Wednesday, May 04, 2005

NEIGHBORS>> How sweet it is

IN SHORT: Cabot gears up for weekend’s Strawberry festival

The third annual Cabot Strawberry Festival starts at 6 p.m. Friday with Strawberry Jam featuring the band’s “More Than a Threat,” “Swivel” and “Leyden.” Vendors will open their booths and strawberries will be for sale from local growers. The featured concert Friday night will be the band “Dust Forth” from Ouachita Baptist performing from 8 to 10 p.m.

Saturday’s activities will have plenty for children to explore beginning at 9 a.m. with vendors and strawberry sales, activities at the Cabot Lions Club Kids Zone until 4 p.m. and the Little Miss Strawberryfest Pageant until noon.

The Kids Zone will have a moonwalk, face painting and basketball toss as well as a storyteller, magician and gymnastics. Children can also check out the Arkansas Art Mobile and the Dino Bone Dig exhibit.

The band “Midnight Ride” and Cabot Idol winner Shane Thornton will provide entertainment at noon.

The Miss Strawberryfest Pageant will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. followed by a forensics program provided by Cabot High School. Contrary to a previous article, judges for the Strawberryfest pageants are not announced prior to the events.

The band “Legacy” takes the stage at 7 p.m. followed by “By HIS Grace” at 8 p.m.

LIONS PLAN EVENTS FOR CHILDREN AT FESTIVAL

Kids who attend the Strawberry Festival in Cabot on Saturday will find a whole section just for them where they can pay one $3 fee and come and go as they please all day long.

Entertainment is courtesy of the Lions Club, which will use the proceeds to help young people in need of eye care through World Services for the Blind in Little Rock and Mid-South Sight Center in Memphis.

Activities will include an inflatable moon walk, basketball toss and giant Lego blocks.

Matt Webber with the Lions Club said the group was asked to participate after the budget was set for the year so funds were limited.

However, the Museum of Discovery will be there with a dinosaur dig with bones the kids can find in sand and then help assemble.

Other activities include a morning gymnastic show and an afternoon performance by a local magician, followed by a drawing for a new bicycle donated by Debusk Family Dentistry.

A small concession stand will sell ice cream, cotton candy and large coloring books.