Northwest Arkansas Calendar of Events: June 2017

We all made it—summer is finally here! The rain has (mostly) stopped, the weather is warm, and school is out for summer. If you happen to need some last minute ideas for how your kids can get the most out of their summer, check out our page of posts dedicated to 2017 summer camps, activities, and events! For plans that can help your whole family maximize fun in the first days of summer, look no further. We found some real crowdpleasers!

Friday Morning Movies at Fayetteville Public Library

The Fayetteville Public Library will kick off Friday Morning Movies in June. Each Friday morning they will host a free screening of a popular kids movie! Here’s the schedule:
June 2 – Sing
June 9 – Frozen Sing-Along
June 16 – Cars 2
June 23 – Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone
June 30 – Despicable Me 2

Dates: Friday, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Time: 10am to 12pm

Location: Fayetteville Public Library

More info: Click here

Bentonville First Friday: Art & Culinary Festival

Head to June’s First Friday to see the Bentonville Square transformed into an Art & Culinary block party, complete with live music & entertainment, outstanding food truck options, and family friendly activities. 

Date: Friday, June 2

Time: 11am to 8pm; musical performances begin at 4:30

Location: Bentonville Square

More info: Click here

Berry Bash Kids Day

The Rogers Farmer’s Market is having a great big strawberry party! Bring the whole family dressed in pink and red to join the fun. The market will be filled with all sorts of strawberry dishes—shortcakes, salsas, ice cream, etc. Other activities will include a bounce house, a coloring station, Strawberry Queen face painting, a ping pong pie berry making contest, hat decorating, and more!

Date: Saturday, June 3

Time: 10am to 12pm

Location: Rogers Farmer’s Market

More info: Click here

Down on The Farm Family Day

Join the Rogers Historical Museum for their annual free family day. They will hold activities for the whole family: cheese making, weaving demonstrations, face painting, antique tractors, old Model-A cars, pony rides, food, prizes, and more homespun fun!

Date: Saturday, June 3

Time: 10am to 2pm

Location: Rogers Historical Museum

More info: Click here

Picnic on the Farm

Apple Seeds and Birds Eye are cohosting their 3rd annual Picnic on the Farm to raise support for Apple Seeds’ teaching programs in local schools and on their teaching farm. Enjoy local food truck fare (or bring your own picnic), listen to live music, and play farm games with your kiddos in the evening air. Kids under 12 get in free!

Date: Saturday, June 3

Time: 4 to 7pm

Location: Apple Seeds Teaching Farm at Gulley Park

More info: Click here

Smooth Hound Smith & Dana Louise

Auditorium 51 is turning Mount Sequoyah into a family friendly outdoor concert venue. Bring your picnic blanket and lawn chairs to sit with your family (fur-babies included!) under the stars and listen to the tunes of Smooth Hound Smith, an Americana band from Nashville, and Dana Louise, a local folk-roots songwriter.

Date: Saturday, June 3

Time: 7 to 11:30pm

Location: Mount Sequoyah, Fayetteville

More info: Click here

Super Saturday: Summer Reading Kick-Off Party

It’s every young bookworm’s favorite time of year—Summer Reading Programs are here! Drop by the Fayetteville Public Library to join the kick-off party. This year’s theme is Build a Better World, and the party will feature a hands-on construction zone, with touchable machines, bounce houses, stilt walking, face painting, a photo booth, a food court, temporary tattoos, Lego building station, book sale, and sign-ups for the reading program. (But if you can’t make it, you can sign up for the summer book club online too!)

Date: Saturday, June 3

Time: 10am to 1pm

Location: Fayetteville Public Library

More info: Click here

Mountain Street Stage Music Series

The Fayetteville Public Library is continuing with the Mountain Street Stage Music series for its ninth year! The library brings in bands from a variety of genres—blues, jazz, R&B, folk, Americana, rockabilly, bluegrass, and probably some others—for free shows every Sunday in June and July. They even leave room in the back so folks can dance! Kids are welcome, and all concerts are free and open to the public. The June schedule is:
– June 4: Jesse Dean & Left of Center
– June 11: The Crumbs
– June 18: Claudia Burson/Ben Harris Quartet
– June 25: Opal Agafia & The Sweet Nothings 

Dates: June 4, 11, 18, 25

Time: 2 to 4pm

Location: Fayetteville Public Library

More info: Click here

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Birthday Celebration

If you’ve wanted to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bachmann-Wilson House at Crystal Bridges, your chance is coming up. To celebrate the architect’s birthday, Crystal Bridges is opening the house to the public for free. Guides will be stationed around the house to amuse everyone with fun trivia about Frank Lloyd Wright. Local musicians Ashtyn Barbaree and Farmer & the Markets will play live music. This is event is free and open to the public; registration is required.

Date: Thursday, June 8

Time: 11am to 9pm

Location: Crystal Bridges, Bentonville

More info: Click here

21st Annual Gulley Park Concert Series: Jakubi

The Fayetteville Parks & Recreation Department is bringing back the FREE Gulley Park Concert Series for its 21st year. June’s concert will feature Jakubi, an Australian band that plays experimental songs, including synth, reggae-inspired guitar, and hip-hop rhythms.

Date: Thursday, June 8

Time: 7 to 9pm

Location: Gulley Park, Fayetteville

More info: Click here

Arkansas Art Pop Comic Expo

The Arkansas Art Pop Comic Expo (APCE) is moving from Jonesboro to NWA this year! Comic book artists from Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse, and other publishers will speak and hold workshops throughout the weekend. Some of the more fascinating sessions include
– How to Draw Comics
– Special Effects Make-Up Workshop with Keaghlan Ashley 
– Cosplay Contest
This is a great event for the superhero nerds in your life! Tickets are required for this event.

Date: Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10

Time: Friday 2 to 9pm; Saturday 10am to 8pm

Location: Jones Center, Springdale

More info: Click here

Great Obstacle Runaround 2017

The Great Obstacle Runaround is an obstacle course event for kids 5 to 12, in either a 1/2 mile (10+ obstacles, for kids 5-8) and 1 mile distance (15+ obstacles, for kids 9-12). Obstacles include a mud run, slip n’ slide, tire run, balance beam walk, and many more. Every child who completes the distance will receive their very own Great Obstacle Runaround sweatband, so they can look fierce!

Date: Saturday, June 10

Time: 9 to 10am

Location: Jones Center, Springdale

More info: Click here

Tour De Bentonville 

Looking to stay active this summer? Don’t miss the first Tour De Bentonville, a bike ride through the city (choices are 20 or 55 miles, depending on how ambitious you are!). Finishers will receive a t-shirt, medal, and access to the post-ride celebration with food, music, drinks, and discounts to area restaurants. Don’t wait to register—online registration ends June 7.

Date: Saturday, June 10

Time: 7am to 1pm

Location: Downtown Bentonville

More info: Click here

The Art of Storytelling: An Evening with Anne Perry

New York Times bestselling mystery author Anne Perry is the keynote speaker for the Fayetteville Public Library’s 2017 Summer Author Series.  She will speak about her writing process and work, and will then take audience questions.  A signing will follow her talk and books will be available for purchase.

Date: Tuesday, June 13

Time: 6 to 7pm

Location: Fayetteville Public Library

More info: Click here

Books on Tap Book Club

The Springdale Public Library’s Books on Tap book club meets monthly at Black Apple Crossing cidery. June’s read up for discussion is Art Spiegelman’s The Complete Maus, a two-part graphic novel about the author’s father and his experiences as a Polish Jew in Hitler’s Europe. Enjoy thoughtful discussion with other book lovers over fresh Arkansas cider!

Date: Tuesday, June 20

Time: 7 to 8pm

Location: Black Apple Crossing, Springdale

More info: Click here

73rd Annual Rodeo of the Ozarks

NWA’s favorite rodeo is back in town! The Rodeo of the Ozarks is one of the top American outdoor rodeos, drawing 500 talented cowboys for four nights of bucking rodeo fun. The rodeo will also include not one but TWO parades, as well as the Miss Rodeo of the Ozarks Queen Pageant. Good, clean Arkansas fun for the whole family!

Date: Wednesday, June 21 to Saturday, June 24

Times: Vary

Location: Parsons Stadium, Springdale

More info: Click here

Motown the Musical at Walton Arts Center

See Motown: The Musical at the Walton Arts Center this summer. See a performance of the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and many more. Featuring a cast of more than 40 actors, Motown: The Musical features almost 60 of the most beloved hits in the Motown music catalogue, from legends like Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Mary Wells and the Jackson 5 in a dazzling non-stop display of music and dancing that will please fans both young and old. This show is kid friendly.

Dates: June 27 through July 2

Times: Vary

Location: Walton Arts Center

More info: Click here

Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre: The Taming of the Shrew

The Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre is coming to Crystal Bridges to present Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy, The Taming of the Shrew. Their performance will transport you back to lively, colorful Old World Italy, where adventure, music, and passion is a way of life. Through songs and antics, the arrogant Petruchio is on a quest to woo the headstrong Kate, who is not easily impressed. Inspired by the Italian traditions of puppetry and commedia dell’arte, the players bring the audience into the middle of the action. What a fun, engaging way to introduce your kids to Shakespeare!

This event is free and open to the public; no registration is required.

Date: Wednesday, June 28

Time: 7 to 8pm

Location: Crystal Bridges, Bentonville

More info: Click here

The Northwest Arkansas Calendar of Events is sponsored by The Jones Center for Families in Springdale. There’s ALWAYS something fun happening at The Jones Center, plus they have all kinds of classes for adults and kids — and great birthday party options at the indoor swimming pool, gymnastics or ice skating rink! CLICK HERE to visit the Jones Center website to see more!

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