HOBBS STATE PARK-CONSERVATION CENTER EVENTS

Hobbs State Park’s Fall Festival

A host of fun, family-orientated events will take place at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area Sunday, Oct. 6, for the annual Fall Festival. Activities will take place at both Historical Van Winkle Hollow and the Park’s visitor center. Bring the entire family to learn about how it was done in the past. Please park at the visitor center parking lot on Highway 12 just east of the Highway 12/War Eagle Road intersection. A free shuttle will run constantly from 1 to 4 p.m. between the visitor center and Historic Van Winkle Trail. All of these family activities are free and the public is welcome.

Schedule for Historic Van Winkle Hollow — 1 to 4 p.m. — Blacksmith demonstration; early food preservation; old-timey games; music; stone tool making demonstration; Van Winkle historical presentation; pearling (button making); mountain woman; Ozark Chinquapin and dowsing demonstration; civil war soldier; Dutch oven demonstration; “Snake Oil” salesman; pioneer homesteader; tall tales tellers and bow maker.

Schedule for Visitor Center — 1 to 4 p.m. — See craft demonstrations from weavers, tatters, spinners and smockers; educational “tabletop” demonstrations; music and short hikes.

Fun with Mother Nature

We hear about our great friend Mother Nature, but at Hobbs State Park you can actually see her the second Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m. all year. Her favorite thing to do is to read nature-related stories of the forest and the animals that live there. Storytime will be followed by “hands-on” nature-craft activities. Children of all ages are welcome, however, most stories will target children 3-6 years of age.

Mother Nature visits and reading subjects for this year include: Sept. 14 — Autumn in the Woods: Preparing for Winter; Oct. 12 — Bats: Not Really Scary; Nov. 9 — It’s Turkey Time and Dec. 14 — Who Goes There? Footprints and Animal Signs

Park Visitor Center

For additional information on Hobbs programs, trails, picnicking or meeting room rental and the Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area Visitor Center, contact the park at 479-789-5000. The visitor center is located on Arkansas Highway 12, just east of the War Eagle Road intersection.

To learn more about upcoming Friends of Hobbs speakers and other park programs, go to www.friendsofhobbs.com and www.ArkansasStateParks.com/ hobbsstateparkconservationarea.