“Old Time Music & Dance” will be the theme of the Faulkner County Historical Society’s annual program for the public on March 8 at 6:00 PM at the Faulkner County Library.

David and Donna Peterson will play traditional, ragtime and old popular music on lap dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, and guitar, augmented with a demonstration of various period dances: clogging, polka, waltz, ragtime, square, and Cajun.

Some forty years ago David and Donna, after learning to play the dulcimer and to clog dance, began performing part time for nursing homes, fairs and festivals, and audiences soon learned to love the soft tones of the dulcimer. Ever since they have been performing together, and sometimes as a family with their two sons, Eric and Chris, who are also musically talented.

The Petersons moved to Arkansas many years ago when David became a professor of mathematics at the University of Central Arkansas. They started the Arkansas Country Dance Society to provide a live music format (fiddle, guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, piano) for traditional dance: squares, contras, waltzes, English, and clogging. This group still meets every first, third and fifth Friday nights at 7:30 PM at Park Hill Presbyterian Church in North Little Rock.

David has built some 400 hammered dulcimers, and he also teaches dulcimer at his home in Greenbrier. David likes working with God-given natural construction materials of wood and rock. He will also discuss the art of musical instrument building.

In addition to the program attendees will be informed about the Faulkner County Historical Society’s activities, projects and upcoming events. Refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome. For more information call 501 329-8584.