Two Hot Springs Events Highlight the Weekend

          If you like horse racing or corvettes or both you’re in for two treats next weekend. The Kentucky Derby takes place May 3 and four Hot Springs local stakes winners are among 20 scheduled starters. Oaklawn Park sponsors “Smokelawn” on the Infield to watch the Derby. The Central Arkansas Corvette Club sponsors the Corvette Show at Summit Arena in Hot Springs the same day. Lots of weekend thrills coming up.

         I’ve certainly learned more about horse racing during the last season than I ever knew before, and this has been an exceptional year for Oaklawn. On Saturday, May 3, starting at 9 a.m. at the Infield of Oaklawn a full day of excitement is available for “Smokelawn.” The day’s events include indulging in great barbeque, watching the Kentucky Derby on a big screen, enjoying children’s activities in the Kids Zone, listening to local musicians, strolling through antique motorcycles and drinking craft beer from Arkansas and other areas. For more information, visit smokelawn.oaklawn.com.

          Another equally exciting event May 1-3 takes place with the 16^th Annual Hot Springs Corvette Weekend. If you are a corvette enthusiast, you’ll love all the events planned starting with Corvettes on Parade in Downtown Hot Springs at 4 p.m. on May 1. Then 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, the Corvette Show is open to the public at Summit Arena. 400 to 500 Corvettes with 1,000 registered participants are coming from 14 states. The Show includes Corvettes of all ages with Show competition inside Summit Arena. For more information and a schedule of events go to www.centralarkcc.com. 

          What an exciting weekend we have coming up and I think if you plan your schedule just right you will be able to participate in both “Smokelawn” and the 16^th Annual Hot Springs Corvette Weekend. Hot Springs is such a fun place to live, play and work. There’s always something going on here. Along with the Hot Springs events, we’d love to have you come and check out Diamondhead Resort Community on Lake Catherine. It’s a great place to live and fun place to play with the Lake, golf course, great pool in the summer, gorgeous views and fabulous neighbors. We’d love to give you a tour of Diamondhead. Give us a call at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 and we’ll schedule a time for you to come out and see our wonderful amenities and the place we call home.   

          

Hot Springs Offers Cultural Arts Choices this Weekend

            The arts in Hot Springs are always alive and well, and this weekend we have several excellent choices.

Larry Womack

Arkansas Jazz Experience presents Larry Womack at the Quapaw Bathhouse at 6 p.m. Friday night, April 25. This event occurs in the café room at the Bathhouse. Along with Womack, the Arkansas Jazz Experience combo features David Higginbotham on bass, Jay Payette on drums and Clyde Pound on keyboards. For more information, email hsjazzsociety@gmail.com.

Monika Crissler-Vise

Also at 6 p.m. at the Quapaw Community Center the annual Spring Dinner/Dance takes place to benefit the programs of the Center. This event includes general dancing along with exhibition dancing by Monika Crissler-Vise, Wesley Crocker and friends. For more information call 501.623.9922.

Lost in the Trees

 Then a little later at 8 p.m. Low Key Arts presents “Lost in the Trees” with a special performance by “Wild Moccasins.” This is the only Arkansas performance in support of the new album, “Past Life.” For ticket information go online to www.prekindle.com.

The Muses Project offers another outstanding cultural arts event from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 26, with the second Inspiring Excellence Seasonal Life Balance Seminar Series titled “Setting Priorities – What’s Important to you?” This seminar is open to creatives and curious lifelong learners. It beings with tai chi by Jerry Matlock, then local artists Gary Simmons and Richard Stephens will talk about their creative processes. After lunch Muses Life Coach Toni Spears will offer options on developing strategies to assist in setting priorities.  For more information and reservations, call 501.609.9811.

As you can see, we have a myriad of cultural arts events in Hot Springs this weekend. Our area is considered an arts community and is constantly providing outlets for the expression of art in our lives. In the midst of participating in our art weekend coming up, if you have some free time, we’d love to have you come and visit our beautiful Diamondhead Resort Community where we enjoy a wonderful lifestyle which encourages the creative in each of us. Call 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 and we’ll be glad to take you on a tour of Diamondhead in Hot Springs.

Diamondhead Hunts Easter Eggs and Celebrates National Park Week

            Easter egg events are the headline for the weekend in Hot Springs and in our Diamondhead community. Lake Catherine State Park will host an Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday for children 12 and under hunting candy-filled eggs in a beautiful setting at the Park. Hunters will meet 2-3 p.m. at the Picnic Hill Pavilion. Call 501.844.4176 for more information.

Right down the road from the Park at Diamondhead Resort Community the children will gather on Saturday at the Kiddie Coral to hunt eggs, visit with the Easter Bunny and enjoy face painting. Call 501.262.4470 for more information.

On April 25 and 26 Garvan Woodland Gardens, our other neighbor, will sponsor a program on “Naturally Dyed Eggs” where children can drop in from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and learn to dye eggs that create stunning colors from certain plants that contain powerful dyes. The children will also learn more about the plants while dyeing their eggs. Call  501.262.9300 for information.

            Also, starting this weekend on April 19 and continuing through April 27, Hot Springs will celebrate National Park Week each day with fun and creative events taking place in the Park. A portion of Hot Springs actually sits in the National Park. How fun and what an exciting week we have coming. The week includes wellness events, tours and information on the bathhouses, tea time with tea made from the thermal water, Junior Ranger Day on Saturday and concludes April 27 with the Fordyce Bathhouse Tour. For more information call 501.620.6715 or visit www.nps.gov/hosp.

            Every week of the year exciting and fun events are planned in the Hot Springs area. I’m looking forward to seeing the excited children at the Easter Egg Hunts this weekend and participating in National Park Week. When you have free time this weekend or next week, we’d also love to have you visit our Diamondhead community and check out the amenities we enjoy year-around. Call the Diamondhead office at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 to schedule a tour.

‘Tinkerfest’ Highlights the Weekend in Hot Springs

            It feels like spring has finally arrived, which means lots of exciting possibilities for fun in Hot Springs. This weekend on April 5 during the day, Mid-America Museum hosts “Tinkerfest” from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Museum.

“Tinkerfest” is all about teaching the art of tinkering to students and families. The website states: “Tinkering focused activity with the right materials in the right environment can lead to great new inventions, but more importantly builds self-confidence, critical thinking skills and crucial attitudes that build people’s interest in science, technology, engineering and math.” Sounds like a great family activity at Mid-America Museum.

Some of the activities for “Tinkerfest” include collectively making a mixed media mini city, experimenting with making paper circuits, constructing rip-snorting roller coasters from Keva planks and enjoying hands-on activities at more than 12 stations throughout the museum. For more information go to midamericamuseum.org or call 501.767.3461.

If you and your family aren’t tuckered out after “Tinkerfest,” two music events will take place in the evening. Help the Homeless Benefit Concert is at 8 p.m., April 5 at Low Key Arts. Call 501.655.4064 for more information. Also, Lakeside High School jazz students will have an inaugural Lakeside Jazz Spring Swing at the middle school. Call 501.262.1530 for more information.

            Saturday offers so many fun activities for students and families. Our children and families are always a focus at Diamondhead where our children attend the finest schools in Hot Springs including Lakeside, Magnet Cove and Malvern school districts.

            We celebrate our children and their events. Come out for a tour and we’ll show you our family-focused gated community with lots of amenities. Call 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 to set up a tour of Diamondhead Resort Community.