First Friday, Folk Festival, Razorback Football & A Huge New Adventure Park Opens


Hey, it's Lynn –

Happy Friday! Labor Day weekend is here. How is time speeding by, but this heat keeps hanging around?

There’s plenty happening across NWA this weekend, from First Friday in Bentonville and the Ozark Folk Festival in Eureka Springs to the Prairie Grove Clothesline Fair and Arkansas Razorback football opening weekend.

A huge new indoor adventure park, Ozark Adventure Park, just opened in Lowell, with ropes courses, ziplines, climbing walls, arcade games, and food—giving you a new option for weekend fun.

Plus, the new XNA Connector Road opens today, connecting the Springdale Bypass (Highway 612) directly to XNA and giving the airport its first direct highway connection to I-49 since it opened in 1998.

I pulled together the events worth knowing about—plus the full city calendars if you want to see everything happening.
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Scroll down and find your weekend adventure. 👇

🙌 THIS WEEKEND IN NWA

BENTONVILLE​
🎶 September First Friday | Fri, Sept 4th | 3 pm -9 pm | Bentonville Square, Bentonville | Free | Downtown Bentonville’s free community block party features live music, entertainment, vendors, interactive experiences, and family-friendly fun.
🎨 Print Fair | Sat, Sept 5th | 12 noon - 6 pm |The Momentary, Bentonville | Free | Browse original art prints, paper goods, print-inspired gifts, and work from local print artists, plus an Inciardi trading area and merchandise.

EUREKA SPRINGS​
🎻 The 79th Original Ozark Folk Festival | Fri, Sept 4–Sun, Sept 6 | Basin Spring Park, Eureka Springs | Free | A three-day celebration of Ozark folk art and music featuring local artists and craftspeople, live performances, folk percussion and dance workshops, and a community square dance.
​🎶 Steve Poltz with Rainbow Girls | Sat, Sept 5 | 7:30pm | Basin Spring Park, Eureka Springs | Tickets | Steve Poltz headlines a night of folk music with Rainbow Girls opening the show.
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FAYETTEVILLE
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🏈 Arkansas Razorbacks vs. North Alabama | Sat, Sept 5 | 3:15pm | Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville | Get Tickets | The Arkansas Razorbacks open the 2026 football season at home against the North Alabama Lions.
🌿 Pop-Up Plant Sale | Sat, Sept 5 | 11am–3pm | Six Twelve Coffeehouse & Bar, Fayetteville | $5–$50 | Shop a selection of plants at this pop-up sale, with prices ranging from $5 to $50.
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​PRAIRIE GROVE​
🎪 Prairie Grove Clothesline Fair | Sat, Sept 5–Mon, Sept 7 | 8am–5pm Sat–Sun; 8am–3pm Mon | Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, Prairie Grove | Free | Shop handmade arts and crafts, grab some fair food, and enjoy square dancing and other Labor Day weekend activities.

ROGERS
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Baconfest | Sat, Sept 5 | 8am–1pm | Rogers Farmers Market, Rogers | Free | Sample creative bacon dishes, vote in the Bacon Battle, and stock up on local food and goodies for the first Razorback football weekend.​
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Blacktop Sunday | Sun, Sept 6 | 9am–1pm | Pinnacle Hills, Rogers | Free | Check out an impressive lineup of supercars, exotics, motorcycles, classic cars, drifters, drag racers, and overlanders, plus free donuts, music, and a family-friendly atmosphere.

SILOAM SPRINGS

🎶 Live Music with Stout Grove | Sat, Sept 5th| 7pm-9 pm | Creekside Taproom, Siloam Springs | Free | Enjoy live music from Stout Grove from 7–9pm, along with cold brews and a laid-back atmosphere.
🎸 Mark Chesnutt | Sun, Sept 6 | 8pm | SEVEN Bar, Cherokee Casino & Hotel West Siloam Springs | Free | CMA Award winner Mark Chesnutt brings his country hits to SEVEN Bar for a free, 21+ standing-room-only show.

🗓️UPCOMING EVENTS

LOWELL
😂
Francisco Ramos Comedy | Sept 11–12 | The Grove Comedy Club, Lowell | Tickets | Venezuelan-American comedian Francisco Ramos brings two nights of stand-up to Northwest Arkansas, with the Sept. 11 show in Spanish and Sept. 12 show in English.

♥️WE KNOW NWA LIKE NOBODY ELSE

Explore what's happening in NWA — city by city

EVENT CALENDARS (Click on the city calender you are interested in)​
Bentonville • Rogers • Fayetteville • Springdale • Eureka Springs​

🍁 Full List of Events in NWA This Weekend
🎶 Full List of NWA Live Music This Weekend
⭐ Upcoming Events in Northwest Arkansas​

COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN? Find a place to stay near the action.

🎥 WATCH BEFORE YOU GO

🍕 NWA's best NEW restaurants, hand-picked. All in one place. Watch this​
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🛒 You've Never Seen a Supermarket Like this — Lucy Sparrow's felt creation at The Momentary - Watch the Video Here​
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🍣 REIN Sushi & Hibachi — One of THE Top 10 Sushi Restaurants in NWA.— Watch Video​
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​ 🥘♥️ The Hive in Downtown Bentonville - One of the Top 10 Restaurants for an Elevated Dining Experience in Bentonville - Watch Video​

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Where to Eat, Play & Stay in NWA? - Check out the Top 10 Lists For Local Places To Eat, Play & Stay in Northwest Arkansas (that businesses can't pay to be on). Get the inside scoop here!​
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All good things,
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— Lynn West

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