What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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"Kinky Boots." On Sept. 19, the series moved north to the AMP where, on National Talk Like a Pirate Day, swashbucklers and scalawags could see "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" on the big screen once again. "We're excited to be able to offer film during this time, and it's so much fun to be able to curate these," Jennifer Ross, director of programming at the WAC, said of Saturday Cinema. "They're not off-the-wall films, but they're films that people may not have heard of." At the same time, musicians and music lovers were itching to get their live music fix — but in a safe way. Awakening Events offered a solution a few other artists and tour producers also initiated: drive-in concerts. TobyMac, one of the biggest names in contemporary Christian music, set out last summer not just for a single drive- in concert, but for an entire tour. "A few Saturday nights every summer my family and I head to a local drive-in movie theater. We always love it," TobyMac enthused. "When we started discussing live shows in this quarantine season and the idea of playing drive-ins came up … I said, 'Let's gooooo!' It feels like summer, safe for everybody, and we all get to enjoy live music again. We 'bout to make some memories." Walmart also announced in August the creation of temporary drive-in theaters in the parking lots of its retail stores through mid-October. "We recognize the challenges our customers and their families have faced over the last few months, and we wanted to create an experience where they could come together safely to create new memories," said Janey Whiteside, Walmart's chief customer officer, of the free events. "The Walmart Drive-in is one small way we're supporting the communities we serve." Ozark Folk Festival Takes The High Road It was supposed to be a blow-out celebration of the 73rd year of the Ozark Folk Festival in Eureka Springs. But with covid-19 concerns, planners had to get creative. "The Folk Festival was not the same," admits Gina Rambo, interim director of the Eureka Springs City Advertising & Promotion Commission, "missing our headline show in the Aud, Queen's contest, Hedgehoppers (the third- graders learn a dance every year) and folk fair in the park." What Eureka Springs was able to do was take music outdoors — but not to Basin Park. "The mayor's office is not allowing Basin Park permits through the end of the year — and most likely first quarter 2021 — so we weren't able to put music in the bandshell like we did every month, so that was greatly missing from downtown," Rambo says. Instead, starting in mid-August and running through the Folk Festival weekend in November, music went "overhead." "We did put music on several balconies up above Spring Street and Main Street Thursday through Saturday to give our guests some of that great Eureka Springs atmosphere that they were missing," Rambo says. "People were able to enjoy the sounds while walking up and down the streets, but we were keeping things safe without drawing a crowd. "We used all local musicians," she adds, "which also helped them since their usual gigs were not happening. We were glad we were able to do something, but we sure missed our traditional events." Outdoor Refreshment Areas The Latest Trend It started as a way for people in Fayetteville to enjoy drinks on the go downtown — and then along came the pandemic. And the idea of an "Outdoor Refreshment Area" blew up. The pilot program for the Outdoor Refreshment Area kicked off at 10 a.m. July 22, NWA Democrat-Gazette Fayetteville reporter Stacy Ryburn wrote on Aug. 25. "Since then, more than 65,000 green-striped, compostable cups have gone out the doors of nearly 50 downtown bars and restaurants, Economic Vitality Director Devin Howland said." Ryburn explained that state law enacted in 2019 "allows cities to create entertainment districts where people can drink outside within a boundary." Fayetteville adopted its ordinance in June, while Springdale, Fort Smith, Eureka Springs and Rogers were also considering the question. In Fayetteville, customers can buy drinks on the go from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The boundary roughly covers Watson Street to the north, to East Avenue, to Mountain and Prairie streets to the south and West Avenue and Powerhouse Alley to the west. "The ordinance allowing outdoor drinking was coupled with a measure enabling businesses to use public parking spaces or their private property as sit-down space," Ryburn explained. "Parklets began popping up along Dickson Street this summer, replacing otherwise empty parking spaces with stools and benches enclosed in short fencing. Businesses such as Big Box Karaoke and Maxine's on Block Avenue turned the vacant spaces near their doors into picnic-like spots for drinking." In addition to drinks and food outdoors, Ryburn reported, George's Majestic Lounge used the Outdoor Refreshment Area to bring music back to Dickson Street. The establishment turned the parking area west of the building into a makeshift space with a small stage and speaker system, with tables set a safe distance apart and enough room to play Baggo. "We're trying to find a pulse in the old girl again," said owner Brian Crowne. Springdale City Council approved its "Outdoor Dining District" on Aug. 11 and it opened Aug. 14. Restaurants will serve drinks for the district from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday to Sunday. Fort Smith will have outdoor entertainment districts downtown and in the Chaffee Crossing Historic Area. And Rogers is discussing its options. Only Eureka Springs said "no" to outdoor drinking. On Nov. 3, voters rejected a permanent entertainment district 641-518. "I'm disappointed that the concept of an outdoor entertainment district that would allow people to drink alcohol outside of an establishment was defeated," Eureka Springs Mayor Butch Berry told NWADG reporter Bill Bowden. "I thought it was an element that would help the tourism, especially in these pandemic times." 125 E. Locust St • Rogers, AR • 479-636-4151 www.garnerbuildingsupply.com BARGAINS of the MONTH ® 29.99 DeWALT® 100 pc. Drill/Drive Bit Set Ideal for most drilling and driving needs. Includes carrying case. R 264 992 B10 YOUR CHOICE 14.99 Energizer® Max 24 pk. AA or AAA Batteries Holds power for up to 10 years while in storage. E 221 452, 453 B12 E 171 831; 703 423, 437 B8 8 pk. 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