Scene by Carson: Things to do in May

Editor’s note: Amanda Carson graduated from Ole Miss where she wore a cocktail dress and high heels to football games at which tailgating was conducted in a tent adorned with a chandelier. Prior to this she attended a private school in Memphis at which Southern manners and etiquette were stressed — which does not explain her football game decisions. Anyway, Amanda will attempt to infuse her Southern experiences, exposure and education into the arts and entertainment scene in the Fort Smith/Van Buren region.

If you have not yet floated away, then you must be aching for some activities to get you out of the house. Honestly, I don’t know how people in Seattle do it. Well, we are not in Seattle, we are in the Fort Smith area and here are some events to help shake off the rain and send spring out with a bang.

May 7
I know everyone is moving toward a Kindle or iPad, but there is still nothing quite like holding a book; the smell of the paper, the feel of the hardback, and the sound of turning a page. Not so far in the distant future, books may become obsolete, so get them while you can. The Fort Smith Public Library is holding its Annual Friends of the Library Used Book Sale. The May sale will be mostly Fiction and the August sale will be mostly Non-Fiction. Paperbacks sell for only $.25 and most hardbacks are $1; you can’t even get a coke that cheap anymore!  Event lasts all day Saturday. Call 783-0229 for more information.

May 7
6 to 11 p.m.
What do Fort Smith and the Caribbean have in common? Nothing. That’s why the 9th Annual A Night in the Caribbean will be such a fun night; a mini vacation as it were. You might forget you are in Fort Smith while drinking fresh mojitos, dining on Caribbean cuisine and listening to the music of Grupo Salsabor. And of course the event is for a good cause. It will benefit the Gregory Kistler Center for Children. There will also be a cash drawdown, as well as wonderful live and silent auction items to bid on. Emcee will be KFSM-TV’s Daren Bobb, and the event will be held at Golden Living and tickets are $60. Call 479-785-4677 or visit the Kistler Center website to get your tickets.

May 12
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Is it true that April showers bring May flowers? Absolutely, and you can see them at the May Flowers Ladies Luncheon along with many other lovely things. Enjoy a fashion show with wonderful pieces from local boutiques while being serenaded with live harp music and served a delicious lunch. Tickets are only $25 and a perfect gift for Mother’s Day. Proceeds will benefit the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum. Luncheon will be held in Adelaide Hall, above Varsity. Call 784-2787 or visit the Art Museum’s website to make your reservation.

May 12
5 p.m.
The First Tee of Fort Smith is having an open house so you can check out the facility and learn more about the fun opportunities for your kids. Attendance is free and there will be door prizes, free small bucket of balls and free rounds of golf given out. And if you purchase a membership at the event you will also receive a special gift. If interested in being a volunteer First Tee coach there will a coaches training at 6 p.m. For more information or any interest in being a volunteer visit the First Tee website or call 479-648-9833. The First Tee is located at 5800 Geren Road in Fort Smith.

May 14
9 a.m.
Parents get your kids away from the computers and cell phones and take them out in the fresh air for some good old fashioned dirty fun at Wild Things Farm 5th Annual Kids Fishing Tournament. Open to ages 16 and under, there will be prizes awarded in several categories. Take your own rod, reel and bait. Event is free. Registration starts at 9 a.m. and event is from 10 a.m. to Noon. Wild Things Farm is in Pocola, Okla. Call (918) 626-4053 or visit the website for more information and directions.

May 14
Another unique outing that would be nice for Mother’s Day is a movie and a picnic in the garden. Eat a delicious picnic, pray for clear skies and love watching “Eat, Pray, Love.” Don’t forget your blanket and chairs and to get there early. The show starts at dusk at Mother Earth’s Community garden, located at North 9th and North D Street. Call 285-0148 or visit the website for more details.

May 18
1 p.m.
Golf and politics, what man doesn’t love both? And what man could resist them put together? The 18th Annual Jack White Legislative Golf Classic provides this opportunity. The event offers a unique networking opportunity with many of Arkansas’s legislators and community leaders, while playing a round of golf. That’s right, you get 18 holes to bend an official’s ear about subjects you are interested in and they are stuck with you. Entry fee is $175 per person or teams are available as well. The four-person, shotgun scramble will be at Fianna Hills Country Club. Call Casey McKinley to get your spot reserved, 783-3111 or visit the chamber website for more information.

May 19
6 to 9 p.m.
Everyone has a soft spot for puppies and cute kitties, but that doesn’t mean we want them overrunning the streets. Attend the 2nd Annual Petropolitan, a River Valley Animal Welfare Coalition benefit for Kitties and Kanines Spray/Neuter Clinic. There will be hors d’oeuvres and wonderful live auction items. Tickets are $50 and the event will be held at the Booneville House. Call 648-8088 or 651-2158 to make your reservations. And in the words of Bob Barker “Don’t forget to have you pet spayed or neutered.”

May 23
7 p.m.
If you are a National Geographic fan, boy is there a great event for you. The Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville presents National Geographic Live: Annie Griffiths, Photographer. Griffiths was one of the first women photographers to work for National Geographic, has photographed in more than 100 countries and received several photography awards for her work. Go view the world from her point of view. Tickets are only $10 or free with Artosphere festival pass. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit the Walton Arts Center website for more information.

Feedback
Even though she graduated from Ole Miss, Amanda is comfortable using e-mail. You can reach her at [email protected]