There is a lot happening this weekend, but Friday has one story worth starting with.
It involves Dolly Parton, hundreds of butterflies on Main Street and thousands of books showing up in River Valley mailboxes.
Let's start there.
Illustration created for Sweet Home River Valley.
9/25 means a little more this year
Friday marks one month since Dolly Parton’s death at the age of 80.
It also falls on 9/25, which the Dollywood Foundation has now named Give Like Dolly Day, an annual day supporting the local partners that keep Dolly Parton's Imagination Library running.
One of those partners is right here.
United Way of Fort Smith Area handles the Imagination Library across Sebastian, Crawford, Franklin, Logan and Scott counties in Arkansas, plus Le Flore and Sequoyah counties in Oklahoma. More than 3,600 local children receive a book in the mail every month through the program.
United Way has been doing that work here for more than 20 years. In that time, more than 396,000 books have gone to local children.
For the first Give Like Dolly Day, United Way is joining a statewide challenge to raise $925 locally to help keep those books coming.
And then there is Van Buren.
From 4–7 p.m. Friday, the Old Town Merchants Association is turning Girls' Night Out into 9-2-5 & Butterflies, with participating Main Street businesses staying open late for Dolly-inspired specials, food, drinks and giveaways.
Beginning at 4 p.m., participating businesses will have a limited number of free Butterfly Cards. Get one, return to the same business just before 5, and you'll exchange it for a live Painted Lady butterfly.
Then, at 5 p.m. sharp, customers and merchants up and down Main Street will release them together.
Butterflies were one of Dolly's favorite symbols. She associated them with beauty, freedom and following your dreams.
Books in mailboxes. Butterflies over Main Street.
Not a bad way for the River Valley to spend 9/25.
THURSDAY
Free music by the river
The Levitt AMP Fort Smith series is back at Harry E. Kelley Riverfront Park Thursday evening with Trevor Phelps and Brookwood.
Music starts at 6 p.m., admission is free, and this one is outdoors at the riverfront.
Bring whatever you need to be comfortable on the lawn and you've got an easy Thursday night.
Streetcar pulls into Fort Smith
Fort Smith Little Theatre opens Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Scott Black directs the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, which runs through Oct. 3 with evening performances and a Sunday matinee.
Opening night is $20. Regular performances are $14.
One useful heads-up before buying tickets: FSLT says the production is intended for mature audiences with adult themes, including domestic abuse.
Also Thursday: Girls Inc. of Fort Smith holds its annual Fest of Ale from 5:30–9 p.m. at Uncork'd. The 21+ fundraiser includes beverage tastings, food pairings by Chef Jasmine and live music from Trey Johnson. The Fort Smith Public Library also has a free Water Marbling for Adults workshop from 6–7 p.m. at the Main Library, with supplies provided.
FRIDAY
Illustration created for Sweet Home River Valley.
The fair turns 90
The Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair opens Friday at Kay Rodgers Park, and this year marks its 90th anniversary.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday. The Mighty Thomas Carnival runs until midnight, the Expo Center is open until 9, and the first night includes JUMP! The Ultimate Dog Show, live music on the Old Fort Days Stage, Break A Boyz and The Rocketman Valencia.
If you're planning to go, there is one money-saving detail worth knowing Thursday morning.
Online advance sales have ended, but the Kay Rodgers Park ticket office is still selling advance-price gate tickets and ride vouchers through 4 p.m. Friday. The ticket office is open 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
Advance gate admission is $12 for adults, $6 for ages 4–11 and $10 for seniors 62+. Children 3 and under are free.
After that, regular gate prices take over.
The fair continues through Oct. 3, so we'll have plenty more to talk about next week.
FOUNDING SPONSOR
Sweet Home River Valley is proudly supported by Rebecca Collins with Mike & Mika Realty Group.
Buying or selling around the River Valley?
“Let me show you how my team does it different.”
SATURDAY
Saturday is where the calendar gets crowded.
A local book gets a launch party
Van Buren-area children's author Tasia C. Taylor celebrates the release of The Great Daycare Escape at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Van Buren Public Library.
The free release party includes a read-aloud, craft, snacks and giveaways.
It's a small event compared with some of Saturday's festivals, but it earns a little room in the weekend plans. A local author putting a new children's book into the world deserves a little room in the weekend plans.
Illustration created for Sweet Home River Valley.
Then downtown starts smelling really good
The Fort Smith Food Truck Festival takes over the Farmers Market parking lot at 201 Garrison Ave. from 3–10 p.m. Saturday.
Admission is free. You pay for whatever you decide smells too good to walk past.
The Downtown Business Association is adding a neon-lit setup this year as the festival moves from afternoon into evening, along with music and the food-truck lineup.
This is also one of those Saturdays when it makes sense to park once and see what else is happening downtown.
Also happening Saturday: The Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair opens at noon and runs until midnight. The Arkansas & Missouri Railroad leaves the Old Frisco Depot in Van Buren for a scenic train excursion from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. RAM has a free paper-suncatcher make-and-take from noon–3 p.m. The Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center has free canoe and kayak programming from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., weather permitting. A Streetcar Named Desire returns at 7:30 p.m.
There is more than that. Saturday is a good day to use the full calendar instead of trying to cram the whole River Valley into one email.
SUNDAY
Six chocolate tastes and a to-go box
The Friends of the Fort Smith Public Library Chocolate Festival takes over the Dallas Street Branch from 2:30–4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Local clubs, businesses and individuals will be serving chocolate samples throughout the library.
Tickets are $10 for six tastes, and that includes a to-go box.
The money goes back to the Friends of the Library for special materials and programs.
That is a fundraiser with a fairly strong sales pitch built right into the product.
Sunday also has the 2 p.m. matinee of A Streetcar Named Desire, the Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair from noon–10 p.m., and the Immaculate Conception Parish Picnic & School Social at Columbus Acres. Gates for the picnic open at 4 p.m., with food service beginning at 5:30.
A good deal for Fort Smith teachers
UAFS announced a new partnership with Fort Smith Public Schools this week that could knock a fairly large number off the cost of a graduate degree.
FSPS is the first school district to join UAFS's new Corporate Partner Program. Employees of participating districts can receive a 50% tuition discount toward a Master of Education degree.
UAFS estimates that works out to about $6,000 in savings across the program.
The M.Ed. is 30 credit hours, with concentrations in English or curriculum and instruction. Employees need to work for a partner district and take at least one three-credit course each term to qualify.
The university is funding and administering the discount, so participating school districts do not pay to join.
For a local teacher who has been thinking about a master's degree and getting stuck on the price, that changes the math quite a bit.
WORTH THE DRIVE
Friday: Zedd in Bentonville
Zedd plays the Momentary Green Friday night.
Gates open at 7 p.m., with the show at 8:30 p.m.
General admission is currently listed at $70. The Momentary is still selling tickets but is specifically warning that limited quantities are available. Student tickets are already sold out.
If this was already on your maybe-list, check tickets before making the drive.
Saturday: Vikings or Empire of the Sun
The Arkansas Renaissance Festival turns Sept. 26–27 into Viking Weekend at Dragonstone Springs.
This weekend's extras include horn holding, a best-Viking costume category, a beard-and-braid competition and a Viking tug of war.
Yes, apparently, horn holding is competitive.
Or keep heading north.
Empire of the Sun brings the Ask That God: Afterlife North American Tour to Walmart AMP Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with Polo & Pan and Midnight Generation.
The official ticket page is still showing tickets available.
Sunday: Matt Rife at the AMP
Matt Rife brings the Stay Golden Tour to Walmart AMP Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Ticketmaster lists the show as 18+ / mature audience only, and tickets are still available as of Wednesday evening.
He's one of the biggest comedy names touring right now, and the official venue page is still showing an active ticket path as of Wednesday evening.
BEFORE YOU GO
Plans change. Tickets sell. Outdoor events meet Arkansas weather.
We keep the calendar updated as new information comes in, so give it a look before you head out.
THE FULL CALENDAR
Looking for more?
We picked the highlights. The full Sweet Home River Valley calendar has everything we've found happening around Fort Smith and the River Valley.