One cure for the winter blues is to discover something new and interesting to do. Here are a few events that may pique your interest.
Indigenous Storytelling
Three Evenings With Indigenous Storytellers
Head to downtown Fayetteville and join the Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History and the School of Journalism and Strategic Media for three evenings with celebrated indigenous storytellers. All three remaining indigenous storyteller events are free and open to the public.
- Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. – Cinematographer and photographer Shane Brown (Cherokee) will present his latest photography project, In the Territories, which documents the dichotomies and convoluted histories present in the American state of Oklahoma.
- Thursday, March 5 at 6 p.m. – Hear from award-winning multi-media journalist Allison Hererra (Salinan) who currently co-produces a podcast produced and set in Indian Country.
- Thursday, April 9 at 6 p.m. – Listen to Kalyn Barnoski (Cherokee), a musician, fine artist, and graphic designer, who was recently awarded a grant to pursue a billboard project along the Trail of Tears to promote contemporary indigenous artists within the tribal nations affected.
As a bonus, visit the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 5:30 p.m. for another installment of MONAH’s Native Conversations series. The event entitled, “First Peoples Record Keeping through Astronomy” will be hosted by astrophysicist Caitlin Ahren and explore the ways different celestial objects pertain to various interpretations and uses amongst the early Native Americans of North and South America. Find event details HERE.
Watchable Wildlife
While many humans, like bears, hibernate over the winter, those that choose to get out and explore may find themselves in awe of the beautiful wildlife of Northwest Arkansas. Here are some cool opportunities to view wildlife in their natural settings.
- Owl Prowl on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. – Join the Ozark Natural Science Center for a night of owl education, food and a full moon night hike. The program will start at 5 p.m. with live owls from Morning Star Wildlife Rehab Center. Afterwards, dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Following dinner, there will be a presentation by naturalist Mitchell Pruitt. Owling with Mitchell will give attendees the opportunity to be a part of active ecological research, which includes attempting to capture a live owl. Find event details HERE.
- Eagle Watch Cruise (multiple February dates) – Cruise over to Beaver Lake and check out the bald eagles. With the return of winter, the lake hosts, on average, over 200 bald eagles. On the boat tour, an interpreter will share information about bald eagles and Beaver Lake. Binoculars are provided, but tickets must be purchased in advance. Learn more HERE.
Better yet, have you ever considered taking a hike with mountain pack goats? Join the Youth Guardians of Conservation and the Snake Mountain Pack Goats, a nonprofit dedicated to using packing goats to take veterans and first-responders on outdoor adventures, at Devils Den on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 9 a.m. for a trail clean-up. During the clean-up, participants will learn about the environment and ecology of the state park. Full event details HERE.
Watchable Wildlife
While many humans, like bears, hibernate over the winter, those that choose to get out and explore may find themselves in awe of the beautiful wildlife of Northwest Arkansas. Here are some cool opportunities to view wildlife in their natural settings.
- Owl Prowl on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. – Join the Ozark Natural Science Center for a night of owl education, food, and a full moon night hike. The program will start at 5 p.m. with live owls from Morning Star Wildlife Rehab Center. Afterwards, dinner will begin at 6pm. Following dinner, there will be a presentation by naturalist Mitchell Pruitt. Owling with Mitchell will give attendees the opportunity to be a part of active ecological research, which includes attempting to capture a live owl. Find event details HERE.
- Eagle Watch Cruise (multiple February dates) – Cruise over to Beaver Lake and check out the bald eagles. With the return of winter, the lake hosts, on average, over 200 bald eagles. On the boat tour, an interpreter will share information about bald eagles and Beaver Lake. Binoculars are provided, but tickets must be purchased in advance. Learn more HERE.
Better yet, have you ever considered taking a hike with mountain pack goats? Join the Youth Guardians of Conservation and the Snake Mountain Pack Goats, a nonprofit dedicated to using packing goats to take veterans and first-responders on outdoor adventures, at Devils Den on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 9 a.m. for a trail clean-up. During the clean-up, participants will learn about the environment and ecology of the state park. Full event details HERE.
Food +
Finally, there are few things as comforting and compelling as food, right? The following events are for those seeking a little bit of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being — what is called hygge by the Norwegians.
- Mount Sequoyah Culinary Event Series (multiple 2020 dates) – Food + craft cocktails, food + craft beer, food + wine — Mount Sequoyah recently announced 12 culinary events and a series of cooking classes. Learn more about what executive chef Justus Moll has planned for one of the most serene, welcoming places in Northwest Arkansas HERE.
- Bentonville SOUP – Food + community projects. SOUP, a communal micro-granting dinner, is back on March 28 at 5 p.m. at the Thaden Great Hall. A $10 donation gets you dinner and a vote. You’ll hear from four presenters with impactful ideas for Bentonville. The presenter who gets the most votes at the end of the night takes home all the funds raised at the door. RSVP and/or apply to present HERE.
- The Recipe by Kristin Worrall | World Premiere – Food + performance art. For all those foodies that are anxiously anticipating the opening of the Momentary, this one is for you. Kristin Worrall is a performer, sound designer, and pastry artist. Using history as the inspiration, Worrall invites Momentary audiences on Feb. 22-23 to learn how to cook, learn about the Momentary, and learn a little about her, too. Purchase tickets HERE.
