The Friday 5: Fun things to do this weekend in Northwest Arkansas, Aug. 19-21

1. Secchi Day on Beaver Lake, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. {Free} The public is invited to attend the 11th annual Secchi Day on Beaver Lake from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, at Prairie Creek on Beaver Lake, five miles east of Rogers, Arkansas, on Hwy. 12.

The Science Education Festival includes activities for all ages, with a mobile aquarium, on shore scavenger hunt with prizes, free lunch and ice cream, kayak test rides, microscope activities, a photo contest and more. The event is named for the Secchi Disk, a black and white device lowered into the water to measure clarity.

Click here for more information!

2. Pokemon Party at the Fayetteville Public Library, Saturday, starting at 10:30 a.m. {Free) A whole day of Pokemon fun!

Did you know that the library is a Pokémon Go Gym? They also have two PokéStops! Beginning at 10:30am and continuing throughout the event, FPL will be setting off lure modules at Jabberwocky (the dragon statue in the red Children’s niche) and Undine (the mermaid sculpture on the top floor near the ellipse in Fiction.) Come fill up your Pokédex, collect items, and maybe even catch a rare Pokémon.

Pokémon Safari

10:30am

Beginning in Children’s Library

Beginning in the children’s library, participants will be given a Pokémon scavenger hunt card of characters. As you hike the path lined with PokéStops around the library, search for Pokémon hidden in your surroundings. Play Pokémon Go to collect items, catch Pokémon, and hatch eggs as you walk. After you find all of the Pokémon on your card, return it to the Children’s desk to redeem your Gym Badge!

Who’s That Pokémon?

11 a.m.

Children’s Library

Just like in the Pokémon cartoons! Trainers will be shown a silhouette of a Pokémon and have to be the first one to correctly identify it. Prizes will be awarded!

We will be using the Twitter app to buzz in for questions, so be sure to download it before you come! Twitter is free from the app store for both Apple and Android devices.

Costume Contest

11:30 a.m.

Children’s Library

Come dressed as your favorite Pokémon or trainer! Judging will be based on creativity and originality. Prizes will be awarded for Best Youth Costume (ages 3-12,) Best Teen Costume (ages 13-17,) Best Adult Costume (ages 18 & up,) and Best Family/Group Costume (groups of 2 or more.) Special prizes will also be awarded for Funniest Costume and Most Original! Registration will be at the children’s desk. Be sure to register by 11:15am to be considered for the contest.

Click here to preregister for the costume contest! Click here to read more about the event!

3. 4th Annual Bats & Bluegrass, Saturday {Free} Come celebrate International Bat Viewing Day at the Illinois River Watershed Sanctuary for the 4th Annual Bats & Bluegrass Festival. Outdoor activities like nature hikes, fishing, canoeing, and standup paddleboarding will start at 4 PM. There will be plenty of fun, family activities thanks to local businesses and City of Cave Springs. Win a goldfish! IRWP will have fun, bat crafts and ways to find out more about these facinating creatures.

City of Cave Springs will host Cops & Catfish, a fun way to get to know your local policemen and women and learn to catch fish!

Indoors, the IRWP Watershed Learning Center features a cave replica of the original Cave Springs Cave, built by artist Becky Christenson, a local of Bentonville, AR. Crawl through the summer and winter cave and experience what our bats do each season!

At 6 pm, bring a lawn chair or a blanket and set up camp on the natural amphatheater on the north side of the newly established, Outdoor Pavilion. Southern Tradition takes the stage from 6-8 pm to bring bluegrass and entertainment to you and your families.

At dusk, (around 8 pm) join representatives from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas for a night-vision view of endangered gray bats emerging from Cave Springs Cave!

This is a family-friendly event that’s free. However, food trucks and refreshments will be available for purchase. (No open fires, grills or alcohol.)

Click here for more info!

4. Buckin’ in the Ozarks PBR, 8 p.m., Springdale. {Ticketed event}

Click here for more buckin’ info!

5. ’80s Night at the Rink, Sunday. For Jones Center Members, 5-7 p.m. This special 1980’s-themed ice skating session sounds awesome. Dress up in your favorite neon, windbreakers, or poofy hair to introduce your children to what life was like in the 80’s. This is a free ice skating event for member only and their families at the Jones Center for Families in Springdale.

Become a member or renew your membership online here http://bit.ly/1Nmq9Vs or by calling 479-756-8090.

Click here for more info on this ’80s night event!