RISON - A long-distance bike ride, a farmers market/trade day and a Juneteenth Celebration are all on tap this Saturday in Rison beginning in the early morning and extending into the evening hours.
The day will begin with the first-ever Cruisin' Cleveland County Bike Ride that will depart at staggered times from the Pioneer Village in Rison beginning at 7 a.m. The ride lengths range from 21 to 65 miles with some routes crossing the Saline River.
People who live along the routes are encouraged to watch for riders passing by to cheer them on and show their support. Additionally, if any pet owners on the routes have dogs running loose, they are asked to please be outside with their dogs, or put them up the morning of the ride.
See maps above.
Online registration for Cruisin' Cleveland County will continue through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 15. Late registrations will be accepted in person on the Saturday morning of the ride with cash or check. Card payments may not be available.
The registration fee is $50 and includes a t-shirt, refreshments along the route and lunch after the ride.
Village Market & Trade Day
Another new event will be the first-ever Village Farmers Market & Homestead Trade Day, beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Pioneer Village. Admission is free and vendor space is free as well.
The Pioneer Village will have breakfast items available.
The farmers market will be for those selling fresh produce, plants, cottage foods and handmade items. All vendors are encouraged to bring their own canopy, table and chairs.
The Homestead Trade Day is open to anyone who would like to sell used items related to homesteading like used farm/ garden equipment, tools, farm implements, building materials, chains, fencing, hunting and fishing gear, ATVs, tractors or anything that could be related to homesteading.
Trade Day organizer Greg Jaggers said Trade Day vendors are free to keep their items in the back of a pickup and/or on a trailer. Vendors will also be free to set up a table if they like.
Some of the items that are expected to be at the Trade Day include building materials, 16--foot trailer, cutting torch set-up, pressure washer, DR trimmer and more.
Juneteenth Celebration
The annual Rison Juneteenth Celebration will kick off at about noon at Powell Park in Rison. Admission is free.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed through the Emancipation Proclamation made by President Abraham Lincoln about two years earlier.
The celebration will include live music, food and informational booths.
Detroit Johnny and his Blues band from Pine Bluff will be performing while the Muddogs ATV/four-wheeler group will be on hand as well. Loleita Terry will also have a booth set up about the history of the Lanwood School and community in Rison.