Thursday, June 5th @ 6pm
Lum & Abner Parade
Mena Street
Parade Registration Form Here

7 pm
Lil’ Miss & Mister Pageant
Janssen Park
Pagent Registration Form Here

Festival Hours: 
Friday, June 6 & Saturday, June 7 from 10 am until 9 pm

This year the Lum & Abner Festival celebrates its 31st anniversary since the first festival was held.  The festival hosts events, vendors and entertainment that will appeal to all ages.  Come see us and discover why we call it Mena’s Signature Event.

Sponsored by Rich Mountain Lumber, Wal-Mart, and the Mena Advertising & Promotion Commission
Performing shows both Friday and Saturday.

They opened the land to farms and cities, help build America and became the legends of the forest. The tales of their feats are as big as a pine tree and lumberjacks always claimed to be the best. The legend lives on in the All American Lumberjack Show... two teams, ten exciting lumberjack events, 10,000 gallons of water and everyone comes out a winner. Get ready to compete... we just may need ya.

Our entertainment stage offers acts including bluegrass, old & new country, and rock!  Performers schedule is:

Friday
11 am	Wilhelmina Mountain Pickers
1 pm	Mena’s Sweetheart – Lana Gail McDonald
3 pm	Prairie Grove
5 pm	Big Bear’s Opry
7 pm	2008 Colgate Country Showdown Winner 1
8 pm	2008 Colgate Country Showdown Winner 2
9 pm	David Byrnes

Saturday
11 pm	Don Thompson & the Talimena Drive
1 pm	Journey’s End
3 pm	Mena’s Sweetheart – Lana Gail McDonald
5:15 pm	Mountain Bluegrass Boys
7 pm	Hwy 5
9 pm	Further Down

Come spend a day in the woods with us and learn the skills of the American Lumberjack… free to all youngsters young and old. Lumberjack events of X-Cut sawing and Log Rolling will be taught by the Pro’s. Before chain saws were invented, Lumberjacks had Big X- Cut Saws to cut the trees down… six feet long with teeth as big as a bears. It takes two to pull these saws, you on one end and your partner on the other. After you worked up a sweat pulling your end of the saw you might want to head on over to the log rolling tank to try your luck at log rolling. Floating in the water is a big lathed turned log that weighs over 600 pounds and it’s your job to stay on top and not fall in. Looks easy… bring a towel, your going to get wet. Log Rolling was a skill that was needed for lumberjacks that guided the logs down the river in a Log Drive. It’s known as the favorite sport of the lumberjack and is our most difficult event to learn. Want to try again… just get back in line.

Take in a live show at the Ouachita Little Theatre just 2 short blocks from Janssen Park and enjoy our local talent as they recreate one of the famed Lum & Abner radio shows. Discover why their down home humor still lives today!

This open car, truck, and motorcycle show attracts cars and car clubs from over 6 states. View these magnificent pieces of work and enjoy visiting with their owners. Special guest for 2008 includes oscar nominee Candy Clark who played “Debbie” the bubbleheaded blonde in the 1973 smash hit “American Graffiti.”

Sponsored by Aynes Ice Company

Test your body temperature and see just how HOT you really are!  A timed competition testing participants to melt a 10 lb block of ice with nothing other than body heat!   A portion of your body must be touching the ice at all times to remain in the competition.

Heats:
Friday – 12pm and 3pm
Saturday – 12pm

The winner from each heat will compete in the final competition at 4 pm Saturday for the chance to win $250 in cash!

3 on 3 Basketball: 10 am Saturday
A long standing tradition of the Lum & Abner festival and attracts players of all ages.  New for 2008, winners will receive special 3 on 3 Championship t-shirts.  Download Entry Form and Rules here

5K Run
This year’s event will both start and end in Janssen Park.  You may register on-site or download and fill out the electronic entry from here.

Baby Crawlin’ Contest: 
We told you we had something for everyone!  Sponsored by Mena’s RE/MAX agents.  Race held at 10 am Saturday.  Download registration form and rules here. Trophies awarded! Download entry form here. 

Fishing Derbies:
Sponsored by the local B.P.O.E. and held at the ponds in Janssen Park.  The event offers several categories.  Just bring your own bait and tackle!  The schedule is as follows:
Seniors (55+) – Friday 8 am
Handicap Division – Friday 9:45
Children (ages 9-12) – Saturday 8 am
Children (ages 5-8) – Saturday 9:45 am
May register on-site.

Many local merchants and stores will be offering great bargains during the Lum & Abner Salebration!  You’ll also want to be sure and check out all of Mena’s antique stores for other great treasures or souvenirs!

Chet Lauck and Norris Goff were the creators of Lum & Abner. Chet was born on February 2, 1902 in Aleene, Arkansas and Norris was born in Cove, Arkansas on May 30, 1906. Both had moved to Mena with their families by 1911. They lived only a few blocks apart and grew up together. They were both very talented comedians and by 1931 had become local "Amos and Andy" imitators. They were scheduled to perform on a local charity program in Hot Springs, Arkansas on April 26, 1931. At the last minute they decided to appear as two old-time Arkansas philosophers with the names "Lum Eddards" and "Abner Peabody". Thus was formed a team that was to delight radio audiences for the next 25 years. Just three months later on July 27, 1931 "Lum & Abner" made its' national radio debut on the NBC radio network from Chicago with the Quaker Oats Company as their first sponsor. This was to continue, with different sponsors and networks, for nearly 25 years. They also performed their routines on vaudeville stages throughout the country. By 1933 they had introduced the "Jot "Em Down Store" to their audiences and this would become the focal point of most of the programs. By 1940, Chet and Norris were on their way to Hollywood to make the first of seven motion pictures. In 1948 the radio format was changed from a 15-minute show to a thirty minute program. The new shows used special guest stars, a live orchestra, and a studio audience. This was quite a change from the original shows and was not as well received by the listening audience. By 1953 television was the new rage in America. Chet and Norris considered trying the new medium and a pilot show was taped. However, Norris' health problems were just too much to allow him to stand rigors of performing on early tv. So Chet and Norris decided to retire those "two loveable old characters from Pine Ridge". Another era of the golden age of radio came to an end. They had performed over 5,000 live radio programs and entertained countless millions of fans. For the next ten years or so Chet and Norris each made several appearances on various tv programs but never again revived the Lum & Abner show. Norris "Tuffy" Goff (Abner) passed away on June 12, 1978 and Chester "Chet" Lauck (Lum) joined him on February 21, 1980. Gone but definitely NOT forgotten! 
                                                                               ------- The National Lum & Abner Society

For Saturday June 2nd Only, the Farmer's Market will be temporarily relocated to the "Really Great Pizza" parking lot

If you are interested in participating as a vendor, applications are available for download here.

• Arts & Craft/Commercial Vendors
• Non-Profit / Commercial Food Vendors
• Information Booth