9 Festivals In Arkansas That Food Lovers Should NOT Miss
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J.B. VanDyke
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Congratulations, everyone, spring has sprung and summer is coming soon. For Arkansans, spring and summer mean more than just nice weather for outdoor play; these are also prime seasons for festivals. And no one loves festivals more than foodies. Here are nine of the best foodie destinations for spring and summer festival goers:
One of Arkansas’s favorite festivals, Toad Suck Daze will take place this year from April 29-May 1 in Conway. This festival offers many retail vendors, a kids zone complete with entertainers and (of course) there’s also awesome food.
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On May 21 in Magnolia, 4,000 Certified Angus Beef Brand steaks will be cooked. The group or individual with the best steak will take home $4,000. Steaks aren’t all there is here though. There are tons of activities for the whole family as well.
This year, the small town of McNeil hosted the Festival on the Rails on April 9. The festival featured a fishing derby, an antique car show and (of course,) the annual Pork Chop Cook-Off.
This year the Western Days barbecue competition happens at 5 p.m. on June 18 at Parsons Stadium in Springdale. There will be live entertainment, a cowboy quick draw, pony rides, and vendors. The cost to sample the barbecue is $10.
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On April 23 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., the second annual Hot Springs Gumbo and Crawfish Festival will be held in downtown Hot Springs.
This year’s festival will be held from Thursday August 6 through Saturday August 8. Admission is free and you can buy watermelon by the slice. The festival features watermelon eating and carving contests.
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The Grape Festival happens this year on July 29 and 30. Grape lovers can stomp grapes, eat grapes, and find other awesome foods.
Flickr/Jimmy Emmerson, DVM
The festival features the Great Purple Hull Peas & Cornbread Cook Off, which happens in the school cafetorium at 9 a.m. This year the Purple Hull Pea Festival will be happening on Saturday, June 25. It also features a tiller race, a talent show, and growing and hulling competitions.
You can praise the tomato at this festival. This year is the Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival’s "Diamond Jubilee." It will happen on June 10 and 11 in Warren. The festival includes live entertainment, a carnival with rides and, (of course) lots of food vendors.
What about you? Does your town have an awesome foodie-friendly festival? What’s your favorite spring or summer festival?
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