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Bentonville’s Festival of Nations is a vibrant, three-day event celebrating the city’s diverse cultural heritage. This festival brings together international performances, culinary experiences, art displays, and interactive activities to foster global connections within the community.
Don’t miss out on the custom-designed T-shirt! Get yours here: https://www.teerextoys.com/dbi
Order online, delivered to you! It’s that easy. Or, you can pick it up at the DBI tent during the 3-days.
Sign up for our FREE, no-download necessary app to best explore and get the most out of your festival experience. (All 3 days!)
What is it?
• A web-based app – no downloads, no storage needed, and always FREE to use!
• Designed to boost community engagement and add even more fun to DBI local events.
• Check in by snapping and sharing selfies, group photos, and event memories right from your phone.
• Explore local businesses, restaurants, vendors, and cool stops with an interactive map during events.
LINK HERE: https://downtownbentonvilleinc.myexplore.app/experiences
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Location: The Downtown Bentonville Square / A Street Promenade
Event time: 5:00 – 9:00 PM
Movie start: 6:15 PM
The festival kicks off with a free, family-friendly movie night! Gather everyone and head downtown for an outdoor cinematic experience featuring Encanto, the Sing-A-Long. Guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs.
Additional Experiences:
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Location: Downtown Bentonville / Square
Time: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The heart of Bentonville’s First Friday Festival transforms into an international hub of culture, music, dance, and cuisine. This special edition of First Friday highlights the rich traditions of communities from around the world through a full evening of performances and cultural experiences.
JUNE’s Takeover Sponsor: Del Real Foods
Authentic recipes, real ingredients. Del Real Foods has a mission to provide meals that have that slow-cooked feel but are ready when you are. Gluten free, ready in minutes, and always Abuela-approved. Del Real will be providing yummy samples for all our festival goers.
JUNE’s First Friday Schedule
12:00 PM: Yoga on the Square with Yoga Story (FREE)
3:00 - 9:00 PM: First Friday booths are officially open!
Mainstage Schedule:
4:30–4:45 PM– Perry Ryan Theater
4:50–5:20 PM – M & M Dance Studio
5:20–5:35 PM– Rince Arkansas Academy of Irish Dance
5:35–6:05 PM– Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance
6:10–6:20 PM– LasyaRasa (school of dance)
6:25–6:35 PM– Blossoms (Indian semi classical dance group)
6:35–6:45 PM– Beats and Steps
6:50–7:00 PM– Non-Profit Partner: Canopy
7:00–7:30 PM– Mariachi Amistad
7:40–8:10 PM– Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation
8:15–8:20 PM– CA NWA (1st)
8:25–8:40 PM– Sambalpuri Beats: Dance Group
8:45–8:50 PM– CA NWA (2nd)
8:55–9:00 PM– Feisty Brazilians
Event Highlights:
🎨 Cultural Marketplace & Artisan Booths
Explore handmade crafts, textiles, jewelry, and artwork from around the globe. Meet artisans and learn about their traditional techniques from places like:
🌎 Interactive Experiences
• Henna & Face Painting – Experience beautiful body art from India and Morocco
• Language Corners – Learn simple phrases in different languages
• Storytelling Tent – Hear folktales from diverse cultures
2025 First Friday Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods make their return for our 2025 First Friday season! Divided into two distinct zones: Venture Village, sponsored by Deep Roots Health Center, and Travelers Trail, sponsored by McLarty Daniel. Each zone will be packed with fun vendors and activity booths for you to explore. Tune into your sense of adventure and community, and get ready for a stellar time!
Take a Break with Sensory Alley
First Friday is a large, loud event that can be overstimulating. Downtown Bentonville Inc.’s Sensory Alley is an inclusive space for individuals who experience barriers in attending First Friday. We want all individuals who experience these barriers to have a safe and inclusive space inside the First Friday footprint in order to attend and enjoy First Friday.
Sensory Alley is a drop-in, cool-down space. To ensure a safe and inclusive space, all individuals requiring support must be accompanied by a family member/caregiver while visiting the space.
This month, our friends at Fusion Therapy Center will be hosting sensory activities for kids of all ages to enjoy. Be sure to stop by and join the fun!
Kids Zone at First Baptist Church
Located behind Studio 412 on Main St, FBC hosts a FREE KIDS ZONE including bouncy houses, blow-up slides, yummy waffles on a stick, and so much more!
Free Bike Valet
Our friends at @bentonvillemovescoalition have teamed up with @pedalitforwardnwa and @we.are.trailblazers to bring First Friday goers a FREE bike valet that will be located on the corner of Main Street and Henry.
Public Restrooms are available at the Bentonville Community Church of the Nazarene. You can also find restrooms between Onyx and Walmart.
JUNE’s Non-Profit Partner
This season at First Friday, we will have a new non-profit partner each month. JUNE’s non-profit partner is Canopy NWA. While you're exploring Main Street, be sure to stop by their booth to learn more and show your support.
Canopy NWA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a community where refugees are welcomed and equipped with all they need to build new lives. Since 2016, they've welcomed over 950 refugees to Northwest Arkansas, providing services such as housing assistance, employment support, youth programs, and legal aid. Their mission is to not only meet the basic needs of new neighbors but also to equip them with the tools to thrive in the NWA community.
Parking at First Friday
We want to offer as much guidance as possible when it comes to parking downtown because we know it can get tricky. As our town is growing and developing, we are here to help.
Please remember that roads directly around the Bentonville Square will be closed to accommodate the crowds.
Use this link to access our updated Downtown Bentonville Parking Map:
Downtown Bentonville Parking Map
As always, we recommend carpooling with your friends and family. Arrive in Downtown Bentonville early and explore the many shops and restaurants this sweet town has to offer. To explore more, click the link here.
10. Share your photos with us & follow along.
@DowntownBentonville is the official social media account for Downtown Bentonville Inc. We’ll post all event updates on our accounts first, so follow us for the latest news, and be sure to check out our stories for fun sneak peeks.
Be sure to tag us for a chance to have your photos and videos reshared!
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Location: Downtown Bentonville Farmers Market
Time: 7:30 AM – 1:00 PM
The final day of the Festival of Nations brings an exciting multicultural edition of the Bentonville Farmers Market, highlighting diverse cuisines, global cooking techniques, handmade crafts, and live dance performances. This is a day to experience the flavors, artistry, and traditions of cultures from around the world while shopping for fresh, local produce.
Event Highlights:
🍜 Global Food Ingredients Handout:
Learn about diverse local ingredients from Northwest Arkansas that you can use in multicultural dishes that reflect the region’s cultural tapestry. From farm-fresh produce to locally sourced spices and herbs, these ingredients are the foundation of recipes rooted in global traditions. Each dish tells a story—not just of heritage and flavor, but of how local communities nourish and celebrate their unique cultural identities right here in our own backyard. Come and grab your handout at the DBI booth!
🔪 Live Cooking Demonstrations Watch and learn from talented chefs as they prepare traditional dishes, sharing recipes and cultural stories behind them. Featured demos include:
Chef Demo - Cowboy Catering (10:30 - 11:30 AM) will serve up a unique multicultural dish that blends tradition with bold flavor. Don’t miss this chance to explore global cuisine, one sizzling skillet at a time!
🎭 Cultural Dance & Music Performances
Experience the rhythms of the world with live dance and music throughout the market, featuring:
Trio Las Hermanitas - (9:00 -10:00 AM)
Enjoy the vibrant sounds of tradition with a special performance by a talented all-girl mariachi trio! Blending rich vocals, skilled instrumentation, and heartfelt storytelling, this dynamic group brings the spirit of mariachi to life with a fresh and powerful twist. Their music honors cultural heritage while showcasing the strength and artistry of women in mariachi.
M&M Dance - (12:15 - 12:45 PM)
Experience the beauty and tradition of Bharatanatyam, one of India’s oldest classical dance forms, brought to life by the talented performers of M&M Dance Studio. Rooted in the temples of Tamil Nadu, Bharatanatyam is known for its graceful movements, intricate rhythms, and expressive storytelling. Through this captivating performance, M&M Dance Studio celebrates Indian heritage and invites audiences to connect with the rich cultural history behind every step and gesture.
🎨 Global Artisan Market:
Discover the Farmers Market through an international lens. Art, produce, and artisan products representing various cultures that are found right here in Bentonville.
🏡 Family-Friendly Activities
Crafts - Join us for a fun-filled experience celebrating global creativity with hands-on activities the whole family can enjoy! Explore a variety of multicultural crafts from around the world by creating beautiful origami from Japan, as well as crafting your own rain sticks inspired by Indigenous traditions. Perfect for all ages, these activities offer a unique opportunity to learn, create, and connect through art and culture. You can find these crafts located at the orange tent near by the DBI booth.
Recipe Cards
Taste the World with Multicultural Recipe Cards
Celebrate the rich diversity of our community through Multicultural Recipe Cards that showcase beloved dishes from different cultures. Each card offers more than just a recipe—it’s a story, a tradition, and a way to connect. By sharing these flavors, we learn more about each other, honor our unique backgrounds, and build a stronger, more connected community—one dish at a time.
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We can’t wait to see everyone there! We want to give a special shout-out to our amazing 3-day festival sponsor, Pepsico. Thank you to Del Real for being our June First Friday takeover sponsor. Thank you to Walmart for being our 2025 presenting First Friday sponsor. And as always, thank you to our wonderful community supporters, City of Bentonville, Walton Family Foundation, and Visit Bentonville.
