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New Year’s Eve looks different for everyone. Some people love to dress up and go out, while others stay home for a relaxed evening with snacks and pajamas. Many families opt for dinner out and a movie or gather around the table to play board games.
At our house, we enjoy leftovers, soup, easy desserts and games because everyone, kids and adults alike, can have fun together. It’s the one night of the year when leggings and sweatshirts are the unofficial dress code as we indulge in our last round of “bad foods” before healthy habits and “lucky foods” return on New Year’s Day.
No matter how you celebrate, having something fun and simple to do together makes the night memorable. If you want to add a taste of Arkansas to your evening, try our Arkansas 21 Questions Game. It is an easy, family-friendly trivia activity that works for New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day brunch, snow days, family reunions, school classrooms, or any time you want to share a little Natural State knowledge.
New Year’s Eve in Arkansas
If you do plan to get out of the house, there are numerous celebrations across the state each year. You can explore past events and find inspiration for activities, family fun and local traditions.
- Arkansas NYE celebrations
- Whole Family Traditions for New Years
- 5 Single Night Backpacking Trips for NYE
- Arkansas-Inspired Mocktail Recipes
- Arkansas First Day Hikes
- Setting Goals for the New Year
Arkansas 21 Questions Game
Test your Arkansas knowledge with these fun, family-friendly trivia questions. Some are easy wins, while others might stump even lifelong Arkansans.
Q1: Where is the only place in North America where you can dig for diamonds and keep what you find?
A: Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro – Visitors have been unearthing real gems there for decades, including the 8.52-carat “Esperanza Diamond,” one of the largest found in the U.S. You can rent equipment or just dig with your hands and keep anything you discover.
Q2: Which national park in Arkansas was protected by the U.S. government decades before Yellowstone?
A: Hot Springs National Park was first protected in 1832. It’s called “The American Spa” because its naturally heated springs were once thought to possess healing powers. The historic Bathhouse Row, once home to gangsters and baseball players, still welcomes visitors for soaks today.
Q3: What is Arkansas’s official state soil, named after a town famous for rice and duck hunting?
A: Stuttgart Soil – This fertile soil made Arkansas the leading rice-producing state in the nation and sustains the rich wetlands that draw thousands of ducks each winter.
Q4: Which famous waterfall in Petit Jean State Park is known as the tallest continuously flowing waterfall in the state?
A: Cedar Falls – It falls 89 feet into a stunning canyon and is one of Arkansas’s most photographed locations. After heavy rain, it becomes an unforgettable sight.
Q5: Which music legend was born in Kingsland, Arkansas, and grew up in the Dyess Colony?
A: Johnny Cash – The “Man in Black” began life in a Depression-era farming community before gaining international fame. Today, his boyhood home in Dyess is open for tours through Arkansas State University. Additionally, a statue depicting him was recently added to Statuary Hall at the National Capitol to symbolize Arkansas.
Q6: Where was the very first Walmart store opened in 1962?
A: Rogers, Arkansas – Sam Walton’s idea for a discount store that focused on small towns grew into one of the largest retail empires in the world. The Walmart Museum on the Bentonville Square recently reopened as a standing museum to the Walton and Walmart stories.
Q7: Arkansas Post holds what historic title?
A: It was the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley. Initially visited in 1686, long before Arkansas was a state, the French established this trading post, which later became the first territorial capital and today is a National Park.
Q8: The legendary Bowie knife is tied to which Arkansas town and blacksmith?
A: Washington, Arkansas and blacksmith James Black – He is credited with creating the original knife carried by frontiersman Jim Bowie. The Historic Washington State Park honors this heritage with blacksmith demonstrations.
Q9: In what Arkansas valley can you see wild elk roaming freely?
A: Boxley Valley near Ponca – Arkansas successfully reintroduced elk in the 1980s, and now the herds flourish around the Buffalo National River area. Early mornings and evenings are the best times to see them.
Q10: What Arkansas town proudly claims to be the “World Capital of Cheese Dip”?
A: Little Rock – The first cheese dip competition started here, and locals are passionate about their dips, so much so that the World Cheese Dip Championship came about to settle the debate once and for all.
Q11: What beloved deep-fried snack was invented in Arkansas in 1963 at the Duchess Drive-In?
A: The fried pickle – Bernell “Fatman” Austin in Atkins came up with the idea and his crispy, tangy creation spread across the South. Today, the town still celebrates with its annual Picklefest.
Q12: What small Arkansas town is known as the “Folk Music Capital of the World”?
A: Mountain View – Here, locals still gather on the courthouse square to play fiddles, banjos and guitars. The Ozark Folk Center keeps the music and mountain traditions alive year-round.
Q13: Arkansas produces more of this crop than almost any other state, especially during holiday dressing season — what is it?
A: Rice! – Nearly half of all U.S. rice comes from Arkansas fields, particularly in the eastern Delta.
Q14: Which Arkansas city was once home to infamous outlaws Belle Starr and Cherokee Bill?
A: Fort Smith – The town’s frontier courthouse and gallows became famous under “Hanging Judge” Isaac Parker. Visitors can still learn about these stories at the Fort Smith National Historic Site.
Q15: Which quirky Arkansas phenomenon makes cars appear to roll uphill when they’re actually rolling down?
A: Gravity Hill – The optical illusion near Fayetteville (and several other locations) confuses the eyes and amazes visitors. Park your car in neutral and watch it “defy gravity.”
Q16: What is the most common gemstone found by visitors at Crater of Diamonds State Park?
A: Quartz – Though real diamonds are often discovered too! In addition to diamonds, the park’s volcanic soil hides many other sparkling stones. Over 30,000 diamonds have been found there since it opened to the public. Nearby, Mount Ida is considered the world’s quartz capital, with a locally found stone on display at the Smithsonian Museum.
Q17: What significant event in the Civil Rights Movement took place at Little Rock Central High School in 1957?
A: The integration of the Little Rock Nine – President Eisenhower sent federal troops to escort nine Black students into the school, marking one of the most pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement and a turning point in desegregation efforts across the country.
Q18: Before poultry became king, what fruit put Northwest Arkansas on the map in the late 1800s and early 1900s?
A: Apples! – Benton and Washington counties once grew so many apples that Arkansas earned the nickname ‘Apple Capital of the World,” renowned for its orchards and festivals.
Q19: Two Arkansas towns claim fame for their sweet, iconic summer fruit — which fruit is it, and which towns are known for it?
A: Watermelons are celebrated in Hope and Cave City – Hope is famous for record-breaking giant melons, while Cave City is known for growing the “world’s sweetest.”
Q20: Which legendary Arkansas creature, rumored since the 1970s, has been spotted near Fouke and inspired movies, books and endless campfire talk?
A: The Fouke Monster – Often compared to Bigfoot, the creature generated nationwide interest after the release of the film The Legend of Boggy Creek in 1972.
Q21: Which famous Arkansan is the owner of the Dallas Cowboys and originally grew up in North Little Rock?
A: Jerry Jones – Before becoming one of the most recognizable team owners in the NFL, Jones was a standout player for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
If you’d like to expand your knowledge and build more questions, check out these 100 facts about Arkansas.
New Year’s celebrations don’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, all you need is good food, loved ones, and a simple way to connect. This Arkansas 21 Questions Game adds a touch of state pride to the party and gives everyone something fun to discuss. Use it for birthdays, road trips, snow days, family gatherings or classroom activities. Anytime is a good time to celebrate Arkansas.
Images throughout the story were used with permission from the Arkansas Departments of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
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