Hometown Eats | Tontitown Trifecta
Every town in Arkansas has a signature flavor. Hope has watermelon....
Uh oh...
It appears that you're using a severely outdated version of Safari on Windows. Many features won't work correctly, and functionality can't be guaranteed. Please try viewing this website in Edge, Mozilla, Chrome, or another modern browser. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused!
Read More about this safari issue.
The carefree days of summer are winding down, with getting ready to go back to school and routine this month. But that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. The event schedule in Arkansas for August 2026 is packed with a full lineup of festivals, music, sports and other events to choose from.
Tontitown Grape Festival | Tontitown
Make plans to visit this top fair and festival. There will be live music, delicious food, including a spaghetti dinner, arts and crafts, a 5k and more! This is a unique festival all about a tradition that you don’t want to miss.
Date: Aug. 4-8
More Information: Click Here
Watermelon Festival | Hope
The Hope Watermelon Festival celebrates Hope’s (Hempstead County) claim as the home of the world’s largest watermelons. The festival features numerous activities including arts & crafts, food, entertainment and other family-oriented activities. Local civic clubs hold dinners featuring down-home fare such as locally raised smoked chicken and golden fried catfish. At the festival, you can also participate in a 5k race, browse the car show, and have a blast in the Kidz Zone.
Interesting Hope Watermelon History: A notable champion melon, weighing 268.8 pounds, was cut from the vine on September 3, 2005, by Lloyd Bright. He grew it on his father Ivan’s farm east of Hope on the sandy ridge where many of the big melons have been grown. The family had raised notable melons from 1973, when a cousin was the winner, to 1986, when Lloyd Bright’s son Jason had a 260-pound melon listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Date: Aug. 6-8
More Information: Click Here
Arkansas Fiddle and Banjo Championships | Mountain View
Arkansas Fiddle and Banjo Championships and Concerts return to the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View. The event features two state championship contests in one day. Talented banjo players in the region will compete in the morning for the state banjo championship, and fiddle players will compete in the afternoon. Audience admission is free for contests from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. In the evening, there will be a special show from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with fiddle & banjo expert performers, John Showman and Chris Coole. The evening show is a ticketed event.
Date: Aug. 7-9
More Information: Click Here
Hot Springs Baseball Weekend | Hot Springs
During an event-packed weekend designed to offer something for every baseball fan, attendees can meet Hall of Fame major league stars, revisit the time when Hot Springs hosted major league spring training, and buy and trade sports memorabilia. You will be able to catch Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench, Robin Yount and Ted Simmons and hear their unforgettable stories.
Date: August 7-9
More Information: Click Here
Read more from OnlyinArk’s favorite Arkansas baseball historian, Jim Yeager.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Fall Wedding Show | Little Rock
Grab your besties and get ready to plan the wedding of your dreams! At the Wedding Show, there will be vendors for every aspect of your wedding – DJs, catering, wedding attire, gifts, travel and more. You will be able to sample food and cocktails, win prizes and have an amazing afternoon celebrating this season of your life!
Date: August 23
More Information: Click Here
Washington County Fair | Fayetteville
The Washington County Fair Association brings the agriculture and business worlds together to enrich the lives of the youth by giving them a platform to present their projects in an educational, competitive and safe environment. The fair provides an opportunity for 4-H and FFA members and residents of the county to exhibit their accomplishments in the areas of livestock, horticulture, home economics and art. During the week of August 20-24, go check it out.
Dates: August 25-29
More Information: Click Here
Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run | Mena
There will be over 200 hot rods at the Annual Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run on display. There will be a Hot Rod parade down Main Street for everyone to enjoy. On Saturday, the rods will be on display atop Rich Mountain at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. They then make their way to downtown Mena’s South Mena Street for the Saturday Night Street Dance and Concert. On Sunday at 10 a.m., everyone will gather at Queen Wilhelmina State Park for a Sunday morning church service and close out the event with awards and giveaways. This annual event is fun for all ages.
Date: Aug. 28-29
More Information: Click Here
34th Annual VW Festival | Eureka Springs
The 34th Annual VW Weekend is the ultimate car show weekend in Eureka Springs. It’s not just for the fancy show cars. It is for bugs, vans and everything in between. There will be numerous vendors with those much-looked-for parts and accessories. Ride through the beautiful Ozark Mountains on a lovely summer weekend with all your new and old VW buddies.
Date: Aug. 28-30
More Information: Click Here
Arkansas Renaissance Festival- Awaken the Magic | Mount Vernon
Arkansas’ largest and only permanent Renaissance Festival, the Arkansas Renaissance Festival immerses guests in the joy, whimsy, and magic of a 16th-century village and so much more in Mount Vernon, Arkansas. Running every Saturday and Sunday from August 29th through October 4th, the festival brings Dragonstone Springs to life with unforgettable adventures for all ages. From the excitement of a live joust or sword fight and the wonder of enchanting stage performances to talented artisan vendors and delectable food, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Date: August 29-30
More Information: Click Here
National Championship Chuckwagon Races | Clinton
The Chuckwagon Races are held Friday through Sunday every Labor Day weekend in Clinton, Arkansas. Each year, an estimated 20,000 people are on hand to watch the excitement of chuckwagon racing, bronc fanning and the Snowy River Race. In addition to the four performances, bands perform after the races and dances are held each weekend. Vendors of Western collectibles, crafts, art, saddles and tack are set up throughout the week at the Western Trade Show. Ozark Mountain trail rides begin on Tuesday and are included as a part of the weekend’s festivities. Make plans to check out the Chuckwagon Races in Arkansas!
Date: Aug. 29-Sep. 6
Click Here for Event Schedule
More Information: Click Here
Drive-In Movies
Catching a drive-in movie is a perfect way to wrap up a summer night with something fun before the kids go back to school in Arkansas. There are only two drive-in theatres in the state at the moment. Check out if one is close to you!
Stone Drive-In (Mountain View)
Kenda Drive-In (Marshall)
Magic Springs Concert Series | Hot Springs
All concerts are free with park admission or a season pass.
August concerts include:
Soulja Boy & Ying Yang Twins – August 8
Pop 2000 Tour- August 15
Waylon Wyatt- August 22
Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion Cox Concert Series | Rogers
The Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion has a full lineup of different genres. Which one of these would be your top pick to attend? There are still tickets available for some of these.
Wynonna Judd & Melissa Etheridge – August 4
Kesha- August 5
Motionless In White- August 12
Lil Wayne- August 16
5 Seconds of Summer- August 18
Dirty Heads and 311- August 26
Lynyrd Skynyrd & Foreigner- August 29
We do the work.
You check your email.
Sign up for our weekly e-news.
Get stories sent straight to your inbox!
Like this story? Read more from Amanda Farris
There’s just something about the Fourth of July weekend that brings...
Summer is here, and the temperatures are rising! July is the perfect time...
June arrives in Arkansas with the unmistakable energy of summer. Small...
Join the Conversation
Leave a Comment