3 Arkansas Festivals This Weekend: Grapes, Peaches and Cardboard Boats
Take a road trip around the state this weekend (July 25-27) and hit one or more of these free festivals! Peaches will reign in Clarksville, grapes are the main event in Altus and Heber Springs hosts the world championships for cardboard boat racing!
75th Annual Johnson County Peach Festival in Clarksville: Plan to stay all day Friday to attend events, such as a diaper derby, helicopter tours, bicycle obstacle course, the Kids' Zone with inflatables and skateboard contest, as well as a peach cobbler, jam and jelly bake-off, and a peach pie eating contest. Live entertainment begins at 7 p.m. followed by the free street dance featuring "On The Verge." The 4-mile run kicks off Saturday activities followed by various events including a fishing derby, greased pig chase, frog jump, terrapin derby, peach eating contest, and cardboard boat regatta. The parade begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a concert featuring The Diplomats and a street dance featuring a local D.J. On Sunday there will be a Horseshoe tournament. The festival takes place July 24-26. For info, click here or visit the festival Facebook page here. FREE!
31st Annual Altus Grape Festival in Altus City Park: Celebrate the grape in the Arkansas Wine Capital. On Friday evening, enjoy a street dance until 11 p.m. Visitors can witness a public grape stomp competition both days of the festival. Saturday features an amateur wine competition, grape pie-eating contest, kids' water balloon toss, live music, and lots of grape-related games. 5-11 p.m. July 25, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. July 26. For info: AltusGrapeFestival.com. Admission FREE!
28th Annual World Championship Cardboard Boat Races in Heber Springs: Cardboard boats of all shapes and sizes compete for speed and design at Sandy Beach in Heber Springs! The race begins at 10 a.m. and various awards are given to competing teams. The Captain's Award is given to the most creative team and boat, and engineering marvels compete for the Pride of the Fleet Award. There is even a Titanic Award for the Most Dramatic Sinking. Visitors will also enjoy food vendors, a watermelon eating contest (11 a.m.), and a treasure dig for kids (10 a.m.). 10 a.m.-3 p.m. July 26. For info: Heber-Springs.com. Race day registration $50 for 1-2 people, $55 per team; parking $5; spectators FREE!
For more weekend events, browse our full online calendar here.