May 3-5, 2013
presented by
James and Peggy Paxton
2013 Honorary Co-Chairs
We invite you to a weekend filled with music, food, arts and crafts, entertainment for all ages as well as the world famous Toad Races.
This is an event very near and dear to our hearts and we would love to share it with you. While this event is filled with excitement for all, its primary focus is to raise money for the education of our youth. In the history of Toad Suck Daze, $1.2 million has been raised for education in the form of scholarships and endowments benefiting students in Faulkner County attending the University of Central Arkansas, Central Baptist, Hendrix College and the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. This year we are expanding the impact of these funds to include pre-school age children providing them with a foundation to enhance their learning. Investing in our students is a passion of ours and it will open many doors for their future.
So please, gather up your toads, friends and family and come join us during this fun filled weekend. We can’t wait to see you there!
What does “Toad Suck” mean anyway?
Well, the answer is quite simple… Long ago, steamboats traveled the Arkansas River when the water was at the right depth. When it wasn’t, the captains and their crew tied up to wait where the Toad Suck Lock and Dam now spans the river. While they waited, they refreshed themselves at the local tavern there, to the dismay of the folks living nearby, who said: “They suck on the bottle ’til they swell up like toads.” Hence, the name Toad Suck. The tavern is long gone, but the legend and fun live on at Toad Suck Daze.
About the Festival
Toad Suck Daze is a FREE ADMISSION festival. A 3-day festival of food, family and fun held on the streets of downtown Conway, Arkansas. This ‘Laid Back Weekend’ occurs annually the first weekend in May and has something for the entire family: arts & crafts, ‘Toadal Kids Zone’, a carnival, local and national entertainment, food, rock wall, petting zoo, ‘Stuck on a Truck’, 5K/10K, golf tournament, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, magicians, and so much more! Toad Suck Daze is also home to ‘The World Championship Toad Races’. The festival is run almost exclusively by volunteers from Conway and Faulkner County, including the local police and fire departments. It has free admission and proceeds go to support higher education in Faulkner County. Since the start of the festival, more than $1 million has been given in scholarship and towards scholarship endowments. This money has helped more than 200 individuals attend local institutes of higher learning.