Calendar Of Events

Event Kick Off – Thursday June 2 – 6 p.m.
The event will be kicked off locally with a downtown parade June 2nd at 6 pm on Mena Street. The Lil’ Miss & Mister Lum & Abner Pageant produced each year by the local Lady Ouachita’s organization will be held on the entertainment stage at Janssen Park beginning at 7:30 pm Thursday. Some of the vendors will be open for business during this part of the event.

United Freestyle Stunt Team – Friday ONLY – 7th Street
Sponsored by Arvest Bank and Mena Advertising and Promotion Commission The United Freestyle Stunt Team awed audiences at the Lum & Abner Festival in 2009 and they are back to do it again…now with even more surprises.
If you are looking for huge back-flips, tail-whips, 360's, mega spins and other jaw dropping, heart entertainment…don’t miss this show. Each show features high-flying extreme stunts on 20" bicycles and a skateboarder using box-jumps and vert ramps. Three shows on Friday. Schedule of times coming soon.
See Calendar of Events for show times!

All American Lumberjack Show – Friday and Saturday
Sponsored by Mena Advertising and Promotion Commission The All-American Lumberjack Show showed off their talents and entertained huge crowds of festival goers at the Lum & Abner Festival in 2008. They are a must see!!!!!! Shows consist of log boom racing, racing hot saws, log rolling, cross cut sawing, ax throwing, spring board tree topping, obstacle pole racing, chainsaw carving, plus Kid’s Lumberjack Sport Camps. Friday: 2 All American Lumberjack Shows, 1 Kid’s Lumberjack Sport Camp and chainsaw carving. Saturday: 3 All American Lumberjack Shows, 1 Kid’s Lumberjack Sport Camp and chainsaw carving. Detailed schedule coming soon.
See Calendar of Events for show times!

Entertainment
There will be LIVE entertainment Friday and Saturday of the festival from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. See schedule below for the list of entertainment acts. Live music includes something for everyone including southern gospel, bluegrass, country, rock, Christian rock and much more!

Friday Entertainment
11:00 am – Jerry Taylor
12:30 pm – Kassi Moe
2:00 pm – The Vacca Brothers
3:00 pm – Zumba Demo – Viviana’s
3:30 pm – Celeste Ashcraft
5:00 pm – Lana Gail
7:00 pm – Richie Owens
9:00 pm - David Byrnes

Saturday Entertainment
11:00 am – Don Thompson and the Talimena Drive
1:00 pm – Mountain Mist Band
2:30 pm – Dream Spinners (dance performance)
3:00 pm – Mountain Bluegrass Boys
5:00 pm – Logan Lind
7:00 pm – Muzzle Loader
9:00 pm – Tyler Boydstun

The Adventures of Lum & Abner – Friday & Saturday – 7:30 p.m.
You can’t have a Lum & Abner Festival without offering the talents and humor of those it was named after! The local Ouachita Little Theatre will offer live performances featuring the comedy of the Lum & Abner radio show at 7:30 pm both Friday and Saturday nights of the festival. The performances will be at the Ouachita Little Theatre just 2 blocks from Janssen Park. Tickets are $5 per person.

Vendors
Vendors from three different states as well as local crafters, artisans, and more will be offering their items at this year’s festival. Vendors include arts & crafts, commercial, non-profit, information booths and food concessions, totaling just over 70. Items range from wood crafts, face painting, hand crafted mail boxes, floral arrangements, to t-shirts, collectibles, and even tattoos just to name a few. Food vendors will offer some tasty treats such as tamales, deep fried Twinkies, loaded grilled potatoes, along with festival favorites like funnel cakes and kettle corn. The famed Texas Twisters will return with the festival fave drink. All booths will open at 10 am Friday and Saturday.

Mena Lion’s Club BBQ Cook Off – Saturday June 4
The cookoff will have categories for beans, chicken, beef, and pork. Upon judging entries, their sensations will be for sale starting at 11 am.

5K Walk/Run – Saturday June 4 – 8 a.m.
This year’s 5K walk/run will both start and end at Janssen Park. The event will kick off at 8 am on Saturday. Registrations will be accepted until 7:00 am on race day. Local organizer Andy Philpot is looking forward to this year’s event. Entry fee is just $20 and includes a Lum & Abner t-shirt.

3 on 3 Basketball – Saturday June 4 – 10 a.m.
Always a popular event of Lum & Abner is the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament will be held on Sherwood Avenue. Brandon Burk is once again going to be the organizer of this event. This year special 3 on 3 shirts will be given out to each participant and medals will be given to the winning teams. Registrations will be honored until 9 am June 4.

Great Lum & Abner Meltdown
Back for its 4th year and again sponsored by Aynes Ice Company, and allows festival guests to escape the heat.
See just how HOT you really are when you compete in the Great Lum & Abner Meltdown. This event is a timed competition testing participant’s ability to melt a 10 lb. block of ice with nothing other than their body heat. Four heats will be offered and the winner from each heat will advance to the finals competition at 4 pm on Saturday. The winner will receive $250 compliments of Meltdown Sponsor, Aynes Ice Company. Sign up on sight.

Spinelli’s Pasta Eating Contest
Spinelli’s Italian Café will be sponsoring this event at 2:30 pm Saturday, June 4th. Winner of this contest will receive a certificate for “Spinelli’s for a Year”!

Fishing Derbies
Once again being organized by the local B.P.O.E. (Elks) with assistance by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, the derbies will offer 4 different categories: Seniors (55+), physically challenged, children ages 9-12, 5-8. See schedule for exact times for each division. The derbies will be held at the pond in Janssen Park. There is no need to pre-register and no cost. Bring your own tackle and bait. Sign up on sight.

RE/MAX Baby Crawlin’ Contest – Saturday June 4
The festival that claims “something for everyone” holds true to the claim! Mena RE/MAX sponsors this event which is held on Saturday of the festival. Registration is on-site and race times are at 10 am and 11:15 am on Saturday, June 4. For additional information, contact Mena RE/MAX at 479.394.5000.

Union Bank Firefighter’s Challenge – Saturday June 4
The local hometown bank, the Union Bank of Mena, is once again the corporate sponsorship of this very popular event. The event will be held at 1 pm on Saturday June 4 in Janssen Park and includes fun events such as Bucket Brigade, SCBA Donning, Firefighter Relay, Wild Line Recovery, and a Waterball Fight. The Firefighter’s Challenge will be expanded this year with even more games and competitions. Both local and out of town fire departments compete. Prize money and trophies are awarded.

Kiddie Korner
The Kiddie Korner will be located at the playground area of Janssen Park. Besides the playground, children can also enjoy a Iron Man jump house and other bounce houses.

Lum & Abner Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show – Saturday June 4
Sponsored by Mena Advertising and Promotion Commission
Registration is from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. No pre-registration. Enjoy a great selection of beautiful cars, trucks and motorcycles displayed in the historic Janssen Park. Registration fee is $20. All proceeds go to local charities. Top 30 awards plus top 2 motorcycles. Free t-shirts to first 50 entries. Dash Plaques & Goodie Bags for first 100 entries. Door prizes – 50/50 Pot – Wipe Out Board – Music. Awards at 3 p.m. Call 479-394-8355 or 479-394-5002 for more information.

Outhouse Races
The outhouse races will begin at 5 pm on Saturday, June 4th on 9th Street. This is a very unique and fun event to compete in and watch!

T-Shirts, Maps, Programs & Info
This year’s festival “office” will be in the cabin so anyone needing assistance in any way is encouraged to stop in. Souvenir t-shirts will be on sale. Festival programs and maps and brochures on the area will be available. Festival staff will be wearing YELLOW staff shirts and be throughout the park during the festival to offer assistance.

History of Lum & Abner

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