Sixth Annual community open house and pilot block party to feature something for everyone

Aviation enthusiasts, their families and friends will enjoy both recreation and top-flight education during the 6th Annual Holleyfest Fly-in/Camp-out being held at Holley Mountain Airpark (2A2) in Van Buren County near Clinton, Arkansas, Friday and Saturday, October 8 and 9, 2004.

Billed as a “community open house and pilots block party,” registration and camping commence Friday afternoon, heading toward a “tall tales” storytelling session and live entertainment around the campfire, beginning at sunset. Headlining this year’s storytelling list, Sid King of KGFL-KHPQ Radio in Clinton will recount details of the Damascus Missile Crisis. His tale and others will alternate with music by the celebrated Lost Creek Band.

Saturday’s educational program gets going at 9:00am with an FAA Wings Safety Program, followed by presentations of the Arkansas Aeronautics Commission, Jonesboro AFSS, Air-Evac 30 Vilonia, and the United States Pilots Association.

Just before noontime, the VFW District 6 Ladies Auxiliary Color Guard will present their award-winning flag ceremony, followed by the event dedication, invocation and lunch. The keynote address is being given this year by community leader, environmental activist and former Mayor of the City of Clinton, Don Richardson.

The afternoon will see the annual running of the Popsicle Stick Drop, a game for children age 12 & under, which awards prizes in exchange for specially marked Popsicle sticks that are scattered from a flying plane. The formal dedication of the Dan Davison Emergency Center as the new home of the Holley Mountain Airpark Fire Department, an Awards Ceremony, giving meritorious notice to achievements such as the oldest plane, oldest pilot, youngest pilot, furthest distance flown, etc., and the drawing for the special Pilot’s Door Prize conclude Saturday’s agenda.

New this year, K.D. BBQ will provide a variety of cash & carry menu items throughout the entire event, including Friday dinner as well as Saturday breakfast and BBQ Plate lunch, for which advance RSVPs are highly recommended. The Digital Photo Contest encores this year and the Holleyfest vendor court promises a unique selection of high-quality handcraft and artisan exhibitors. The FAA, in addition to providing a Temporary Control Tower (118.45mhz), will be offering the complimentary Pilot & Aircraft Courtesy Evaluation (PACE) program.

Additional event safety support is being provided by the Van Buren County Rescue Squad, audio/video set-up for the educational program is being coordinated by the Sowers Chiropractic Clinic, and the folks from Dawson Aircraft will coordinate ground-crew duties for arriving and departing aircraft.

General admission, parking, pilot education programs and nearly all recreational activities including camping are free and open to the public, no matter whether one is a pilot or not. “Holleyfest is all about being a good neighbor to the community,” said John Oakland, coordinator of this year’s event, which is hosted by the Holley Mountain Property Owners Association, Inc.

“Yes, this event itself is about airplanes and flying, food and fun,” Oakland summarized.  “But, it is also a chance to let our surrounding communities know that we are a vibrant, contributing and supportive group of people. Holleyfest is our way to invite our neighbors over to ‘our place’ to have some fun and get to know us.”

FMI: 501-745-8700 or www.HolleyMountainAirpark.com