October brings to NWA a Mule Jump, War Eagle and A Night at the Speakeasy

Northwest Arkansas is kicking off fall with a busy calendar that includes the annual Pea Ridge Mule Jump, an Art Night Out at Crystal Bridges, War Eagle Craft Fair, A Taste of Home Cooking School, and A Night at the Speakeasy.

Pea Ridge Mule Jump
Pea Ridge will host its signature festival, the 26th annual Mule Jump, on Oct. 11. Featuring vendors, games,  food, music, and of course, mule jumping, the family-friendly event will  offer something for everyone.

More than 40 mules will take part in this year's jump, with $4,000 up for grabs in prizes. Notoriously not fond of jumping, the mules will give their handlers a run for their money as they aim to coax the creatures over barriers as tall as six and a half feet throughout the course.

In addition to the "jump" festivities, guests will enjoy browsing the nearly 100 food, art and craft, and other vendors that will be on-hand and taking part in the barrel and flag races. Live entertainment will be provided by the Ridge Rockers.

Mule Jump will be held at Pea Ridge High School beginning at 9 a.m. Admission is $5 for ages 12 and up, $2 children ages 6-12 and free for those five and under.  For more information, call 451-1122.

Art Night Out
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will help visitors "explore art as action and interaction" with its Art Night Out event on Oct. 11. Featuring artists and performers from its "State of the Art" exhibition, the evening will offer visitors an in-depth look into the diverse components of the exhibit, through special performances, entertainment and interactions.

Participating artists will include Autumn Knight, Wilmer Wilson, Calder Kamin, Angela Ellsworth and Jimmy Kuehnle, who will don his "Amphibious Inflatable Suit" to interact with the audience during his final act. A complete list of performers and their art is available online. (Note, some contain adult themes.)

Visitors will also enjoy the sounds of Local band "Still on the Hill" who will perform songs from their “Once a River” project. DJ Abboriginal will be on-hand adding a unique mix of oceanic, space beats to the event.

Art Night Out will be held at Crystal Bridges from 8 to 11 p.m., with stations set up inside and outside the gallery. Admission is $8 for members and $10 for non-members. Artinfusion members get in free. To register, call Guest Services at 657-2335.

War Eagle Craft Fair
October means War Eagle in Northwest Arkansas meaning thousands of crafters will descend upon the area for the region's largest craft fair Oct. 16-19.

More than 250 vendors will be featured at the 61st annual War Eagle Fair, ranging from arts and crafts to clothing and food. Exhibitors are required to handcraft their items making for a diverse selection of homemade, one-of-a-kind goods for shoppers to browse.

The fair will be held at the War Eagle Mills Farm located in War Eagle. Booths will be open from 8 a.m.  to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday and until 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission to the festival is free, with parking available for $3. For more information, call 789-5398.

A Taste of Home Cooking School
America's leading cooking school program will make its way to Northwest Arkansas on Oct. 16.

The Taste of Home’s Culinary Specialist, Jamie Dunn, will share her home cooking tips and tricks while demonstrating step-by-step recipes for the season’s best dishes. Guests will enjoy food sampling, free recipes, and door prizes.

"School" will be in-session at the Springdale Civic Center from 4:30 to 9 p.m. The cooking show will begin at 6:30 p.m.

General admission is $10, with special VIP passes available for $25. For more information, call 750-0871.

A Night at the Speakeasy
Junior Auxiliary of Rogers-Bentonville invites the community to have a "lollapalooza of a time" as it present its third annual A Night at the Speakeasy on Oct. 17.

Guests will enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres and desserts from P.F. Chang's China Bistro, as well as wine, beer and a signature cocktail. Live entertainment will be provided by Joe Giles and the Homewreckers. Speakeasy-goers will also have the chance to bid on a wide-array of items in the silent and live auctions.

The event will be held at a secret location (4074 Highway 112, Bentonville) from 7 p.m. to midnight. Individual tickets are $60 and may be purchased online. Tickets are limited. All proceeds support Junior Auxiliary and its community projects. For more information, call 678-863-2119.