Music Festivals in Arkansas

There are music festivals in Arkansas for everyone that cover all genres from rock to EDM and everything in between.

The Gem State is a great place for a music festival so it’s no wonder so many happen there. The people in Arkansas are friendly and the weather is almost always just fine. Most of the music festivals in Arkansas occur in the summer but there are events here in the spring and fall, too.

Due to the south-central location of this great state, the majority of the festivals here focus on southern genres like country, blues, and bluegrass, but there’s something for every taste if you poke around. You’ll also find a lot of smaller festivals here which is wonderful if you prefer an up-close and personal, uncrowded experience over large-scale, massive festivals.

We hope this list of music festivals in Arkansas helps you find the festival experience you are looking for. We are always adding to this list of festivals so be sure to check back from time to time. If there is a music festival we have missed, be sure to send us an email and we will get it added to the list.

Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain; Ozark

If you love electronic, indie, and jamband music, plus a little bit of bluegrass, then you’ll love Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain. This three-day camping festival began in 2015 and takes place in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Here, you can enjoy artists like Umphrey’s McGee, Lettuce, STS9, Griz, Big Gigantic and many more.

Homegrown Music and Mountain Sports Festival; Fayetteville

This family-friendly festival began in 2016 and takes music, fun, and sustainability very seriously. There’s no camping at this festival but it is set in the Kessler Mountain Regional Park which, in addition to live music, features opportunities for mountain biking, trail races, yoga, hiking, disc golf, workshops, local food and drink, and more. Best of all? It’s absolutely free.

Peacemaker; Fort Smith

The Peacemaker Festival includes artists from a variety of genres including rock, blues, and Americana, but its focus is country. It takes place in the beautiful Riverfront Amphitheater on the banks of the picturesque Arkansas River and is organized entirely by volunteers.

This is a reasonably priced, affordable event that is held over two days and proceeds go to local charities and to supporting the arts community and downtown development in Fort Smith.

Fayette Roots Festival; Fayetteville

This festival, put on by Fayetteville Roots, is a small, multi-day event that occurs in late August each year. It attracts national acts but also showcases the talent of smaller, undiscovered local and regional acts as well from a variety of genres.

In addition to music, this festival puts a great emphasis on local, Arkansas foods and supports local farmers, chefs, and restaurants, and food grown or raised within the state. This is a fantastic festival for you to attend if you love both music and food.

King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena

The King Biscuit Blues Festival began way back in 1986 and has been a big hit ever since. If you love the Blues, then this is the festival for you. Over the course of four days, you’ll be treated to performances by some of the best blues artists in our nation today. Performers appear on six stages in downtown Helena, all of which are easy walking distance from one other.

We have compiled this comprehensive list of music festivals in Arkansas , if there are any that we’ve missed that you would like us to add please contact us.