Shiloh Museum Is Going All Out for America’s 250th with a Free Block Party in Springdale

The Ozarks has its own story to tell. While the rest of the country wraps up Fourth of July cookouts, Springdale is gearing up for something deeper. The Shiloh Museum is hosting a free community festival with a lineup that goes well beyond what you’d expect.

THE DEETS

Stage Worthy of 250 Years

Country singer-songwriter Nick Shoulders, founder of Gar Hole Records, headlines the live music. You’ll also catch Trio Hermanitas Álvarez performing mariachi and classic rancheras, Carolina Mendoza blending her Mexican roots with bluegrass and country, and Larry B. & Hazel bringing R&B classics to the stage.

Cultural dance performances come from the Chinese Association of NWA, Nkauj Hmoob Puavpheej, NWA Historic Dancers, Ocean Wave, Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation, and Grupo Folklorico Quetzal, with square dancing from the Shiloh Old Time Pickers closing out the stage lineup.

History You Can Actually Touch

The festival also debuts Our Changing Landscape, the museum’s new exhibit framing America’s 250th through an Ozarks lens. As you move through the campus, you’ll find presentations from Brooks Blevins, Brandon Weston, Emily Pianalto-Beshears, Stephanie Carter, Crystal Arredondo, and Christopher Huggard, whose talk “Unveiling Rock Van Winkle: Black Builder of Northwest Arkansas” is one to catch. Community displays from the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese, the Hmong Culture Club, and the Museum of Native American History round out this section of the festival.

Get Your Hands Dirty

If you want to keep busy, there’s plenty to do. The Old State House Museum brings 19th-century games, The Scott Family Amazeum sets up paper chain-making, and the Crystal Bridges Mobile Art Lab and J.B. & Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center both have hands-on activities.

You can also watch traditional woodworking and blacksmithing demos, hop on the mini-train rides, check out the Sugarcreek Model Railroad display, or stop by poet Noelia Cerna and her typewriter Olivia for a spontaneous America 250 poem written on the spot.

Grab a Bite While You’re At It

Several food trucks are set up across campus. Sombrero Azul is serving Salvadorian and Mexican food, Icy Kids of NWA has Italian ice and lemonade, and Atomic Dog is bringing hot dogs and German brats.

The Ozarks 250 Block Party is supported by Explore Springdale, Tyson Foods, Ozarks Electric, OzarksGo, McLarty Daniel Chevrolet, Harps Food Stores, the Taldo Family, and Arvest Bank.

The lineup is already stacked, but the organizers say more announcements are on the way. Keep an eye on the Shiloh Museum’s Facebook page and follow #Ozarks250 so you’re the first to know what’s coming.