Rodney Crowell to Headline 21th Annual Depot Days Festival
The 21th annual Depot Days music festival is set to take place September 28th-29th, 2018 on historic Front Street in downtown Newport, Arkansas. The festival is a showcase of local, regional, and national talent paying tribute to the early history of Rock and Roll. Old U.S. Highway 67, which runs through the heart of Newport and Jackson County, was the home for dozens of roadhouses and nightclubs which hosted early shows by rock pioneers in the 1950’s and 60’s. Music legends such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Sonny Burgess all frequented the venues along the highway when Rock music was in its’ infancy. Festival goers from Europe, Australia, and all over the U.S. make annual pilgrimages to Front Street to catch a glimpse of living legends from the 50’s as well as younger generations of musicians who were inspired by the elders.
The expansion of the festival includes a Friday night Blues Show beginning at 6:00 p.m. and headliner Rodney Crowell takes the stage Saturday night at 8:45 p.m.
The music starts at 1:00 Saturday afternoon. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 Museum will be open from noon until 4:00 p.m. Saturday with free admission.
The festival also offers food vendors, crafts, a BBQ contest, and free prizes given away from the stage all day on Saturday! Coolers are welcome. Bring your lawn chairs. Admission is FREE! For more information see our Depot Days Facebook page, our website at www.depotdays.org or contact the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce at director@newportarchamber.org or call 870-523-3618.
Depot Days 2018
Organized and promoted by
The Newport Area Chamber of Commerce
Friday Evening, September 28, 2018
CONDUCTOR’S RECEPTION AND BLUES STAGE
5:30p.m.–8:00p.m. Conductor’s Reception in the Depot
Tickets $30.00/individual $50.00/couple
Complimentary Heavy Hors d’oeuvres, Beer & Wine
Entertainment Provided by the
Zyndall Raney Band
(Classic Country Dance Rock)
Terry Scoggins Memorial Stage
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 Arkansas Brothers
(Footstompin’Music!)
7:20 – 8:40 Larry McCray
(International Blues Guitar Star)
9:00 – 10:30 Earl and Them
(The Ozark’s Finest Bluesmen)
Depot Days 2018
Organized and promoted by
The Newport Area Chamber of Commerce
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Schedule of Events – Terry Scoggins Memorial Stage
9:30 a.m. Lion’s Club Auction
12:30 p.m. Opening Ceremonies
Presentation of the Colors – NHS ROTC
National Anthem – Susan Johnson
1:00 -1:45 The Jimmy Dunham Family (Rockin’ Gospel)
2:00 – 3:00 Zyndall Raney Band (Classic Country Dance Rock)
3:15 – 4:00 Ace Cannon (Sax in the City!)
4:15 – 5:00 Sonny B’s Legendary Pacers (R&R Pioneers)
5:15 – 6:00 Tribute to Johnny Rivers JR (Johnny Rivers) Rogers
6:15 – 7:15 Cody Slaughter (Elvis Lives!)
7:30 – 8:30 Lockhouse Orchestra (Batesville’s Best)
8:45 – 10:15 Rodney Crowell & Band (Grammy Award-Winning
Singer/Songwriter)
10:30 Fireworks Extravaganza!
Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 Museum at 201 Hazel in Downtown Newport
Open Noon – 4:00 p.m.
Tour the museum; meet artists performing at this year’s festival
and have your photograph made.
Artist merchandise will also be on sale.
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 serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity 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.