Apples, airplanes and a world bass title: What’s happening across Arkansas this weekend

Arkansas rolls into October with one of the fullest weekends on the fall calendar.

The world’s largest charity motorcycle rally rolls through downtown Rogers for its final two days. The state’s apple festival turns 50. Pyrotechnic airplanes light up the night sky over North Little Rock. Anglers from 23 countries fish for a world title on Lake Hamilton. Lumberjacks, goats and turtles each get a festival of their own. And the Razorbacks play a Saturday night SEC game in College Station.

Here is what is going on from the Delta to the Ozarks, Oct. 2 through Oct. 4.

Forecast first. Friday is the wet day. The National Weather Service puts rain chances at 90 percent in Little Rock and 70 percent in Texarkana, with showers and a few thunderstorms into the afternoon. Northwest Arkansas dries out by midday Friday. Saturday and Sunday look much better statewide, with highs in the mid to upper 70s, a 20 to 30 percent chance of a stray morning shower and clearing skies by Sunday afternoon. Bring a light jacket for the airshow night show and the Mount Magazine stargazing.

Northwest Arkansas

Bikes, Blues and BBQ runs through Saturday in downtown Rogers, and it is the biggest crowd in the state this weekend. The 26th rally, billed as the largest charity motorcycle rally in the world, has given more than $3 million to Northwest Arkansas nonprofits serving women, children and underserved residents, and Destination Rogers puts its regional economic impact at about $10 million. The vendor areas, main stage beer garden and Blues Alley Saloon are free to enter.

The main stage at Frisco Plaza, 101 E. Cherry St., runs from noon Friday with Gary Hutchison, the Ozark Blues Society Ensemble, Uncrowned Kings, the Dawn Cate Band and an Oreo Blue reunion before ShotgunBillys close the night from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday builds from 1 p.m. through Swade Diablos, MixTapes and ShotgunBillys again to Dead Metal Society at 9:45 p.m. The Frisco Inferno barbecue competition on Poplar Street serves a sauce tasting Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. and the main contest Saturday from 12:30 to 3 p.m., with five samples and a people’s choice vote for turkey and pork. Karaoke finals take the main stage Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The full schedule is on the rally site.

Away from downtown: a custom car and bike show at Heritage High School, 1114 S. Fifth St., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Harley-Davidson demo rides and H.O.G. check-in at Pig Trail Harley-Davidson, 2409 W. Hudson Road, both days from 10 a.m., with bands on the dealership stage into the evening. Eureka Springs Harley-Davidson at Pine Mountain Village hosts its own free stage Friday and Saturday, closing with Wild Turkey Fist Fight on Friday night and Simply Seger on Saturday at 5 p.m. Expect street closures and motorcycle-only parking throughout the Rogers historic district.

Arkansas Apple Festival in Lincoln turns 50. First held in 1976, the festival fills the Lincoln square at 112 Boyer Ave. Friday through Sunday with arts and crafts booths, bluegrass and country music, square dancing and the tradition that built the event, free apple slices and apple cider. The parade rolls Saturday at 10 a.m., followed by an antique tractor show. This is the signature event of the weekend in Washington County.

Crystal Bridges Art Fair, Bentonville, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum’s third annual outdoor fair sets up at the Heartland Whole Health Institute at 850 Museum Way with more than 80 juried artists from across the country, plus teen and collegiate showcases, live demonstrations and food trucks. Free, no tickets required.

Five Finger Death Punch headlines the Walmart AMP in Rogers on Friday with Cody Jinks and Eva Under Fire. Gates at 5:15 p.m., show at 6:45 p.m. Leon Thomas plays the AMP Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

ArkanSalsa Fest, Luther George Park in Springdale, Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. The 13th edition brings Latin music and dance, a best salsa contest, a luchador mask contest and a community dance party afterward from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Proceeds fund scholarships.

International Festival at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Cultural performances, food and vendors spread through the garden as part of Welcoming Week NWA. Admission is $2 to $10.

Falltoberfest closes Dickson Street in Fayetteville on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Free.

Fall Square 2 Square bike ride leaves the Upper Ramble in Fayetteville Saturday at 7 a.m. and finishes at Dave Peel Park in Bentonville, about 30 miles on the Razorback Greenway.

Also: First Friday on the Bentonville Square, Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. The Benton County Fair wraps its 122nd year Saturday. The Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival races at Agri Park in Fayetteville Friday and Saturday morning. Grit Fest, a three-day camping and bike festival from the nonprofit All Bikes Welcome, runs at Lake Leatherwood in Eureka Springs Friday through Sunday.

Razorbacks at Texas A&M, Saturday at 6 p.m. at Kyle Field in College Station, on ESPN or ESPN2. Arkansas returns home to face Tennessee on Oct. 10.

Central Arkansas

North Little Rock Airshow, North Little Rock Regional Airport, Saturday and Sunday. Saturday is the night show. Gates open at 3 p.m., flying starts at 5 p.m. and the show ends around 8:30 p.m. with aircraft firing pyrotechnics, a jet car and a Cybertruck light show. Sunday’s day show opens gates at 11:30 a.m., with flying from 1:30 to about 5:30 p.m. Performers include the GhostWriter night act, the TITAN Aerobatic Team in AT-6 Texans, the NextGen Eagles and Stephen Covington in his GameBird. Both days have car shows, static aircraft displays and a kids zone. Tickets start at $20. Children 12 and under get in free.

Six Bridges Book Festival wraps up Sunday in downtown Little Rock. The Central Arkansas Library System festival has brought some five dozen authors to town since Sept. 27, including Deesha Philyaw, S.A. Cosby, Alix E. Harrow, Christina Lauren and Arkansas’s own Eli Cranor and Ayana Gray. Sessions are free. The closing fundraiser with “The Frozen River” author Ariel Lawhon is ticketed.

Turkish Food Festival, 1501 Market St. in Little Rock, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 16th annual festival from the Arkansas Culture and Dialog Center. Free admission, food for purchase.

International Greek Food Festival, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 1100 Napa Valley Drive in Little Rock, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free admission.

Fiesta en SoMa takes over South Main Street in Little Rock on Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. for the Latin American edition of SoMa After Dark.

Little Rock Home Show, Statehouse Convention Center, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults $10 at the door, kids free.

Arkansas Renaissance Festival closes its season Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Dragonstone Springs in Mount Vernon with its “Dusk of Dreams” weekend.

Arkansas Goat Festival, Perryville City Park, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A goat parade, a goat costume contest, goat milk soap and about 140 vendors.

Timberfest in downtown Sheridan, Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The 42nd annual festival hosts the Arkansas State Lumberjack Championship with ax throwing, horizontal chop and chainsaw events, plus a parade, a car show, a barbecue cook-off and three stages of music. Free.

Jamey Johnson plays Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff on Saturday at 8 p.m. on his Traveling Truebadour Tour.

Also: Conway ArtsFest at 5th Avenue Park, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the Conway Art Walk downtown Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. The Arkansas Traveller 100 ultramarathon starts at Lake Sylvia near Perryville at 6 a.m. Saturday. The Spooky Sprint 5K, 10K and half marathon starts at 8 a.m. Saturday at Riverfront Park in North Little Rock. Alexander Fall Fest runs Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at Alexander City Park, free.

Hot Springs

Bass Fishing World Championship finishes Saturday on Lake Hamilton. A record 23 nations are competing in the 20th edition of the only globally sanctioned world championship in bass fishing. Team USA includes Kevin VanDam, Scott Martin, Dustin Connell, Drew Gill, Ott DeFoe and Dakota Ebare. The Oaklawn Outdoors Show at the Hot Springs Convention Center runs Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Frontmen play at 4 p.m. Saturday ahead of the final weigh-in and medal ceremony from 5 to 6 p.m. in the arena.

Hot Springs Arts and Crafts Fair, Garland County Fairgrounds, 4831 Malvern Ave. The 57th annual fair runs Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with more than 200 exhibitors from several states. Sunday adds a Kids Market. Free admission and parking.

Hispanic Heritage Festival, Historic Hot Springs Farmers Market on Orange Street, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Third annual. Live music, folklorico dancers, food and vendors. Free.

Also: First Friday Gallery Walk downtown, Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. Magic Screams, the Halloween event at Magic Springs, runs Saturday and Sunday. Artoberfest at the Ponce de Leon Center in Hot Springs Village, Saturday at 1 p.m. “Wait Until Dark” at the Pocket Theatre, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

River Valley

Peacemaker Festival, Riverfront Amphitheater in Fort Smith, Friday and Saturday from 1 to 11 p.m. The 12th annual festival leans Americana and Red Dirt. Friday: William Clark Green, Pecos and the Rooftops, Drayton Farley, Pony Bradshaw and Jason Scott and the High Heat. Saturday: JJ Grey and Mofro, Tanner Usrey, Drake White, Giovannie and the Hired Guns and the Kruse Brothers.

Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair wraps its 90th year Saturday at Kay Rodgers Park in Fort Smith.

Wakaan Music Festival runs through Saturday at Mulberry Mountain near Ozark. The bass-music camping festival, in its sixth year on the mountain, has more than 90 acts led by Liquid Stranger, Flux Pavilion, Getter and Of The Trees. Ages 18 and up.

Also: The Fort Smith Symphony performs “Mythologies” Saturday at the ArcBest Performing Arts Center. The Haunted 5K, 10K and half marathon starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Ben Geren Park. The River Valley Fall Shopapalooza and Toys for Tots kickoff runs Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dardanelle Community Center. Mount Magazine State Park hosts “Rings over Magazine,” a Saturn viewing from the Cameron Bluff Overlook from 10 to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free.

Southwest Arkansas

Southwest Arkansas District Fair closes Saturday at Hope Fair Park.

Hurrah! Festival, Sevier County Museum in De Queen, Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The 36th annual county heritage festival takes an America 250 theme this year, with a veterans parade at 9 a.m., a car and truck show, knifemaking demonstrations and train rides. Free.

Magnolia Downtown Merchants Fall Festival and Chili Cook-off, Magnolia square, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tiger Fest in downtown Taylor, Saturday, with a parade and pageant.

Caddo Gap Heritage Festival, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with heritage skills demonstrations at Gap Mercantile.

Also: The Ouachita Gran Fondo for Families rolls out of Whiskey Ridge Ranch near Malvern at 8 a.m. Saturday with 20, 36 and 71-mile routes. Camden’s First Friday Market runs downtown Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. DeGray Lake Resort State Park offers a scenic lake cruise Sunday at 2 p.m., $14 for adults and $8 for ages 6 to 12, reservations required. The Gateway Farmers Market in Texarkana is open Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon.

Northeast Arkansas and the Delta

Terrapin Derby, Main Street in Lepanto, Saturday. The Poinsett County town has raced turtles every year since 1930. The day traditionally includes a 5K, crafts and food vendors, the crowning of the Derby Queen, an afternoon parade and the main event, the terrapin race, in late afternoon.

Northeast Arkansas District Fair closes Saturday at the fairgrounds in Jonesboro.

Cherokee Village Oktoberfest, Cherokee Village Town Center, Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. Brats, pretzels, beer, live music, a costume contest, a fall farmers market and the Wurst Dressed Dog contest.

Jackson Farm Pumpkin Festival, Black Rock, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m., with more than 45 attractions.

Also: Blessed Sacrament Church Fall Festival in Jonesboro, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pedal the Ridge gravel ride in Paragould, Saturday with 7 and 8 a.m. starts. Arkansas State opens Sun Belt play Saturday at Louisiana.

North Central Arkansas

Harvest Homecoming, downtown Harrison square, Saturday from 9 a.m. The 42nd annual celebration of Ozarks makers and fall traditions from the Central Ozarks Farmers and Artisans Market.

Ozark Moonshine and Music Festival, Van Buren County Fairgrounds in Clinton, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fifth annual, with country singer Darryl Worley headlining. Free admission, $20 parking, and parking is free for early arrivals from 10 a.m. to noon.

ARktoberfest, Baker District Square in Mountain Home, Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m. Craft beer, a beer mile at 3 p.m. and a stein-hoisting championship at 6 p.m., with profits going to Backpack Food 4 Kids. Free entry.

Arkansas Dark Sky Festival, Bear Creek Log Cabins in St. Joe, Friday from 4 p.m. through Saturday at 10 p.m. $7.50 per vehicle plus $1 per person.

Also: A live birds of prey demonstration at Mammoth Spring State Park, Saturday from 1 to 2:30 p.m., free.

Still running

“Where the Wind Lives,” the kinetic sculpture exhibition at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, through Oct. 31. “Painting the Arkansas Parks” at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. “Keith Haring in 3D” at Crystal Bridges. The Arkansas250 exhibit “Before Us, Beyond Us” at the Old State House Museum. Haunted season is open at the Haunted Hotel of Arkansas in Little Rock, Nightmares in Bentonville, Asylum X in Fort Smith and Hardway Haunt in Hot Springs.

Farmers markets run Saturday morning in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Batesville, Siloam Springs, Van Buren and Texarkana.

Looking ahead

The King Biscuit Blues Festival returns to downtown Helena Oct. 8 through Oct. 10 with Bobby Rush, John Primer and Magic Dick of the J. Geils Band. The Razorbacks host Tennessee on Oct. 10. The Arkansas State Fair runs Oct. 16 through Oct. 25 in Little Rock, and Hillcrest HarvestFest is Oct. 17.