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October’s First Friday will be held on Friday, October 7th, 2022, from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on the Downtown Bentonville Square.
Food trucks and music kick off at 11:00am.
Activities and activations within the event footprint begin at 3:00pm.
Before you lift a stein to celebrate our upcoming First Friday, here’s a little history lesson, brought to you by Google.
Did you know that Oktoberfest is the largest annual Volksfest in Munich, Germany held over a two-week period? The festival originated on October 12, in 1810! It was originally a celebration of the marriage between the Crown Prince of Bavaria (who would later become King Louis I) and Princess Therese Von Sachsen Hildbrgausen. Yeah, say that last name ten times fast!
Here in Downtown Bentonville, Oktoberfest means music, brats and one festive beer garden. A brewtiful sight if you ask us!
A big thanks and shoutout to our Oktoberfest First Friday sponsors: Werther’s Original and Lifewater International!
Be sure to make a sweet stop by the Werther’s and Mamba tents for games, photo opportunities, and of course our favorite…candy samples!
At 6:00 p.m. Lifewater International, a non-profit clean water organization headquartered in Bentonville, will take the stage as presenting sponsor during October’s First Friday to educate the community on Lifewater’s mission: To provide access to safe water, and improved sanitation and hygiene, one village at a time.
During their stage time, Lifewater will challenge people to compete in a “Lug the Jug” challenge. “Lug the Jug” will feature a short obstacle course in which audience participants will attempt to carry a jerry can full of water for a specified distance. This challenge will raise awareness of the Tanzania Water Crisis, in which Women and children traditionally bear the weight of the water problems in their communities, waking early to gather water from faraway, unsafe sources and making several trips each day.
Lifewater International will also have an informational booth set up to provide fun swag and talk about Lifewater’s mission around the world.
Polish up those dancing shoes and warm up those vocal chords because we’ve got a music lineup that’s going to have you dancing and singing all night! Our festival kicks off on the AVAD3 Main Stage with Swade Diablos and will be followed by Blew Reed and The Flatheads.
And what’s Oktoberfest without a sing along? Join Dueling Pianos from The Piano Bar for an entertaining, community engaging whoot of a time!
Swade Diablos 5:00pm
Blew Reed and The Flatheads 6:15pm
The Piano Bar Dueling Pianos 7:30pm
The Oktoberfest celebration continues at the BIG TENT Beer Garden on the field located at the corner of Central Avenue and NE A Street! This hopping good beer garden will be open from 3:00pm to 9:00pm. Suds will be served by 4 of our favorite breweries: Social Project Brewery, Bentonville Brewery, Rendezvous Junction Brewery and Bike Rack Brewery. Hail to the ale!
Kick back and relax with your buddies while enjoying music, trivia, and more!
Will Gunselman 5:00pm
Trivia 6:30pm
Beer & Hymns 7:00pm
Following trivia, the crew from Beer & Hymns will take over the big tent for some classic Okto-beer-fest vibes from 7:00-9:00pm
Beer & Hymns, a nonprofit founded by Ken & Casey Weatherford, hosts monthly sing-a-long events that foster community and raise money for local charities. Each event benefits a featured Northwest Arkansas nonprofit, bringing people together to raise their glasses, raise their voices, and raise funds for organizations who are making a difference.
Beer & Hymns is a 501(c)(3) organization and will accept donations on the night to continue funding their vital work in our community.
Downtown Bentonville Incorporated (DBI) is marking a milestone and inviting the community to join in the celebration. To recognize its 20th anniversary, the nonprofit will host a birthday celebration during First Friday on October 7, 2022, to share with the community the joys and challenges of the last 20 years, all while looking forward to the future of Bentonville’s vibrant downtown. Come by our tent for a treat, balloons, and a festive celebration!
99 problems but brats ain’t 1 of them!
Stop by Downtown Dawgs for mouthwatering brats with tons of toppings!
Brats aren’t your thing? No problem, check out these other yummy food trucks that will be onsite:
First Friday kicks off at 11:00am with lunch-hour music. Here are some things that you can expect to see on the square:
Free Family Fun Zone: A First Friday favorite and for good reason! Don’t miss the Free Family Fun Zone in the parking lot in front of the First Baptist Church’s 412 Building on South Main Street.
The fun zone includes bounce houses, slides, games and so much more!
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Dirndls and Lederhosen are not mandatory, but are absolutely encouraged (and will be rewarded).
If you bust out your lederhosen, we’ll provide pitcher-perfect photo opportunities a’plenty. And our team will hand out prizes for the best Oktoberfest attire.
Make sure to tag us in your First Friday photos! We want to see your pets, children, families – even a few food pictures.
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