Tonight: In the Round

Award-winning songwriter Fayetteville’s own Effron White has organized a “songwriters in the round” show at the UARK Ballroom on Dickson Street and tonight’s show will be a good one.

In case you’ve never been to a show like this, songwriters sit in a circle and take turns singing their songs and telling their stories. It’s a unique way to get to know the musicians and it feels like you’re sitting in someone’s living room.

Tonight’s guests will be a first-class lineup: Joel Shewmake and Shannon Cain from Nashville and Steve Brooks from Austin.

Joel Shewmake

Shannon Cain

Steve Brooks

Shewmake has had several songs recorded by major artists, most recently the band Lonestar. Cain is an award-winning songwriter who has been compared to Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle. Brooks’ songs range from comic commentary and cracker barrel philosophy to love ballads. Best known for writing a song-a-week for Jim Hightower’s radio show, his work has been recorded by artists like Kevin So, Emily Kaitz and Slaid Cleaves.

In The Round is at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the UARK Ballroom, 644 W. Dickson St. and it’s a free show. Non-smoking, but full bar.

It’s Craft Fair Weekend

Variety. That’s the name of the game for Craft Fair Weekend in Northwest Arkansas. You will find some things that you would die for and other things so tacky they’ll make you want to die. But even the tacky is good, because they are usually unique. And really, everyone’s taste is different, so in the end, there is something for everyone. Antiques have also been added to some of the shows.

The Ozark craft fairs started 55 years ago, with the War Eagle Craft Fair. The fair drew vendors and shoppers from around the country. It’s still going strong and has spawned more craft fairs, making it one of the biggest weekends of the year in NWA.

Outdoor Fairs

War Eagle

There are actually three fairs in War Eagle: The original War Eagle Fair (wareaglefair.com), War Eagle Mill Antique & Craft Show (wareaglemill.com) and the Sharp’s Arts, Crafts and Antiques Show. All are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. More than 1,000 exhibitors will be located in War Eagle.

If you’ve never been to War Eagle, it’s basically a farm and home of the historic War Eagle Mill. There’s no town, but there will be plenty of food from vendors and the Bean Palace restaurant in the old mill. To get there take U.S. 412 east from Springdale and go north on Arkansas 303 (County Road 98) to War Eagle. If you have a GPS, plug in 11045 War Eagle Road in Rogers.

Bentonville

Spanker Creek Farm Arts & Crafts Festival at Spanker Creek Farm (spankercreekfarm.com). North of Bentonville, off U.S. 71, this fair opened Wednesday and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Bella Vista

Bella Vista Arts & Crafts Festival (bellavistafestival.org) is on Arkansas 279, east of U.S. 71 and south of Arkansas 340. The fair is in its 41st year and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday.

In addition to the outdoor fairs there are indoor fairs, too:

Indoor Fairs

Springdale

Jones Center Arts & Crafts Festival from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Jones Center, 922. E. Emma Ave.

Ozark Regional Arts & Crafts Show, Northwest Arkansas Convention Center at the Holiday Inn from _9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Rogers

Ozark Regional Arts & Crafts Show, John Q. Hammons Convention Center at the Embassy Suites from _9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Frisco Station Mall Arts & Crafts Festival at the corner of Dixieland Road and Walnut Avenue in Rogers from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to _4 p.m. Sunday.