Celebrate Earth Day
Highlights
Erica Wheeler
Celebrate Earth Day
Several events will be happening in Northwest Arkansas to celebrate Earth Day.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, be at the new Hobbs State Park Visitor Center near Beaver Lake for an Earth Day celebration that will include wildflower walks, guided hikes, tree identification programs, arts and crafts, a skins and skulls program and music by New England folksinger and environmentalist Erica Wheeler. Wheeler, who has been featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” will perform at 1 p.m. Her songs measure the cost of urban sprawl in terms of endangered species and lost memories. The day’s activities will end with an astronomy program at 7 p.m. Most of the hikes and activities will be from 10 a.m. to noon. The visitor center is on Arkansas 12, a quarter mile east of the Arkansas 12/War Eagle Road intersection.
Rogers will hold its third annual Environmental Day from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in historic downtown Rogers. Begin the day with a pancake breakfast at the Rogers Fire Department Station No. 1 at First and Chestnut streets. Other activities will be centered around Frisco Park. At 8:45 a.m. there will be an announcement about the Rogers Trail System. There will be a mini golf course, taste tests of chicken cooked on an environmentally friendly stove, a windmill display and a plant sale.
On Sunday at the World Peace Wetland Prairie in south Fayetteville at 1121 S. Duncan Ave., there will be a celebration and work day for those who want to help clean up the park from the ice storm damage. The event will be from 1 to 5 p.m. and there will be music by Still on the Hill and Emily Kaitz. Kids’ activities include butterfly dances and bird songs. Bring a picnic lunch, lawn chair, a song or poem to share and your gloves, clippers and elbow grease if you want to help out. The event is sponsored by the Town Branch Neighborhood Association, Friends of the World Peace Wetland Prairie and the OMNI Center.
Also on Sunday, Emissaries for Earth Evolution and Full Bloom Productions will host the second annual Eureka Earth Celebration at the Basin Spring Park in downtown Eureka Springs. Audubon Arkansas, Fayetteville NORML, Planet Home and The Water Center will be set up beginning at 10 a.m. There will be a parade at 1:30 p.m. from the Carnegie Library to the park where there will be a blessing of the water, speakers and music by Opal Fly and Thy Faery Pranksters.
And finally, if you want to clean up your own backyard, the city of Fayetteville is holding a bulky waste clean up day from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. You can take your nonhazardous waste to the city yard at 1560 S. Happy Hollow Road. No brush or yard debris.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Oh, those “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”…you know, the ones who go after the fortunes of the wealthy? You do, if you saw the 1988 Steve Martin and Michael Caine movie by that name. Well, the script has gone from the big screen to Broadway where it received 11 Tony nominations. The musical comedy became an instant classic. The University of Arkansas’ University Theatre will present the collegiate premiere of the show on Friday night.
The story follows two scammers, the high-class Laurence Jamison and the crass Freddy Benson, who try to relieve a “lovely and unwitting” heiress of her wealth. The cast of 22 will sing and dance their way across the stage as the dialogue will keep the audience laughing. The production is directed by Amy Herzberg with Jim Goza, Sean Mabrey and Laura Harrell in the leading roles.
The show runs Apr. 17-19, Apr. 22-26. Tickets are $14 by calling 575-3946.
Cornmeal
Music
The big show in town this week will be the Dinosaur Jr., show with up-and-comers Dead Confederate Friday night at George’s. If this show hasn’t already sold out by the time you’re reading this, it will sell out. However, on that same night Jed Clampit fans will be glad to know that Jed and Brother Bil will be in town and playing at Maxine’s, just north of the Fayetteville Square. One other show to catch this week will be Chicago-based prog bluegrass outfit Cornmeal on Saturday night at George’s. Check through the Music Listings section for many more not-to-miss shows happening this week.
