By: Jill M. Rohrbach, travel writer - Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Mount Magazine Frontier Day Festival celebrates its 30th year on Oct. 3 in downtown historic Paris. The festival will feature family fun, contests, games, a parade, live music, arts and crafts, and food vendors. There will be a pageant for girls ranging in age from newborn to 18. Since the event has a pioneer theme, everyone is encouraged to dress in Frontier day costume. Admission is free. For more information visit www.parisaronline.com, or call 479-963-2244.
Enjoy the smooth sounds of jazz in picturesque Creekmore Park during the annual Fort Smith Jazz Festival set for Oct. 4 in Fort Smith. The event will take place from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Attendees should bring a blanket or lawn chair. Admission is free. The park is located at the corner of Rogers Avenue and South 31st Street. Visit www.fortsmithparks.com for a complete lineup of performers. For additional information phone 479-785-4225.
View and purchase unique, and original artwork and craft pieces at the Art in the Park event on Oct. 9-10 at the River Park Expo Building in Fort Smith. Offerings will include oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings, graphic creations, photography, pottery, sculpture, and crafts of various kinds. The event will include food vendors and entertainment. Admission is free. For more information visit www.forsmithartcenter.org, or phone 479-784-2787.
A benefit event, the 23rd annual Octoberfest will be Oct. 9-10 in Fort Smith. Alpenmusikanten will play German and polka tunes. There will be a beer garden, craft vendors, raffle, food, and games for kids and adults. The event will take place from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, and from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. Some of the proceeds will go to The Gregory Kistler Center and ARC for the River Valley. The mission of the Kistler Center is to provide an opportunity for all children to lead full, productive lives with the assistance of occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy. The ARC advocates for the rights and full participation of all children and adults with intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. The event will be held on the Knights of Columbus Acres, located at 10203 Columbus Acres Road. For more information visit www.kistlercenter.com or phone 479-785-4677.
Byrd’s Adventure Center near Ozark will hold two outdoor events in October. The Fall ATV Rally revs up Oct. 9-11. Bring your ATVs and enjoy scenic trail rides, a poker run, good food, and fun. Difficulty levels include: beginner, intermediate and advanced trails. Special trails and games will be offered for kids. Several dealerships will be on hand to provide demonstrations. Prizes will be given for the poker run.
The annual Rocktoberfest event will be Oct. 30-31. The event is sponsored by the Rockcrawlers 4×4 club and includes four-wheel drive trails, and competitions as well as games for kids. For details on either event visit www.byrdsadventurecenter.com or phone 479-667-4066.
The Hillbilly Hog Ride and Motorcycle Run will be Oct. 10 in Ozark. A motorcycle show will be set up in Eastside Park with awards in different classes for the motorcycles. The event will also include a poker run.
Also in Ozark will be an Old Fashioned Square Gathering on Oct. 17. The event will include arts, crafts, food, games, pet contest, pageant, and live music. Admission is free.
For more information on either event visit www.mainstreetozark.com or phone 479-667-2525.
Atop Petit Jean Mountain in the Arkansas River Valley, Harvest Day is set for Oct. 10 at Winthrop Rockefeller Institute near Morrilton. During the event, you can view demonstrations of heritage farm activities prior to electricity, including: a sorghum press, apple butter making, and butter churning. Attendees will also be able to pick cotton, peanuts and sweet potatoes. There will be a lecture by a local historian, a bake sale and old mountain music. For more information visit www.uawri.org, or phone 501-727-5435.
The 8th annual October Daze in Booneville will be Oct. 10. Taking place on Main Street, this fall festival will feature live music, food, crafts by local artisans, scarecrow contest, Mr. and Miss Harvest Pageant, games, and more. It is a family-friendly event, Visit www.booneville.com or phone 479-675-2666 for more information.
Van Buren will welcome autumn in old-fashioned style with its Fall Festival Arts and Crafts Fair on Oct. 10-11. The city’s historic Main Street will hold more than 200 exhibitors displaying fine art work, handcrafted items, antiques, and collectibles. There will also be a children’s carnival. The event will be held rain or shine, and admission is free. For more information visit www.vanburen.org or phone 479-410-3026.
The Ole Applegate Place Fine Arts and Crafts Festival will take place Oct. 16-18 at Mulberry Mountain Lodge near Ozark. This is a juried fair of unique, one-of-a-kind works of art. Fair-goers will find traditional and contemporary items, country crafts, folk art pottery, glass, wood work, fiber photography, sculpture, paintings and more. Admission is free. Mulberry Mountain is located north of Ozark on Ark. 23. Visit www.oleapplegateplace.com  or phone 479-667-1819 for details.
Global Village Day at Heifer Ranch in Perryville will be Oct. 24. Heifer Ranch is one of Heifer International’s three learning centers where visitors can participate in educational programs that promote sustainable solutions to global hunger, poverty and environmental degradation. Heifer Ranch is also a working example of the sustainable agriculture. It contains villages that represent countries in which Heifer works, such as Thailand and Guatemala.
During the event, visitors can explore each global village, and see educational exhibits on farming projects. Throughout the day, visitors can learn more about Heifer International while viewing the animals, which include llamas, water buffalo, camels, and traditional farm animals. There will also be information on green living. Visitors can learn to compost, save energy, and recycle. Admission is free.
Heifer Ranch has a variety of education programs ranging from a couple of hours up to five nights. The 1,200 acre working ranch and experiential learning center includes not only the global villages, and livestock; but, a challenge course, conference and retreat center with modern lodging and dining facilities, international gift shop, and organic gardens. Tours are available for drop-in visitors of 10 or less on Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All overnight programs and group tours require advance reservations. The ranch is located 45 minutes northwest of Little Rock. Visit www.heifer.org/ranch or phone 501-889-5124 for more information.
Frontier Fest in Fort Smith is set for Oct. 24-25 at the Harry E. Kelley River Park, located downtown. This fall festival will be held along the banks of the Arkansas River where much of Fort Smith’s frontier history took place. Festival programming will include local re-enactment troupes, hands-on children’s activities, frontier craft vendors, and live entertainment. There will also be a living history timeline at Fort Smith’s National Historic Site. For more information visit www.forthsmithfrontierfest.org or phone 479-783-8888.