Arkansas Heritage Festival Set to Debut in Hot Springs Village

At the June 2, 2021, HSVPOA Board Discussion Session, Larry Wilson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lifelong Learning Institute of Hot Springs Village, Inc. (LLI) announced that they are hosting the Arkansas Heritage Festival. This festival replaces the Fall Festival.

LLI has received a grant courtesy of the Department of Heritage to help fund this event. Due to the requirement by the Arkansas Heritage Foundation, the grant funds must be spent before September 1, 2021. This necessitated having this festival a little early this year.

The AR Heritage Festival is due to debut on Friday and Saturday, August 27 and 28, 2021. Friday times will be from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday times will be from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The event will be held at Ponce de Leon Center. The Card Room will become a vendor room in addition to utilizing Woodlands auditorium, Grove Park, and the Ponce de Leon Center parking lot.

LLI is paying full price to rent the Ponce de Leon Center. [around $7,000] There are no POA subsidies for the event. The POA will help to advertise this event in the Village Digest. There will be statewide promotion of the event on social media.

Larry said, “this event will be ALL things Arkansas. Click here to read about the event on Arkansas.com.

Wilson requested the HSVPOA Board to declare August as “Arkansas Heritage Month in Hot Spring Village.”

Gate Concerns and Event Registration

“One of the considerations and concerns was the gates and access to the Village,” stated Wilson.

Those desiring to attend the festival (those not having access to the gates), will need to register for the event by going to the Arkansas Heritage website.

After signing up, you will receive a ticket via email that grants you admission to the festival. Click here to register for this event. HSV residents do not need to register for the event.

The Greater Hot Springs Village Area Chamber of Commerce will be available at the West Gate Visitor Center to help with gate entrance for those who did not previously sign up. Prior registration is encouraged.

Shuttle service parking is still being developed.

Larry said, “we want to bring people to the Village. We anticipate 5,000 people coming in for the Arkansas Heritage Festival.”

Some of the Entertainment and Speakers

• David Hill, Author of “The Vapors” He will hold a book signing.

• Rex Nelson, According to Wikipedia, Rex “is a long time college sports broadcaster, columnist, reporter, author, political appointee, and chronicler of Arkansas history. He is a Senior Editor and columnist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He was policy and communications director for governor Mike Huckabee. In 2005 Nelson was appointed by U.S. President George W. Bush to the Delta Regional Authority.

• There will be a celebration of our Military Veterans at the Veterans Memorial on the venue grounds.

• Music in Grove Park is being provided. Larry stated, “Friday (August 27, 2021] will be kind of Pickin’ Porch Country Music.”

• Contra Dancing – According to Wikipedia, “Contra dancing is a social dance that one can attend without a partner. The dancers form couples, and the couples form sets of two couples in long lines starting from the stage and going down the length of the dance hall.”

• Contemporary music on Saturday.

• Demonstrations will be held in the Ponce de Leon parking lot tent.

• Currently, there are 61 booths signed up.

• Tribute Concert with Gil Grand who will perform songs from Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, and Conway Twitty. This tribute concert will be a ticketed event and the cost is $25. Expect Gil Grand concert tickets to go on sale around July 5, 2021.

• Longhua Xu, a renowned Hot Springs artist, will display his artistry in the Woodlands Lobby through August.

Culinary Delights

• Petit Jean Meats prepared by Joey Clampit of Clampit’s Country Kitchen and Meat Market

• Arkansas farm raised catfish prepared by Riverside Grocery

• Yarnell ice cream served by Hot Springs Village Rotary Club

By Cheryl Dowden, June 5, 2021

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