Northwest Arkansas kicks off the year with Paint the Town Red and Scrabble Wars

The year may have just started, but the calendar is quickly filling up with great events in Northwest Arkansas. The coming weeks will include an Electric Art Forum at Crystal Bridges, a Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet, Texas Hold'em and Scrabble tournaments, and NWA's Paint the Town Red.

Crystal Bridges Electric Art Forum
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will showcase "the shift in modern technology" as its presents an Electric Art Forum on Jan. 17.

Free and open to the public, the event will include opportunities for family members of all ages to join in discussions with artists featured in "State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now" who are experimenting with light, projections, machines, video, and sound art in a variety of ways. Artists will include  Adam Belt, Dave Greber, Nate Larson, Susie Lee, Danial Nord, Marni Shindelman, and Carl Jo Williams, along with local talents Craig Colorrusso and Donna Smith.

A meet and greet with the artists will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Panel discussions will follow, with a break for lunch from 2 to 3 p.m.

Guests wanting to get the party started a little early can make their way to the Electronic Lab Dance Party the night before the forum. Held in the museum's Great Hall, the night will include a VJ show by State of the Art artist Dave Greber, partnered with guest DJ Abboriginal. The dance will be held from 8 to10:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Registration is required for both the forum and dance party. For more information, call 657-2335.

MLK Day 19th Annual Recommitment Banquet
The NWA Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Council will host a "Banquet fit for a King," with its 19th annual Recommitment Banquet on Jan. 19.

The event will include several award presentations, including the awarding of MLK Scholarships. Keith Jackson, Football Color Analyst for the Arkansas Razorbacks Sports Network and President of P.A.R.K. Inc. in Little Rock, will serve as the keynote speaker. 2015 Salute to Greatness honorees will also be recognized for their outstanding service to the community.

The banquet will be held at the Fayetteville Town Center, beginning at 7 p.m. General admission is $30 and $25 for students. Tickets can be purchased online. For more information, call 575-4825.

Texas Hold'em Tournament benefiting Boys &Girls Club of Benton County

The Boys & Girls Club of Benton County invites guests to go "all in" as it hosts its annual Texas Hold'em Tournament on Jan. 24.

Featuring big games and big payouts, the tournament will give participants the chance to win nearly $5,000 in prizes. Registration will begin at 11 a.m., with games starting at 12:30 p.m. Play will continue until 5 p.m. Lunch, snacks, and beverages will be provided.

The tournament will be held at Avondale, located at 2005 E. Central Ave. in Bentonville. Early bird entry is $90 and door entry is $100 per player. Teams and individuals can register online. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County. For more information, call 273-7187.

NWA Paint the Town Red
The American Heart Association invites everyone to "party with a purpose" as it hosts its annual Paint the Town Red event on Jan. 24.

Held at the Fayetteville Town Center, the event will include great food, drinks, auctions, and more. Doors will open at 7 p.m. with the kick off of the silent auction. Work by a number of local artists will be featured at the event including Beckett Byars, Eli Mathis, Eli Mathis, Sasha Rayevskiy, and Tolik Rayevskiy. A number of uniquely painted cars also be on display for guests to browse.

"Almost Famous" will take the stage shortly after doors open, giving visitors the chance to enjoy live music and dance. The formal program will follow at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $75 and can be purchased online. For more information, call 439-6800.

Scrabble Wars
It will be an all-out word battle as the Literacy Council of Benton County presents its 8th annual Scrabble Wars on Jan. 24.

Hosted at the Double Tree Suites in Bentonville, the evening will kick off with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. Teams will then compete in games of Scrabble for the chance to win awards and prizes beginning at 6:30 p.m. Participants will have the option of playing against "traditional" or "dubious" teams. An All-American dinner will also be served.
Guests will have the chance to bid on a wide-array of items in the premier silent auction, which will feature more than $15,000 in items from local businesses and autographed books.

Individual tickets are $60, or $50 if bought before Jan. 10.  Tickets and tables can be purchased online. For more information, call 273-3846.