The Faulkner County Museum, 801 Locust Street on Courthouse Square, will hold its 16th annual Festival and Holiday Open House on Saturday, November 3 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Museum and the Greathouse cabin will be open and decorated for the season and there will be all sorts of interactive activities.

This year’s theme is “Outdoor Adventures.” There will be knot-tying, fishing, outdoor games and crafts, campfire cooking (with samples), campfire songs and music. Kids can “fish” for a trophy to mount, learn about animal tracks and camping skills, listen to tall-tales, make leaf rubbings and create toy tents, animal masks, origami bats, and hopping frogs.

Traditional skills demonstrations include needle arts, corn husk doll making, rope making and Dutch Oven cooking demonstrations. Visitors can also wander through the museum and Greathouse dogtrot cabin. The scale-model train exhibit will also be open upstairs.

There are several new exhibits on display in the museum including a World War I display, featuring Faulkner County soldiers, and a political memorabilia display, featuring artifacts from previous local elections.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to see some of the renovations that have taken place at the museum over the past year. New display cases from Fletcher Smith Jewelers and EM Jeans are now holding wonderful displays. The exterior of the museum has also gotten a facelift with exterior restoration to the building and new landscaping.

Hot apple cider, coffee, and gingersnaps will be served on the Cabin porch and there will be a Christmas gift shop selling handmade crafts and homemade baked goods. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted.

The open house is sponsored by the Faulkner County Museum with lots of volunteer help from the Faulkner County Historical Society, the Town and Country Garden Club, the Conway Garden Club, Faulkner County Master Gardeners and the UCA History Service-Learning Project.