Bobby Watson, Live and Learn

Bobby Watson and Live and Learn

Renowned jazz saxophonist and bandleader Bobby Watson will bring his new group, Live and Learn, to University of Arkansas Union Theater at 8 p.m. Saturday. The hard bop ensemble is reminiscent of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, which Watson served as musical director for from 1977 to 1981. Tickets are $20 at www.digjazz.com or at the door.

Peace Heroes

In these times of turmoil, it is heartening to know that individuals and organizations continue to work for peace and the betterment of society. To honor some of these individuals, the OMNI Center will hold its annual Peace Heroes banquet Saturday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall in Fayetteville. There will be a social hour at 5:30 p.m. followed by a dinner from Greenhouse Grille. 

This year’s honorees are: Gary Baird of Siloam Springs, director of Genesis House, a day shelter for the homeless in Siloam Springs; Rev. Steve Copley of Little Rock, director of Justice for Our Neighbors, which serves the immigrant community; and Hattie Daniels of Little Rock, a civil rights activist and leader of ACORN.  

Two organizations are being honored: Next Step Day Room of Fort Smith, which serves the homeless under the direction of Gary Hays and Linda Gabriel and Phi Iota Alpha Service Fraternity in Fayetteville, Raphael Arciga, president. The University of Arkansas fraternity was formed two years ago to empower the Latino community.  

Others nominated for Peace Heroes awards: Arkansas Coalition for Peace & Justice of Little Rock, John Coffin, president; Ryan Denham of Fayetteville, Sensible Fayetteville Campaign; Grace Donoho of Springdale, Holocaust Education Project; Joann Kaminsky of Fayetteville, peace artist; Leyah Lanier of Fayetteville, director of Spring International; and Dave Rickard of Little Rock, Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Tickets are $25 at www.omnicenter.org.

Book Signing

Northwest Arkansas’ hero of the poetry publishing world, W.R. Mayo, who founded the journal Poesia and brought the work of many NWA poets and poets from around the world to readers, has released a new book of his own, “Pretty Little Lies.” 

Mayo will be signing copies of the book from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Jammin’ Java on the Town Center Plaza on the Fayetteville Square. 

Fellow writer J.B. Hogan describes the southern memoir as a must-read for anyone who wants to see past the mythology of the Old South, “By unflinchingly facing his own dysfunctional past, Mayo gives the romantic, idealized version of ante- and post-bellum life below the Mason-Dixon Line a well-deserved paddling.”

Shout Lulu will entertain at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks’

Sunflowers and Sangria event at 6:30p.m. Wednesday. 

Tickets are $15-$20 at bgozarks.org or 750-2620