Volume 1 Issue 4 Published monthly by the Arkansas River Valley Tri -Peaks Region Association October 2003   War Eagle Fair Turns 50 Continues to Bring Folks Back to Rural America     WAR EAGLE - Blanche Elliott and a group of fellow weavers who founded the War Eagle Arts and Crafts Fair 50 years ago had a simple goal - to provide a means to preserve and display the skills and traditions of Ozarks craftspeople. "They sent out invitations for the first one," explained Shirley Sutton, daughter of Mrs. Elliott and director of the non-profit organization that operates the event. "They figured if 100 or 150 people showed up, great." But more came. In fact some 2,000 people attended the inaugural fair. "Now you have to add a couple of zeros to that," Sutton said, explaining that about 200,000 people are expected to attend this year's fair, scheduled for Oct. 16-19. "It always has been more people than you plan for. You just don't know, and the weather doesn't seem to stop them." The original fair was held in the Elliotts' historic home and other buildings on the property of the War Eagle Mills Farm. Located in the rolling hills that flank the War Eagle River, the pioneer homestead (built in 1832) seemed to be the perfect location to showcase the works of mountain craftspeople. Today, tents and permanent buildings house the 300 booths of artisans and crafters that show their wares. The renowned fair features handmade items from weavers, woodworkers, carvers and basket makers. Shoppers will also find artisans of stained glass, pewter, leather and scores of other arts and crafts including oil and acrylic painting, watercolors, sculpture, metalworking and photography. Because the War Eagle Fair is dedicated to preserving Ozarks crafts, exhibitors primarily come from Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. "We've got six [exhibitors] that have been here 30 years or longer. We've got about 22 that have been here 20 years or longer," Sutton said, adding that crafts will be shown by about 50 new exhibitors this fall. "We've got several new woodworkers, a quilter, jewelry maker. Each new artist will give it a different twist." Concessions traditionally include baked potatoes, turkey legs, hamburgers, hot dogs, Mexican food and more. New will be The Salad Hut, in a permanent building constructed for this year's fair. The Salad Hut will house all the makings for a salad with about 15 items to choose from. Over the years, television coverage as well as articles printed in publications such as The New York Times, Southern Living and Sunshine Artists magazine have brought national recognition to War Eagle. Known as a leading craft magazine, Sunshine Artist named War Eagle Fair as first in the nation last year in its "traditional craft fair" category. The fair has been in the top 10 of that category for the past nine years. The magazine has yet to publish its top picks for this year. Sutton said a 50th anniversary cookbook would be sold at the fair. Otherwise, the only event scheduled in celebration of the 50th anniversary is an invitation-only banquet the weekend before. The War Eagle Fair is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The parking lot opens at 6 a.m. The best way to reach the War Eagle Fair is to take U.S. 412 east and then Ark.303 north. By Jill M. Rohrbach, travel writer Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism Arkansas Rodeo Association Championship Finals The Arkansas Rodeo Association has announced that Clarksville will host the 35th Championship Finals Rodeo at Hurley's Arena on October 16, 17, & 18, 2003. The 15 top state finalist will be competing for the ARA Championship State Titles in nine different events including: Bareback, Saddle Bronc, Bull Riding, Calf Roping, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Cowgirls Barrel Racing, Cowgirls Breakaway Roping and Junior Barrel Racing. Bring the whole family and enjoy three nights of fun and fascination. Keep up on the events by visiting http://www.ararodeo.com   Highpoint Rendezvous Mount Magazine State Park -Mountain men, women, and children will dress, camp and cook the way people did during Arkansaw territorial days, October 4, 2003. Living historians will demonstrate camping, clothing, weapons, equipment, cooking, and other aspects of frontier life. This event will be in conjunction with Frontier Day in Paris. Mount Magazine State Park, 16878 Hwy. 309 South, www.paris-ar.com, mtmagazine@arkansas.com      Floating Through History on the Arkansas River Lake Dardanelle State Park The Louisiana Purchase was a major development in the growth of our nation and. the Arkansas River provided a necessary water route for transporting settlers and. explorers and the goods they needed to. prosper in this new land. The Arkansas River now plays an important role in our community. Explore the development of water transportation along the Arkansas River from wooden canoes to commercial barges. Each participant will build a wooden model canoe to take home. Please bring a picnic lunch with you and we will eat in the park. The event is open to the public and there is a fee of $5 per person. The program will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., October 4, 2003. Seating is limited; please call the park and sign up in advance.Sarah Keating, Interpreter- Lake Dardanelle State Park, 2428 Marina Road, Russellville, AR 72802 (479) 967-5516, lakedardanelle@arkansas.com          Arkansas Hills to Host Car Rally Enthusiasts  On October 25th motoring enthusiasts from around Arkansas and the surrounding states will gather for the 5th annual "London to Paris" road rally beginning at the London City Hall. The Arkansas Region of the Sports Car Club of America hosts the event. The road rally is a "TSD" rally, a navigational exercise that requires entrants to drive a secret route in a precise time. Teams are given penalty points for each second off the correct or "true" time. The event is held on public roads and teams must follow all road regulations and speed limits. "The London to Paris event is always a favorite of local rally enthusiasts," said Lang Kirshberger, rally master and rally chair for the Arkansas Region SCCA. "The sight of various enthusiast cars lined up at London city hall is always exciting." The route will follow scenic roads through Arkansas's mountains during the height of the fall color season. In addition to the traditional awards for top finishers, the event also has trophies for "People's Choice" most interesting car and "Best Represented Car Club." "The oldest car we've had run London to Paris was an Auburn 'boat tail' from the 1930's. The most exotic was a brand new Ferrari," stated Keith Wheeler, competition chair for the Arkansas SCCA. "Sports cars, collector's cars, hot rods, and even family sedans have competed." For more information about the event contact Lang Kirshberger (lang@cswnet.com) or (479) 885-0603 or Keith Wheeler (trxnspd@yahoo.com) or (501) 888-1897, For additional information about the sport of rally and the Sports Car Club of America, see the Arkansas Region web page at http://www.arscca.org/.    Camping Weekends at Petit Jean State Park Now is your opportunity to take a much-deserved camping break at Petit Jean State Park. On October 11, 2003 and November 8, 2003, we will be holding camping weekends. These wonderful experiences are designed for first-time campers, campers who don't want to camp by themselves, people without equipment, or simply people who want to have a great camping experience with park staff. The Traveling Education Nature Trailer will be used to provide you with your tents, sleeping mats, cookware, etc. The $20 per person fee will be used to cover meal expenses. The weekends will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and conclude at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. Advanced reservations are required and can be made by calling (501) 727-5441. For more information you can also contact us via email at petitjean@arkansas.com. Lori Anderson Park Interpreter Petit Jean State Park (501)727-6512 lori.anderson@mail.state.ar.us  Great Service for Disabled Guests By Elizabeth Johnson Educational Institute of the AH&LA from the Arkansas Hospitality Association Newsletter   Have you looked at the demographics of your guests lately? Chances are that you are seeing more and more people with disabilities. There are millions of people with disabilities and they're not sitting at home watching the world go by. They're traveling for business and for pleasure, spending billions of dollars every year on travel. People with disabilities expect the same high level of guest service you provide to your other guests, and they're not afraid to let others in the disabled community know about the positive and negative experiences they encounter while traveling. People with disabilities include people who are blind, deaf, or mobility impaired (which means they use a wheelchair, crutches or canes to move around). Less obvious disabilities include multiple sclerosis, emphysema, mental retardation, or speech impairments. Senior citizens may also have conditions that are similar to disabilities, such as low vision, some hearing loss, or difficulty walking. Certain laws and regulations may require hotel operators to ensure that their facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. However, laws cannot guarantee good service. Only you can do that - by setting service standards for all employees to follow when assisting guests with disabilities. All of the ramps and Braille menus and closed-captioned television sets won't count for much if guests with disabilities are ignored, talked down to, or misinformed. Put People First It may seem obvious, but simple courtesy is the first step in providing great service to guests with disabilities. Remember, they are people first, and people with a disability second. Greet guests with a smile, make eye contact, and speak directly to the guest, not a companion or interpreter. As one guest in a wheelchair noted, "Talk to the person whose name is on the credit card". Employees may be feeling awkward around a person with a disability, and that is all right. But it is not all right to let that awkwardness carry over into insensitive comments or rude behavior. Don't ask someone how their disability occurred or "how it feels" to be blind or in a wheelchair. Don't grab a blind person or push a person's wheelchair without his or her permission. Don't carry on about how heroic the person must be to be traveling on his or her own. Do ask questions about amenities or special considerations that will help you to make the guest's stay more enjoyable. Do take the extra time to try and understand what a hearing- or speech-impaired guest is trying to communicate. Do educate yourself and your staff on specific needs of various disabilities and let guests know that you are able to accommodate those needs. Know Your Property One of the best ways you can offer superior guest service to people with disabilities is to know your property's facilities and services. When a guest calls to make a reservation, staff members should be able to explain what facilities are available for guests with disabilities. What exactly does an "accessible room" include? Is there a roll-in shower with a seat or a tub with grab bars? The answer will make a difference to many people. Do the alarm clocks for hearing-impaired guests vibrate or send a strobe light signal? Are room service menus available in Braille? Many employees won't even know what modifications you've made to your facilities or what assistant devices you have at your property. They've probably never used a TTY machine for a telephone or seen a handicapped-accessible shower. A useful training exercise that every employee should go through is a tour of your property to see and try out all the accessible features. They'll be able to describe these features with confidence if they've actually seen the strobe light on the fire alarm, maneuvered a wheelchair into an accessible rest room, or used the automatic doors. Your property has no doubt taken steps to remove the physical barriers that keep guests with disabilities from visiting your property. Training your employees in "attitude accessibility" can remove the invisible barriers of fear and ignorance that keep guests with disabilities from receiving the service they deserve. Rice Awarded 2003 Tourism Director of the Year   Joe David Rice, tourism director for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, was chosen by his peers as the Travel Industry Association of America's 2003 State Tourism Director of the Year. Rice received the award on Aug. 26, while attending the association's convention in Asheville, N.C. As the Arkansas tourism director, Rice manages a team of 67 employees responsible for enhancing the image of the state and improving its economy by generating travel. "Joe David coordinated the effort that led the Arkansas legislature to pass the 2-percent tourism tax in 1989," said Richard Davies, executive director for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. "Without that money, it would be near impossible for the state to market itself and have an impact in this extremely competitive industry." Davies also said Rice "believes in Arkansas, and he knows the state as well as anyone I've ever worked with." "I may have the best job in Arkansas," Rice said. "When you work with talented colleagues and a creative advertising agency, and have the support of the governor, the legislature and the commission, good things tend to happen."     Tri-Peaks "Hot Deals" " Hot Deals" sponsored by the Arkansas Dept. parks & Tourism is a great opportunity for any business to get their name out to thousands of people each month. This new site is advertised worldwide by ADP&T on the Internet and is already getting 8 - 10 thousand hits a month. All we have to do is entice these people to check out our Vacation Package/s and purchase a great trip to the Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Region. Packages may be viewed on the Arkansas Web site at www.arkansas.com and then clicking on the "Hot Deals" icon.  Currently the Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Tourist Association has two packages on the Hot Deals site: a vacation package at http://www.arkansashotdeals.com/details.asp?id=628; and romance package at - http://www.arkansashotdeals.com/details.asp?id=627. The only criterion for eligibility for inclusion in the Tri-Peaks vacation package/s is that you are a current Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Tourist Association member. Call the Tri-Peaks Tourist Association at 479-754-6543 or one of our Board Members if you have questions or want to participate in the "Hot Deals" package.          Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Tourist Association Vicki Lyons- President Beebe Huett - Secretary/Treasurer Board of Directors Conway County Beebe Huett --- Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce Buddy Hoelzeman --- Museum of Automobiles Karen Hofford --- Morrilton Mayor's Office Wally Scherrey --- Petit Jean State Park Johnson County Pat Kowalewycz --- U S Forest Service Vicki Lyons --- Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce Carol Martin --- Individual Nancy Rogers --- Hampton Inn Logan County David Flugrad ---Mt. Magazine State Park Bro. Mel Stinson, OSB --- Coury House Retreat Center Lynn Wright --- First National Bank Debbie Westlake-Allen ---Paris Area Chamber of Commerce Perry County Doug Brandon --- First Electric Cooperative Tami Tanner ---Chart Bank Pope County Betty LaGrone--- ARV Arts Center Yvonda Tilley--- Boston Mountain Copper Co. Andy Thomas--- Lake Dardanelle State Park Yell County Mike Hall---Mt. Nebo State Park Jim Holbrook--- Chambers Bank Patti Styles---Centerville Dragway Carole Tackett ---Catfish 'N Lou Vitale --- ARVAC, Inc.   101 N Johnson Clarksville AR 72830 (479) 754-6453 Fax (479) 754-4923 1-800-561-6508 Email: info@arvtripeaks.com Web: www.arvtripeaks.com   Tri-Peaks Monthly Tourism Information   September tourism information for the Tri-Peaks region has been sent to 35 states and to Canada and England. September request totals: Web Site - 55 Phone Inquiries - 23 AR Vacation Planning Kit - 128 Visitors to WEB site -914 Newsletter emailed - 43 Hot Deals/Vacations Package Clicks - Petit Jean Mountain Adventure - 42 Romance the One You Love - 68   ARVTPR Banquet   Lake Dardanelle State Park is hosting the annual ARVTPR Banquet Tuesday, October 21, 2002. The Charlie Johnson Award will be presented as a Region Award and a Tourism Person of the Year Award will be presented to one individual from each county. There will be door prizes and a live and silent auction held during the evening. Tickets are available from any board member or by calling 479-754-6543.        Calendar of Events October-November 2003 October 22-23 AHA's 59th Annual Convention & Trade Show - Little Rock State House Convention Center Centerville Oct 4 Centerville Dragway Import Shootout Oct 25 Centerville Dragway 11th Annual Street Legal State Championships Nov 1-2 Centerville Dragway Pro & Street Combo Clarksville Oct 10-11 U of O Theater presents "Children"; Walton Fine Arts Center; 7:30 p.m. Oct 25 Clarksville Kiwanis 5-K 754-7296 Nov 15-16 Annual Merchants Christmas Open House Nov 24 Annual Christmas Lighting Ceremony Nov 28 Early Bird Sale 7:00 p.m. Lake Dardanelle State Park Oct 4 Floating Through History in the Arkansas River Oct 21 ARVTPTA Banquet Oct 24-31 Halloween Storytelling Trail Morrilton at the Rialto every 3rd Friday 7pm Friday Night Pickers Oct 11 Kaleidoscope Live 5k Cross Country Race 501-354-2428 Nov 1 KALEIDOSCOPE LIVE! AUCTION benefiting Southern Christian Home. Kay Strait 354-2428 Nov 2 2:00 PM Stardust Band Nov 3 Annual Chamber Banquet Mt. Magazine State Park Oct 4 Highpoint Rendezvous Mt. Nebo State Park Oct 11 Fall Historic Hayride Paris Oct 4 Mt. Magazine Frontier Days Oct 25 "London to Paris" annual sports car rally Petit Jean State Park Oct 14-16 Fall Senior American Special Oct 31 Halloween Party Nov 28-30 Petit Jean Mountain Rendezvous Russellville Oct 10-12 2003 Craft Fair Tucker Coliseum Oct 25 12th Annual Downtown Fall Festival a& Chili Cookoff Oct 31 River Valley Kids Appreciation Celebration-Hughes Center Subiaco Oct 29 The Chenalts Organ Duo Travelin' Arkansas Events for October The Southeast Arkansas town of DeWitt will host "Celebrate DeWitt: The Sesquicentennial" on Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the downtown Arkansas County Courthouse square. DeWitt is located 27 miles southeast of Stuttgart via U.S. 165. For additional information on the sesquicentennial festivities, phone Carroll Lester at 1-800-413-4445. The howl of chain saws and the pounding of axes will be disquieting the Grant County Courthouse square in Sheridan as one of Arkansas's historic lumber towns hosts its landmark 20th annual Timberfest on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4. (501) 623-5756. On Oct. 3 and 4 the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will present "Swing, Swing, Swing," a lighthearted salute to the swing music era of the 1930s and '40s. Performances are at 8 p.m. on both evenings. Tickets range in price from $15 to $50.  Sunday, Oct. 5, brings "The Beat Goes On," a part of the Family Series Concerts. The highlight will be the "Rhythm Rap," a groundbreaking symphonic rap piece that uses rap to teach rhythmic concepts. All three concerts will be held in the Robinson Center Music Hall at Markham and Broadway in downtown Little Rock.(501)666-1761 www.arkansassymphony.org. The 73rd annual Terrapin Derby Festival will be held in downtown Lepanto on Saturday, Oct. 4. The City Fire Department sponsors the event, which was started in 1930 by the local chapter of the American Legion. Admission is free. (870) 475-6212. The restored 1902 Iron Mountain Railroad Station in Newport is the historic backdrop for the annual Depot Days Festival, Oct. 4. Musical entertainment this year will include Sun Record's rock 'n' roll pioneers Sonny Burgess and the Pacers as well as and Grammy nominee blues artist Billy Lee Riley. Admission is free. (870) 523-3618. Crossett will host on Saturday, Oct. 4, its 25th annual Wiggins Cabin Arts and Crafts Festival with continuous live entertainment, about 40 arts and crafts vendors, a fishing derby and tours of the Old Company House. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Crossett Area Chamber of Commerce by phone at (870) 364-6591. Downtown Ashdown will be the site of the city's seventh annual Hometown Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4-5. Festival activities will include vendors of antiques, arts, crafts, and food; a CASI-sanctioned chili cook-off; carriage rides; the Red River Open duck-calling championship; and performances of country music, including an 8 p.m. street dance on Oct. 4 featuring music by Dee Bell. (501) 372-8341 http://www.ArkansasStateFair.com. The 26th annual Arkansas Rice Festival will be staged in Weiner Saturday, Oct. 11, in conjunction with National Rice Month. Rice dishes, from appetizers to full-course meals, are served and new Queen Arkansas Rice will be crowned. (870) 684-7174. Activities at the 16th annual Hoo Rah Days Festival, to be held at the Sevier County Historical Society Museum at 717 N. Maple St. in DeQueen on Saturday, Oct. 11, DeQueen/Sevier County Chamber of Commerce by phone at (870) 584-3225. Come if you dare to the 9th Annual Tales of the Crypt at Little Rock's historic Mount Holly Cemetery, where the "ghosts" of prominent Arkansans and everyday citizens buried in the cemetery will make appearances. The Parkview Arts-Science Magnet School will present two living history candlelight tours on Oct. 4 with re-enactors in authentic costume. Tours begin at 5:30 p.m. and continue at five-minute increments until 8 p.m. Admission is free. Assisting Parkview with the production is First Presbyterian Church and the Mount Holly Cemetery Association. For more information, contact Fred Boosey at Parkview Arts-Science Magnet High School, (501) 447-2362. Harrison's largest festival is Harvest Homecoming on Oct. 3-5, an event that transforms the National Historic District in the city's downtown into a vision of the past, complete with working craftsmen. Harvest Homecoming takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. (870) 741-4889. Along with the abundance of free apple cider and apple slices, the centerpiece for the 28th annual Arkansas Apple Festival Oct. 3-5 on Lincoln's downtown square is the arts and crafts fair featuring some of the most talented artisans of the Ozarks. (479) 824-FEST www.arkansasapplefestival.org. Watch an air show and enjoy live entertainment during the Aviation Cadet Reunion Fly-in and Air Show Oct. 11-12 at Silver Wings Field of the Cadet Aviation Museum in Eureka Springs. Silver Wings Field is located 2.5 miles off of U.S. 62 on Onyx Cave Road. (479) 253-5008 or (479) 253-9471 www.aviationcadet.com. Bring comfortable shoes, lunch and a camera to enjoy the annual Fall Colors Tour on Oct. 17. The tour will take place from about 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and participants will meet at the gazebo at the Newton County Courthouse in Jasper. Reservations are taken until Oct. 15. Admission is $5 per person and payable the day of the tour. For reservations or more information, call Colleen Breedlove at (870) 446-5122. Submitted by the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism   Petit Jean State Park Senior American Special   This week marks the official beginning of fall. Here at Petit Jean State Park that means that it is time to make plans for our 20th Annual Fall Senior American Special. This program, which will be held October 14-16, is designed specifically with the senior citizen in mind. We have programs scheduled for every interest—including living history presentations, crafts, and nature programs. One of our guest speakers will be David Saugey of the US Forest Service. Mr. Saugey is a well-known biologist, who will be presenting a program on bats, will give you the opportunity to see a live bat up close and personal! This program will be at 9:00 a.m. on October 15, in the Arkansas Room at Mather Lodge. If you are looking for a fun way to spend a week enjoying the beauty of fall on Petit Jean, this program is just what you have been waiting for! For more information, contact the park at (501) 727-5441 or email petitjean@arkansas.com by Lori Anderson,Park Interpreter , Petit Jean State Park 1285 Petit Jean Mountain Road,Morrilton, AR 72110   ARKANSAS FALL  COLORS To keep visitors informed regarding the progress of fall color, the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism has a network of color spotters in every region of the state each fall who have volunteered to supply weekly updates. Beginning October 2, the 2003 fall color reports will be available at http://arkansas.com/calendar/fall_foliage_pg1.asp The reports describe foliage changes in these three regions: northwest/north central Arkansas (Ozarks), central Arkansas/Ouachita Mountains, and southern/eastern Arkansas. October is National Arts and Humanities Month October is the month when the Arkansas River Arts Center's exhibits in both galleries will feature the works of local artists. This year's theme is "Fall" to help celebrate Main Street Russellville's FallFest. The Opening Reception and Gallery Talk will be Sunday, October 5, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Laura Johnson, Arts Center administrative assistant, will serve refreshments. "We have so many talented artists in this area, this will be an outstanding show," said Ann Adams, visual arts chairman. "Several artists who will be exhibiting have met the rigorous standards of the Mid-Southern Watercolorists and been accepted into their membership. This is a great time for anyone seeking artwork for their home or office to come view the exhibit. Both two-and three-dimensional works will be on display. Most of the works are for sale," she concluded. The public is invited to the opening reception Sunday at the ARV Arts Center in Russellville or to visit any time during the month of October. There is no cost to attend the reception or to view the exhibits.