That's Cap

Together With

Experienced entrepreneurs can offer invaluable insights to up-and-coming startups as Mentors with Fuel — a 12-week accelerator for seed and growth-stage tech startups. The 2023 AI/ML Program begins this month. Express interest in being a Fuel Mentor HERE.

Events

Bentonville First Friday Sends Kids Back to School With Some Fun

Help the kids send off summer break with some fun during Bentonville's Back to School Themed First Friday celebration this weekend, with fun activities, delicious food trucks, and a fantastic lineup of live music at the Bentonville Square on Aug 3 from 3-9p.

• Hit the Books: Enjoy a fun-filled evening with the community, including school supply giveaways, games, hands-on activities, and crafts for all ages throughout the Downtown Bentonville area.

• Boot scootin’: A few unique experiences to expect during this month’s First Friday include the NWA BAT-MOB inflatable mobile batting cage, the NWA Rolling Video Games truck, a Hostess Donette Eating Contest at 5:45p, and live music headliner Handshake Saints at 7:30p.

Find more August First Friday details HERE.

Education

University of Arkansas Expands with State-of-the-Art Research Facility

The Institute for Integrative & Innovative Research (I³R) — the latest addition to the U of A campus — is well underway, with completion expected by fall 2024.

• Innovation Station: Located on the corner of Duncan Ave and Dickson St, this cutting-edge facility will serve as a hub for groundbreaking research. Spanning approximately 144,000ft² and three stories, the I³R will provide the space and technology necessary for innovative projects at the University of Arkansas.

• Topped Off: Last month, a topping-out ceremony marked a significant milestone in the construction process. Over 200 people, including U of A Chancellor Charles Robinson and U.S. Congressman Steve Womack, gathered to witness the final structural beam being raised into place.

Scroll through a photo timeline of the project’s progress HERE.

Sponsored by Generations Bank

New Episodes of The Next Generation Cover Commercial Lending and Personal Finance

Luke Hannon and Max Harrell are looking to take the boring out of banking with the launch of The Next Generation, where they discuss money from a banker's perspective and the future of banking as it unfolds through current events.

• On the Mic: Harrell and Hannon bring a fun and approachable tone to the world of banking and money, providing an engaging resource from real bankers backed by Harrell's six-generation family background in local banking.

• Park Place: Commercial Lending 101, the Five Basic Finance Lessons you can learn from the board game Monopoly, and what Max is doing in Boulder, CO — all topics covered in recent episodes of The Next Generation.

Find new episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Business

Bentonville-Based Outdoor Cap Earns Prestigious Recognition

Outdoor Cap, one of the country’s largest headwear suppliers based out of Bentonville, has been ranked No. 25 on the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Top 100.

• Heads Up: Outdoor Cap was founded in 1977 and now serves over 14,000 business customers across distribution channels in the team sports, promotional products, hunting/fishing, and retail categories. The company develops, manufactures, and sells nearly 50m units of headwear annually.

• No Cap: This exclusive industry award recognizes the highest-performing companies in the promotional products industry. Chosen from a pool of 14,000 distributors and suppliers, Outdoor Cap was recognized for its exemplary revenue growth, industry faith, professional development, responsibility, innovation, employee happiness, and online presence.

See what other suppliers made the PPAI Top 100 HERE.

Arts & Culture

Walmart Foundation Donates $7M to Crystal Bridges and Momentary

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has received a generous $7m grant from the Walmart Foundation, supporting continued free admission for all visitors. The donation also supports ongoing operations at the Momentary.

• Art Destinations: Crystal Bridges and the Momentary have welcomed over 10.8m guests since opening in 2011, all thanks to Walmart's initial investment in the free admission endowment. The museum has been recognized by The Art Newspaper as a “Top 100” visited museum in the world.

• Continued Growth: Crystal Bridges is undergoing a major expansion project to increase its facilities by 50%. Additions are also being added to The Momentary, increasing space for art and activities in the galleries and on the Green.

Learn more about the grant and these creative spaces HERE.

NWA Daily Picks

In other news…

• 👩‍🌾 Learn to Farm: This farm school in Fayetteville teaches small-scale, regenerative farming methods for urban and suburban environments. Learn the tools to succeed in food production and business through an 11-month program and join the next generation of regional farmers.*

• 🧹 Clean home, happy heart! Reach out to NWA Cleaners to get your home, short-term rental, or Airbnb cleaned. Get a quote HERE.*

• 🤑 No Taxation: Outfit the kids with school supplies and clothing during Arkansas’s Tax-Free Weekend, running from runs from 12:01a on Saturday, Aug 5, to 11:59p on Sunday, Aug 6.

• 🗺️ New Neighbors: Northwest Arkansas is attracting residents from all over the country. Check out the Top 10 Cities people move to NWA from.

• 🌕 Once in a Blue Moon: Two supermoons will fill the sky this month, one tonight and the second on Aug 30.

• 📅 Ditch the FOMO: Post your upcoming events on our Events Page, and stay in the know about upcoming events mentioned in the newsletter.

• 🎉 Are you a fan? Help NWA Daily keep delivering great content by joining our NWA Daily Fan Program. Plus, your monthly donation gives you access to EXCLUSIVE giveaways.

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