Season passes for 2014 are now available at the Ozark Folk Center State Park and make a great holiday present.
The cost of a season pass is $75 for adults and $35 for children 6 through 12 years. Children under 6 are admitted to the park free of charge. The passes may be purchased at the park or by calling 870-269-3851.
A season pass entitles its holder to visit the Craft Village and attend regular evening music concerts throughout the season for this one-time cost. Regular evening concerts include any concert during the season that is not specified as a Celebrity Concert.
The 2014 Ozark Folk Center season runs from April 1 through Nov. 29. The Craft Village will be open from 10 am until 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday, with the exception of Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend. On those two weekends, the park will be open Sunday and Monday also. The park’s music concerts are Wednesday through Saturday, from April 18 through September 29 at 7 pm and Tuesday through Saturday at 7 p.m. in October.
The regular fee for the Crafts Village, or to attend concerts at the Ozark Folk Center State Park Auditorium is $12 for adults and $7 for children 6 through 12. Three-day and combination tickets are available for purchase, as well as family passes.
The Ozark Folk Center is an Arkansas State Park whose mission is to perpetuate the traditions, culture and music of the Ozark Mountain region. The Craft Village offers more than twenty artisans demonstrating the skills used by regional inhabitants in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are programs based on crafts and music during this period, as well as short musical performances of traditional Southern Mountain music throughout the day. An authentic Ozark cabin, known as the Shannon Cabin, was moved from its original location and reconstructed at the Park. The cabin is now used for children’s activities and is near the Children’s Garden.
Workshops are available throughout the year in many traditional and contemporary crafts. Check for a list of available craft workshops online, or call the park for additional information.
The beautiful Heritage Herb Garden meanders throughout the Park, offering a large variety of herbs and flowering plants as well as a wonderful water garden. Throughout the year, various gardening workshops are held at the Folk Center. There is a knowledgeable staff gardener and herbalist available throughout the season.
During the regular season, music concerts begin in the Folk Center Auditorium at 7 p.m. These concerts include traditional folk music played on acoustic instruments, including banjo, fiddle and mandolin. Folk dances such as old-time square dancing, jig dancing and waltzing are featured at each performance and audience participation is encouraged. Special concerts range from tributes to some of the “greats” of the old-time music genre, like Jimmie Rodgers and Johnny Cash, to the Celebrity Concert series featuring exciting guest celebrities. Information on the Celebrity Concerts will be coming soon. Tickets for Celebrity Concerts may be purchased in advance either online at www.ozarkfolkcenter.com or by calling 870-269-3851. Many musical events include workshops and classes in traditional musical instruments. Check the web site often for updates on music events.
In addition to the Crafts Village and Music Theater, the Ozark Folk Center offers a full service restaurant, open April 1 through Nov. 29, 2014, from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily, and comfortable, secluded lodging, which is open year around. The Park has convention and banquet facilities available. For more information on any of these services, contact the Ozark Folk Center State Park at 870-269-3851 or visit the park website at www.ozarkfolkcenter.com.
