Toad Suck Daze Set for May 4-6 in Conway, Arkansas

For the 26^th year, Conway's population will swell to over 300,000 as people from all over the country descend on downtown to buy crafts, listen to nationally known live entertainment, enjoy carnival rides and indulge in any food that can be stuck on a stick and deep fried. Toad Suck Daze is on of the best known festivals in the south, and this year it lives up to its reputation as the best family fun time in the state.

Entertainment headliners include former Poison frontman Bret Michaels on Friday night. Saturday night is all about country music with performances from Sammy Kershaw and Confederate Railroad, and continuing a tradition of offering praise and worship on Sunday, Contemporary Christian stars Michael English and Avalon will close out the festival Sunday afternoon.

The popular Stuck on a Truck event, where participants vie for a new Ford F-150, is returning to the pavilion next door to event sponsor First State Bank. Returning for a second year is the enormously popular Build-a-Bear Traveling Workshop. Its introduction last year was one of the highlights if the festival. Other returning events are the Toad Suck Daze Pageant, Mardi Daze Parade, Kids Firefighter Competition and the ever popular Toad Races.

Sports are also a big part of this year's event with the Toad Jam Basketball three on three tournament, the Tour de Toad bicycle race, the Toad Suck Daze Softball Tournament, the Toad Suck Daze 5K/10K Run and the Toad Suck Golf Tournament.

Returning food vendors include Hog Pen Barbecue and Sonic, as well as small carts featuring corndogs, fried Twinkies, fried Oreos, fried Snickers and fried cheesecake. Non-fried goods will also be available- just look for the short lines.

While Toad Suck Daze is a great chance to come out and have fun, it also has a serious purpose. Proceeds go to scholarships for Conway's three colleges. Since the festival's inception, over $500,000 has been awarded to local college students, and in 2006, the Toad Suck Daze committee expanded their reach by donating over $10,000 to area schools to help them provide for Hurricane Katrina evacuees in their schools.

Admission to the festival and parking is free. In a change this year, food must be purchased with Toad Bucks instead of cash. This change is meant to make the festival safer for visitors and vendors. The festival will run from May 4 through May 6.