Pulse THE POLK COUNTY
FREE WEEKLY 1168 Hwy. 71 S Mena, AR 71953 479.243.9600
August 23, 2023
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Keep the Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run rolling
INSIDE:
By Jamie Hammack
Ouachita’s New Offerings
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Polk County Broadband
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1975 — that was the year Saturday Night Live first premiered on NBC. “Jaws” was in the theaters and disco was popular. Well, 2 out of 3 isn’t bad. But something else began in 1975 that is still going strong today — The Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run. The late Mark Campbell founded the Rod Run 48 years ago, and while Mr. Campbell and his once world-famous hot rod and street rod business, Street & Performance, are no longer with us, his legacy lives on with the event he began here in Mena. These days the Rod Run falls under the purview of The Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce. Putting such an event on takes lots of effort and
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Lights! Games! Action! – Time for the fair
By Ethan Nahté
Bearcats Battling Leopards
The 48th Annual Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run will have rat rods, hot rods, classics such as this 1952 Pontiac hardtop, and possibly motorcycles and bicycles. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
It’s that time of year for cotton candy, wild rides, games of chance or checking out the livestock, crafts, produce, photography and other entries at the Polk County Fair. The Fair will be open to the public beginning Wednesday, Aug. 30 and continues through Saturday, Sept. 2 According to the Polk County Fair Catalog, gate admission is free for ages
1 and under, and $5 for ages 12 and over. Senior citizens 60-plus get free entry on Thursday, Aug. 31. With the gate admission you can visit all of the displays, livestock, play the games (that each have a cost). Advance carnival armband sales are available at Arvest Bank, Chambers Bank, Diamond Bank, First Financial Bank, Kess’s Corner and all three branches of Union Bank of Mena. Purchase armbands in advance for $20
each or at the fair for $25 each. The armbands are for the rides. You will not need to purchase an armband if you are not going to ride the rides. The armbands are good for one carnival session. There is one session on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There are two sessions on Saturday. For more details, keep up with the Polk County Fair at facebook.com/PCFRA/ .
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