Spinach Festival, Diamonds and Decadence round out April calendar

April is shaping up to be a colorful month. Folks in the Fort Smith Region can get their greens at the Alma Spinach Festival, search for eggs of every color at the Mayor's Easter Egg Hunt, lunch and learn at Reveal the Teal, enjoy some blues at Music on Main Street, and much more.

• Alma Spinach Festival
The 28th annual Alma Spinach Festival will kick off in the "Spinach Capital of the World" on April 19. The event, which will be held in downtown Alma, will include fun, food, games, and of course, lots and lots of spinach.

Saturday's festivities will get underway with the Masonic Lodge Pancake Breakfast, which will open from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The Dog Jog 5k will start at 8 a.m., with registration opening earlier that morning at 6:45 a.m.

Vendor booths and rides will open at 8 a.m. Entertainment will include a mechanical bull, BB gun ranger, climbing wall, petting zoo, pony rides, and much more. Many food, craft, and other vendors will also be on-hand. A quilt show and antique tractor show will held throughout the day, along with many carnival games and activities. Amusement rides will also be open on Friday (April 18) evening from 5 to 9 p.m.

At noon, the Spinach Eating Contest will begin. The competition is open to youth and adults, with prizes awarded to the contestant  in each age category, that can consume the most spinach in five minutes.

The annual Spinach Drop will also be held at noon. Members of the Alma Rotary Club will sell tickets prior to the festival and at an event booth. Spinach will be dropped from the top of a fire ladder onto a square number grid to determine the winner. The lucky ticket holder will win a portion of the ticket sales, with all other proceeds benefitting the Alma Boys and Girls Club.

The festival will wrap up on Saturday evening at 8 p.m.

Admission to the Spinach Festival is free. For more information, call the Alma Chamber of Commerce at 479-632-4127.

• Mayor's Easter Egg Hunt

Families are invited to attend the annual Mayor's Easter Egg Hunt at Tilles Park in Fort Smith on April 19. Thousands of eggs will be hidden for kids throughout the park, with a special grand prize up for grabs.

The event will kick off at 10:30 a.m., with age-specific hunts to start at 11 a.m. Festivities will include music, food, face painting, and Easter Bunny pictures. Prizes will be awarded and all participants will go home with something in their basket.

Admission is free. For more information, call 479-783-5161.

• Reveal the Teal
The Arkansas Ovarian Cancer Coalition River Valley Chapter will present a community lunch and learn event about the signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer on April 23. The Reveal the Teal Luncheon will feature special guest speaker Janet Floyd, Education Coordinator for AOCC, who will share about “Listening for the Whispers" associated with the disease.

The event will be held in the Fort Smith Convention Center North Rotunda, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reveal the Teal is open to anyone in the area interested in learning more about Ovarian Cancer. Lunch will be provided.

There is no cost to attend, but seating is limited and reservations are required. To reserve a seat or for more information, call Liz Martin at 479-883-3379 or Blanche West at 479-651-0179.

• Divas, Diamonds, and Decadence
Ladies will enjoy a fun afternoon of fashion and food while supporting the Fountain of Youth Adult Day Center at the second annual Divas, Diamonds, and Decadence luncheon on April 23.

The event will feature a diva fashion show, as well as displays of diamond and "bling" jewelry. Guests will be treated to lunch and decadent chocolates for dessert. A silent auction will also be held.

The luncheon will held at Fianna Hills Country Club in Fort Smith, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $35, but are limited. For more information, call 479-484-7782.


• Girls, Inc. 80th Anniversary Celebration
Girls, Inc. of Fort Smith will celebrate 80 years of "inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold" with a special anniversary event on April 26.

Alumni, current members, volunteers, and other Girls, Inc. supporters are invited to attend the celebration, which be held at the Nancy Orr Center, located at 1415 Old Greenwood Road in Fort Smith at 2 pm. Guests will enjoy cupcakes and punch while watching performances by the Girls, Inc. choir and dance teams.

The program will also feature several guests speakers, including two past National Scholarship winners, and a special proclamation by Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders. Guests will also take a look back at the history of the organization and get a glimpse into what the staff and board have planned for the future.

Reservations are not required, and the event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 479-782-0375.

• Music on Main Street
Blues lovers will rejoice as Van Buren plays host to Music on Main Street on April 26. The festival will include two stages, with four acts performing, beginning at 3 p.m.

Oreo Blue, Wanda Watson, Mark Albertson and Bill Flash will perform throughout the afternoon and evening in downtown Van Buren. Stages will be located at the 400 and 700 blocks of Main Street.

Admission to the festival is free, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. For more information call, 479-650-4742
.