This weekend will include trail work and then on to help and enjoy the kick off for the summer.  Three will be some available lodging and camping available at CRSP.  Please make a note of it when signing up.  Here are all the details:

Join us at Akers on May 18 and 19 to kick off the summer at Ozark National Scenic Riverways.  The free event features an open-air concert by modern folk band National Park Radio at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and a celebration of the Akers community beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

On Saturday, May 18, the summer kickoff will begin at 4 p.m. at the Akers Visitor Center with activities, information booths, and exhibits about historic communities on the banks of the Current River.  At 6 p.m. National Park Radio will take the stage with their unique blend of folk, country, and bluegrass music that echoes the band’s deep-seated roots in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.  Bring a blanket or lawn chair for the entertainment. The concert and activities are expected to conclude at 8 p.m. Tiny’s Hillbilly BBQ will offer food and drinks for purchase throughout the evening.

On Sunday, May 19, a driving tour of special cultural and natural sites along the upper Current River begins at 9 a.m. at the Akers Visitor Center.  Bring a picnic lunch and hop on the tour shuttle, or follow in your own vehicle.  Those with a connection to the upper Current River community will have an opportunity to share memories with everyone in attendance.  Stops along the tour are scheduled as follows:

• 9:45 a.m. Devils Well
• 10:30 a.m. Historic Akers Cemetery
• 11:15 a.m. Crossing the river on Akers Ferry
• 12 p.m. Picnic lunch at Mt Zion Church
• 1:30 p.m. Hike to Welch Spring and Welch Hospital. Float to Akers Ferry with a stop at Howell/Maggard Cabin.

The weekend celebration will highlight recreational activities and historical programs that can be enjoyed at Ozark National Scenic Riverways throughout 2019. Partners for this event include the Shannon County Museum, Ozark Riverways Foundation, Ozark Trail Association, and Ozark Heritage Project.

Akers Visitor Center is located at the junction of State Routes K and KK in northern Shannon County.  For more information, please contact Ranger Dave Tobey at 573-323-8093 or dave_tobey@nps.gov.