Ozark Folk Center Events Scheduled
Merle Travis Tribute Thumbpicking Weekend
Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18
Country blues and thumbpicking guitar fans won’t want to miss this annual event. The Merle Travis Thumbpicking Weekend offers an all-day master class, thumbpicking contest, panel discussion, and a chance to get up-close and personal with some of the world’s finest players. Hone your skills during the day and be a part of a live music audience in the park’s 1,000-seat Ozark Highlands Theater on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Annual tribute features performances from Doyle Dykes, Danny Dozier, Thom Bresh and Randy Buckner.
Grace Stormont performing on the Blacksmith Stage at the Ozark Folk Center State Park
Performing this Week at Ozark Folk Center State Park
Daytime Music 10:15, 11:15, 12:15, 1:45, 2:45, 3:45
Craft Village open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ozark Highlands Theater doors open at 6 p.m.
Show starts at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14
Daytime Musicians on the Blacksmith Stage: Down Yonder
Wednesday, May 15
Daytime Musicians on the Blacksmith Stage: Apple & Setser
Weekly Garden Tour: Departing at Noon from the Bessie Moore Deck
Thursday, May 16
Daytime Musicians on the Blacksmith Stage: Unkle Dave & Friends
Noon Program: Rock Tales & More with Charles Widmer at the Jewelry Shop
Evening Concert in the Ozark Highlands Theater: Mary Parker & the White River Ramblers; Possum Juice; Backwoods Arkansaw; Grace Stormont; The Weide Family.
Friday, May 17
Daytime Musicians on the Blacksmith Stage: The Waltzing Matildas
Noon Program: Native Plants and Native Peoples with Kathleen Connole at the Herb Education Center
Evening Concert in the Ozark Highlands Theater: Feature Concert with Danny Dozier and Doyle Dykes; opening act Unkle Dave and Friends.
Saturday, May 18
Daytime Musicians on the Blacksmith Stage: Lee Mountain RamblersEvening Concert in the Ozark Highlands Theater: Feature Concert with Randy Buckner and Thom Bresh; opening act Mulligan Stew.
Schedule Subject to Change
For more information about the Ozark Folk Center visit their website.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current membership chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.