Visitor&Relocation Guide
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Visitor&Relocation Guide PHILLIPSCOUNTYARKANSAS INCLUDINGHISTORICHELENA 2011-2012 WELCOMETO TABLEOFCONTENTS PHILLIPSCOUNTY PLAN YOUR VISIT INCLUDINGHISTORICHELENA, REASONS TO VISIT MARVELL, ELAINE, LAKE VIEW & LEXA DW #1: FESTIVALS 4 #2: ARTS & CULTURE 6 #3: HISTORY 8 Whether you’re thinking about visiting, contemplating relocation, or already #4: THE GREAT OUTDOORS on your way here, we want to say “Welcome!” In the coming pages, you’ll get to 10 know us better and we in turn are looking forward to getting to know you as well. #5: DOWNTOWN & SHOPPING 12 GETTING HERE COME AND SEE US 14 SAMPLE ITINERARIES Author James C. Cobb called the Delta “the most southern place on earth,” and 15 in the south, living well is something of an obsession. From its days as a bustling SB CALENDAR OF EVENTS 16 “anything goes” river town one hundred years ago through the present day, Helena promises a good time to visitors and residents alike. In the words of one visitor, RELOCATION GUIDE “The people of Phillips County know how to throw a party!” Whether that party is REASONS TO RELOCATE a tea party in the finest southern tradition, a “boot scoot,” a motorcycle festival, an all-out multiday blues jam, or an arts & culture walk through historic streets, we #1: HEALTHCARE 20 live as if “living well”—however you define it—is truly our obsession. #2: HOUSING 21 And so true to our southern roots and culture, we are delighted to invite you to join #3: QUALITY OF LIFE 22 us in our revelry and savor the full flavor of the place we call home. A party is only #4: EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT 23 as good as the people who come, and your invitation is in your hands. The food is DW warm and the drinks are cold, so y’all come! #5: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 24 COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION STAY AWHILE 26 GETTING STARTED 28 It’s an extremely exciting time to live in Helena and Phillips County. We are a community in renaissance. Many of the great assets that you’ll read about in the following pages were not here five years ago. We expect that five years from now BUSINESS DIRECTORY you might not even recognize the community you read about here. We invite you to Tourist Information; Accommodations; Restaurants; Arts, 30 come and be a part of the exciting journey we are taking as a community. Entertainment, & Recreation; Boutiques & Specialty Shops; Interior Design; Furniture; Florists; Retail/Distribution; Grocery/Food Supply; Pharmacies; Fuel; Real Estate TS Automotive; Banks; Healthcare; Child Care; Veterinary; Legal Services; Catering; Media; Printing/Copying; Government/Public 31 Administration; Education; Insurance Storage; Civil Engineering; Construction; Home Improvement/ Maintenance/Repair; Utilities; Technology; Accountants/Financial 32 Services; Funeral Homes; Other For-Profit; Youth Development; Agriculture/Agricultural Services Transportation & Warehousing; Manufacturing; Wholesale; Community/Economic Development; Other Not-For-Profit 33 THE PHILLIPS COUNTY VISITOR AND RELOCATION GUIDE IS A PUBLICATION OF THE PHILLIPS COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE DAILY WORLD, AND THE HELENA-WEST HELENA ADVERTISING & PROMOTION COMMISSION. SB 5 REASONSTO VISIT Phillips County, AR REASONSTOVISIT: HELENA IS A FESTIVAL TOWN AND IS HOME TO SOME OF THE BEST-KNOWN #1 Festivals AND MOST-LOVED MUSIC FESTIVALS IN A LOCALE UNLIKE ANY OTHER. From the grassy slopes of our Mississippi River levee And the fun doesn’t start and stop at the levee. Other festivals amphitheatre, you can see the mighty Mississippi River to LEVEE MUSIC FESTIVALS and special events throughout Phillips County include… October 6-8, 2011 one side and the magnificent historic downtown storefronts of KING BISCUIT BLUES FESTIVAL TRI-COUNTY FAIR Helena on the other. This backdrop is host to two major annual April 21, 2012 Celebrate the harvest with the Delta’s version of the State Fair, including festivals and a number of up-and-coming festivals—so pack JAZZ ON THE LEVEE animal and agricultural products competitions, homecraft displays and April 26-29, 2012 contests, talent contests, beauty pageants, live music, candied apples, your lawn chair and come on out! WILD HOG MUSIC FEST & MOTORCYCLE RALLY fair food, a demolition derby, and a midway complete with rides and KING BISCUIT BLUES FESTIVAL May 19, 2012 games of skill. One of the world’s most iconic Blues Festivals in the place where it all ROCKABILLY FESTIVAL DELTA DAYZ ARTS FEST began. This mega-festival routinely draws tens of thousands of visitors May 26, 2012 Sponsored by the Arkansas Delta Arts Partnership, come to downtown from all over the world including Europe and Australia. Spanning six city GOSPEL FESTIVAL Helena and enjoy local artists and artisans displaying their work for blocks, the festival includes five stages (including a dedicated children’s June 2, 2012 you to admire and purchase, alongside games for children and music area and performance stage), more than 40 acts from Blues legends to MOTHER’S BEST MUSIC FEST for the family. up-and-coming artists and buskers, arts & crafts, and food galore. The OTHER FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS 25th Anniversary festival in 2010 featured B.B. King, Dr. John, and Taj MAIN STREET MARVELL Mahal. The 2011 headliners include Buddy Guy, Delbert McClinton, September 5-10, 2011 TRI-COUNTY FAIR Celebrate small-town life in Phillips County’s second city as you enjoy and Keb’ Mo’. live music, costume contests, face painting, pony rides, arts and crafts, September 10, 2011 and all the BBQ you could possibly eat. JAZZ ON THE LEVEE DELTA DAYZ ARTS FESTIVAL Going into its 6th year, this one-day festival welcomes in spring with BB October 22, 2011 TOUR DA’ DELTA great jazz in a gorgeous outdoor setting. MAIN STREET MARVELL Going into its 5th year, this annual autumn bike race allows participants October 29, 2011 to cycle through beautiful Delta scenery on their choice of 30, 62, and WILD HOG MUSIC FEST AND MOTORCYCLE RALLY TOUR DA’ DELTA 100 mile routes. For more than ten years, this three-day celebration of classic rock and December 3, 2011 motorcycles has routinely attracted 10,000+ visitors. Whether you love ELAINE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS ELAINE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS motorcycles, the music of the 1960s and 1970s, contests and games, December 2012 Celebrate small-town life in Phillips County with food, entertainment, great food, or just the idea of the “Ms. Wild Hog” beauty pageant, this HELENA ON ICE and games for the whole family. The festivities end with a traditional festival has something for you. May 1-6, 2012 Christmas parade at sundown. WARFIELD MUSIC FESTIVAL ROCKABILLY FESTIVAL HELENA ON ICE Going into its second year, the Delta Rockabilly Festival gives you Helena rings in the December holiday season with a variety of events a chance to experience the music that started the whole rock ‘n roll including the lighting of the historic downtown district and a giant revolution. Put on your boots and your jeans and come ready to dance Christmas tree, youth and adult choir performances, and a synthetic ice the night away! skating rink that put everyone into the winter spirit. GOSPEL FESTIVAL WARFIELD MUSIC FESTIVAL Held on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend every year, the Going into its 44th year, this culmination of the year-round Warfield Arkansas Delta Family Gospel Festival is a one-day festival that features Concert Series consists of 4-5 continuous days of immersion in the arts an impressive line-up of some of the top acts in both contemporary and culture, including concerts (from classical to contemporary), operas, black and white gospel music. In 2011, Grammy award-winning gospel dance performances (from ballet to modern), a watercolor exhibition, a singer Mavis Staples headlined the festival. downtown arts walk, and more. ————————————————— MOTHER’S BEST MUSIC FEST FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT HTTP://FESTIVALS.PHILLIPSCOUNTYAR.COM Based on the tradition of one-man-bands and cigar box musicians, this OR CALL (870) 338-8327. eclectic mash-up of a variety of Delta music traditions (blues, country, rock, rockabilly) is one-of-a-kind. TS TS 4 2011-2012 PHILLIPS COUNTY VISITOR & RELOCATION GUIDE 2011-2012 PHILLIPS COUNTY VISITOR & RELOCATION GUIDE 5 REASONSTOVISIT: THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY, PHILLIPS COUNTY HAS BEEN A MELTING POT #2 Arts&Culture THAT HAS FOSTERED A THRIVING ARTS & CULTURE SCENE. For much of its history, Helena was a river town with a constant HELENA SECOND SATURDAYS WS flow of visitors, merchants, musicians, and immigrants from QUICK REFERENCE On the second Saturday of every month from April through November, LILY PETER AUDITORIUM downtown Helena offers an evening arts and culture walk that is free all over the world, including Greece, Italy, Lebanon, China, (SITE OF MOST WARFIELD CONCERTS) and open the public. From 5:00pm to 8:00pm, downtown shops and Mexico, as well as a sizable Jewish population. FINE ARTS BUILDING OF transform into art galleries displaying the work of regional artists and PHILLIPS COMMUNITY COLLEGE 1000 CAMPUS DRIVE providing free refreshments. As you stroll, you can enjoy live music, This melting pot of cultures led to arts and culture being an HELENA, AR 72342 demonstrations, crafts, and more. essential part of the character of Phillips County. In addition HELENA SECOND SATURDAYS In addition, from June through October, the Helena Downtown Farmers 100 BLOCK THROUGH 500 BLOCK to the many annual music festivals and cultural events (see CHERRY STREET Market joins the Second Saturday party by hosting an expanded “Festivals” on pg. 4), arts and culture events abound through- HELENA, AR 72342 Farmers Market “mini-festival” earlier in the day which, in addition to out the year. Here is a sampling of some of the most significant: HELENA DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET fresh, locally grown produce, includes live music, prepared foods, hand COURT SQUARE PARK crafts, and activities for kids.