Jonesboro officials announced a series of events that will affect downtown traffic and draw community participation in the coming weeks. According to Jonesboro Right Now, downtown streets will be closed Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the annual Veterans Day parade hosted by the Craighead County Veterans Monument Foundation. The closures include Main Street between Strawn and Huntington avenues and Church Street between Matthews and Strawn avenues. Motorists are urged to plan alternate routes, and the parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
In addition to the parade, Hope Found of Northeast Arkansas is launching its annual Ride Against Trafficking fundraiser. The nonprofit, which focuses on supporting victims of human trafficking, will run a month‑long mileage‑tracking campaign from May 1‑31 during National Bike Month. Participants can log rides digitally or on a physical calendar, with top mileage earners receiving prizes. Registration for the May campaign opens at the National Bike Month Kickoff Party on April 30, 6‑8 p.m., at Native Brew Works, 515 S. Gee St. Adult sign‑ups cost $20; youth and toddlers $15. The main ride is set for June 6, departing Osment’s Harley‑Davidson of Jonesboro at 9:30 a.m. Riders will follow a roughly two‑hour route that passes Lake Frierson, Cherry Valley, Harrisburg and returns to Jonesboro, ending with a free BBQ lunch.
Separately, the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home and Historic Dyess Colony will host a Roots and Rhythm Bus Tour on Saturday, Feb. 28, to commemorate what would have been Cash’s 94th birthday. As reported by Jonesboro Right Now, the tour departs the Arkansas Welcome Center in West Memphis at 9 a.m., visits Sun Studios, then returns to Arkansas to stop at the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum and the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home before concluding with dinner in Wilson. Tickets cost $195 per person and include a meal featuring Mama Cash’s buttermilk fried chicken and a signature cocktail. The Boyhood Home will also offer free tours on Thursday, Feb. 26, in honor of Cash’s birthday.
What’s next: Downtown drivers should use alternate routes on Saturday, Nov. 9, for the Veterans Day parade. Riders interested in the anti‑trafficking campaign can register on April 30 and must submit mileage by June 4 to qualify for prizes. The Johnny Cash bus tour departs Feb. 28, with limited seats available at $195 each.
Sources: jonesbororightnow.com, jonesbororightnow.com, jonesbororightnow.com
