First taste of fall

This month starts with Labor Day, ends with a job fair, but in between are festivities fueled by Beatles, bacon, barbecue and more

September is the month when fall is in the air — when spring and summer allergy seasons give way to the refreshing change of fall allergy season. Labor Day is a day to quit laboring, and College Savings Month comes too late to start saving. The best thing to do is spend the entire month asleep in a pile of leaves.

1 Fall Hat Month, Happy Cat Month, National Head Lice Prevention Month: The Cat in the Cap Cried out, “Here’s what I fear: These things on my head Won’t quit biting my ear. They’ll nip, and they’ll gnaw, And they’ll chew- chew- chew- chew — Thing one, and thing two, Three, four, five … the whole crew.”

REINS ON THE PARADE

National Championship Chuckwagon Races and related activities through Sept. 6. at the Eoff ranch, Clinton. Chuck wagon races are Sept. 4- 6. Details at chuckwagonraces.com. Call ( 501) 745- 8407.

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

TheatreSquared production, Amadeus, through Sept. 20 at Nadine Baum Studios, Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville. Details at theatre2. org. Call ( 479) 4456333.

BENCH WARRANT

Comedy A Bench in the Sun through Oct. 3 at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, Little Rock. Details at murrysdp.com. Call ( 501) 562- 3131.

SUNNY SIDE UP

2 How to celebrate Better Breakfast Month: with a toast.

IDOL INTEREST

3 Kelly Clarkson, 7 p. m. at Verizon Arena, North Little Rock. Details at verizonarena. com. Call ( 800) 7453000.

OH, SNAP!

Community Theatre of Little Rock drama Deathtrap through Sept. 6 and Sept. 10- 13 at The Studio Theatre. Details at ctlr- act. org. Call ( 501) 410- 2283.

SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS

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Newspaper Carrier Day: the ultimate fling. Drama Two Trains Running through Sept. 5 at The Weekend Theater, Little Rock. Details at weekendtheater.org. Call ( 501) 374- 3761.

BLUES GENES

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Legendary Blues Festival, motorcycle rally and barbecue cook- off, Helena. Details at force3radio.com. Call ( 870) 572- 9506.

PIN- UP BEAUTIES

Clothesline Fair through Sept. 7 at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park near Fayetteville. Details at acozarks.org. Call ( 479) 846- 2990.

STREAMING VIDEO

Remember the Titans, part of the Movies on the River series of free shows outdoors on Saturday nights through Oct. 24 at Camden Riverwalk Amphitheater, Camden. Details at camden. ar. gov. Call ( 870) 837- 5500.

HOLD- UP MAN TAKES THE CAKE

Train robber Jesse James’ birthday, 1847.

A MAN, A VAN, A PLAN

6 MidSouth Econoline Meet, van and truck show at the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton. Details at museumofautos.com. Call ( 501) 727- 5427.

SCOOPY DO

Ice cream social, 2- 4 p. m. at the Fort Smith Museum of History. Details at fortsmithmuseum.com. Call ( 479) 7837841.

WEEKEND WANDER 7

Labor Day.

COMB, SWEET COMB 8

National Honey Month — it’s the

bee’s knees.

WEST COAST ROAST

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California admission day, 1850.

California admits the state is entirely an illusion from Industrial Light & Magic.

READY OR NOT

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National Preparedness Month.

Prepare to make sense of the indispensable Southern term, “fixin’ to,” which means just about ready to get ready. Some people are born ready, and some are born fixin’ to.

“Seeming to do is not doing.” — Thomas A. Edison, clueless Northerner.

BOOK LIGHT

Shine a Light on Literacy, 6- 9 p. m. at Albert Pike Masonic Center, Little Rock, benefits Literacy Action of Central Arkansas. Details at literacylittlerock.org. Call ( 501) 372- 7323.

ALL THAT JAZZ

Jazz Eureka Festival with Beto and the Fairlanes, Joey DeFrancesco through Sept. 13 at various venues, Eureka Springs. Details at jazzeureka.org. Call ( 479)

253- 7333.

Kickoff to Men’s Health free screenings, 5- 8 p. m. Sept. 10

at Arkansas Urology and Epoch Health in Little Rock, 5- 8 p. m. Sept . 24 at the clinic’s North Little Rock location. Details at arkansasurology.com. Call ( 501) 2198900.

BEAR NECESSITIES

11 Mountain Man Rendezvous and Native American Day through Sept. 12, Calico Rock. Details at calicorockmuseum.com. Call ( 870) 297- 6100.

SOAR SUBJECTS

Hot Air Balloon State Championship through Sept. 13, Harrison. Details at arkansasballoonfest.com. Call ( 870) 741- 2659.

PUTT- PUTTERANCES

Tired Iron Tractor and Engine Show through Sept. 13, Gentry near Fayetteville. Details at tiredironoftheozarks.org. Call ( 479) 787- 6982.

BLANKET INVITATION

12 Ozark Quilt Fair, 10 a. m.- 2 p. m. at Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, Springdale. Details at shilohmuseum.org. Call ( 479) 750- 8165.

ENGINES OF CHANGE

Antique Tractor and Engine Show, 9 a. m.- 4 p. m. at the Plantation Agriculture Museum, Scott. Call ( 501) 961- 1409.

Steppin’ Out with the Side Street Steppers, 2 p. m. at Elizabeth’s Restaurant, Batesville, benefits the Ozark Foothills FilmFest. Details at ozarkfoothillsfilmfest. org. Call ( 870) 251- 1189.

POT BOILER

13 How to celebrate National Rice Month: Go with the grain. ANOTHER BIG FLAP OVER SONG

LYRICS

14 Francis Scott Key writes “The Star- Spangled Banner,” 1814.

CHINGACHGOOK BY THE BOOK

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The Last of the Mohicans author James Fenimore Cooper’s birthday, 1789.

PATHFINDER

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How to celebrate National Wilderness Month: mano- a- moccasin.

“Every trail has its end, and every calamity brings its lesson!” — James

Fenimore Cooper

GEORGE WASHINGTON SIGNED HERE

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Constitution Week celebrates the 228th birthday of the U. S. Constitution, signed on this date in 1787.

MEOW REMIX

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Puss in Boots through Oct. 4 at Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre, Little Rock. Details at arkarts. com. Call ( 501) 372- 4000.

FRIENDS ALL ABOARD

Beatles at the Ridge Music Festival, music and Fab Four memorabilia, Octopus Garden children’s play area, through Sept. 19, downtown Walnut Ridge. Details at beatlesattheridge.com. Call ( 501) 412- 6497.

PICKER UPPERS

Bella Rustina Modern Vintage Market and antiques through Sept. 20 at War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock. Details at bellarustina.com. Call ( 501) 230- 5728.

OINK AND SIZZLE

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Little Rock Bacon Fest,

bacon cooking and bacon eating contests at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds, Little Rock. Details at arkansasstatefair.com. Call ( 501) 372- 8341.

DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE Legends of Arkansas music and arts, Riverfront Park, Little Rock. Details at legendsofarkansas.com. Call ( 870) 540- 9867.

SAUCY ENTERTAINMENT

Hot Springs Blues and BBQ Festival through Sept. 20 with Los Lonely Boys and Keb’ Mo’ at Oaklawn park. Details at hsbluesbbq.com. Call ( 501) 623- 4411.

HELLO, YOUNG LUBBERS

International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and what to say in landlocked Arkansas: Arr!- kansas! Jolly Rogers. Avast, me proud Brinkley.

SHE BOOM

20 International Women’s Friendship Month.

MESSAGE LITE

21 Subliminal Communications Month: It’s not what you say — it’s how you don’t say it.

TUITION ATTRITION

22 The lesson in College Savings Month: The cost of a Ph. D. makes savings go PfT.

WEIGHT AND SEE

23 LIBRA ( Sept. 23- Oct. 23): Is today your birthday? If so, no fair holding your thumb on the scales. You share this weighed and balanced month with fellow Libra- tarians Bruce Springsteen, 65, Sept. 23; Serena Williams, 33, Sept. 26, and Jerry Lee Lewis, 79. Sept. 29.

RAKES AND PAINS

First day of fall, when nature turns over an old leaf.

JALOPY CONJUNCTION

Petit Jean Fall Swap Meet, Open Car Show and Military Vehicle Rally through Sept. 26 at the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton. Details at museumofautos.com. Call ( 501) 727- 5427.

RIB MEET

Bikes, Blues & BBQ through Sept. 26 on Dickson Street, Fayetteville. Details at bikesbluesandbbq.org. Call ( 479) 527- 9993.

POOF AND CONSEQUENCES

24 Maxwell Blade’s Festival of Magic through Sept. 27, performers including Bizzaro the Optical Illusionist at various venues including Maxwell Blade’s Theatre of Magic and Comedy, Hot Springs. Details at hotsprings. org. Call ( 501) 623- 6200.

TO BE OR NOT GATSBY

The Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s birthday, 1896.

FAIR’S FAIR

25 Arkansas- Oklahoma State Fair through Oct. 3 at Kay Rodgers Park, Fort Smith. Details at arkansasoklahomafair.com. Call ( 479) 783- 6176.

PHANTOM TOLL BOOTH

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Arkansas Paranormal Expo, 9 a. m.- 5 p. m. at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, Little Rock. Details at arkansasparanormalexpo.com. Call ( 501) 376- 4602.

CHOO- CHOO WHO’S WHO

Depot Days Festival with Ace Cannon, Sonny Burgess and Ricochet in Newport. Details at depotdays.org. Call ( 870) 523- 3618.

IVORIES TOWER

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra season opener concert featuring Grieg’s Piano Concerto and pianist Jon Kimura Parker through Sept. 27 at Maumelle Performing Arts Center, Maumelle. Details at arkansassymphony. com. Call ( 501) 666- 1761.

STABLE ENTERPRISE

Business and Professional Women’s Barn Sale at Tate Barn, Camden. Details at bpwbarnsale.org. Call ( 870) 836- 6426.

Ozark Memories Day, pancake breakfast and parade in Dover, north of Russellville. Details at doverchamber.net. Call ( 479) 264- 0622.

SPORE BOYS MAKE GOOD

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National Mushrooms Month

— and the morel of the story: A mycologist is a fun guy with fungi.

TABOO TO BOO A BOOK

Arkansas Literary Festival observance of Banned Books Week, Sept. 27- Oct. 3, celebrating Alice Walker’s

novel The Color Purple. Screening of the movie version at 6: 30 p. m. Sept. 30 at Ron Robinson Theater, Little Rock. Details at cals. org. Call ( 501) 918- 3098.

WIN ONE FOR THE SNIPPER

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Coupon Month celebrates the alltime champion coupon clipper: Edward Scissorhands.

Better Community Development Recovery Jam celebrates overcoming drug and alcohol abuse, 4- 8 p. m. at the River Market pavilions, Little Rock. Call ( 501) 663- 7221.

HIRE ENGINE

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Arkansas Democrat- Gazette Job

Fair, 10 a. m.- 3 p. m. at the Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock. Details at jobfair. arkansasonline. com. Call ( 501) 378- 3807.

NO BRAG, JUST FAX

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Update Your Resume Month,

and how to make career setbacks sound good to a prospective employer:

Reprimanded: “Compared to the highest achievers.”

Caught embezzling: “Gave back to the company.”

Fired: “Gone the extra mile.”

Coming next month: October! Call ( 501) 399- 3633, write to Ron Wolfe, Arkansas

Democrat- Gazette, 121 E. Capitol Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72203, or e- mail

rwolfe@arkansasonline.com

by Sept. 15 to suggest October calendar entries or how to celebrate October as Squirrel Awareness and Appreciation Month, such as: bright- eyed, bushy tailed and no nuttier than most. Each event requires a phone number that is answered during business hours or by an answering machine that identifi es the event or its sponsor.