The Saline County Council on Aging for the Benton Senior Wellness & Activity Center is in the process of recruiting vendors and others for the 43rd annual tradition in downtown Benton. Old Fashioned Day will be held on the Saline County Courthouse square Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 9 am to 4 pm. Old Fashioned Day is an annual fundraiser for the Seniors of Benton. [Scroll down for flyer/schedule of events]
“Old Fashioned Day brings back many memories from when I was a child where I got to just have fun with my family in historic downtown Benton. I was always amazed how people from the community came together to highlight their products and services but what happened was it always turned into a family reunion for the patrons of Saline County.” stated Dustin Parsons, Old Fashioned Day Coordinator.
Each year the Council works to bring arts & craft vendors and other unique vendors from across Arkansas to allow the community to shop locally and help raise funds for the Seniors of Benton. BOOTHS on the Saline County Courthouse lawn are 10 x 10 square booths for $50 or if electricity is needed it will be $65. Registration forms may be picked up at the Benton Senior Wellness & Activity Center at 1800 Citizens Dr, Benton, AR 72015.
This year the Council wants to highlight people from Saline County that have homegrown FOODS, canned items, homemade items, or produce grown or raised in or near Saline County.
Parsons stated “With this being an annual tradition for patrons throughout Saline County and Arkansas we want to highlight homegrown and handmade items and small business owners of Saline County and throughout Arkansas.”
Old Fashioned Day will have the annual horseshoe, beard/bonnet, and skillet throwing CONTEST. Parsons noted this year we will be soliciting for teams to sign up for the 1st Annual OFD Washers Tournament and 1st Annual Log Sawing Contest. Log Sawing & Washer Teams have 2 members and the teams must pay a $25 signup fee and other contests have 1 member and the signup fee is $15. Sign up forms may be picked up at the Benton Senior Wellness & Activity Center at 1800 Citizens Dr, Benton, AR 72015.
“Festivals are a tradition across the United States and Old Fashioned Day allows Saline County to be a part of the American Dream of community engagement and supporting local causes. The Seniors of Benton have a new state of the art facility and this festival allows for extra revenue to hold 21st century programs for the seniors,” stated Parsons.
The festival will again have live MUSIC, local dance studio performances, youth inflatable’s, animal adoption trailer, fire department smokehouse, food vendors, antique cars and tractors.
If anyone in Saline County or Arkansas are interested in being part of this annual tradition of Benton call the Benton Senior Wellness & Activity Center at 501-776-0255 or 501-315-0645. One may also go by the Center at 1800 Citizens Drive, Benton, AR 72015.
