Sovereign Swanson

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Events

Shop 100+ Local Vendors During the Black Owned NWA Business Expo

Creativity, culture, and commerce collide during the 7th Black Owned Business Expo, hosted by Black Owned NWA at the Fayetteville Town Center this Saturday, Feb 24, from 11a-4p.

• Build Community: Black-Owned NWA drives the development and promotion of local Black Businesses, the building of generational Black Wealth, and the overall celebration of the Black diaspora in Arkansas and beyond. Its semi-annual expo provides physical and digital platforms for Black-owned businesses to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit to the community.

• Shop Local: Find a new favorite business to support while you explore over 60 local vendors, offering items ranging from vintage apparel to baked goods, candles, freshly made samosas, and more. The event is 100% free and open to the public.

Reserve free tickets to the Black Owned NWA Business Expo HERE.

Film

Movie Starring Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid, & Jacob Tremblay Filming In NWA

Famous actors Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid, and Jacob Tremblay are currently in Fayetteville for the production of a new film called Sovereign, which is based on actual Arkansas events.

• I Regret Nothing: According to a description of the film on IMBD, the film follows “a father and son who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, who find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police that sets off a manhunt” — so, I guess imagine a radicalized version of Offerman’s Parks & Rec character Ron Swanson.

• Film Hunting: Watch out for movie stars this week, as projects other than Sovereign are also underway. David Hunt, who made the hit film Greater, is currently filming In Fortune’s Shadow in Fayetteville. So far, actors have been spotted at the Fayetteville Onyx, Potter’s House Thrift, and Braum’s on College Ave.

Learn more about the film projects HERE.

Sponsored by Walton Arts Center

Dave Williamson Enters The Comedy Zone At Walton Arts Center

The Comedy Zone at Walton Arts Center will feature Dave Williamson this month, with a performance in Starr Theater on Thursday, Feb 29, at 7:30p.

• Cars to Comedy: While climbing the corporate ladder in his family’s South Florida car business, Williamson discovered he loved to make customers laugh. That's when he decided to make a career change and become a stand-up comic. Williamson has since released two comedy albums - the most recent of which reached No. 1 on iTunes’ comedy charts.

• Getting Grilled: Williamson’s jokes usually revolve around family, from highlighting stories from his youth to navigating his role as a father and husband. He also hosts a podcast called Meat Dave about his obsession with barbecue. 

Theater seating is $21, and tickets for cabaret sets are $31. This performance is recommended for ages 18+ due to mature content. Reserve your tickets HERE.

Education

John Brown University To Launch Bachelor’s Program In Artificial Intelligence

John Brown University in Siloam Springs announced plans this week to offer a bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence beginning in fall 2024.

• Artificial Intelligence: While many colleges offer AI as a concentration or certificate, few offer it as a full bachelor’s degree. JBU is the first Christian university in the nation to offer a bachelor’s degree in AI.

• In The Real World: The program aims to provide a deep understanding of how to harness the power of AI for real-world applications such as improving healthcare, making education more accessible, improving economic health, increasing online child safety, and much more.

Connect with admissions staff to learn more HERE.

Business

Loloft Prepares For National Expansion With New Hire

Loloft, a Northwest Arkansas-based real estate startup, has hired Mary Best to lead the charge in its expansion to other markets across the U.S.

• The Best Around: Best, who formerly served as director of operations and workplace strategy at the Ledger in Downtown Bentonville and as community experience manager at WeWork, brings a wealth of experience to lolofts’s development team as it prepares to launch four new locations this year in Tampa, FL; Syracuse, NY; Minneapolis, MI; and Portland, OR.

• Drop It Lo: Founded by Brendan Howell and Paola Ibarra in 2021, loloft stands for “Local Logistics, Flexible Terms.” It is similar to a co-working space but specifically caters to early-stage and growing companies needing private warehousing space — loloft currently has two locations, in Downtown Rogers and Phoenix, AZ.

Read more on loloft’s expansion plans HERE.

NWA Daily Picks

In other news…

• 🌷Restoration: The Children & Family Advocacy Center is preparing for Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month in April. Find out how you can help restore lives impacted by trauma during the Cherishing Children Rally and Family Fun Festival & 5K or by raising awareness with pinwheels HERE.*

• 🛩️ Barnstormers: Thaden School will host its 2nd Annual Barnstormer Bingo Night this Saturday, Feb 24, at 5p, featuring celebrity callers and plenty of refreshments! An online auction is also open to the public, featuring athletic events, artwork, hotel and lake stays, summer camps, outdoor adventures, and more!*

• 🏋️‍♀️ Feel Strong: Take back your health and energy with just two 20-min workouts per week. The Exercise Coach in Bentonville uses bio-sensitive training technologies to prescribe workouts specifically catered to your unique muscular and metabolic makeup. Get started with two free sessions.*

• ✅ That’s My Type: What’s your NWA Personality? Take Finding NWA’s new Q&(NW)A and find out. See what they did there, lol?

• 🧁 Baked In: According to Yelp reviews, the best bakery in Arkansas is in Fayetteville. Can you guess which one made the top of the list?

• 🍓 Strawberry Fields Forever: Downtown Fayetteville Coalition will host a brand new event called The Fayetteville Strawberry Festival, featuring live music, family activities, food, and more on Sunday, May 19. Vendor applications are being taken now!

• 🏫 School’s Out Forever: This summer, Haas Hall Academy will transition its Rogers location from the historic Lane Hotel to a more centralized location at The Peaks office building near I-49.

• 📅 NWA Calendar: Stay up to date with events mentioned in the newsletter, or post your own upcoming events on our Events Calendar!

• 🚀 Launch Your Message: Share your message with our growing community of 35,000+ readers. We have several advertising opportunities to help you share your story with Northwest Arkansas.

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Employment

Cool Jobs In NWA

Find exciting new job opportunities on our Job Board, or find great candidates by posting your open positions.

• Buffington Homes is seeking a Customer Care Assistant.

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Have a great Wednesday, NWA!