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As May arrives, festival season kicks into high gear, with many festivals kicking off the first weekend in May. The hardest part will be choosing which festival to attend! May is a great time to load up your family and friends to explore The Natural State and experience all the fun, beauty and hospitality Arkansas has to offer.
Strawberry Festival | Cabot
Strawberry Festival is focused on family fun and helps to promote business and farmers locally and around the state. There will be live entertainment, carnival rides, kids area, food trucks, vendors, 5K race and of course, strawberries!
Venue: Cabot, AR
Date: May 2-4
More Information: Click Here
Annual World-Famous Armadillo Festival | Hamburg
Hamburg is home to the Armadillo festival that prides itself in great entertainment and live music to all who attend. Entertainment will include an armadillo race, a hamburger eating contest, a frog-jumping race and much more! Thousands of people go each year to enjoy this small-town festival.
Venue: Downtown Hamburg
Date: May 1-4
More Information: Click Here
Steel Horse Rally | Fort Smith
Experience one of the fastest-growing motorcycle rallies in the country as The Steel Horse Rally roars back into downtown Fort Smith this May. Honoring all who serve, the rally is dedicated to veterans, military, law enforcement and first responders. The two-day, family-friendly rally features: concerts, rides, racing, a parade and vendors.
Venue: Downtown Fort Smith
Date: May 3-4
More Information: Click Here
Toad Suck Daze | Conway
Toad Suck Daze is a festival full of food, family and fun held on the streets of downtown Conway, May 3-5. The mission of the festival is to provide fun for the whole family and the proceeds support education in Faulkner County. Events include local entertainment, arts & crafts, carnival, a 5K/10K race, a tadpole trot for kids ages 4-10, and the World-Famous Championship Toad Races. Add this event to your weekend plan!
Venue: Downtown Conway
Date: May 3-5
More Information: Click Here
Cinco de Mayo Beats & Eats | Searcy
Cinco de Mayo Midnight Mercado Festival in the heart of Searcy’s Main Street district, including food trucks, games, a traditional costume parade and a live DJ. This is a FREE event that you don’t want to miss!
Venue: Downtown Searcy
Date: Friday, May 3
More information: Click Here
First Security Cotter Trout Festival | Cotter
The annual Cotter Trout Festival features live music, craft vendors, food trucks, a parade, a car show, a poker run, a duck race, kids fishing and so much more.
Venue: Under the Cotter Bridge
Date: Saturday, May 4
More information: Click Here
Mayhaw Festival | El Dorado
The Mayhaw Festival is an annual street festival with craft and food vendors, a vintage market, an antique car and motorcycle show, Newton House Museum tours and kid’s activities. It is a great day of family fun held on the grounds of the Newton House Museum. This event is free and open to the public.
Venue: Newton House Museum
Date: May 4
More Information: Click Here
Arkansas Pottery Festival | Fayetteville
This annual event packs all things pottery into a three-day weekend full of demonstrations, presentations, showcases and sales! All the activities, all of which are free, and open to the public are held at locations in and around Fayetteville. This exciting weekend will include pottery demonstrations and lectures by nationally recognized artists on Friday and Saturday, an exhibition and pottery sale of over 50 potters from around the state.
Venue: Fayetteville
Date: May 3-5
More Information: Click Here
Mountain View Iris Festival
The Mountain View Iris Festival is the first full weekend in May. There will be a quilt show, contests and live music. You can even enter an iris or iris photo for competition. On Saturday, there will be a “Children’s Painting of Iris.” It is fun to see the creations of the small artists, and the supplies will be provided. It is sure to be a fun weekend in Mountain View, with plenty of live music and beauty.
Venue: Downtown Mountain View
Date: May 3-4
More Information: Click Here
Osceola Heritage Music Festival | Osceola
The 24th Annual Osceola Heritage Music Festival is a weekend of premium musical entertainment that brings a variety of music, from the sounds of the 80s, the down-home delta blues, classic rock, and country. The headline act on Saturday night is Clay Walker. There will be plenty of activities and games to keep the little ones busy.
Venue: Downtown Osceola
Date: May 17-18
More Information and Tickets: Click Here
Magnolia Blossom Festival | Magnolia
The Magnolia Blossom Festival and World Championship Cook-Off began as the Sidewalk Art Show in 1950 and blossomed into the festival that it is today. The art show quickly gained traction and launched the Magnolia Blossom Festival in 1989 and the World Championship Steak Cook-off the subsequent year. Since then, the festival has become one of the most anticipated events for families and grillers from around the country. You won’t want to miss this!
Venue: Historic Downtown Square, Magnolia
Date: May 17-18
More Information: Click Here
Crawdad Days | Harrison
Crawdad Days will be hosted in Harrison and has been a staple event in the area for over 30 years. It is a hometown festival with events for all ages to enjoy | especially if you like crawdads.
Venue: Harrison Fair Grounds
Date: May 17-18
More Information: Click Here
Pulaski County Fair | North Little Rock
North Little Rock Parks & Recreation will be hosting the Pulaski County Fair at the North Little Rock Riverfront Park, situated along the picturesque banks of the Arkansas River. The fair is offering nine days of fun, food, and entertainment for the whole family.
Venue: North Little Rock Riverfront Park
Date: May 17-19 and May 22-27
More Information: Click Here
Catsmacker Trail Run | Perryville
Trail runner enthusiasts love the 20-ish miles for the Catsmacker and 12-ish miles for the Kitty Run option during Catsmacker weekend. The course utilizes forest service roads and a small portion of the Ouachita Trail. There is a combination of pavement, gravel and single/double-track trails. Grab some friends and do this trail run together!
Location: Perryville
Date: May 18
More Information: Click Here
Hot Springs Fishing Challenge | Hot Springs
The $110,00 Hot Springs Fishing Challenge returns May 1 – July 31! 66 fish will be tagged and released on Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine, including the infamous Big Al – worth a whopping $20,000. The Hot Springs Fishing Challenge begins on May 1, 2024, and ends on July 31, 2024. The challenge provides anglers the opportunity to catch tagged fish that can be redeemed for cash prizes.
Venue: Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine
Date: May 1- July 31
More Information: Click Here
Photo courtesy of River Valley Democrat-Gazette/Hank Layton
Old Fort Days Rodeo | Fort Smith
Since 1933, Fort Smith has been home to one of Arkansas’ most exciting rodeos. Cowboys from all over the world compete for one of the largest prize purses in Arkansas. You’ll see some of the rankest bulls and broncs in America. You will be able to watch bronc riding, bull riding, roping, steer wrestling and more!
Venue: Kay Rodgers Park
Date: May 29-June 4
More Information: Click Here
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