Rodeo of the Ozarks: Springdale, Arkansas

The Rodeo of the Ozarks is not just a one night event. It starts with a Dinner and Dance on June 28th and ends with a PBR bull riding event on July 5th. Attendees come from all over the country. Some of them even travel the old fashioned way. By wagon train. Every year on June 25th wagons, buggies and horseback riders meet at the Boone County Fairgrounds in Harrison Arkansas and begin the 100 mile trek to the rodeo traveling at the speed of four miles per hour.

The John Shaddox wagon train members are hosted overnight by various families along their route and arrive in time for the July 1st parade (beginning at 3:00 p.m.) that officially kicks off the rodeo. A second parade is held on July 4th at 10:00 a.m. While there is no pre-registration required be sure to read all rules and regulations before participating.

I think the best place to view the parade is at the corner of 265 and Emma Avenue on the lawn of the Jones Center for Families. Bring a blanket or a folding chair and some sunscreen as this parade can last for more than an hour.

The Rodeo features Mutton Bustin' for children aged 4-6 years old and under 55 pounds. The youngsters ride sheep and are graded much in the same way cowboys are. Kids are required to wear a long sleeved shirt, jeans and appropriate footwear. Protective helmets are provided. Top riders move on to the next round ending with a finale on July 4th. Entries are limited to 25 per night and will be accepted beginning May 1st.

You can purchase tickets online and I highly recommend Buckle Club seating if it's in your budget. They also sell Buckle Club memberships packages that are not available online. These include tickets for all four nights of the rodeo, a meal, and free parking passes in the stadium each night. Please keep in mind that all ticket sales are final.

The will be unable to host their normal fireworks display this year but will have a line up of nationally known singers performing a concert after each nights rodeo. Keep an eye on their website for the celebrities names.


The Shiloh Museum will be hosting an Old West Film Festival as well.


June 28 Rodeo Dinner & Dance, Rodeo Community Center, 6:30 – 11:00 p.m.

July 1 Rodeo Parade – Parade begins at the rodeo grounds and proceeds west to downtown Springdale. 3:00 p.m.

July 1-4 64th Annual Rodeo of the Ozarks – gates open at 6:00 p.m. nightly. Mutton Bustin’ begins at 6:30 p.m. Miss Rodeo of the Ozarks 2007 will be crowned on July 4.

July 4 Rodeo Parade - Parade begins at the rodeo grounds and proceeds west to downtown Springdale. 10:00 a.m.

July 5 Buckin’ In The Ozarks PBR Bull Riding, 7:30 p.m.

A few things to keep in mind:

• No pets are allowed. Only service dogs for the disabled are allowed inside the arena.


• No outside food or beverages are allowed.


• No strollers are allowed due to space limitations.


• Still photography cameras are allowed but no device that is capable of recording video is allowed inside including cell phones.


• Smoking is not allowed in the seating area.


• Parking on the grounds is $3.00 There is parking along Hwy 265 and at the Jones Center for Families. Shuttle buses will run in these areas.

Remember that the gates open at 6:00 p.m. and the Grand Entry starts at 7:30. Their events are sanctioned by the PRCA and WPRA so expect to see some great riding going on.

Have a great trip!




Schedule of events

Rules and regulations for participating in Rodeo of the Ozarks parade

The John Shaddox Wagon Train

Mutton Bustin' entries

Old West Film Festival

Parking, security, pets and strollers

Open Gym:Springdale, Arkansas

Every Friday night Durham's Gymnastics hosts an open gym. It runs from 6:30-8:30 pm and costs $8 for the first child with a $2 discount for additional children.

Kids under six must be accompanied by an adult but older children can be dropped off as long as appropriate paperwork is filled out. Your child should wear comfortable stretchy clothing that is adequate for doing gymnastics. It's not necessary for them to wear a leotard.

The average ages of children who attend are from 3-14 years old. Handicap children are accepted as well but you'll need to call the school at 479-751-8844 and ascertain whether the child will be eligible for drop off or will require adult supervision.

If you're having a family reunion or other event in the Ozarks and would like something fun for the kids the school will host an hour and a half party for up to fifteen children for $80.00.

If you're children are eligible for drop off it'll give you time to have a nice quiet dinner at one of the excellent nearby restaurants.

Have a great trip!

Driving directions and map to Durham's Gymnastics

Durham's Gymnastics website

Kids gymnastics party at Durham's

Research Your Family Tree: Springdale, Arkansas

The Jones Center for Families in Springdale Arkansas is home to a full service LDS genealogy center. The Family Research Center is staffed five days a week by knowledgeable volunteers. They don't do research for you but are available to suggest resources, help you get started on the computers and help you locate available resources.

A number of computers are available with access to Ancestry.com. This will allow you to access census, military, birth, death, and marriage records to name a few. They also have microfiche records which include Accelerated Indexing Systems (a list of persons living in the US from 1607-1906), Periodic Source Index (subject index for genealogical journals) Parish and Vital Records List, Parochial Registers of Scotland and many more.

The Family Research Center is normally open 10am - 9pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9-1 on Wednesday, 10-6 on Friday, 10-2 on Saturday. If you are planning a trip you may want to call 1-479-756-8090 x 154 to confirm that they will be open.

While you're there consider taking advantage of some of the Jones Center's other facilities such as free swimming and ice skating. Whatever you choose to do, the Jones Center for Families is a great addition to your Ozark travel plans.

Have a great trip!

Jones Center for Families

Driving directions to the Jones Center

Shiloh Museum: Family Research

Shiloh Museum: Springdale, Arkansas

Shiloh Museum is located on two wooded acres in the heart of Springdale, Arkansas. It's seven historic buildings as well as the 22,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting spaces make it unique to the area.

Plan on spending at least a couple of hours here. More if you attend an event or plan on doing research. The paths leading to the builings outside may be a bit uneven but not terribly so. It's safe to wear sandals when the weather permits. Admission is free.

Shiloh offers several educational opportunities for groups and individuals. They have a number of field trips, living history programs, and outreach programs. Seasonal programs are available as well.

If you have an interest in doing research it's best to make an appointment. The staff will pull documents, photos and research files and have them available upon arrival. Copies of documents and photos are available for a reasonable price.

Several groups meet at the museum. You can sit in on a free life writing class the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 10 a.m. with June Jefferson. Or visit the Tellers of Tales the 3rd Saturday at 10:30 (no meetings in July or August) The museum also holds antique appraisals from time to time. You can call 479-750-8165 if you have any questions.

If you aren't able to make it to the museum you can tour their online exhibits or checkout one of their many downloadable podcasts.

The museum is located at 118 W Johnson Avenue, Springdale, Arkansas. You can contact them at 479-750-8165. They are open 10-5 Monday through Saturday. They close on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day

Shiloh Museum of Ozarks History has many events, classes and exhibits throughout the year and it's definitely a must see on your trip to the Ozarks.

Have a great trip!



Calendar of Events

Rodeo of the Ozarks online exhibit

Northwest Arkansas History Podcasts

Groups that meet at the museum

Classes at the Shiloh Museum

Copy and Photo reprint fees

Have Your Picture Taken With a Star!: Springdale, Arkansas

When you're traveling through Springdale, Arkansas swing by Allen's Canning on Hwy 71 and take a picture with Popeye. Though we don't see much of him in the tabloids these days, he's still a bonafide star in my book. Best of all there's no admission cost. He's just standing beside the road waiting for you.

If you haven't seen a Popeye cartoon in a while YouTube has a ton of them. Many are public domain now.

The statue is on the east side of the highway past the Huntsville Road stoplight on Hwy 71 N. There is plenty of room to park and he's far enough off the road to safely take pictures.

If spinach is in season you might stop by a local Farmer's Market and pick up a fresh batch. The one at the Jones Center for Families is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday through October from 7 am to 1 pm.

Have a great trip!

Popeye cartoons

Arkansas Farmers Markets

Jones Center for Families

Spinach Recipes

The Airport Cafe: Springdale, Arkansas

When you’re traveling the Ozarks there is always an opportunity to eat somewhere other than a chain restaurant. While something is to be said for the familiarity of eating at Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee’s or even McDonald’s it’s also a lot of fun to try out the local eateries. A hands down favorite breakfast and lunch spot is the Airport Café in Springdale, Arkansas.

As the name indicates it’s located inside the Springdale Municipal Airport. The café is on the second floor and can be reached via elevator or a staircase. One wall of the Airport Café is windows and there is an area to dine outside on the balcony if you wish. You’ll have a perfect view of the runway and can watch airplanes take off and land while you eat.

The food is consistently good and the double bacon cheeseburger is hard to beat. The secret is that Fred Phillips, owner of the Airport Café, does all the cooking. He or his wife normally pop out and make sure that everyone is satisfied with their meal. Something you don’t get at Micky D’s.

If you’re traveling in or around Springdale, Arkansas just follow the airport signs and they’ll lead you right to it. The address is 802 Airport Avenue, Springdale, Arkansas if you’d like to map it. The phone number is 479-756-3339. They are open Monday-Friday from 6-2 and Saturday and Sunday from 7-2.

While you’re there you should definitely try an apple dumpling ala mode. Yummy.

Have a great trip!

Review of the Airport Cafe

How to get to the Airport Cafe

Fly to the Airport Cafe in Springdale, Arkansas

The Weather in Springdale, Arkansas

How to make Apple Dumplings