The Juke Joint at the Pryor Center for Oral & Visual History
06:00 PM - 08:00 PM on Thu, 23 Oct 2025
The Arkansas Folklife Festival Organization will host a community engagement event to celebrate and explore Northwest Arkansas’ cultural landscape. The evening will center on a community conversation about who and what constitute the living traditions of music, dance, craft, foodways, and outdoor recreation in Northwest Arkansas.
The event will take place Thursday, October 23, at 6 p.m. at BC’s Blues Shack & Juke Joint inside the Pryor Center at 1 East Center Street in Fayetteville. There will be catered snacks from local businesses, a chance for participants to win a $200 prepaid debit card, and a live performance by Arkansas musician Carolina Mendoza. The event is free and open to the public.
The purpose of the event is to gather community input about what defines the culture of Northwest Arkansas ahead of next year’s Arkansas Folklife Festival and to hear how Northwest Arkansans themselves want their region to be represented.
Coming in summer 2026, the Arkansas Folklife Festival is a statewide celebration of the people, places, and living traditions that shape our shared cultural heritage. Rooted in the belief that everyone has a story worth telling, the festival highlights the everyday artistry, traditions, and lived experiences of communities across Arkansas.
“Northwest Arkansas is a unique cultureshed within our state. This community’s input is so valuable in shaping next year’s festival and keeping it true to the traditions that are alive and well in this region. Please come and share what enriches life here,” says Rachel Reynolds, Arkansas Folklife Festival founder and director.
Carolina Mendoza is a singer and songwriter from Mountain View, Arkansas, who has been mentored by generations of traditional folk music performers in her short time. Her nickname, “Voice of the Mountain,” was bestowed on her for her rich, pure tones. Carolina’s signature sound combines her traditional Mexican roots with deep influences of country, bluegrass, Nordic folk, and old-time Ozark music.