Eureka Springs Media Center

School is OUT! It’s Time for Family FUN in Eureka Springs!

Eureka Springs offers many FUN Things to Do that are Affordable and ALL ages can enjoy.  Now that school is out take the kids to a place where they can EXPLORE and have FUN without all the crowds.

Choose from these 6 Attractions that any age group would love:

1. Intrigue Theater-While in Eureka Springs Travel back to the Victorian age, and experience an evening of Mystery & Intrigue performed by an Illusionist & a Medium.  Shows are every Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8pm.  Call the box office at 479-244-7028 or go online to purchase your tickets: www.intriguetheater.com

2. Hellraisers, Hoodlums and Heated History Tour- Learn about the “Stars” of our town over time,  share the strange happenings, and clue you into the legends that we live with.  Fun for the whole family, we share the towns heated founding, the Ripley’s Believe it or Not stories, and explore the downtown exposing the delights and dastardly deeds. Tours EVERYDAY at 10am. $12 Adults, Children FREE with Paid Adult.  Purchase tickets online at: www.reserveeureka.com

3. Midnight Theatre-In the Morgue of the Mastermind: Norman Baker Speaks.  Norman Baker…genius or charlatan? the man who turned a resort hotel into a cancer curing hospital with more coffins than cures.  Award- winning actor Keith Scales brings Baker back to life…telling Baker’s story…from Baker’s perspective.  $19.50 per person on Friday & Saturday nights at 11pm.  Then starting June 16th the show will be moved to 7pm on  Sunday & Monday’s.  Purchase tickets online at: www.reserveeureka.com

4. Crescent Ghost Tours-The haunted hotel where some guests checked out…but never left.  Hear of legendary haunts and ongoing investigations being conducted by our trained staff. The Lady In The Garden, Cancer Hospital Nurses, Michael, Theodora, are a few of the legends to whet your appetite of the “guests” that reside at The Crescent.  Tours are NIGHTLY starting at 8pm, $19.50 per person.  Purchase your tickets online at www.reserveeureka.com

5. Downtown -N- Underground Tour- The Behind the Scenes walking adventure offers visitors a unique 75 minute opportunity to enjoy stories of Eureka Springs’ Wild West Period, its renewal as an artist community and to explore the mysteries of a underground city. Explore the Downtown in Eureka Springs in a new and exciting way. Tours are EVERYDAY at 4pm.  $12 per adult, children are FREE with paid adult.  Purchase tickets online at www.reserveeureka.com

6. Eureka Ghost Tours- Tales and legends of downtown Eureka Springs, the Basin Park Hotel and the residents who never left! As you await your own paranormal experience, you might hear stories of the  ballroom dancers from some long-ago Barefoot Ball…or the pretty young girl in a long white dress who still waits for her groom and many other stories that have occurred at the historic 1905 Basin Park Hotel.   Tours are NIGHTLY at 8pm.  Purchase your tickets online at www.reserveeureka.com

Click here and SAVE on GREAT FAMILY PACKAGES!

Arkansas Art Trail Schedules “Artist In Residence” Workshop with Karrie Evenson.

(EUREKA SPRINGS, AR) – When most people think of art, their minds turn to the oxymoron of passive activity.  The Arkansas Art Trail, where nature inspires art in Northwest Arkansas, is dedicated to making the month of April experiential through a series of workshops.  Its final sponsored workshop event is entitled “Artist In Residence” and features a painter that describes herself as an “emotional painter”.  Karrie Evenson, a resident of the Arkansas Ozarks, will be conducting four two-hour workshops here at the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa on April 25 and 26.

“My goal during these four hands-on sessions will be to teach attendees how to paint abstract birds, flowers and landscapes,” said Evenson, “but not in the normal ‘art school’ fashion.  I encourage aspiring painters to paint with emotion and passion, not for traditional perfection but for a canvas that says, ‘This is who I am.’  Painting can and should be fun and fearless.”

The names Evenson has given to the individual workshops bespeaks her philosophy of painting bright, colorful and free: Colorful Abstract Birds, Abstract Florals, Luscious Abstract Landscapes, and “Spice It Up” Chili Pepper Abstracts.

The two-day / one night package, based on two people per package, includes admission to two workshop sessions per day, overnight lodging with breakfast at the Crescent Hotel plus a wine and cheese reception with the artist.  The “Arts In Residence” package is limited to the first 10 reservations with prices beginning at $129.

Evenson concluded, “Each and every one of my paintings is seasoned with the fact that I walk my own path, make my own journey, write my own story, and create my own happiness.  That is why I try to instill into my workshop attendees a willingness to be brave and bold; daring them to dream, encouraging them to love life since it is the only one they will ever have.”

For full package and workshop details,  one should go to arkansasarttrail.com or call the Crescent Hotel at 800-342-9766.

Arkansas Art Trail Schedules Edward Robison Photography Exhibit and Workshop

(EUREKA SPRINGS, AR) — As part of the Arkansas Art Trail’s celebration of “April Art Experiences”, several weekend events have been planned here at one of the Trail’s partners, the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa.  The event planned for Thursday and Friday, April 19 and 20, is the Photography Exhibit and Workshop featuring award-winning landscape photographer and artist, Edward C. Robison III.

Robison, a native of the Missouri Ozarks, has focused his lens from coast-to-coast with emphasis in the Midwest.  He now lives in Eureka Springs where he owns and operates the Sacred Earth Gallery.  He has authored numerous books and has been commissioned by such national clients as Capitol One, Bass Pro Shops and The Sierra Club.

“There is so much to see and photograph along the Arkansas Art Trail, I would like to help our attendees maximize the digital images they will capture along that trail no matter the style, size or cost of the camera they use,” said Robison.  “Not only will I be instructing them on the dynamics of light and understanding landscape photography, but I will also share how to get the most out of their camera but how to digitally enhance their images by using computerized software tricks.”

The Thursday evening session of the workshop will be a trip out to one of Robison’s favorite “off the beaten path” spots along the trail; a place in the Ozarks near Beaver Lake, where he has captured breathtaking images in the past.  The Friday morning session, conducted in one of Cottages at Crescent Park, will be an artful examination of some of Robison’s award winning work as well as constructively critiquing three to five images of each attendee that he or she captured the evening before.

The Arkansas Art Trail’s Photography Exhibit and Workshop is only open to the first 12 package participants at the Crescent Hotel.  For the Thursday night session, attendees are asked to bring personal cameras; those cameras of at least the five megapixel variety are recommended. Workshop Packages, that include overnight lodging at the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa and a complimentary breakfast Saturday morning in the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant, begin at just $289 per couple.  For complete details and to check availability click here or call the Crescent Hotel at 800-342-9766.

OR Tickets available for Individual participation for $95 per person.  Please email amanda.haley1@gmail.com if you are interested.

Arkansas Art Trail Schedules “Artist Studio Tour” with Larry Mansker

(EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS) – All along the recently opened Arkansas Art Trail, travelers can find places where art is hung like Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; places where art is made like the artist village of Eureka Springs; and places that inspire such art like the hills and hollows of The Ozarks.  During this month, the trail creators have also created a series of special workshops and exhibits entitled “April Art Experiences”.  These efforts come from a partnership between the Trail and the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa, located here atop Crescent Mountain.

The first workshop of the month features a well-respected Eureka Springs artist, Larry Mansker.  This Kansas City native has made the most of the Trail’s vistas and panoramic views over the past five decades.  “Whether ones view is from a mountaintop or at street level, the eye can be trained to see things in a happy mood that expresses the brighter aspects of being alive” Mansker explained.

Mansker’s exclusive package, entitled “Artist Studio Tour”, will be held at both the Crescent and at the artist’s private studio all on the evening of April 15.  The package events begin with a tour of the Crescent Hotel and its eclectic art collection.  The tour will be led by hotel Vice-President of Operations and Development Jack Moyer.  The tour includes the commissioned display of Larry Mansker’s detailed murals that depict local scenes enhanced by popular local activities.

Following the hotel sojourn will be an intimate, artist-led tour of Mansker’s studio.  Wine and cheese will be served as the artist shares his private collection and workspace.  Attendees will then return to the hotel for an artistically created dinner in the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant.

The “Artist Studio Tour” package, based on two people per package, includes overnight lodging and breakfast at the Crescent Hotel, the private studio tour and reception, and dinner in the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant with the artist.  Participation is limited to the first 10 reservations with package rates beginning at $199.

“This gathering is designed to be both intimate and revealing,” said Mansker.  “I want attendees to get a true feel of the elements of design –line, texture, contrast, composition and color- that create that happy mood in my paintings.  I want to teach attendees how to ‘feel’ a painting with their emotions rather than simply gazing upon it with their eyes.”

Check Availability for this package or call 800-342-9766.

Ozark Art Experiences in April: Arkansas Art Trail Features Sites and Events “Where Nature Inspires Art”

Arkansas Art Trail Created, Embracing Emerson’s Words

“…each moment of the year has its own beauty, …every hour, a picture which was never seen before, … shall never be seen again.”

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

(EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS) – Imagine a place where rare images of beauty were displayed every hour, delicate works of art that had never been seen before and can be seen only once.  Ralph Waldo Emerson when he wrote “…each moment of the year has its own beauty, …every hour, a picture which was never seen before, … shall never be seen again.” believed these images were created by nature every moment. Waiting to be discovered, nature’s most creative work is on display along the Arkansas Art Trail. There, visitors discover places where art and nature come together and where threads of discovery, exploration and reverence for the American landscape weave compelling tapestries that illustrate the American experience, both past and present.

During the month of April, in partnership with the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, the Arkansas Art Trail introduces “The American Experience” as celebrated in Arkansas through art, music, dance and literature in ways that are as enigmatic as the Arkansas landscape.

The Arkansas Art Trail was inspired by the Hudson River School Art Trail. In the 19^th century, artists of the Hudson River School captured iconic landscapes of the northeast with paint. Following the example of American writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, they sought an “original relation to the universe” through a life of simplicity and independence. In the process, American artists defined what it was to be American and helped shape a national identity that valued individualism and rugged beauty.

Today, artists are still creating defining work. The American landscape, both rugged and fragile, is an inspiration. The Arkansas Art Trail highlights unique architecture created with purpose and fundamental connections to the land. It stops for breathtaking vistas and wild rivers, and introduces visitors to the artists working in the Arkansas landscape. The trail offers a deeper look at the side of Arkansas many have never seen.

April’s art experiences are limited but embody year round appeal.  Visitors to the Arkansas Art Trail are sure to discover moments of beauty “never seen before.”  A visit to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art provides an opportunity to see original 19^th century Hudson River School paintings and a stop in Eureka Springs, a Top 25 Arts Destination, allows visitors to simply watch regional artists paint in plein aire or get creative with an art class, enjoy the music of esteemed international musicians or sit down to an authentic hootenanny.  Visitors will experience life in a historic town and marvel in contemporary architecture that celebrates the beauty of the outdoors.

Here are just a few of the Arkansas Art Trail’s “April Art Experiences” packages that the partnering Crescent Hotel has put together:

Artist Studio Tour - Take a docent led tour of the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa and see local artist, Larry Mansker’s murals.  Meet Mansker in his art studio for a glass of wine and then settle down for a splendid dinner with the docent and Mansker at the Chef’s table in the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant.

Photography Exhibit & Workshop – Explore the Ozarks with renowned landscape photographer and local artist, Edward C. Robison III.  The evening starts with a hands-on workshop under Robison’s tutelage.   Participants will hear some helpful tips and then get to shoot their own images of the Ozark Mountains and the Beaver Lake region with the knowledge learned.  The next day those images captured at sundown the day before will be discussed with suggestions from Robison.  He will even present advanced digital photo editing “tricks” so future images will be even closer to being “picture perfect

Meet an Artist in Residence - Learn to paint abstract birds, flowers and landscapes with artist Karrie Evenson. Evenson will be working in residence at the Crescent Hotel. Meet the artist and watch her paint one evening while casually enjoying wine and cheese.

Check Availability for these Art Events.

One of our past brides decided to collect brooches and pins from her friends and relatives to create a special bouquet that added a little more meaning to her wedding.  The bouquet was created by Janis at
Holiday Island Florist.

Other fun and unusual ideas with the bridal bouquet:

Plan your Spring Vacation to Eureka Springs this March-The FUN Starts HERE!

March 15th-Cocktails for a Cause at the Voulez Vous Lounge

Supporting the Good Shepherd Humane Society & Eureka Springs Downtown Network
$10 Cover Charge + $1 for Every Drink Sold Donated to Both Nonprofits.  Come out and make a difference to our local nonprofits while having a great time! 5pm-7pm

March 16th-18th- Spring Antique Show at the Inn of the Ozarks

16th Annual Spring Antique Show & Sale
Saturday and Sunday March 17 & 18 2012
Regular admission $5.00 good both days.  Contact Jane Baker for more info at 479.253.7551.
*Preview Showing/Wine & Cheese Friday, March 16, 5:30 – 7:00 – $10

March 17th-St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Get your Green On this Saturday along Spring St.  Parade begins at 2pm.

March 17th- Downtown TOURS Start for the Season!

Hell Raisers, Hoodlums & a Heated History Walking Tour-10am EVERYDAY at Basin Spring Park.

Many a character have enhanced the Eureka Springs landscape and this 45 minute walking tour tells you all about them! We bring out the “Stars” of the town over time, share the strange happenings, and clue you into the legends that we live with.

Downtown -N- Underground Tour-4pm EVERYDAY at Basin  Spring Park

The Behind the Scenes walking adventure offers visitors a unique 75 minute opportunity to enjoy stories of Eureka Springs’ Wild West Period, its renewal as an artist community and to explore the mysteries of a underground city. Explore the Downtown in Eureka Springs in a new and exciting way. The history and the colorful characters who have made Eureka Springs their home throughout the ages come alive through interactive storytelling.

March 17th-The Magic is BACK!

Intrigue Theater at the Auditorium

Intrigue holds Ghostly Seance Experiments and explores “unlocking the subconscious.”
The show takes place at the Eureka Springs City Auditorium. Call 479.253.7333 for tickets and information.

March 17th-31st FREE Spring Break Activities

A great place to be a kid again! Starting March 19th through the 31st come play with the whole family in Eureka Springs. Games and free fun for all ages – every single day! We have turned Eureka Springs into your playground!  Meet in Basin Spring Park.

March 24th -Kite Festival at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

The 22nd annual Eureka Springs Kite Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, theme this year is: The “Art With An Altitude,”

Admission to the kite festival is free. Regular admission prices apply for those wishing to tour the refuge. The annual event is one of the refuge’s most attended days of the year. Proceeds help finance the rescue of and sanctuary for the tigers, lions, cougars, leopards and other animals housed there. Call 479-253-5841 for more information.

March 31st-“The Art of Chipping Flint” at  Blue Spring Heritage Center

Blue Spring Heritage Center CELEBRATES Arkansas Archaeology Month

On March 31st Blue Spring will host Aaron Wagoman, a local fintknapper from Bentonville Arkansas in the Bluff Shelter from 11am-2pm.  Aaron will be demonstrating the art of chipping flint rock into arrowheads and prehistoric tools just as the paleoindians who once inhabited the bluff shelter.  Call 479-253-9244 for more information.

Check out the HOT DEALS and Plan Your Spring Vacation to Eureka Springs!

THIS SPRING my FAMILy is gonna BRAKE FOR SPRING BREAK IN EUREKA SPRINGS

When we started planning for when the kids are gonna be out of school for spring break, Jane and I realized that both time and money were limited.  So we looked for a place that could offer a lot to do in a small area.  A place where there are fun activities that don’t cost a lot and a safe place for our kids to get out and explore on their own.  And since special family time is so limited these days, we wanted a place that has a proven track record of creating lifetime memories.  We wanted a family spring break that our kids might enjoy so much they would want to share it with their kids and grandkids.  Well, after a lot of research of <eurekasprings> on-line, we chose the historic Victorian village in the Arkansas Ozarks that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has named one of America’s Distinctive Destinations.

There the kids can have what they call an “exploravacation”, a time when they can go off on their own and explore the historic downtown district of Eureka Springs (making sure that they travel in pairs and carry their cell phones checking in every so often).

The kids were excited about getting to “discover” Eureka Spring’s crazy staircases, unique stories, interesting looking buildings feeling like they were on an adventure akin to a fun 19th century scavenger hunt.  (Jane and I quietly agreed that this would be much more appealing than filling spring break hours with just dropping the kids off at the mall!)

To give the kids a sense of what “discoveries” are out there, we found several walking tours like the Downtown-N-Underground Tour that traces the town’s history from its beginnings through the Civil War era, the days of Wild West outlaws, right on up to today.  The downtown’s history museum, Eureka Springs Historical Museum (hope that “m” word doesn’t scare the kids!), offers numerous maps of hidden walkways and trails of “a city that time forgot”.

Mountain resort city parks abound in Eureka Springs. The largest is the 85-acre municipal playground called Lake Leatherwood.  It has 40 miles of trails for hiking and biking.  (Guess we’d better load up the bikes!) If exploring a cave is your thing, there are lotsa caves in the area too.

A couple things that caught our eye (and should supply great photo opps) are Turpentine Creek, a refuge for wildlife and the largest collection of lions and tigers and bears in the region; and nearby Pea Ridge National Military Park, giving the kids a leg up in history class when they start studying America’s Civil War.

And when we mentioned Eureka Springs to the kids, they immediately asked, “Can we go see that haunted hotel?”  They had seen several episodes of those ghostly paranormal shows on TV that featured the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa, said to be America’s most haunted hotel!

So with the little bit of time and the little bit of expendable income we have, we are pretty sure that Eureka Springs is gonna be a great place to brake for spring break this year.

If you guys have any ideas or suggestions for us about Eureka Springs, the state Arkansas and The Ozarks (including the new Arkansas Art Trail), we would love for you to let us know.  Thanx.

Here is a great place to check out the latest Spring Break Hot Deals!

FREE FUN Family Activities this Spring Break!

March 9, 10, 11 2012

Are you a history buff or interested in learning a little about some of Arkansas’ civil war battles?  Then check out these upcoming events!

Civil War 2 Night Re-enactment Package

General Powell Clayton, union army general in the civil war and co-founder of Eureka Springs and the Crescent Hotel, invites you back to his hometown of Eureka Springs, Arkansas to relive area battles fought at Pea Ridge, Prarie Grove and Wilson’s Creek.  Our package offers the 1st night at regular rate and your second night for ONLY $18.86 on December 1st & 2nd 2012.
The Battle of Prairie Grove Re-enactment will be held on 12/1 & 12/2 2012.
Check Availability. Call our reservations at 877-342-9766 for more information.

Plan a quick, affordable getaway to Eureka Springs this Valentine’s Weekend. Lots To Do!

Enjoy an early Valentine’s Showcase Dinner that is worth attending on Friday evening at the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant.  The menu offers a casual gourmet cuisine in a historic ambiance with a wide variety of wines.  Call for availability 479-253-9652.

Live Entertainment all Weekend long.

Saturday

Shop Downtown and visit Zarks Gallery-Hosting their 13th Annual BIG Glass SALE on Saturday!

Got a Sweet tooth?  Attend the 7th Annual Chocolate Lover’s Festival at Inn of the Ozarks.

Be the First! Watch the 1st Night Time Mardi Gras Parade to hit the downtown streets of Eureka Springs at 6pm.  Basin Spring Park or up at the Balcony Restaurant in the Basin Park Hotel are great places to watch the parade, get beads, and grab a bit to eat!  View the complete Mardi Gras Schedule.

After, grab a nice glass of wine and cheese plate at The Stone House on Main Street for the “No Print Art Show.”  From 7pm-10pm, original artworks by Caitlin Cantele will be featured through paintings, pen and ink, and watercolors.

Sunday

Enjoy a Valentine’s Brunch at the Crystal Dining Room Restaurant.  Chocolate fountain and an array of delicious entrees are available from 9:30am-2pm.  Reservations are recommended by calling 479-253-9652.

FREE movie at Keel’s Creek Winery featuring “Chocolat” at 3pm. More info at 479-253-1769

More to Do!

While you visit make it extra special by visiting one of our many Day Spas.  Love the Outdoors, then visit many of our Natural Springs in town or go for a walk/hike at our nearby trails.

Make Eureka Springs your next getaway!