NWA May events include trucks and gardens

The next few weeks of events in Northwest Arkansas presents a busy schedule, with big trucks, Hispanic celebrations, local film reviews and a “Greening Garden” some of the more interesting events on the schedule.

Following are details on four upcoming events. (For a more detailed list of events, link here to The Social page of The City Wire.)

TOUCH A TRUCK
The Junior League of Northwest Arkansas will again host its “Touch-a-Truck” event at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers.

The event, part of the 7th Annual Family Festival, is set for May 4, and will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This year’s Touch-a-Truck will feature dozens of vehicles that kids (and kids-at-heart) may explore. Vehicles expected will include construction equipment, safety vehicles, motorcycles, monster trucks, helicopter, boats and tractors.

Local dance teams, Irish dancers, sports teams, mascots, costumed characters, face painters, fingernail painters, building projects and BB gun target practice will also be part of the event.

There will also be a full concession stand offering lunch, refreshments, ice cream and all the tasty treats you’d expect to find at a family-fun event.  In fact, families are welcome to host children’s birthday parties during the event.

“Our committee has been working diligently to ensure that there are plenty of activities and entertainment for the entire family.  I can’t wait to see the excitement on my own kids’ faces,” ouch-a-Truck Committee Chair Allison Ellison said in a statement.

Tickets are $5 each or $20 per family, and tickets may be purchased online through the Junior League’s website.

With more than 3,000 in attendance each year, the Junior League’s Touch-a-Truck raises more than $10,000 for the League’s charitable causes. Proceeds assist the League with its mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

CINCO DE MAYO
May 4 will also see hundreds gather at the Jones Center in Springdale to celebrate the 14th Annual Cinco De Mayo Festival conducted by the Hispanic Women’s Organization of Arkansas (HWOA).

The event begins at noon, and ends at 8 p.m.

"The Cinco de Mayo Festival is an excellent opportunity for community interaction and a celebration of culture and education,” Margarita Solorzano, executive director of HWOA, said in a statement “The festival not only showcases Latino cultures but it also brings the community together in support of higher education for Latino students."

Since its inception in 2000, the HWOA Scholarship fund has awarded 237 scholarships worth $136,000 to Hispanic students, of which many are first generation college students. HWOA’s goal is to increase college enrollment opportunities for Hispanic students.

The Cinco de Mayo Festival is a community event, free to the public, with live music, traditional folk dance performances from different countries, food, vendors, and children’s activities. The festival is family-oriented, giving local performers the opportunity to showcase their diverse talents.

HWOA is a non-profit organization founded in July 1999, by a group of Hispanic women and is affiliated with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).

See the HWOA website for more information.

MOVIE REVIEWS AT THE MUSEUM
The Seedling Film Association plans to present “Ozark-u-mentaries” at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. The event is planned for 7 to 9 p.m., on May 10.

“Ozark-u-mentaries” uncovers true stories from Northwest Arkansas by local filmmakers. The three featured films include “Witch Hazel Advent” by Sarah Moore Chyrchel, who follows the life of her grandfather, John Rule, a poet and peace activist living off the grid in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.

The second film is a preview of “Ineffable Connections: The Lens to the Soul,” a film by Dan Robinson celebrating the work of Andrew Kilgore, a nationally recognized portrait photographer living in Fayetteville.

The third film, “Love You, Too,” profiles Peggie Wallis, an 88-year-old ballet teacher who grew up in New Zealand, trained in Europe, and now lives in Northwest Arkansas  where she trains young dancers to amazingly high levels of technique — an inspiring story of accomplishment achieved in the last years of life. “Love You, Too” is by broadcast radio and TV professor Dale Carpenter, at the University Arkansas.

The event is $10 for non-members, and free for Museum Members. See the Crystal Bridges website for more details on the event.

GREENING OF THE GARDEN
The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks will hold its 18th Annual Greening of the Garden fundraiser on May 14, with Dick and Nancy Trammel named Honorary Chairs.

The event begins at 5 p.m.

This year’s theme is “Big in the South,” and the annual Greening of the Garden is the nonprofit organization’s signature fundraising event. This year’s festivities will include dinner by Café Rue Orleans, live music by the Nathan A. Blues Band, silent and live auctions, and an after-party coffee bar. Ladies are encouraged to indulge in that great Southern tradition of donning a wide-brimmed hat.
 
Honorary Chairs Dick and Nancy Trammel laud the Garden “as a great investment for Northwest Arkansas.” According to Botanical Garden Board Member Eleanor Townsley, the Garden is visited by more than 10,000 students each year and the Garden's annual economic impact is more than $3 million.

Tickets are $75 each, and VIP tables (10) for $900. Link to the BGO website to purchase tickets and for more information about the event.