March 11, 2005
*****
By Jim Taylor, travel writer
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

MENA -- Bluegrass music fans and many of its leading performers have become familiar with the Ouachita Mountains of west-central Arkansas through performance festivals held each June and October at the Turkey Track Bluegrass Park near Waldron. The warm reception bluegrass acts receive on Montgomery County's Front Porch Stage in downtown Mount Ida, in a music series held on Saturday nights from May into October, provides further evidence of the region's affection for the music.

Now the grass in the Ouachita Mountains is about to turn bluer still with the debut of the Ouachita Mountain Spring Bluegrass Festival on Thursday through Saturday, April 14-16. The inaugural event will host Louisiana Grass as its headline act and six other bands, representing Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Louisiana. Also appearing will be a guest comedian, Don Fowler, who performs as "Bandy, the Rodeo Clown."

The festival will be held at the Christian Motorcyclists Association's (CMA) pavilion and campground at Iron Mountain, located on U.S. 71 about seven miles south of Mena. The pavilion seats more than 6,000 indoors, which will allow the festival to continue in the event of rain. Lawn chairs are welcome.

Admission will be $7 on April 14 and $10 daily on April 15 and 16. A festival pass good for all three days will be $25. Children 12 and under will be admitted free. Young children must be attended at all times and a playground will be available.

Camping fees will be $15 daily for sites with electric hook-ups and $4 daily for rough camping. Campsites will be available on a first-come basis with no reservations taken. For more camping information, phone the CMA at (870) 389-6196. The CMA will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7 a.m. to close each day. Crafts vendors will be on hand.

An all-gospel night will kick off the festival on April 14. Following a 6 p.m. devotional, music will begin at 6:30 p.m. with The Roving Gamblers. Also set for that evening are the Mountain Bluegrass Boys at 7:15, Sweetwater at 8, The Duhon Boys at 8:45, and Lindley Creek Bluegrass at 9:30.

The rest of the schedule is as follows:

April 15, afternoon session: Roving Gamblers, 12:30 p.m.; Mountain Bluegrass Boys, 1:15, Lindley Creek, 2; Duhon Boys, 2:45; Outcast Bluegrass, 3:30; and Sweetwater, 4:15.

April 15, evening: Mountain Bluegrass Boys, 6 p.m.; Roving Gamblers, 6:45; Duhon Boys, 7:30; Outcast Bluegrass, 8:15; Sweetwater, 9; Lindley Creek, 9:45; and Louisiana Grass, 10:30.

April 16, morning: guest bands, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

April 16, afternoon: Sweetwater, 12:30 p.m.; Mountain Bluegrass Boys, 1:10; Roving Gamblers, 1:50; Lindley Creek, 2:30; Duhon Boys, 3:10; Outcast Bluegrass, 3:50; Louisiana Grass, 4:30.

April 16, evening: Boone Carlton’s Old-Time Fiddling, 6 p.m.; Sweetwater, 6:40; Outcast Bluegrass, 7:25; Duhon Boys, 8:10; Lindley Creek, 8:55; Roving Gamblers, 9:40; and Louisiana Grass, 10:25.

No alcoholic beverages will be allowed.

For more festival information, contact promoters Bob and Wanda Dowdy at 479-243-0577 or 479-437-4343. For information on lodging, restaurants and other services in the Mena area, visit www.gomenaarkansas.com or phone the Mena Advertising and Promotion Commission at (479) 394-8355.

 

Submitted by the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, (501) 682-7606
E-mail: info@arkansas.com

May be used without permission. Credit line is appreciated:
"Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism"
 

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