Miss Old Style Contest Friday at Chelsea's

Chelsea's more-or-less annual Miss Old Style is about to shower down on us this Friday like another load of cultural chat on the dusty roads of our lives.

  Old Style, once sold at Chelsea's for a buck-a-brew and commonly referred to as "Old Swill," is the nostalic revenant for old-time fun.

  Contestants, not all female, are put through their paces in quest of the coveted title. Although being able to stand up on their own two feet unaided and respond relevantly to unrehearsed questions is not a requirement for triumph, an amazing number of competitors have succeeded in past years in accomplishing one, if not both, of these tasks.

  One entrant who never made it to the stage once shared her well-thought-out response to the one inevitable question all contestants must face, or duck: "Why should you be Miss Old Style?"

  The wanna-be confided her well-considered response: "Old Style is cheap. So am I."

  If Chelsea's is the Preservation Hall of Eureka Springs, Friday's Miss Old Style pageant will be the Nascar of the Oscars.

Eureka singer/songwriter Jon Seaman recently turned 62 and will celebrate his new status with a retirement party at Chelsea's during Open Mic on Tuesday night.

  Jon, a former photographer for the Citizen and the founder of Ozarkana, has been a prime documentarian of Eureka's lively community of performing artists. Over the years he has showcased scores of local musicians on the Web and on CDs.

  If every one of the many people whose careers he has boosted showed up Tuesday night, the line would run all the way to Basin Spring Park. "Woo Hoo! Jon turned Sixty two!"

-- Vernon

Thursday, March 6 H

* Jack's Place: Karaoke

* Eureka Live: Acoustic Jam & Open Mic

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Free Pool & 9-Ball

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Ladies Night

Friday, March 7 H

* Chelsea's: Miss Old Style Pageant

* Eureka Live: Underground Mafia, (Dance! Music)

* Grand Central Hotel Grand Taverne: Arkansas Red, (Jazz Guitar) 6-9 p.m.

* Henri's: Karaoke with Tiny

* Jack's Place: Karaoke

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Boot Scootin' Country Music

* New Delhi Cafe: Mountain Sprout, (Pornobilly), 6:30 p.m.

Pied Piper Cathouse Lounge: Pope County Bootleggers

* Rowdy Beaver: Jon DeHoyas

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Karaoke with The Big Dawg

Saturday, March 8 H

* Chelsea's: Maria Yel Sol

* Eureka Live: Underground Mafia, (Dance! Music)

* Henri's: Karaoke with Tiny

* Jack's Place: Karaoke

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Anything Can Happen

* Michael's Center St. Pub & Grill: Scott Broyles, (Singer/Songwriter), 8 p.m.

* New Delhi Cafe: Mountain Sprout, (Pornobilly), 6:30 p.m.

Pied Piper Cathouse Lounge: Pope County Bootleggers

* Rowdy Beaver: Jon DeHoyas

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Karaoke with The Big Dawg

Sunday, March 9 H

* Crescent Hotel Crystal Dining Room: Brunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

* Ollie's: Nascar

Monday, March 10 H

* Chelsea's: Ladies Night

* Crescent Hotel Crystal Dining Room: Locals' Night with the Crescent Trio, (Swing & Jazz Dance Music), 5:30-8 p.m.

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Happy Hour with Mary

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Free Pool Night, 9 p.m.

Tuesday, March 11 H

* Chelsea's: Open Mic

* HI Elks Lodge: Charitable Bingo, 6:30 p.m.

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Guys Night Out

Wednesday, March 12 H

* Eureka Live: Meet the Locals

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Game Night with Guitar Hero

* New Delhi Cafe: Open Jam, 6:30 p.m.