this week’s EVENTS

MONDAY

Toddler Story Time

BENTON — Toddler Story Time for ages 1 to 3 will take place at 10 a.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. The session features songs, rhymes, flannel stories, board books and fun with instruments.

Play to Learn: Baby/Toddler

BENTON — Play to Learn: Baby/ Toddler for ages 2 and younger will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Fun, meaningful and developmentally appropriate activities will be provided.

Classic Games: Rummikub

BENTON — The Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library will offer Classic Games: Rummikub at 1 p.m. for ages 18 and older to learn the tile game Rummikub.

Makerspace Mondays

BRYANT — Makerspace Mondays, for third- through sixth-graders, will meet at 4 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library. Participants explore hands-on activities in the Makerspace, including art, engineering, coding and more.

TUESDAY

Mother Goose on the Loose

BENTON — The Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library will offer Mother Goose on the Loose, a national earlyliteracy program for children from birth to 3 years old, at 10:30 a.m. Songs, rhymes, puppets and instruments are used to foster language development, gross and fine motor skills, and confidence.

Preschool Story Time

BENTON — The Mabel Boswell Memorial Library will offer Preschool Story Time at 10:30 a.m. for children ages 3 to 5. They will learn earlyliteracy concepts through stories, songs and activities.

Storm Jars at Paron

PARON — The Paron Community Center will offer Storm Jars at Paron at 1:30 p.m. for ages 18 and older to learn the basic techniques of making a Storm Jar. These will include candles for the stormy days ahead.

Master Builder Challenge

BENTON — Master Builder Challenge will meet at 4 p.m. for kindergartners through third-graders at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. They will be given a building challenge and construct creations with Legos, Keva Planks, Magna-Tiles and more.

Tween Tuesdays

BENTON — Tween Tuesdays, for grades four through seven, takes place at 4 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Participants will create art, play games and build things, with a different activity each week.

Teen Art Club

BENTON — The Teen Art Club, for grades seven through 12, will meet at 4 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Artists of all skill levels are invited to paint, doodle and sculpt. Snacks will be provided.

Teen Cooking Club

BRYANT — The Teen Cooking Club, for grades seven through 12, will meet at 4 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library to learn fun and easy cooking techniques.

Open Makerspace

BENTON/BRYANT — All ages are invited to hang out in the Makerspace from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library in Benton and from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library in Bryant to create projects.

Evening Story Time

BENTON — The Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library offers an Evening Story Time, designed especially for ages 2 to 5, from 5:30-6. The fun session helps children develop literacy skills with stories and songs. All children are welcome.

SCL Writers

BENTON — The Saline County Library Writers, for ages 18 and older, meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Participants discuss their experiences in the writing world and have fun with words.

English Language Class

BENTON — The Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library offers an English Language Class for all ages from 7-7:45 p.m. Everyone is welcome to learn English and practice English conversation.

WEDNESDAY

Home-School Hour

BENTON — A Home-School Hour will take place at 10:30 a.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. There will be separate classes, with a variety of activities, for ages 4 to 5, 6 to 8, 9 to 11, and 12 t0 18.

Making It Wednesday

BENTON — Adults ages 18 and older are invited to Making It Wednesday from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. There will be a new feature project each week, but attendees are free to go off-project. All projects will be appropriate for beginners, with options to add more advanced techniques for more experienced crafters.

Crafting With a Cause

BENTON — Crafting With a Cause is an intergenerational program that invites adults and children ages 10 and older to knit, crochet or loom knit from 3:30-5 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. The group is focusing on knitting hats and scarves to add to the library’s Warming Tree.

Musical World Tour

BRYANT — Children in kindergarten through the second grade are invited to explore music from various regions and learn musical concepts at 4 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library. The session will include dancing, creating, drawing and games.

Teen Maker Club

BRYANT — Youth in grades seven through 12 are invited to paint, draw, program and more at 4 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library.

THURSDAY

Baby and Me Story Time

BRYANT — Children up to 18 months old and their caregivers are invited to the Baby and Me Story Time from 9:30-10 a.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library. The event encourages early growth and development through talking, singing and playing.

Preschool Story Time

BENTON — The Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library offers a Preschool Story Time for ages

3 to 5 at 10:30 a.m. to prepare them for kindergarten with songs, stories, crafts and other activities.

Toddler Story Time

BRYANT — Children ages 18 months to 3 years and their caregivers are invited to Toddler Story Time from 10:30-11 a.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library. The program features early-learning concepts through movement, music, stories and play.

VIP Story Time

BENTON — VIP Story Time meets from 4-4:45 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Children in first through third grades will learn about famous people and their lives by playing games, building things, making art and more.

Science Club

BENTON — Youth in grades four through seven are invited to the Science Club at 4 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library to perform science experiments.

Teen Dungeons and Dragons

BENTON — Youth in grades seven through 12 are invited to play Dungeons and Dragons at 4 p.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Snacks will be provided.

After-School Adventures BRYANT — Youth in grades seven through 12 are invited to an afterschool role-playing game from 4-5:30 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library.

Quail Forever Meeting

ARKADELPHIA — The DeSoto Bluff Chapter of Quail Forever will meet at 6 p.m. at 640 S. Sixth St. The meeting is free and open to the public.

THURSDAY  FEB. 21

BONFIRE: Then and Now Exhibit

HOT SPRINGS — Local artist Barbara Cade will show her work in an exhibit titled BONFIRE: Then and Now on Thursday through Feb. 21 at the Center for Art and Education, 104 N. 13th St. in Van Buren. The opening reception will be from 1-4 p.m. Feb. 9. “BONFIRE consists of multimedia artworks that which express my growing concern for Earth: several wall pieces and eight Hair Hats, which document environmental accidents and my feelings about the future of our planet,” Cade said. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, contact Cade at (501) 262-4065 or cade@ ipa.net.

THURSDAY AND FEB. 27

Winter at the Woodlands Concert Series

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — The Winter at the Woodlands concert series will present two shows at the Woodlands Auditorium, 1101 DeSoto Blvd. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Route 358 will perform its blend of folk, pop, rock, country and bluegrass. At 7 p.m. Feb. 27, the Ken Goodman Variety Show will present a night of golden-age music and comedy. Tickets are $25 for the season package or $15 for individual shows, plus sales tax, at hsvticketsales.com, by calling (501) 922-4231, or at the Ponce De Leon Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

FRIDAY

Let’s Get the Rhythm

BENTON — Children ages 3 to 5 are invited to hear stories and create music with shakers, drums, bells, sticks and more from 10:30-11 a.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library.

Children’s Theater

BENTON — Children ages 9-12 are invited to the Children’s Theater program at 10:30 a.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. The session will introduce children to beginning acting techniques. They will work on a play to be performed at 11 a.m. March 7. Registration and reading skills are required.

Play to Learn: Preschool

BENTON —Children ages 3 to 5 are invited to Play to Learn: Preschool at 11 a.m. at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library.

SATURDAY

Mother Goose on the Loose

BENTON — The Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library will offer Mother Goose on the Loose at 10:30 a.m. for children from birth to 3 years old. This program uses songs, rhymes, puppets and instruments to foster language development, gross and fine motor skills, and confidence.

ONGOING

LIHEAP Applications

LITTLE ROCK — The Central Arkansas Development Council is taking LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) applications for utility assistance. For locations and times, go to www. cadc.com/utility-assistance.

The program will operate as long as funds are available. For more information, call Todd Anderson at (501) 315-1121.

Your Thoughts?

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — Your Thoughts? — sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Institute of Hot Springs Village and Henderson State University — encourages villagers to discuss thoughtprovoking questions from 4-5:30 p.m. the second Monday of each month at the Desoto Club, 100 Clubhouse Drive. Questions for Feb. 10 are “What are the best movies made from great books?” and “If you could live in another time and place in history, when and where would it be?” For more information, contact David Childs at (501) 915-8103 or fitforservice@verizon.net.

Design by Nature Exhibit

ARKADELPHIA — Design by Nature, an exhibit sponsored by the nonprofit Caddo River Art Guild, will be on display through Thursday at the Arkadelphia Arts Center, 625 Main St. The exhibit honors the winter months by featuring creations constructed from natural elements, such as grasses, crystals, moss and more. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. For more information, call (870) 245-7982.

Pickleball

ARKADELPHIA — The Arkadelphia Recreation Center, 2555 Twin Rivers Drive, offers pickleball from 5-8 p.m. Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays. No registration is needed. There is a $5 drop-in fee, or players can pay $10 per month. This program will continue yearround, and cancellations will be posted on the center’s Facebook page. For more information, call (870) 246-5499.

Youth Volleyball League

ARKADELPHIA — The Arkadelphia Recreation Center, 2555 Twin Rivers Drive, will offer a Youth Volleyball League for boys and girls in third through sixth grades. The fee is $60 per individual, and the registration and fee deadline is Feb. 8. The league will play weekly on Tuesdays, beginning Feb. 25 and ending March 31. Players can register in person at the Recreation Center or by calling (870) 246-5499.

Ageless Bikers Club

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — The Ageless Bikers Club has 10 different bicycle rides that are 16 to 35 miles long. The rides are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays on quiet paved country roads (one ride has up to 3 miles of gravel). No one is left behind, and the group stops often to regroup and socialize. Several rides are “out and back,” so the beginner can turn back for a shorter ride. Start times for the rides are seasonal, so for a schedule, contact Dave O’Brien at (830) 285-5129 or djob1947boom@gmail.com.

Saline County Toastmasters

BENTON — The Saline County Toastmasters meet at noon Thursdays at Parkview United Methodist Church, 514 N. Border St. The meetings are open to visitors. For more information, call (501) 940-6803.

Democratic Party Meeting

BENTON — The Democratic Party of Saline County meets at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at 101 S. Market St. For more information, email saline@ arkdems.org.

Veterans Meeting BENTON — A veterans meeting takes place from 9:30-11 a.m. the second Saturday of each month at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Refreshments are served.

Free Exercise Opportunities

ARKADELPHIA — The Central Arkansas Development Council’s Arkadelphia Senior Activity Center, 1305 N. 10th St., offers a free Zumba class, geared for seniors ages 60 and older, at 11 a.m. every Wednesday and a free exercise class, Moving to the Beat, at 11 a.m. Mondays. Chair volleyball is played from 10:1511 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, and beanbag baseball is played after lunch at approximately noon Monday through Friday. For more information, call the center at (870) 246-9871.

THEOS Grief Support Group Meeting

BENTON — Roller-Ballard Funeral Home’s THEOS (They Help Each Other Spiritually) grief support group meets at 5 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month in the Whispering Pines Community Room on Bird Street. The widowed men and women in the group share grief, laughter, loss and friendship. For more information, call the funeral home at (501) 315-4047.

UPCOMING

Chocolate Festival

HOT SPRINGS — The Cooperative Christian Ministries and Clinic will present the 16th annual Chocolate Festival from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Embassy Suites. Tickets must be purchased in advance. For more information or to reserve seating, call (501) 318-1153.

Rock’s Golden Era

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — Remnants of Rock will present music from Rock’s Golden Era at 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Woodlands Auditorium, 1101 DeSoto Blvd. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at hsvticketsales.com.

Annual Sweetheart Pageant

BRYANT — The Annual Sweetheart Pageant will begin at 10 a.m. Feb. 22 at The Center at Bishop Park. For more information, email sweetheartpageant1@gmail.com.