Festival Season Heats Up in Arkansas

Festival season has arrived in Arkansas. Here are some of the best festivals coming to the state this year, including something special that occurs during April's solar eclipse!

Ecliptic Festival - April 5-8, 2024 - Cedar Glades Park, Hot Springs

Yes, the much-ballyhooed solar eclipse will occur during this festival on April 8. And while that's exciting there's a lot more fun on tap at the Ecliptic Festival that's billed as "four days of music, science, art and wonder." Musical headliners include Deerhoof, Blonde Redhead, Allah-Las, Shannon & the Clams and Angel Olsen; other acts set to perform include Molly Lewis, Sonny and the Sunsets, Expo 70, Dengue Fever, U.S. Girls, Video Age, Ana Roxanne, Discovery Zone, The Space Lady, Hailu Mergia, ESG, Alessandro Cortini, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Elias Agogo, Mary Lattimore, Holy Wave, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Sun Ra Arkestra, Craig Colorusso and Quintron. Funnyman Fred Armisen will also appear as will Adam Savage and magician/mentalist Adam Elbaum. Speakers include Kelli Anderson, Beth Willman, Michael Jones McKean, Torri Yates-Orr, Rebecca Boyle, Alex Boxer, LD Deutsch, Dr. Kelly Reidy, John Bucher, Adam Rubin and Summer Ash. Films set to be screened include "A Trip to the Moon," "Welcome Space Brothers," "The Arrival" and "Fantastic Planet." There will be stargazing and of course the eclipse. For more information and tickets go here. To plan your trip to Hot Springs go here.

JerryBerry Music Festival - May 2-4, 2024 - The Farm Campground & Events, Eureka Springs

Deadheads will love this festival as the headliner is Melvin Seals & JGB, the group that is continuing the musical legacy of the late Grateful Dead front man Jerry Garcia. Keyboards player Seals, who was a member of the Jerry Garcia Band for many years, will be joined by Jeremy Hoenig, John Kadlecik and John-Paul McLean, all of whom have some sort of tie to the Grateful Dead or their individual members (Kadlecik founded Dark Star Orchestra.) The outfit will play on two days of the three-day festival. Also on the lineup are Arkansauce, Steadyflow, the Snozzberries, Friends of the Family, The 1 Oz. Jig, Vintage Pistol and Doctor Junior. Eureka Springs is located in the Ozark Mountains and places for outdoor recreation like Beaver Lake, Table Rock Lake and White River are all located within five miles of venue The Farm. There will be food and craft vendors and camping is available. For more information on the JerryBerry Music Festival and to purchase tickets go here. To plan a visit to Eureka Springs go here.

FreshGrass - May 17-18, 2024 - The Momentary, Bentonville

More than just a bluegrass festival, FreshGrass will present artists working in all the offshoots of roots music. Headliners include Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Trampled by Turtles and Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway; among those joining them will be Ruthie Foster, Allison Brown, Arkansauce, Valerie June, S.G. Goodman, Aoife O'Donovan and Hawktail, the Harlem Gospel Travelers, Meridian Brothers, Peter One, JD Clayton, the Po' Ramblin' Boys, Aurelio Martinez, Eric Mingus, a special presentation of "Mr. Sun Plays Ellington's Nutcracker Suite" and a show by members of Arkansas collective House of Songs called "SongRider." The Momentary is a live performance venue and art gallery located in downtown Bentonville. For more information and to purchase tickets to FreshGrass go here. To plan a visit to Bentonville go here.

Backwoods - June 6-9, 2024 - Mulberry Mountain, Ozark

It'll be a huge party for fans of dance music when Backwoods heats up June in Ozark, a small town near Fort Smith. Headliners include Opiuo, STS9, Thievery Corporation, the Disco Biscuits, Jai Wolf, Tycho, Lszee and Illeseum. Dozens of other performers will be on hand, including Flintwick, Artifakts, Wreckno, Rabbit in the Moon, Manic Focus, Boombox, Paper Idol, The Crystal Method, Papadosio, Jason Leech, Future Joy, Kasablanca, Skysia, Venbee, Slow Magic, JordnMoody, Late Night Radio and Phyphr. There'll be special sunrise performances, bonfire sessions, art installations, visual performers, vendors, workshops and after parties. Mulberry Mountain is a resort located in the Ozark National Forest so there are lots of things for outdoors enthusiasts to do in the area surrounding where the festival will be held. For more information and to purchase tickets to Backwoods go here. Information for visitors to Ozark is available here.

For information on other events happening soon throughout Arkansas and to plan a visit go here.

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