College Basketball All-Star Game + The Platters

                       In the midst of March Madness Hot Springs will host the Arkansas College Basketball All-Star Game at Summit Arena April 5. The event features the top 20 men and women basketball talents from throughout Arkansas colleges. Voting for the participating players was an open forum on the Arkansas Alumni website completed on Feb. 21.

            Tip-off for the women’s All Star game is 3:30 p.m. April 5 followed by the men’s game at 5 p.m. The last game of the night will be a legends game of alumni players from all Arkansas colleges.

            If you’re an avid Arkansas basketball fan, this sounds like a fun event – just when basketball is really turned up all over the country. The website states, “The focus for All-Star games is centered on fostering active healthy lifestyles, higher education and will be utilized as a catalyst to spread the love of basketball throughout Arkansas.” For more information or tickets call 501.416.2689.

            The same weekend on Sunday afternoon, April 6, The Platters will perform at the Five Star Theatre in Historic Downtown Hot Springs. The Platters have renowned music from the ‘50s and ‘60s. They’ve been around for awhile with timeless melodies including love songs and romantic ballads. For more information and tickets call 501.318.1600.

           

The pairing of All-Star Basketball on April 5 followed by an oldies concert from The Platters on April 6 sounds like a perfect combination weekend.

            In between Saturday afternoon and evening basketball and Sunday afternoon oldies concert, we’d love to have you come out to Diamondhead Resort Community to check out all the fun we have all week long. This time of year has so many fun activities that our community offers for residents including golfing, pick-up basketball games, tennis, playground for children, big picnic area, summer swimming in an Olympic-sized pool, summer holiday activities, and enjoying Lake Catherine. Give us a call at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 and we’ll schedule a tour for you.

Terrific Tulips are Popping Up at Garvan Gardens

            Our good neighbors and friends at Garvan Gardens will have a Tulip Extravaganza April 1-30 with a show of 135,000 beautiful tulips in the Gardens. As we speak, the first tulips are popping up and before we know it (and, hopefully no more really cold days) the dramatic floral display, which is always breathtaking, will be alive with color across acres of the Gardens. This is a spectacle not to be missed.

            There are so many wonderful flowers in Spring but the Tulip Extravaganza is extraordinary. When the warm weather stays around for awhile the profusion of tulips will peak from the ground quickly. The Gardens say it is the biggest display of spring color between Dallas and Memphis. Doesn’t that just make you want to plan a weekend retreat just to see the tulips?

            Strolling the beautiful Gardens any time of year is certainly a treat, but the tulips are always a favorite. Hyacinths, daffodils, new foliage on the Japanese Maples, spring wildflowers and perennials are in bloom now. Later in April, hundreds of red, pink, violet and white azaleas, and thousands of dogwood blossoms will be the area of attraction.

            An event from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. March 22 at the Gardens, in addition to the Extravaganza, includes “Tulip Time,” a drop-in family program to learn about the gorgeous flowers and make a handmade craft to take home. For more information, call 501.262.9300.

At Diamondhead we love to stroll Garvan Gardens to enjoy the beauty of the area and for exercise, and the tulips are truly a sight to behold. We also love that the Gardens are our close neighbor and a great place not only to visit but also to volunteer. The flowers are beginning to bloom at Diamondhead also and the spring activities are starting to kick-in. Golfers are hitting the course during the warm days. Lake Catherine is now filled and ready for spring fishing and summer boating. We have a great place to live and call home. We’d love to have you check us out. Give us a call @ 501.520.9201 or 501. 262.9310 to set up a tour.

First Ever Eleventh Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade

            Next Monday, put on your green shirt and party hat and join the good folks of Hot Springs for the First Ever Eleventh Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade. From what I hear and read, this is an event not to be missed. I plan to be there to take it all in from the Blarney Stone Kissing Contest to the post parade concert.

            To start with TV and movie star Jim Belushi will lead the Parade. The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders were such a hit last year that they will return this year to get the crowd pumped up for the Parade. Mountain Man from “Duck Dynasty” is the Parade starter.

            Before the Parade a contest is held for the one who does the best job of Romancing the Stone, which is a four-ton Arkansas Blarney Stone, with the winner receiving $100. So work on your pucker before the contest.

            The Parade also features the mascot Lucky the Leprechaun, his human cousin World’s Largest, Texas-famous Tortilla Queens, quirky floats, marching bands, entertainment troupes, famous celebrities, World’s Largest Leprechaun, Irish Elvis impersonators, green beer, loud music and dancing in the streets.

            I’ve probably not covered all the events for the day, but you get the idea. The Parade is a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. And, Hot Springs knows how to party.

            The Parade officially starts at 6:30 p.m. and lasts about an hour. It takes place on Bridge Street, which is only 98 feet long, in the heart of Downtown Hot Springs. There are more festivities before and after the Parade. For more information and a schedule of events go online to www.shorteststpats.com.

            Another really fun place to visit if you live in Hot Springs or are visiting from out of town is our home at Diamondhead. We swim, golf, boat, hike, visit our neighbors, go to aerobics, play cards and bingo, eat at the 19^th Hole Restaurant, play with our children and grandchildren at the park, picnic, and thoroughly enjoy our beautiful area. Give us a call @ 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 to schedule a tour.

 

Where is the Best Music Festival in Arkansas in March?

            Mark your calendars for the Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival March 14-18, the week following the South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas. This creative and very fun music festival offers great music for five days in different venues in Hot Springs. This is the 10^th year for the Music Festival and is sponsored by Low Key Arts in Hot Springs. During the last nine festivals nearly 2,000 cutting edge, internationally touring artists have performed to a combined audience of about 10,000 music lovers.

            This year, each day of the Festival is packed with performers in different venues in up close and personal settings. Music ranges from rock, punk, indie, experimental, hardcore, metal, alternative country, slamgrass to singer songwriters. The venues include Low Key Arts, Ozark Bathhouse, Maxine’s in downtown, Superior Bathhouse and the B Inn.

            Besides the music performances, the Festival hosts workshops each day with different themes including Screen Printing, Clown Town teaching basic clowning skills and the two-day Guitar Building Workshop.

            The Festival has partnered with the National Park Service for Trail Shows, which include a musician and trail guide leading a group of hikers for a one to two mile hike for an unplugged, acoustic performance. The Trail Shows are free and open to the public. Participants meet at noon at the Superior Bathhouse each day March 15-18.

            This whole Music Festival certainly piques my interest and sounds like so much fun. The music in Hot Springs is always exceptional and many of the 40 bands performing played the week before at SXSW. For more information, a schedule and ticket information, go to valleyofthevapors.com.

            If you come into Hot Springs for the Festival, during your down time, we’d love to have you come out to visit us at Diamondhead on Lake Catherine. We’re a diverse group of people who love a life of less stress and more serenity playing on the lake or golf course or in the community pool during the summer months. Give us a call at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 and come out for a tour of the area. It’s a great place to live and play.