this week’s EVENTS

Editor’s note: Many events have been canceled or postponed due to concern about the coronavirus.

MONDAY Arkansas Country Music Awards Virtual Event

MAUMELLE — As a result of the Maumelle School District canceling all events on its campus for a period of time, the Arkansas Country Music Awards will not occur at Maumelle High School on Monday as scheduled. The district will instead host a fully produced virtual-event watch party at 6:30 p.m. Saturday from Haxton Road Studios. Arkansas Country Music Awards recipients will be announced. Those who had tickets for the event will receive refunds. For updated information, visit arkansasmusic.com.

Back-to-School Bash

MAUMELLE — Pediatrics Plus-Maumelle, 4901 Northshore Drive, will host a drive-thru Back-to-School Bash from 5-7 p.m. Free T-shirts, food and drawstring bags for kids filled with school supplies and toys will be handed out. Peds Plus employees will provide information about their developmental preschool and therapy services.

WEDNESDAY Kitchen Box Pack Party

CONWAY — All are invited to come to the Flea Market at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Joseph Youth Ministry, 1115 College Ave., to help pack kitchen boxes for those in need. For more information, call (501) 327-6568 or visit www.sjparish.org.

Virtual Story Time

RUSSELLVILLE — All children are invited to a virtual very wide-awake story time from 10-10:30 a.m., live from the Pope County Bookmobile. To participate, go to www.facebook.com/popecountybookmobile or www.facebook.com/popecountylibrarysystem. The story time will be posted later on the library’s YouTube channel. For more information, call the Pope County Library at (479) 968-4368.

THURSDAY Drive-Thru Job Fair

CONWAY — The Central Arkansas Workforce Development Area will host a Drive-Thru Job Fair from 9-11 a.m. at the Arkansas Workforce Center. Participants can drive through the fair and get a bag full of information about job opportunities and local resources in their community, as well as apply for part-time or full-time positions and submit a resume.

FRIDAY Kids Fishing Derby

MAUMELLE — A free kids fishing derby, sponsored by Fred and Mary Peyton and Allison Peyton Jones, will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Lake Valencia. Prizes will be awarded for the top-two fish caught in each age division. All attendees will be required to wear masks. For more information, call (501) 851-6990 or visit www.maumelleparksandrec.recdesk.com.

Free Food Friday

CONWAY — The Free Food Friday event is set for 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Soul Food Cafe Mission, 1717 S. Donaghey Ave. Food boxes, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program, will be distributed to anyone who needs food. The boxes will include milk and other dairy products. For more information, call (501) 690-8882.

SATURDAY Cystic Fibrosis Steel Challenge Benefit

PERRYVILLE — The Central Arkansas Shooters Association will host its fifth annual Cystic Fibrosis Steel Challenge Benefit, beginning at 9 a.m. There will be six stages, including three classifiers and two modified stages. The event will include refreshments,

awards and a prize table after the match. Match fees are $15 for adults and $10 for youth. Proceeds will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Register at bit.ly/2P64x3V.

Fun, Fashion and Food

FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Area Chamber of Commerce will have its annual Fun, Fashion and Food event from 2-5 p.m. at the chamber, 365 Dave Creek Parkway. The event will include fashion for men and women of all ages, food from local restaurants and door prizes. All proceeds from the event will be used to promote local businesses and economic development through the chamber. Tickets are $10. For more information, call the chamber at (501) 884-3324.

ONGOING Chicken Dinner Fundraiser

DARDANELLE — The Dardanelle Area Chamber of Commerce will present a Chicken Dinner Fundraiser, with meals to be delivered on Aug. 22. Order lunch for your Saturday work crew by Aug. 20 by calling (479) 229-3328. A half-grilled-chicken dinner is $8, and a dinner of four chicken strips is $5. Meals will include Mount Nebo Cumin Rice, potato salad, baked beans, white bread, a cookie and a bottle of water. Proceeds will benefit the chamber.

Makers Market

HEBER SPRINGS — The Makers Market, for artisans, crafters and farmers, will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, as well as Aug. 22 and Sept. 5, on the lawn of the Cleburne County Courthouse, 301 W. Main St. For more information, call or text (501) 206-9866 or follow the Makers Market on Facebook.

Cleburne County Cares Food Pantry

HEBER SPRINGS — The Cleburne County Cares Food Pantry, 2016 Arkansas 25 Bypass, is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Those who need food for themselves or others are asked to call ahead at (501) 362-8486 so the pantry can have the food ready for pickup.

Dover Virtual Preschool Story Time

DOVER — The Dover Public Library will post a new Summer Reading Story Time video to its Facebook page at 10 a.m. every Monday. Dover librarian Mary Ella will be featured in the videos. Watch at facebook.com/doverpubliclibrarypcls. For more information, call the library at (479) 331-2173.

Online Cuéntame un Cuento: Tell Me a Story

RUSSELLVILLE — The Pope County Library System will offer Cuéntame un Cuento: Tell Me a Story at 11 a.m. Thursdays. It’s a bilingual event with children’s librarian Ms. Melanie and bookmobile librarian Ms. Carolina. Watch a new episode each week on the library’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/popecountylibrarysystem. For more information, call the library at (479) 968-4368.

Online Music Story Time With Travis

RUSSELLVILLE — The Pope County Library System will host a virtual Music Story Time With Travis at 11 a.m. Fridays. Children’s library clerk Mr. Travis will perform in a new episode each week. Watch on the library’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/popecountylibrarysystem. For more information, call the library at (479) 968-4368.

Oktoberfest in the Bay Art Walk Participation

FAIRFIELD BAY — Artists are wanted for the Oktoberfest in the Bay Art Walk, set from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 3. Robbie Miller, chairwoman of the event, said artists may rent a 10-by-12-foot booth space for $20 to display and sell their works. Setup will be outside the Fairfield Bay Conference Center. Art forms accepted include oil, watercolor, acrylics, mixed media, pottery, jewelry, collage, sculpture and photography. To request an application, call (501) 884-4202 or (501) 350-2796 or email robbie8242miller@yahoo.com.

Fairy-Tale Take-Home Crafts

RUSSELLVILLE — The Pope County Library System offers fairytale take-home crafts available for pickup at the Russellville library branch, 116 E. Third St., on Mondays. An online video demonstration of the craft will be available at 1 p.m. the following Tuesday at facebook.com/popecountylibrarysystem. For more information, call the Pope County Library at (479) 968-4368.

Fairfield Bay VFW Bingo

FAIRFIELD BAY — Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4513 Bingo Nights take place at 6:30 every Monday. Centers for Disease Control and Protection guidelines are strictly enforced.

Fairfield Bay Senior Center Bingo

FAIRFIELD BAY — Senior Center Bingo is played from 10-11:15 a.m. every Tuesday at the Fairfield Bay Senior Center, 385 Dave Creek Parkway. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Arkansas Department of Health guidelines will be followed. There will be limited seating, and reservations are required. For more information or reservations, call the center at (501) 884-7800.

Neighbor’s Table

RUSSELLVILLE — Neighbor’s Table offers a free meal every Saturday at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 501 S. Phoenix Ave. The meal is takeout only and can be picked up from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call (479) 968-3622.

Fairfield Bay Rotary Meetings

FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Rotary meets at noon every Wednesday, with lunch at 11:30 a.m., in the Fireside Room at the Little Red Restaurant at Indian Hills, 337 Snead Drive. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Arkansas Department of Health guidelines will be followed.

Main Street Morrilton Farmers’ Market

MORRILTON — The Main Street Morrilton Farmers’ Market is open from 4-7 p.m. the first Thursday of the month in the 100 block of Commerce Street. The market features local produce, unique arts and crafts, kids activities and live music. The market will run through Oct. 1. For more information and vendor applications, visit mainstreetmorrilton.org.

Community Drive-Thru Dinners

HEBER SPRINGS — The following churches and organizations are serving drive-thru dinners for area residents: First Baptist Church, 201 N. Fourth St., from 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays; Heber Springs First Assembly of God, 1009 W. Searcy St., from 5-7 p.m. Thursdays; Breakin’ Bread Ministries,

714 Scott St., from 5-7 p.m. Fridays; and First United Methodist Church, 1099 W. Pine St., from 5-7 p.m. Saturdays. Other churches, organizations, businesses and volunteers have helped make the dinners possible by donating time and resources.

UPCOMING Back-to-School Bash

CONWAY — Pediatrics Plus-Conway, 2740 College Ave., will host a drive-thru Back-to-School Bash from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 10. Free T-shirts, food and drawstring bags for kids filled with school supplies and toys will be handed out. Peds Plus employees will provide information about their developmental preschool and therapy services.

UCA Purple Passion

CONWAY — The annual Conway Regional Health System UCA Purple Passion event, presented by Cousins’ Office Furniture, will take place from 7-9:30 p.m. Aug. 11 on “The Stripes” at the University of Central Arkansas’ Estes Stadium. At this socially distanced Off the Clock event, participants will watch the movie Remember the Titans on its 20th anniversary, while celebrating Conway’s student athletes. Seating will begin at 6 p.m., with the movie shown at 7:30 p.m. The event is free to the public.

Meet the Lenders Virtual Seminar

RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center will present Meet the Lenders, a free virtual seminar, from 10-11:30 a.m. Aug. 25. Participants will learn about options for loans to start, expand or better manage a business and the many types of financing available. The session’s panel will consist of lenders from Centennial Bank, Arkansas Capital, FORGE and the Small Business Administration. A Q&A session will allow attendees to ask questions. Register at asbtdc.org/asbtdc-events or by calling (479) 356-2067.