The smell of sweet, July honeysuckle entangled with tangy barbecue, smoke and sulfur will soon saturate the alreadyhumid summer night.
Every Independence Day, Americans stock up on grilling goods, bug spray, lighters and fireworks - a sign that summer has officially arrived. Here’s a list of the best places and events in the region to honor the 236-year-old ritual.
Also, a word of caution:A lack of rain has caused drought conditions over much of this corner of the state. Some fireworks displays may be canceled because of burn bans, so please contact those hosting shows before venturing out.
SATURDAY
WHAT - Old Fashioned Independence Holiday Celebration at Withrow Springs State Park
WHERE - Withrow Springs State Park in Huntsville
WHEN - All day
FESTIVITIES - Parade, historic toys and games, swimming, hiking, Dutch oven cooking, ice cream making
INFO - 559-2593SUNDAYWHAT - Fireworks at the
Crosses WHERE - Cross Church at
Pinnacle Hills in Rogers WHEN - Events begin at
5 p.m.
FESTIVITIES - Live music,
food vendors; bring lawn chairs INFO - 751-4523 WHAT - Three Dog Night live WHERE - Orchards Park in
Bentonville WHEN - Events begin at
7 p.m., fireworks following the
shows FESTIVITIES - Vendors,
concerts by Big ’Uns and Three
Dog Night INFO - 464-7275TUESDAYWHAT - Veterans Park Fire
work Celebration WHERE - 300 Veterans Park
way in Rogers WHEN - Park opens at
6:30 p.m., fireworks start at dusk FESTIVITIES - Music, free
watermelon, food and drink
vendors INFO - 621-1117 WHAT - 11th Annual Ventris
Trail’s End Resort display WHERE - South of Marker 8
on Beaver Lake, Garfi eld area WHEN - Dusk FESTIVITIES - Live remotes
from radio stations, fi reworks
that are visible only by boat INFO - 359-3912WEDNESDAYWHAT - Freedom Festival WHERE - Gentry City Park WHEN - One mile fun run
and 5K kick off the day
with registration beginning
at 7 a.m. and the run
beginning at 8 a.m., wres
tling exhibition from 3 to 5
p.m., fireworks begin at
dusk FESTIVITIES - Tired Iron
of the Ozarks antique
equipment display, tractor
wagon rides, arts and
crafts, rock wall climbing,
inflatables, dunking booth,
live music, adult co-ed
softball INFO - Bev Saunders at
736-2358WHAT - 2012 Fire in
the Sky WHERE - Lake Harrison
Park in Harrison WHEN - 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
FESTIVITIES - Turtle
races, kids games, canoe
rides, parade, live music,
food competitions, street
dancing, fireworks begin at
dusk INFO - Matt Bell at 870-
741-1789 WHAT - Happy Birthday
USA WHERE - Basin Spring
Park on Spring Street in
downtown Eureka Springs WHEN - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
FESTIVITIES - Crafts,
water balloon toss, cupcake
walk, watermelon seed spit
ting contest INFO - Gina Drennon at
253-7333 WHAT - Patriot Parade WHERE - Bella Vista
Sugar Creek Shopping
Center WHEN - 10:30 a.m.
entertainment; parade
begins at 11 a.m.
FESTIVITIES - Tap danc
ing, music, rifl e fi re, bagpipe
band, cannon fi re INFO - Jim Parsons at
876-2624 WHAT - Mayor’s Fourth
of July Celebration WHERE - Harry E. Kelley
Park, Fort Smith WHEN - Noon to
11 p.m., with fi reworks after
sundown FESTIVITIES - Car show,
carnival rides, live music INFO - 784-1001 WHAT - Uptown Fayette
ville Freedom Fireworks WHERE - Northwest
Arkansas Mall in Fayetteville WHEN - Fashion show at
2 p.m., live performances at
6 p.m. until dark, fi reworks
begin at dusk FESTIVITIES - Indoor and
outdoor activities, fashion
show, ice cream eating
contest, live musical perfor
mances INFO - 521-6151 WHAT - Bella Vista’s
Independence Day fi reworks WHERE - Loch Lomond
Dam in Bella Vista
WHEN - Tournament
cookout from 4 to 7 p.m.,
fireworks will begin at dusk
at the dam
FESTIVITIES - Tourna
ment cookout will take
place at the Highlands Club
house, 1 Pamona Drive, as
part of the American Junior
Golf Association’s KPMG
Stacy Lewis Open
INFO - Christy Attlesey at
855-5014
WHAT - 15th annual Fire
works Extravaganza
WHERE - Turpentine
Creek Wildlife Refuge,
located south of Eureka
Springs on Arkansas 23
WHEN - 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.
FESTIVITIES - Partici
pants can bring chairs and
coolers to the plateau for a
safe and legal place to light
fi reworks
INFO - 253-3790
WHAT - Cardboard Boat
Race and 4th Celebration
WHERE - Gar Creek at
East Side Park
WHEN - Events begin at
4 p.m., boat race at 7 p.m.,
fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m.
FESTIVITIES - Music,
barbecue, homemade ice
cream contest, parade, 3D
glasses for fi reworks view
ing
INFO - 667-2525
WHAT - Fourth at the
Field
WHERE - Arvest Ballpark,
Springdale
WHEN - Gates open at
5 p.m., music starts at 6:30
p.m. and fireworks launch at
8:45 p.m.
FESTIVITIES - Tricycle
races, games, live music
and fi reworks
COST - $8 for adults, $6
for children 12 and younger
INFO - 927-4900
WHAT - Fireworks in
Orchards Park
WHERE - Orchards Park
in Bentonville
WHEN - Events begin at
7 p.m., fireworks begin at
9:30 p.m.
FESTIVITIES - Entertain
ment by Total Defrag and
the Arkansas Winds
INFO - 464-7275
WHAT - Ozark Chorale performs
WHERE - The Auditorium, Eureka Springs
WHEN - 7:30 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.
INFO - 253-7700
WHAT - ‘Fire in the Sky’
Independence Day Celebra
tion WHERE - Siloam Springs
Municipal Airport WHEN - Parking lot
opens at 7 p.m., fi reworks
begin at dusk FESTIVITIES - Music, sky
diving show, fi reworks fi nale
INFO - 524-5779
WHAT - Holiday Island
fi reworks display
WHERE - Holiday Island
Recreation Center
WHEN - Fireworks begin
at 9 p.m.
INFO - 253-7700
Whats Up, Pages 14 on 06/29/2012