The annual calendar
The NWA festival guide
Twenty-plus tentpoles a year, from a grape festival older than the state fair to America's longest-running folk festival. When a festival is on the live calendar, its card shows the dates.
Dec 4–Dec 5 · Fayetteville
Experience Fayetteville Half Marathon
Half marathon, 10K, 5K and fun run from Razorback Gardens on the UA campus, with a pass through Razorback Stadium: Saturday, Dec 5, 2026, half starts at 7 AM
Dates & day-by-day →
February · Fayetteville
Mardi Gras Parade of Fools
NWA's own krewe season — beads on Dickson Street
Festival guide →
February · Eureka Springs
Eureka Gras
The Ozarks' answer to New Orleans, weeks of it
Festival guide →
April · Springdale
Hogeye Half Marathon
Springdale's spring road race, 51st year in 2027: the full marathon ended in 2026, so it's a half marathon, 2-person relay and 5K on Saturday, April 17, and a 10K on Sunday, April 18
Festival guide →
April · Bentonville
Run Bentonville Half Marathon
Bentonville Parks and Recreation's spring half marathon, 2-person relay and 5K, all starting on the downtown square at 7 AM: the 17th is Saturday, April 3, 2027
Festival guide →
May · Eureka Springs
May Festival of the Arts
75+ events across the town's galleries and stages
Festival guide →
May · Eureka Springs
Carving in the Ozarks
Chainsaw carving, seriously impressive
Festival guide →
June · Springdale
Rodeo of the Ozarks
Late-June rodeo nights at Parsons Stadium, with a parade down Emma Avenue
Festival guide →
June · Bentonville
Bentonville Film Festival
National film premieres in a town of 60,000
Festival guide →
June · Fayetteville
NWA Pride
Northwest Arkansas Pride Weekend: a festival on the Upper Ramble and the parade on Dickson Street, late June
Festival guide →
June · Eureka Springs
Eureka Springs Blues Party
Five days of blues, rock and funk around town the weekend after Memorial Day: June 2–6, 2027
Festival guide →
June · Fayetteville
Gulley Park Summer Concert Series
Six free Thursday-night concerts at the Gulley Park gazebo, 7–9 PM, with food trucks and an art market; the 30th season ran June 4 – July 9, 2026
Festival guide →
August · Tontitown
Tontitown Grape Festival
Running since 1898 — spaghetti dinners and grape stomps
Festival guide →
August · Fayetteville
Washington County Fair
The classic county fair, done right
Festival guide →
September · Rogers
Bikes, Blues & BBQ
The motorcycle rally: four days of bikes, music and barbecue in downtown Rogers
Festival guide →
September · Centerton
Centerton Days
Small-town festival at full strength
Festival guide →
September · Lowell
Mudtown Days
Lowell's founding-era nickname, celebrated annually
Festival guide →
September · Eureka Springs
Ozark Mountain Music Festival
Basin Park Hotel turns into a string-band hotel
Festival guide →
September · Eureka Springs
Original Ozark Folk Festival
The longest-running folk festival in America
Festival guide →
September · Bentonville
Bentonville Bike Fest
Races, pro clinics, free demo bikes and a big bike expo, founded by Belgian trials champion Kenny Belaey: moving from June to September 22–26, 2027
Festival guide →
September · Fayetteville
Fayetteville Film Festival
Four days of independent features, shorts, panels and workshops at the Fayetteville Public Library; the 17th ran Sept 16–19, 2026
Festival guide →
October · Rogers
War Eagle Fair
The big October arts and crafts fair, free to get in ($5 parking): Thursday to Saturday 8 AM to 5 PM, Sunday 8 AM to 4 PM
Festival guide →
October · Springdale
NWA Hispanic Heritage Festival
Free afternoon of music, dance, food trucks and family activities each October. The 14th festival ran Saturday, Oct 10, 2026; the 2027 date isn't announced yet
Festival guide →
October · Eureka Springs
Nightmare in the Ozarks
A horror film festival at the downtown Auditorium the week of the Zombie Crawl; the 2026 festival ran Oct 21–24
Festival guide →
October · Bentonville
Big Sugar Gravel
Life Time's season-ending gravel race: 100, 50 or 25 miles of Ozark gravel out of the Momentary, with a free expo and a week of group rides around it; the 2026 race ran Saturday, Oct 17
Festival guide →
October · Pea Ridge
Pea Ridge Mule Jump
Mules clearing a rail bareback from a standstill, plus mule barrel, flag and pole races: the 37th ran Saturday, Oct 10, 2026 ($5 for adults)
Festival guide →
October · Eureka Springs
Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl
The town's free Halloween parade and street party, with activities in Basin Park and a zombie parade down Spring Street; the 2026 crawl ran Saturday, Oct 24
Festival guide →
Late April · Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs Dogwood Festival
~35,000 people, three days, one very pretty downtown
Festival guide →
Summer · Fayetteville
Homegrown Festival
Local music, local food, local everything
Festival guide →
Labor Day · Prairie Grove
Prairie Grove Clothesline Fair
Art on clotheslines across the battlefield park since 1950
Festival guide →
Fall · Highway 59
Pickin' Time on 59
Roadside bluegrass along the state line
Festival guide →
Varies · Bentonville
INVERSE Performance Art Festival
Performance art at the Momentary
Search the calendar →
Monthly · Rogers
Art on the Bricks
Downtown Rogers art walk, every month
Search the calendar →
Monthly · Eureka Springs
Second Saturday Gallery Strolls
20+ galleries open late
Search the calendar →
3x per year · Eureka Springs
Diversity Weekends
Spring, summer, and fall celebrations
Search the calendar →
Exact dates land on the calendar as each festival announces — usually 2–3 months out. Cards without dates yet link to a live search.