Local notes

OLLI

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute has announced the following classes:

• April 3-4: From the Trail of Tears to the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. Tulsa Historical Society’s Michelle Place explores the difficult history of the Five Civilized Tribes and how the passage of the 1830 Indian Removal Act set in place the development of Greenwood, America’s most prosperous Black community in the 1920s. Greenwood became known as the Black Wall Street and is the site of the most devastating ethnic cleansing spree in U.S. history. 10-11:30 a.m. Drake Airfield. $25 members, $40 nonmembers.

• April 3: Drinking in the Ozarks: Tall Pines Distillery (Moonshine). Join chef Erin Rowe and visit Tall Pines Distillery, a grain to glass distillery in southern Missouri. 1:30-3:30 p.m. Location TBA. $25 members, $40 nonmembers.

• April 3: Your Brain on Knitting. This class is for knitters: beginners or lifetime knitters. Science tells us learning new things keeps our brains vital and so does building on to an already known knowledge. You will learn three new stitches which can be used to make all sorts of things. 2–4 p.m. OLLI Office. $19 members, $34 nonmembers.

• April 5 & 12: Creating Dynamic Landscape Photography. Photographer and author Eli Vega illustrates composition, exposure, lenses, lighting, HDR and much more. 1 to 3 p.m. Zoom. $39 members, $54 nonmembers.

• April 6: Visit the Titanic. Join OLLI member, adventurer and photographer, Doug Talbot, to visit the replica of the “Unsinkable Ship” Titanic in Branson, Mo. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Branson, Mo. $49 members, $64 nonmembers.

• April 7: Songs in our Hearts. Singer/songwriter Walter Schmidt will discuss how songs are structured, melodies developed and lyrics are created and polished. 10 a.m. to noon. OLLI Office. $29 members, $44 nonmembers.

• April 7: Rock Van Winkle: Black Builder of Northwest Arkansas. Examine the biography of Aaron Anderson Van Winkle, former slave and freedman, who became one of the key figures in building Northwest Arkansas. 1-2:30 p.m. Drake Airfield. $19 members, $34 nonmembers.

• April 4: How to (Finally) Write Your Book. Join best selling author Jamie Novak as she shares how to find time to write proposals, facts about traditional versus self-publishing. 3-5 p.m. Zoom. $25 members, $40 nonmembers.

Information: (479) 5754545 or olli.uark.edu.

FARMERS MARKET

The Chaffee Crossing Farmers and Artisans Market (CCFAM) is returning for a third season that will feature a variety of new vendors and entertainment. The markets will be held on the second Saturday of each month, May through October, in the Chaffee Crossing Historic and Entertainment District, 7300 Ellis St., Fort Smith. Market hours are 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Vendor applications are now open for home-grown, homemade, handmade products and original art, designs and creations. Farmers, bakers, painters and resin artists, wood workers, metal artists, jewelry makers, food trucks, musicians, and entertainers from all over western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma will have the opportunity to sell their products and works during this popular event. More than 250 vendors participated in the 2022 season with more than 150 vendors attending the October market.

Information: Email [email protected] or (479) 452-4554.

WOMEN’S HISTORY

To celebrate the achievements of local women, the UAFS Democracy Project will mark Women’s History Month with a town hall event at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

Women in Charge: Learning from the Experiences of Successful Women will feature a panel of Lori Brooks, vice president for consumer experience and marketing at ArcBest; Sharon Brooks, Sebastian County Clerk; Tammy Pacheco, owner of Alfa and Omega Multiservices; and Beth Presley, CEO of the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Club.

The event, at noon March 27 in the Reynolds Room in the Smith Pendergraft Campus Center, is free and open to the public. The UAFS Democracy Project is a campus wide initiative that aims at fostering civic engagement and political participation on campus.

Information: uafs.edu.

ULI NWA

The Urban Land Institute has launched a new program through which artists will be introduced to the early stages of real estate developments that are seeking innovative connections to their communities. Art in Place is the next step in ULI’s ongoing commitment to Creative Placemaking a movement focused on the integration of art, culture, and creativity as levers of community revitalization.

Through the program, six national and district councils will organize a series of local events and panels to engage artists, creative types, and real estate decision-makers to amplify community voices and artist perspectives in an effort drive more inclusive and participatory real estate development processes. The Northwest Arkansas chapter of ULI has been named as one of these six councils, a prestigious global list which also includes: Hong Kong, Austin, TX; Cleveland, OH; Colorado; and Louisiana.

The program’s work between now and October will include several regional convenings for networking and learning with both artists and real estate developers, followed by six months of work with the combined global cohort for making the outcomes of the Art in Place project available beyond the involved ULI councils.

Information: arkansas.uli.org.

Send news about local events, charity fundraisers and family or class reunions to [email protected]. Deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday for Sunday publication. Include a phone number or email address for publication.