05/20/2021
Bo’s Extravaganza this weekend
Look out Benton County, as this weekend we welcome Bo’s Extravaganza to our community, when Birdsong Drive-in Theatre, Camden Speedway and Birdsong Resort & Marina join forces to host this unique local event . John Schneider, known to many as Bo Duke from the TV hit series Dukes of Hazzard, said the idea for this event began last year after coming to the Birdsong Drive-in Theatre on his tour for the movie Stand On It. At time when many actors and performers were forced out of work due to the Covid-19 pandemic, John and his wife Alicia Allain chose to think outside of the box and adjust their plans for their movie tour.
“I’ve never been one to let my life get cancelled,” Schneider said. “When things started shutting down, we looked for new avenues to connect with our fans and found that possible at the drive-in theatres. People now more than ever, need a way to connect.”
It was that realization that got Schneider and Allain thinking on how to go about bringing people together. Allain, a movie producer with a background in Hollywood, helped brainstorm ideas and soon a plan came together. ‘Bo on the Road’ was designed to take the best attractions of rural America and bring them together to be a local draw where communities can reconnect.
“We travel all across America, and everywhere we go, we see the same thing. Once you get off of the interstate and out of the high-rise cities, folks are still folks, just like they were back in the days of the Dukes,” Schneider explained. “Deep down, we are all Bo, Luke and Daisy and all across America you find that we are all living in Hazzard County. We all need each other and depend on family and community to make it through whatever we face.”
“When we looked at areas to have this event, Benton County had so much to offer! From the Drive-in, to the Speedway, and the great river activities at Birdsong Resort & Marina. We wanted to connect all these places, as well as draw in the entire community. Bo’s Extravaganza this weekend will be full of live music, a drive-in movie, food trucks, carnival rides, racing, boating and will encourage buying locally. Every where we go, we want to get people to fall back in love with their hometown - and we know Benton County is a town worth loving!”
John York of the Birdsong Drive-In Theatre has been working hard to help organize the weekend and is excited about how he hopes the area will benefit from it. “The event should be huge for the county, bringing in tourism from all over. Lots of tax dollars will be coming into Benton County from this one event. If it goes over well we plan to do it every year, with plans to expand the event every year until it becomes a week long event to try and incorporate as many local attractions as possible. We will see as time progresses.” For those with VIP tickets for the weekend, new RV sites have been installed at Birdsong Drive-in Theatre and ticket holders can stay onsite at one of the new 13 sites with electrical hookups only.
Beginning on Friday at Birdsong Drive-in Theatre there will be musical performances including Keith Burns, Cody McCarver, John Schneider himself and special guest Clayton Q along with many more musicians and singers. There will be opportunities for celebrity autographs, photos, food and craft vendors and the playing of John Schneider’s newest movie - Stand On It.
On Saturday festivities at the Drive-In will be a car show, with lineup starting at 7 a.m. and gates opening at 8:30 a.m. for VIP guests, and general admission at 9:30. Then at 5 p.m. the venue will change as everyone heads over to Camden Speedway where John Schneider will take part in the Hot Laps on the racetrack and then go on to take part in the dirt track racing Exhibition Race in his orange 01 car!
Sunday will see the fun continue at the Drive-In with Cowboy Church at 10 a.m. and then the event will move to Birdsong Resort & Marina where there will be a Camden Boat Parade where John Schneider will serve as Grand Marshall.
Come out Benton County and enjoy the weekend full of fun for the whole family and all that our county has to offer. Connect with other ‘folks’ and meet Schneider himself - just a good ole’ boy!
All attendees will be subject to a temperature check prior to entering the event and a social distance of 6 feet apart from other attendees at all times is requested. Facial coverings are recommended to be worn in close quarters throughout the event. Hand sanitization stations will be located throughout the venue, and washing hands as frequently as possible is encouraged.
For more information on this event and to purchase tickets visit: BosExtravaganza.com