Tickets to the Joe Nichols headliner concert for the Hope Watermelon Festival are hotter than the 100-degree weather.
University of Arkansas Community College at Hope representative Brent Talley said this morning that almost as many advance tickets have been sold for Saturday's concert than the total paid attendance at last year's Tracy Byrd concert.
Talley said 1,998 advance tickets had been sold by the opening of the festival on Thursday. A total of 2,179 tickets were sold for last year's concert.
“It's been pretty impressive,” Talley said. “Actually, a few minutes after we got that report, we got more reports of on-going ticket sales.”
He said ticket sales at some outlets have been heavy enough that supplies had to be replenished.
“We are feeling good about it,” Talley said.
UACCH is one of the general sponsors of the headliner concert featuring country artist Joe Nichols on the CMC Steel Products Stage on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12 in advance of the concert; $6 advance for children ages four to 10; and $20 adult and $6 children the day of the concert. Reserved seating is $40 per seat.
Nichols' current No. 1 hit, “Gimme That Girl,” is expected to be in the music mix, along with favorites including, “Brokenheartsville,” and “Tequilla Makes Her Clothes Fall Off.”General admission requires bringing your own seating, and no ice chests or coolers will be allowed inside the concert venue, but a concession venue will be available.
The Jason Helms Band, a Hope product, will open the concert at 6:30 p.m., followed by a local talent showcase to include the winner of the 2009 Watermelon Idol contest, Rachael Hale, of Prescott, as well as Val Robinson, the singing Wal-Mart manager from Hope, and local songstress Shelly Keith, at 8 p.m.
Tickets are available at BancorpSouth, Diamond Bank, Summit Bank, Red River Credit Union, Super 1 Foods, the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, Ivan Smith Furniture, the Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce, and the Hope Parks and Recreation Department in Hope; and, at Bank of Prescott and Bank of Delight in Prescott.
Other festival events include:
--The Hope Lions Club annual fish fry from 4:30-7 p.m. at Fair Park Community Center. Plates are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12, and free for children under 4. Take-out orders are $10 each.
--The Watermelon Festival Invitational Softball Tournament at Kelly Field and Legion Field beginning at 7 p.m.
-- Friday entertainment venues include Jim “Bear” Barentine and Friends at 10 a.m.; Rudy Preston at 2:30 p.m.; Cameron Stovall at 3:30 p.m.; Eddie Glidewell at 6 p.m.; the Dixie Melody Boys at 7 p.m.; and the Nighthawk Band at 8:15 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage.
Kosmic Girlz and the Kol Train Band will perform at 7 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage. The Southwest Arkansas Arts Council will be on stage from noon until 4 p.m. in the coliseum.
--Beta Sigma Phi Hope Watermelon Festival royalty pageants on the McDonald's Stage in the coliseum at 6 p.m.
--On Saturday, the 13th annual Big Bass Classic at 6 a.m. Saturday at Yarborough Landing on Millwood Lake; the Watermelon 5K Run/Walk from the front gate at Fair Park at 7:30 a.m.; and, the Watermelon Festival Car Show at 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. near the Fair Park Swimming Pool.
--Arts and crafts venues open at 8 a.m.; Youth Fishing Derby at Lake Huckabee from 9 a.m. until noon. Kids to age 15 may participate and parents may assist, but cannot fish. Participants must provide their own bait and tackle.
--Softball beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at Kelly Field; bingo at 9 a.m. in the coliseum; Melon Mile Kid's Fun Run from the Fair Park Pool area; ABATE 16th annual motorcycle show at 10 a.m.; Big Melon Contest and Auction at the Super 1 Foods tent at 10 a.m.; lawnmower racing in the Fair Park Rodeo Arena at 11 a.m.
--Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Contest on the BancorpSouth Stage at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the Hope Watermelon Festival World Championship Watermelon Eating Contest at noon, and the World Championship Seed Spitting Contest at 1 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.
--Southwest Arkansas Gymnastics demonstration at 12:30 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage; arm wrestling at 2 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.
--The Brazzel Gospel hour opens the entertainment venues Saturday on the BancorpSouth Stage, sponsored by Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home, and featuring the Har-Men-Izers of First Baptist Church, followed at 10 a.m. by the finals of the Watermelon Idol contest. Gene Cagle and the 4As perform at 9 a.m. to open the First National Bank Stage venue, with the Hope High School Jazz Cats at 10 a.m. and Val Robinson, Hope's singing Wal-Mart manager, will perform at 11 a.m.
|
|
|
Tickets to the Joe Nichols headliner concert for the Hope Watermelon Festival are hotter than the 100-degree weather.
University of Arkansas Community College at Hope representative Brent Talley said this morning that almost as many advance tickets have been sold for Saturday's concert than the total paid attendance at last year's Tracy Byrd concert.
Talley said 1,998 advance tickets had been sold by the opening of the festival on Thursday. A total of 2,179 tickets were sold for last year's concert.
“It's been pretty impressive,” Talley said. “Actually, a few minutes after we got that report, we got more reports of on-going ticket sales.”
He said ticket sales at some outlets have been heavy enough that supplies had to be replenished.
“We are feeling good about it,” Talley said.
UACCH is one of the general sponsors of the headliner concert featuring country artist Joe Nichols on the CMC Steel Products Stage on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12 in advance of the concert; $6 advance for children ages four to 10; and $20 adult and $6 children the day of the concert. Reserved seating is $40 per seat.
Nichols' current No. 1 hit, “Gimme That Girl,” is expected to be in the music mix, along with favorites including, “Brokenheartsville,” and “Tequilla Makes Her Clothes Fall Off.”General admission requires bringing your own seating, and no ice chests or coolers will be allowed inside the concert venue, but a concession venue will be available.
The Jason Helms Band, a Hope product, will open the concert at 6:30 p.m., followed by a local talent showcase to include the winner of the 2009 Watermelon Idol contest, Rachael Hale, of Prescott, as well as Val Robinson, the singing Wal-Mart manager from Hope, and local songstress Shelly Keith, at 8 p.m.
Tickets are available at BancorpSouth, Diamond Bank, Summit Bank, Red River Credit Union, Super 1 Foods, the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, Ivan Smith Furniture, the Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce, and the Hope Parks and Recreation Department in Hope; and, at Bank of Prescott and Bank of Delight in Prescott.
Other festival events include:
--The Hope Lions Club annual fish fry from 4:30-7 p.m. at Fair Park Community Center. Plates are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12, and free for children under 4. Take-out orders are $10 each.
--The Watermelon Festival Invitational Softball Tournament at Kelly Field and Legion Field beginning at 7 p.m.
-- Friday entertainment venues include Jim “Bear” Barentine and Friends at 10 a.m.; Rudy Preston at 2:30 p.m.; Cameron Stovall at 3:30 p.m.; Eddie Glidewell at 6 p.m.; the Dixie Melody Boys at 7 p.m.; and the Nighthawk Band at 8:15 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage.
Kosmic Girlz and the Kol Train Band will perform at 7 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage. The Southwest Arkansas Arts Council will be on stage from noon until 4 p.m. in the coliseum.
--Beta Sigma Phi Hope Watermelon Festival royalty pageants on the McDonald's Stage in the coliseum at 6 p.m.
--On Saturday, the 13th annual Big Bass Classic at 6 a.m. Saturday at Yarborough Landing on Millwood Lake; the Watermelon 5K Run/Walk from the front gate at Fair Park at 7:30 a.m.; and, the Watermelon Festival Car Show at 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. near the Fair Park Swimming Pool.
--Arts and crafts venues open at 8 a.m.; Youth Fishing Derby at Lake Huckabee from 9 a.m. until noon. Kids to age 15 may participate and parents may assist, but cannot fish. Participants must provide their own bait and tackle.
--Softball beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at Kelly Field; bingo at 9 a.m. in the coliseum; Melon Mile Kid's Fun Run from the Fair Park Pool area; ABATE 16th annual motorcycle show at 10 a.m.; Big Melon Contest and Auction at the Super 1 Foods tent at 10 a.m.; lawnmower racing in the Fair Park Rodeo Arena at 11 a.m.
--Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Contest on the BancorpSouth Stage at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the Hope Watermelon Festival World Championship Watermelon Eating Contest at noon, and the World Championship Seed Spitting Contest at 1 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.
--Southwest Arkansas Gymnastics demonstration at 12:30 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage; arm wrestling at 2 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.
--The Brazzel Gospel hour opens the entertainment venues Saturday on the BancorpSouth Stage, sponsored by Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home, and featuring the Har-Men-Izers of First Baptist Church, followed at 10 a.m. by the finals of the Watermelon Idol contest. Gene Cagle and the 4As perform at 9 a.m. to open the First National Bank Stage venue, with the Hope High School Jazz Cats at 10 a.m. and Val Robinson, Hope's singing Wal-Mart manager, will perform at 11 a.m.
