Running and Spring Break festivities fill Northwest Arkansas calendar

Spring is just around the corner and just in time for some of NWA's most anticipated events. Crystal Bridges will celebrate the season with a number of Spring Break specials. Other events will include the Bentonville Running Festival, the Hogeye Marathon, the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County's Youth of the Year celebration, and a battle of Blondes vs. Brunettes. 


Crystal Bridges Spring Break Specials
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art welcomes students and families to enjoy a full week of Spring Break programs March 21-29.

Inspired art will be the focus of many sessions, with guests invited to create starbursts, paper mosaics, "tutti-frutti" paintings, and other works.  Other activities will include slapstick circus, the popular StoneLion Puppet Theater, and a range of programs designed for all ages. Family tours will also be offered.

Activities are free and no registration is required. No Tuesday (March 24) activities will be offered, as the museum is closed. For more information, call 418-5700.

Bentonville Running Festival
The city of Bentonville will welcome runners of all ages and skills levels as it hosts the fifth annual Bentonville Running Festival on March 28. Events will include a Half Marathon, 5K, and Fun Run, as well as a Runner's Expo, Pasta Party and Post Race Celebrations.

Festivities will get underway on Friday (March 27) with the Runners Expo and Pasta Party. The expo and packet pick-up station will open at 10 a.m. at Bentonville High School's Athletic Complex Multi-Purpose Facility. Vendors featuring running gear, equipment, and information will be stationed throughout the complex.

The Pasta Party will begin at 6 p.m. and will feature guest speaker Craig Virgin. A former Olympian, Virgin serves as president and founder of Runners Inc., a sports marketing consulting company that specializes in running and fitness promotions.

Saturday morning will kick off in the Bentonville Square with the Half marathon,  relay, and 5k start at 7 a.m., followed by the fun-run at 7:10 a.m. Finisher medals and commemorative tech tees will be awarded to all half marathon participants, while all 5K and fun run participants will receive festival t-shirts.

A Post Race Celebration will also take place on the Bentonville Square. Awards will be presented on the Main Stage starting at 9 a.m. Registration for the various events ranges from $15 to $60. Participants can sign-up online. Proceeds from the festival will support local charities, including the Mercy Health Foundation of Northwest Arkansas, the Bentonville Rotary Club, and the Kendrick Fincher Hydration for Life.

Hogeye Marathon
Thousands will descend on the Fayetteville Square to take part in the 39th annual Hogeye Marathon on March 28 and 29. Festivities will span over two days and will include numerous races, a health and fitness expo, and the traditional pasta supper.

Registration and packet pick up will begin on March 28 at the Chancellor Hotel in Fayetteville, along with the Expo, which will offer athletic apparel, gear and marathon information. Both will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Pasta Dinner, featuring special guests Liz Ferro and Carrie Tollefson, will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. at the same location. The dinner is free to the first 50 registered runners and $10 after that for participants. Guests of the runner can attend for $15 and children for $5.. Payment will be accepted at the door in cash only.

The main events, including the marathon (26.2 miles), half-marathon (13.1 miles), four-person marathon relay, 5K (3.1 miles), and one-mile "fun walk," will take place on Sunday (March 29). The marathon, half-marathon, and relay will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by the 5k and fun walk at 7:40 a.m. Events will begin in the Fayetteville Square, with the finish line located in the Walton Arts Center Parking Lot on Dickson Street.

Fees vary by event. Participants may register online. For more information, visit the marathon's website.

Boys & Girls Club of Benton County Youth of the Year Celebration
The Boys & Girls Club of Benton County will recognize several of its outstanding members at its 2015 Youth of the Year event on April 2.

Presented by Kraft, the event is open to the community as a celebration of the "Great Futures" that get their start at the club. Honorees will include Boys & Girls Club super hero Youth of the Months and Youth of the Year, the highest honor bestowed on BGC members. The title recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community, Boys & Girls Club, as well as, personal challenges and obstacles that have been overcome.

Keynote speaker of the ceremony will be Ronnie Brewer, a former Razorback and NBA basketball player, and Club Alumni. It will be co-hosted by Michelle Gloeckler and Shawn Baldwin.

The celebration will be held at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, but registration is required.  For more information, contact  Carrie Wilson at [email protected]

Blondes vs. Brunettes
The Alzheimer’s Association’s will host a battle of Blondes vs. Brunettes on April 4.

Two teams of women will compete in a flag football game to help raise awareness and funds in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. Players will collect donations online in the weeks prior in support of their participation and to benefit the cause before taking part in the classic rivalry game.

The showdown will take place at Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club, located at 560 Rupple Road in Fayetteville. It will begin at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Brittney Gulley at 273-5559.