Seven top-notch events over the next three days? Well, aren’t you lucky?
Friday, October 2
Gala for Life at the Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock: We’re getting into gala season, and what better way to get the show on the road than with this annual UAMS event, now celebrating 20 years? Hundreds will gather under the banner of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute to honor all survivors of the disease. Attendees will enjoy a night of black tie fashion, top tier cuisine and live entertainment, including the band Groove Merchants. Check out our September cover story on Doyle and Raye Rogers and family. have served on almost too many boards to count, and the family has given millions to education and healthcare in Arkansas.Officially, the event is sold out, but you can still be put on a waiting list in case someone backs out. The gala begins at 6:30 p.m. For more info, click here.
Saturday, October 3
Main Street Food Truck Festival in downtown Little Rock: Stop what you’re doing. THE moment is finally here. Delicious insanity will descend on our fair city for a few hours, and we are insanely excited about it. More than 45 trucks (a record number, by the way) will be selling their tasty wares, along with vendor booths and live entertainment. As an added bonus, this year, each truck will feature an under-$5 item. Holler. See the full lineup here. The annual fest goes down from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. For more info, click here.
ACH Angel One 5K/10K at Two Rivers Park in Little Rock: As you might remember from the time our editor took a quick trip in a helicopter for the sake of journalism, Angel One is the flight team at Arkansas Children’s Hospital that brings more than 2,000 urgent care kids to the ACH facilities each year. This race helps fund the program, but is also just a fun, family-friendly event. Bring the kiddos with you in strollers, or let them hit the bounce house for a few rounds. Top finishers receive medals, walkers are welcome and there’s even a costume contest. Start time is 8 a.m. For more info, click here.
Alzheimer’s Arkansas Walk at Little Rock Zoo, Little Rock: One of the organization’s many fun walks per year, this one is all about families. Enjoy the animals, the perfect weather, a raffle for a weekend getaway and a kids’ zone sponsored by The Purple Cow. They also encourage participants to bring either peanut butter, soups or Ensure/Boost to donate to the food bank to fight senior hunger. Registration begins at 7 a.m. For more info, click here.
JDRF One Walk at Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock: Yes, there’s a reason we put all these exercise activities in here. Food trucks, remember? Formerly known as the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes, the JDRF One Walk is the same flagship fundraising event you remember from years past with the purpose of increasing awareness of type 1 and furthering the work to end it. The walk begins at Dickey-Stephens, taking the River Trail to the Clinton Library and back. Start time is 9:30 a.m. For more info, click here.
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Fall Concert in the Gardens at the Governor’s Mansion, Little Rock: If you’ve never been to the Governor’s Mansion, or if it’s just been a while, consider this the perfect opportunity to remedy that. The gardens at the mansion are always stunning, but even more so at the onset of autumn with the sounds of the ASO floating around. Following the concert, guests will be treated to a champagne and dessert reception. The show begins at 7 p.m. For more info, click here.
Sunday, October 4
CARTI’s All That Jazz at Next Level Events, Little Rock: Now this is how you get ready for a work week. Join the team at CARTI at this yearly fundraiser for the Patient Assistance Fund, a project that helps patients pay for housing, fuel vouchers, counseling, massage therapy and more during treatment. The event offers food, an open bar, auctions and live music, of course. The fun begins at 6 p.m. For more info, click here.