Who Is Marty Graw?

Together With

Pop quiz: What’s the body’s most abundant protein? Answer: Collagen. NativePath's Certified Grass-Fed Collagen Powder is made from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows and contains 18 grams of protein per suggested serving. Start incorporating it daily to support skin elasticity, joint health, bone strength, and muscle growth and maintenance.

Events

Weekend Roundup

Happy Friday, fellow Northwest Arkansans! Here are some local events to add to your fun this Super Bowl Weekend:

• 💃 May I Have This Dance: Join the talented directors of Raza Dance Studio for a magical night at Crystal Bridges, featuring dance classes, performances, and social dancing this Friday, Feb 9, from 7-12p. Tickets are $20. 

• 🎥 On Screen & Stage: The Arkansas Black Film & Music Expo returns for its third year, bringing a two-day celebration of Black music and culture to the Fayetteville Town Center on Feb 9-10.

• 🏃‍♂️ Run It Back: Arkansas will host the Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track & Field Tyson Invitational at Randal Tyson Track Center this weekend, with events running Friday, Feb 9, at 1:45p through Saturday, Feb 10, at 4p.

• 🧀 Cheesy Date Idea: Join Bauhaus Biergarten & Sweet Freedom Cheese for a self-guided food pairing featuring four authentic German beers, four artisanal cheeses, and four decadent chocolates. Tickets are $30 with options Feb 8-10.

• 👟 StairMaster: Test your grit during The Rise Challenge at Coler, a free event to see who can scale the 186 steps of The Rise the most times in two hours, this Saturday, Feb 10, from 10:30a-12:30p.

• 🥞 Mimosas With My Mostas: Gather the gal pals for a Galentine’s Brunch at the Odd Soul in Downtown Springdale this Saturday, Feb 10, from 11a-2p. 

• 🍪 The Best Batch: Vote for your favorite flavors and discover the best batch of cookies in town during the Siloam Springs' Cookie Palooza this Saturday, Feb 10, from 2-4p. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. 

• 🥫 Souper Douper: Join Ozark Beer Co. for a Souper Bowl Party & Canned Food Drive this Saturday, Feb 10, from 11a-2p, including handmade bowls by local ceramic artists, bread bowls from Hopwood Breads, and soup by Marget’s Food Truck. 

• 🦞 Let’s Go Cray: Enjoy music, gumbo, king cake, Delta Crawfish, and Los Compas during a festive Mardi Gras Party at Rendevous Junction Brewing Co. this Saturday, Feb 10, starting at 11a.

• 🎉 Party Mardi: The Fayetteville Mardi Gras Parade returns to Dickson St. for its 31st year this Saturday, Feb 10, at 2p.

• 🎭 Masquerade: Eureka Springs has a whole weekend of Mardis Gras events, including a Masquerade Ball, Day Parade, and Jazz Brunch at the Crescent Hotel from Feb 9-11.

• 🐦 For The Birds: Help bird experts observe and release songbirds at Hobbs State Park during a free, family-friendly Birds & Breakfast event this Saturday, Feb 10, at 9a — snacks, juice, and coffee will be provided. 

• 🏄‍♂️ Surf’s Up: Prairie Creek Marina will host Big Wave Boats Demo Day this Saturday, Feb 10, from 11a-4p, showcasing some of the best boats in watersports.

• 🐶 Fur-tball: Stop by Best Friends Pet Resource Center this Sunday, Feb 11, at 1p for a Puppy Bowl Watch Party and cheer on the Best Friends puppy as he competes in the epic battle on the grand gridiron.

• 🥕 Shop Local: Find fresh, local produce and handcrafted goods at Bentonville’s Market @ Record, the Indoor Rogers Local Food & Art Market, or the Winter Indoor Fayetteville Farmers Market — each meeting at their respective times and places this Saturday, Feb 10.

Highlight

Short Film Created By LIVSN Designs And Blk Elk Media Now Streaming Online

Well Worn Life with Dani Reyes-Acosta, a short documentary created by Northwest Arkansas’s LIVSN Designs and Blk Elk Media, is now streaming online for public viewing after being featured in ten global film festivals, including Mountainfilm and Banff Mountain Film Festival.

• Screen Time: Mountainfilm and Banff Mountain Film Festival are two of the most prestigious mountain film festivals in the world, featuring a collection of documentary films and short films that celebrate mountain culture, outdoor adventure, and the spirit of exploration. Well Worn Life was also selected for each festival’s world tour.

• Intentional Living: The 6-minute documentary, produced by Fayetteville-based Blk Elk Media, follows athlete Dani Reyes-Acosta in her life beyond sports, emphasizing intentional living and purpose. LIVSN Designs is made for purposeful lifestyles with comfortable utility gear built to last.

Watch Well Worn Life HERE.

Arts & Culture

Sensory Friendly Performances Coming To The Walton Arts Center

This season, Walton Arts Center is offering two sensory-friendly performances of children’s theater, including Poli POP! on Feb 13 at 7p and The Boy Who Cried Wolf on Mar 5 at 7p.

• Sensory Friendly: Lower volumes, dimmer lights, and vocal outbursts welcome; each performance has been adapted for adults and children with sensory-input disorders, autism, or other developmental or cognitive disability — or anyone who might feel uncomfortable attending a typical live theater performance.

• Story Time: BRUSH Theatre’s Poli POP! tells the story of siblings Poli and Pola, who encounter a ferocious alien monster on an imaginative journey while trying to avoid bedtime. Tutti Frutti’s The Boy Who Cried Wolf tells the classic story of the importance of truthtelling from the famous Aesop’s fables.

Tickets are just $10 for each show. Reserve yours HERE.

NWA Daily Picks

In other news…

• ☀️ Lights Out: Here’s a full breakdown explaining the what’s, when’s, and how’s of the Great American Solar Eclipse, set to darken the Arkansas skies the afternoon of Apr 8.

• 🐉 Happy New Year: The Chinese New Year starts this Saturday, Feb 10, kicking off a 16-day celebration culminating in the Lantern Festival on Feb 24. CANWA celebrated with its Spring Festival Gala in Fayetteville last weekend.

• 📆 Founders Day: The Northwest Arkansas chapter of the NAACP will celebrate its 115th Founders Day at TheatreSquared on Feb 12 at 6:30p, featuring guest speaker NAACP State President Barry Jefferson.

• 🎣 Tackle Deals: Stock up on fishing tackle, rods, reels, lures, and more with items available from a fishing store closeout in Springdale — everything is 50% to 75% off.

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

• 🚀 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.

_{*Content is sponsored}

ICYMI

Top Five Stories of The Week

• Lineup Released For FreshGrass | Bentonville 2024

• NWA Moves Up In Milken Institute’s Top Ten

• Perry Ryan Theater Co. Presents Joseph & the Technicolor Dreamcoat

• El Chefe Mexican Cuisine Soaring At Springdale Airport

• Taqueria Lucha Rolls Onto the NWA Food Scene

Employment

Cool Jobs In NWA

Looking for a job? Find opportunities in the retail, health, education, arts, and more sectors listed on our Jobs Board.

P.S. It looks a little sparse right now, BUT hang tight! We’re making some big updates to improve your job-hunting experience.

Sports

Who Ya Got Winning The Super Bowl?

🪩 In Da Club 🪩 

Have you gained something valuable from our free newsletter — a memorable event, new friends, a cause to rally behind, or just a decent chuckle? If you love what we’re doing, help us keep connecting the community around great content by joining our Fan Club for $10/mo!