Arkansas is home to amazing annual festivals throughout the year. If you are looking for music, food, or holiday festivals, there is something for everyone. We list the top 15 festivals in Little Rock, Eureka, Hot Springs and across the state.
Riverfest
Riverfest is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and is the city’s largest festival to date. Each year on Memorial Day weekend thousands of visitors from all over the U.S. come to Little Rock to enjoy live concerts of favored bands, compete in fun games, and taste a large selection of culinary dishes provided by local food trucks and Arkansas restaurants. Riverfest is a three-day event full of music and entertainment that always ends in a wonderful fireworks show held over the iconic Arkansas River! This is an event you won’t want to miss.
Hot Springs Music Festival
The Hot Springs Music Festival is a twenty-year-old performance-based musical experience. A festival is a week-long event that provides visitors high-quality music performances and visual/performing art-related activities. Perhaps the best part about the Hot Springs Music Festival is that it offers mentorship opportunities to extremely talented pre-professional musicians from all across the globe. Arkansas residents do receive discounted admission.
Des Arc Steamboat Days
The Des Arc Steamboat Days Festival is a three-day event held in the Town Square of Des, Arc Arkansas. A major plus of the Des Arc Steamboat Days Festival is that it is absolutely free for both residents and visitors alike. Attendees can expect a car show, a carnival, a duck calling contest, a dog show, a beauty pageant, arts & crafts booths, children’s activities, live concerts, chili & BBQ cookoffs, food vendors, a bass tournament and much much more.
Smackover Oil Town Festival
The Smackover Oil Town Festival is yet another three day event and it is notably on its 44th year running. This festival celebrates Smackover, Arkansas oil heritage with awesome events like a 5K run, a rod wrenching contest, a duck race, an arm-wrestling contest, arts & crafts booths, live entertainment, a rib cook-off, and plenty of additional food/beverage vendors.
Malvern Brickfest
One little known fact about Malvern, Arkansas is that it is the Brick Capital of the World making it the optimal location for Brickfest! Malvern Brickfest is a two-day event held annually to commemorate the town’s brickmaking heritage. In its 35th year, the Malvern Brickfest will feature a classic car show, a 5K run, a beauty pageant, several competitive games, arts & crafts booths, and a rib cook-off. Who knew bricks could be so fun and interesting!
Turkey Track Bluegrass Festival
The Turkey Track Bluegrass Festival is a four-day musical event held in Waldron, Arkansas at the Turkey Track Bluegrass Park. This event will debut sixteen bluegrass/bluegrass gospel bands. Along with the highly entertaining live music, guests can expect delicious craft beer and delectable food truck vendors.
Eureka Springs Blues Weekend
The Eureka Springs Blues Weekend is a three-day musical event held throughout the town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. This festival stands out from the rest as it takes place within several different locations with varying admission prices. Luckily, some of the musical acts within the Eureka Springs Blues Weekend are free and all are welcome to attend.
Surf the Bay
Surf the Bay is a watersports festival located within Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. This two-day event is Arkansas premier watersports festival featuring flyboarding, wake surfing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. In addition to the awesome watersports, the festival will also include live entertainment, music, and local cuisine.
Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center of Little Rock, Arkansas is happy to present to you the Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom. This annual event is held in commemoration of the abolishment of slavery within Arkansas. While this event does reflect on the rooted history within the state it also sets a tone of a brighter future ahead! The Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom is a no-cost admission, one-day event that offers visitors a wide variety of live entertainment, music, children’s activities, vendor booths, and food trucks.
International Butterfly Festival
The Mt. Magazine International Butterfly Festival is a two-day event that takes place in Paris, Arkansas at the Logan County Fairgrounds. At the Mt. Magazine International Butterfly Festivals attendees can expect guided nature walks, nature crafts, nature-related games, garden tours, butterfly exhibits, and of course live music and delectable cuisine. This free festival will also feature an art show, a kid zone, a motorcycle rally, a 5k race, a beauty pageant, and a poker run.
Rodeo of the Ozarks
Currently, 71 years running, the Rodeo of the Ozarks is a four-day event held at the Parsons Stadium in Springdale, Arkansas. At the Rodeo of the Ozarks, attendees can expect to see some of the toughest cowgirls and cowboys the world has to offer as this event is one of the United States’s top 5 biggest outdoor rodeos. The Rodeo of the Ozarks traditionally takes place among Fourth of July weekend and this year is no different with displays of patriotic floats, bands, food, and much much more.
Spa Blast
Spa Blast is a one-day festival that takes place at the Oaklawn Racing & Gaming Infield in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This is a free, family-friendly festival that will conclude with an awesome concert and firework show. (Lawn chairs & Blankets allowed. No Coolers.)
Altus Grape Festival
Impressively on its 32nd year running, the Altus Grape Festival is a two day event held on Main Street in Altus, Arkansas. Keep in mind that Altus is a town known for its amazing grapevines and the Altus Grape Festival is put on each year to celebrate them. The Altus Grape Festival will feature lots and lots of wine tasting, grape stomping, music, arts & crafts booths, yummy food, and even an amateur winemaking competition.
Fulton County Fair
This year the Fulton County Fair will be celebrating its 96th year running! It is a free-admission, six-day event held on the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Salem, Arkansas. The fabulous Fulton County Fair will feature tons of entertainment for the whole family like a carnival, a talent contest, a rodeo, beauty pageants, truck pulling, a tough truck competition, a Kid’s Day, a Veteran’s Day, a Senior Citizen’s Day, as well as live entertainment, and several additional exhibits.
Hope Watermelon Festival
Now in its 39th year, the Hope Watermelon Festival is a must-visit for several Arkansas residents. It is a three-day event held at the Fair Park in Hope, Arkansas. The only admission charged at the Hope Watermelon Festival is a $3 dollar parking fee! Love watermelon? Well, then the Hope Watermelon Festival is definitely made for you as it is held in celebration of Hope’s world record-breaking giant watermelons. The festival will feature a plethora of seed spitting, watermelon eating, arts & crafts, music, and live entertainment.
