What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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ELIZABETH GREEN NWA Democrat-Gazette W hile there are plenty of rodeos to attend in Northwest Arkansas this season, residents and visitors will also have the chance to explore other, rodeo-related activities in the area. Such activities range from attending competitions outside of the rodeo to visiting local museums. Rodeos only have time for a certain number of athletes to perform. For those overflow performers who don't make it into the actual show, there is the "slack" rodeo. The slack performance lacks the lights, sounds and concessions, but this can make the event seem like a more authentic rodeo experience. The Rodeo of the Ozarks' slack competition will begin at 5 p.m. June 25 at Parsons Stadium. Admission is free, and the performance can provide guests with a taste of what is to come during the main event, according to the rodeo's website. The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History traces the rodeo's history back to early 20th century Springdale in its online exhibit titled "Rodeo Days." The exhibit features several photo galleries depicting moments from these rodeos; they also include pictures of some early rodeo leaders and organizers, such as John Tyson and Don Harp. "For most folks, rodeos were a grand community entertainment in the days when entertainment options were few and far between," says Marie Demeroukas, the photo archivist and research librarian for the Springdale museum. The museum also offers guests a look into the settlement and development of the Arkansas Ozarks in its permanent exhibits, such as "Settling the Ozarks" and "Modern Times." Demeroukas says the museum is a popular spot for those wishing to learn more about the history of Northwest Arkansas. "Because we have so many wonderful objects and interpretive labels on display, folks can easily get a sense of what this area was like at different points in time and learn how the past shaped the present," Demeroukas says. The museum features other online exhibits, as well, including one that focuses on the roles animals have played in the history of Northwest Arkansas, as labor, food, entertainment and companionship. Another event that takes the rodeo into the community is the Miss Rodeo of the Ozarks competition. Young women who are between the ages of 15 and 24 and are residents of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri or Kansas are eligible to compete for the title. Tiffany Vaughan was crowned Miss Rodeo of the Ozarks in 1999, and she says that, in order to win, she performed in horsemanship, modeling and speech 38 WHAT'S UP! JUNE 23-29, 2019 Rodeo Around Town Exhibits, parade take event into community Courtesy Shiloh Museum of Ozark History / Steve Thompson Collection Among rodeo photos recently acquired by the Shiloh Museum are this bull rider captured on film at Parsons Stadium on July 4, 1955, by photographer Gene Thompson. SPRINGDALE FAQ Rodeo of the Ozarks WHEN — Gates open at 6 p.m. June 26-29 WHERE — Parsons Stadium in Springdale COST — $7-$38 INFO — 756-0464, rodeo oftheozarks.org See Rodeo Page 40