sept. 19, 20 and 22. To receive certification, participants must attend all classes and pass the exam. Contact the park at 870-578-2064 for more information.

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More than 200 species of birds live and visit the area surrounding Village Creek State Park in Wynne. Learn more about the birds’ world as the park offers Birds of a Feather Weekend, starting Sept. 22. Enjoy programs, activities and games, all focusing on the winged residents who call the park home. For a detailed schedule or more information, contact the park at 870-238-9406.

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The 55th annual Grand Prairie Festival of Arts is slated for the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart on Sept. 23-25. The long-time event offers an art, photography, and decorative arts juried show, open to all entries. The three-day event offers children’s activities, performing arts on stage, a fish fry on Friday night, a Sunday luncheon and an awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon. Call 870-673-7218 to learn more.

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Marked Tree is the site for the 34th annual Delta Cotton Pickin’ Jubilee on Sept. 24. The event takes place in the park behind Iberia Bank at 210 Frisco Street. It offers a variety of family fun, arts and crafts, food, the Marked Tree Indian School Reunion and a 5K walk/run. Call 870-358-3785 for detailed information.

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Enjoy an evening of music as Cane Creek State Park in Star City hosts Fall Music in the Park on Sept. 24. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and watch the sunset while enjoying live gospel music. Contact the park at 870-628-4714 to learn more.

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Autumn on the Square returns to Marianna on Sept. 24 in the town’s historic downtown square. Arts and crafts, live music, a pet parade, pony rides, food vendors and activities for kids are scheduled throughout the day. To learn more, visit www.MariannaArkansas.org or contact the Marianna/Lee County Chamber of Commerce at 870-295-2469.

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Parkin Archeological State Park in Parkin invites scouts to earn the park’s History Awareness Patch. Scout Patch Day is scheduled for Sept. 24. Boy and Girl Scouts complete a tour of the historic mound site and finish a site explorer activity to earn the badge. Additional rocker patches can be earned by returning to the park and completing advanced programs. Participants must register through their Scout leader. Contact Parkin Archeological State Park at 870-755-2500 for details.

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Learn more about preparing food outdoors when Lake Frierson State Park in Jonesboro offers a Dutch Oven Cooking workshop on Sept. 24. Workshop participants will learn the history of the Dutch oven, how to regulate temperature and how to use and care for the cast iron. The $45 admission includes a Dutch oven meal and your own oven to take home. To make reservations or to obtain information contact Lake Frierson State Park at 870-932-2615.

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Transform a piece of nature into a work of art as Crowley’s Ridge State Park in Paragould hosts the Gorgeous Gourds workshop on Sept. 24. The class focuses on the basic types of gourds, historic uses of gourds, and how to make fun and creative projects including birdhouses, canteens, and dippers. The cost of the workshop is $15. Visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com or phone 870-573-6751 for details.

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Experience the Arkansas Delta in a whole new way when the Delta Heritage Trail State Park in Helena-West Helena offers a Bike and Kayak Tour on Sept. 24. The 10-mile guided bike ride begins at the park visitor center (located off U.S. 49) and ends in Lakeview. Upon arrival in Lakeview, tour members take to their kayaks and explore Old Town Lake, an oxbow lake filled with striking cypress trees. After the kayak tour of Old Town Lake, tour participants are transported back to the park office. The tour lasts approximately four hours. Reservations are required and the cost is $25 for adults and $15 for those ages 12 and under and includes the bike, kayak, life jackets, paddles, and shuttle. To learn more contact the Delta Heritage Trail State Park at 870-572-2352.

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Scouts and their parents can experience first-hand everything that Parkin Archeological State Park has to offer. The park, located in Parkin, hosts the Scouts Oudoor Skills Campout on Sept. 24 and 25. Workshops include fire starting, clay cleaning, pottery making, atlatl throws, kayaking, Dutch oven cooking and more. The $40 fee includes all meals, snacks, equipment rentals and workshops for the Scout and the parent. Contact the park at 870-755-2500 for details.

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The town of Cherry Valley hosts Cherry Fest on Sept. 25. The family-friendly event features live entertainment, a pet show, arts and crafts, festival foods, and kids’ games. All activities are held along Stark Street. Phone 870-588-4416 for more information.

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