Press Releases

Restaurant Evolutions, New Lodging & Marina Options

Duck Soup Drops the “Inn” & Adds Rock Star Cocktail Crafter

Formerly known as Duck Soup Inn, the acclaimed restaurant has a new menu, new chef, new management and a shorter name: it’s simply Duck Soup! The addition of a star cocktail crafter, Kari Koski, has infused the cocktail/mocktail menu with seasonal, mouth-watering beverages. San Juan Island distillery gin mixes with island-foraged fruits, herbs, spices and petals to create botanically-inspired libations. An example: strawberry basil gimlet with cracked pepper.  www.ducksoupinn.com (360) 378-4878 ducksoupsanjuans@gmail.com

Ursa Minor Restaurant, a Major Contributor to Lopez Island’s Culinary Scene

Acclaimed former Seattle chef Nick Coffey’s much anticipated restaurant, Ursa Minor, opened in April. Serving foraged and hyperlocal foods such as halibut, salal leaf and sea beans. Coffey states “The ultimate vision for Ursa Minor is to serve as a destination that is uniquely Lopez…that reflects the idyllic island setting.” Coffey will grow and gather his own food and take advantage of the abundance of local farms and fishers on Lopez. www.ursaminorlopez.com; info@ursaminorlopez.com; (360) 622-2730

Katherine Stewart, travel writer
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Photos available: www.ArkansasMediaRoom.com/press-releases/display.aspx?id=2711

There are few better or easier ways to experience Arkansas’s natural beauty than on foot. Whether you’re on the lookout for a casual stroll or a vigorous workout, backpacking and hiking are excellent ways to explore The Natural State.

Argenta Community Theater is proud to announce the arrival of the musical Sweet Charity, playing July 19 through July 29. Set in the late sixties, Sweet Charity follows Charity Hope Valentine on her journey to find love while navigating life in New York City. With fabulous Fosse-style choreography and an explosion of colorful sets and costumes, Sweet Charity will leave you humming memorable showtunes like "Big Spender and "If They Could See Me Now." Buy Tickets

Pop Up Argenta! Launch Party July 21

Stop by a brand new community space during the July Argenta Art Walk! Pop Up Argenta will feature a performance stage with music and comedy acts, food trucks, new seating, shade structures and local vendors. This event will show the potential for walkable, beautified space for businesses and residents downtown. The space, located in the parking lot next to the Laman Library Argenta Branch, will be open to the public for two months after the launch party on July 21. Events will be hosted in the space during Argenta ArtWalks on the third Fridays of July, August and September.

ACANSA Arts Festival commemorates 60th anniversary of the Little Rock Nine

The annual ACANSA Arts Festival, to be held September 20 through September 24, has a special focus this year: 60 years since the desegregation crisis in Little Rock, during which nine African-American students were the first to attend the all-white Central High School. Other events of note include musical performances by Marcella & Her Lovers, Barron Ryan, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Andrew York; a dance performance by Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and a theatrical performance by Impro Theatre from Los Angeles. 

Fairbanks, Alaska (AK) – The annual World Eskimo-Indian Olympic Games (WEIO) will take place at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks from July 19 through 22, 2017. A four-day series of traditional Alaska Native athletic competitions, WEIO draws Native athletes and dancers from around the state, the United States, Canada and Greenland, as well as visitors, fans and media from around the globe. In addition to athletic competitions, WEIO also offers indigenous dances, authentic arts and crafts for sale, beauty pageants and other cultural activities. The emcee at WEIO’s Wednesday, July 19^th Opening Ceremony will be the renowned Irene Bedard, an Alaska Native American actor and activist who has played Native American characters in a variety of films. Bedard is perhaps best known for her role as the title character in the 1995 animated film Pocahontas.

Photos available: www.ArkansasMediaRoom.com/press-releases/display.aspx?id=2706

Arkansas and the Twin Lakes area of The Natural State are open for business, despite the flooding and high water experienced in the spring.

“Yes, we had some high waters during the flooding in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, but all of the resorts and all of our marinas and all of our hospitality industry are open for business,” explained Jeff Pipkin, CEO and economic director of the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce.