The following is a guest post by Gary Newton, Executive Vice President of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. Gary is the co chair of RazorRock and the Chair of the RazorRock Rally event on Friday night.
RazorRock, which debuted in 2009 as a “Central Arkansas’ weeklong football rally,” will return in 2010 the week of September 6th through the 11th in advance of the Razorback Football Team’s first Little Rock game of the 2010 season.
And rather than just one week during football season, RazorRock is being repositioned to celebrate every time a University of Arkansas athletic team plays in Central Arkansas.
According to Greg Nabholz (Nabholz Properties), chairman of RazorRock, “Our intention is to enhance the Razorback fan experience for the residents of and visitors to Central Arkansas, with hopes of enticing our guests to spend another night or two in the region.”
RazorRock organizers are encouraging businesses, organizations and governmental entities to “Paint Central Arkansas Razorback Red” for the week. To that end, Metropolitan National Bank will change the lights on its tower from traditional blue to red and white for the week. The Big Dam Bridge will also be lit in Razorback colors.
In an effort to enhance visiting Razorback fans’ Central Arkansas experience, the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau and North Little Rock Visitors Bureau are offering special packages to guests through links at RazorRockRally.com.
To benefit the Arkansas Alumni Association – Capital Chapter, RazorRock Wristbands are being sold, granting wearers discounts to participating local merchants and restaurants.
RazorRock 2010 will feature 17 associated events, culminating in a pep rally in the Riverfest Amphitheatre, followed by a Night of Arkansas Music concert, presented by The Oxford American magazine.
The rally will feature the University of Arkansas Razorback Marching Band, under the direction of Dr. Christopher Knighten, as well as the Cheerleaders and Pom Squad, coordinated by Jean Nail. Tusk III, the latest live Razorback mascot, will make his Little Rock debut, courtesy of Keith and Julie Stokes.
In addition to traditional favorites, the band will debut its new arrangement of Ring of Fire, a signature song of Arkansas’ own Johnny Cash.
10 Horse Johnson, billed as the “Ozarks-born/LA-bred/Little Rock-based country comedy band,” will deliver the first live performance of their new single – Woo Pig Fever. The band’s 25-minute, all-original, all-Arkansas set will transition from pep rally to The Oxford American Presents A Night of Arkansas Music.
Scheduled to perform at the concert are The Salty Dogs, Jim Mize and True Soul Revue.
While a complete and regularly updated list of offerings is available at www.RazorRockRally.com, the following 17 events were scheduled as of press time:
Monday, 9.6.10 (Labor Day)
RazorRock Kick-off
RazorRock Relay
Presented by River Trails Bike Rentals
Contact David Fike (501.374.5505, info@rivertrailrentals.com)
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Arkansas Travelers vs. Springfield Cardinals (Season Finale)
Dickey-Stephens Park
1:00 pm
RazorRock Foodie Festival
Presented by Argenta Downtown Council
Dickey-Stephens Park
Contact Drue Patton (501.517.3127, dpatton@argentadc.org)
4:00 – 7:30 pm
RazorRock Movie Night
Presented by Little Rock Film Festival
Screening War Eagle Arkansas
Dickey-Stephens Park
7:45 – 10:00 pm
Tuesday, 9.7.10
Little Rock Touchdown Club
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Arkansas Alumni Association – Capital Chapter Reception
5:00 – 7:00 pm
RazorRock Ladies Night Out/Tailgate Shopping
Presented by Inviting Company/Revelry Jewels/Rubadubdub
7:00 – 10:00 pm
Contact Sarah Mitchell (479.466.3416, sarahmitchell@sbcglobal.net)
Wednesday, 9.8.10
Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame
Brown Bag Lunch Featuring Former Razorbacks Kevin Scanlon, Anthony Lucas, Clint Stoerner
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Arkansas Arts Foundation’s RazorRock Spirits: A Night of Art and Soul
Featuring Rock Town Distillery, Diamond Bear Brewery, Lombardi Liquors, Guillermo’s Gourmet Coffee, Wiederkehr Winery
Argenta Arts District
5:00 – 7:00 pm
University of Arkansas College of Engineering Alumni Reception with Dean Saxena
Courtyard by Marriott – Downtown Little Rock
6:00 – 8:00 pm
Thursday, 9.9.10
University of Arkansas Walton College of Business Lunch & Learn: Coaching Your Business Team to Their Full Potential
Presented by Walton College Executive Education
In Partnership with Walton College Alumni Society
Sturgis Hall, University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service
11:45 am – 1:00 pm
Contact Rachel Burton (479.575.5425, rburton@walton.uark.edu)
RazorRock After Hours at The Little Rock Zoo
Presented by Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce
In Partnership with Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
Featuring New Red River Hog Exhibit, Pigs from Around the World
Hosted by Little Rock Zoo
5:00 – 7:00 pm
Click to Save on Advance Tickets
University of Arkansas Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences Alumni & Friends Reception
Embassy Suites Little Rock
6:00 – 8:00 pm
Friday, 9.10.10
Street Machine Nationals
Riverfront Park, Riverfest Amphitheater
All Day
Arkansas Alumni Association/Little Rock Razorback Club
Luncheon & Press Box Tour
War Memorial Stadium
11:00 – 1:00 pm
RazorRock Rally
Featuring University of Arkansas Marching Razorback Band, Cheerleaders, Pom Squad, Tusk III, 10 Horse Johnson
The Oxford American Presents
A Night of Arkansas Music
Featuring
The Salty Dogs
Jim Mize
True Soul Revue
Riverfest Amphitheater, River Market
7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday, 9.11.10 (Game Day)
Tailgate
War Memorial Park
7:00 am –
Street Machine Nationals
Riverfront Park, Riverfest Amphitheater
All Day
Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Louisiana-Monroe
6:00 pm
RazorRock is presented by the Arkansas River Cities Sports Commission, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau and North Little Rock Visitors Bureau. Partner sponsors include Argenta Downtown Council, Arkansas Flag and Banner, Career Sports & Entertainment, and Downtown Little Rock Partnership.
In addition to the Arkansas River Cities Sports Commission, producing partners include Argenta Downtown Council, Arkansas Alumni Association (Capital Chapter), Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, Arkansas Travelers, Downtown Little Rock Partnership, Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, Little Rock Film Festival, Little Rock Touchdown Club, North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, North Little Rock Visitors Bureau, Oxford American, Razorback Foundation, Razorback Navy, University of Arkansas, and War Memorial Stadium.
For more information, visit www.RazorRockRally.com.
