Arkansas’s Festival. Built by the People.

The Arkansas Folklife Festival is more than a festival.

It is a statewide celebration of the music, foodways, stories, traditions, and communities that make Arkansas unique.

On June 26-28, 2026, thousands of Arkansans will gather at Riverfront Park in North Little Rock for a free, family-friendly celebration of living culture during America's 250th anniversary year.

Over the past year, festival organizers traveled across Arkansas’s six culturesheds, hosting community conversations and listening sessions to learn what traditions, stories, foods, music, and experiences matter most to the people who call Arkansas home.

What emerged was a vision for a festival shaped by the people themselves.

The Arkansas Folklife Festival will feature live music, dance, storytelling, foodways, artisan demonstrations, outdoor traditions, youth activities, and hands-on cultural experiences that reflect the richness and diversity of communities across our state.

Headlined by Grammy Award winners Bobby Rush and Lucinda Williams, the festival brings together tradition bearers, musicians, makers, cooks, storytellers, and cultural practitioners from every corner of Arkansas.

Most importantly, the festival is free and open to everyone.

We believe every Arkansan should have the opportunity to experience, celebrate, and share in the traditions that connect us.

Keeping a festival free takes community support.

Your contribution helps support artists and tradition bearers, youth and family programming, accessibility initiatives, volunteer support, cultural demonstrations, and the infrastructure required to create a welcoming experience for all.

Whether you give $5, $10, $25, or more, you become part of this story.

This campaign is not just about raising funds. It is about creating ownership. It is about thousands of Arkansans coming together to say that our culture matters, our stories matter, and the people who carry those traditions forward deserve to be supported.

This festival was built by the people of Arkansas.

Now we are inviting the people of Arkansas to help bring it to life.

Join us in building The People's 250.

Together, we can create a free statewide celebration that honors our past, celebrates our present, and inspires future generations.

Thank you for being part of Arkansas's story.

The People’s 250 Fund

Help keep Arkansas's People’s 250 free, welcoming, and community-powered.