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Downtown Bentonville Inc. invites the community on a "Passport to Adventure" - A season-long journey that transforms the Square each First Friday into a new location.
We are thrilled to have Walmart back as our presenting sponsor for the 2025 season. We also want to give a big THANK YOU to our incredible community partners, including the City of Bentonville, Visit Bentonville, and the Walton Family Foundation.
May First Friday is generously sponsored by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Adventure Land will feature fun for the whole family, complete with…
Crystal Bridges will be showing up in a big way for May First Friday! Picture this: a fun activation that celebrates their latest special exhibition, KAWS: FAMILY. Drop by to check out their expanded Mobile Art Lab, featuring a selfie moment, community art making, and more information on this iconic exhibition, on view through July 28.
Since the late 1990s, KAWS has been creating a cast of iconic characters steeped in the American zeitgeist that populate his work. Each with their own distinct personality pulled in part from their creator, these characters have been a constant throughline in the artist’s career.
The exhibition takes its title and thematic jumping-off point from the sculpture titled FAMILY (2021), which brings together four of KAWS’ characters posed in the style of a family portrait. As witnessed throughout the show, the relationships between the figures can be complex, familiar, and astonishingly heartfelt entryways into human emotions.
KAWS: FAMILY at Crystal Bridges is KAWS’ Arkansas solo exhibition debut, featuring drawings, paintings, sculptures, advertising interventions, and product collaborations. Drop by the museum to see it IRL!
12:00 PM: Yoga on the Square with Yoga Story (FREE)
3:00 - 9:00 PM: First Friday booths are officially open!
Mainstage Schedule:
4:30 - 4:45 PM Perry Ryan Theater
5:00 - 5:20 PM Kenny Belaey
5:30 - 6:20 PM Classic Flow
6:30 - 6:40 PM 316 Steppers
6:40 - 7:00 PM Kenny Belaey
7:00 - 9:00 PM Boom Kinetic
Neighborhoods make their return for our 2025 First Friday season! Divided into two distinct zones: Venture Village, sponsored by Deep Roots Health Center, and Travelers Trail, sponsored by McLarty Daniel. Each zone will be packed with fun vendors and activity booths for you to explore. Tune into your sense of adventure and community, and get ready for a stellar time!
First Friday is a large, loud event that can be overstimulating. Downtown Bentonville Inc.’s Sensory Alley is an inclusive space for individuals who experience barriers in attending First Friday. We want all individuals who experience these barriers to have a safe and inclusive space inside the First Friday footprint in order to attend and enjoy First Friday.
Sensory Alley is a drop-in, cool-down space. To ensure a safe and inclusive space, all individuals requiring support must be accompanied by a family member/caregiver while visiting the space.
This month, our friends at Playstrong Pediatrics are taking over!
PlayStrong is a pediatric therapy group specializing in outpatient speech, occupational, and physical therapy. With two locations to serve NWA, our team provides individualized treatment plans for children of all ages.
Located behind Studio 412 on Main St, FBC hosts a FREE KIDS ZONE including bouncy houses, blow-up slides, yummy waffles on a stick, and so much more!
Our friends at @bentonvillemovescoalition have teamed up with @pedalitforwardnwa and @we.are.trailblazers to bring First Friday goers a FREE bike valet that will be located on the corner of Main Street and Henry.
Public Restrooms are available at the Bentonville Community Church of the Nazarene. You can also find restrooms between Onyx and Walmart.
This season at First Friday, we're proud to spotlight a different nonprofit partner each month. For May, we're excited to feature Downtown Bentonville Inc. as our nonprofit partner.
As you explore the energy of Main Street, make sure to visit the DBI booth to learn how we're shaping a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving downtown. From hosting signature events like First Friday to supporting local businesses and creating shared community spaces, we’re dedicated to making downtown Bentonville a place for everyone.
Stop by to connect with our team, discover what’s ahead, and find out how you can be part of the momentum.
We want to offer as much guidance as possible when it comes to parking downtown because we know it can get tricky. As our town is growing and developing, we are here to help.
Please remember that roads directly around the Bentonville Square will be closed to accommodate the crowds.
Use the link below to access our updated Downtown Bentonville Parking Map.
Downtown Bentonville Parking Map
As always, we recommend carpooling with your friends and family. Arrive in Downtown Bentonville early and explore the many shops and restaurants this sweet town has to offer. To explore more, click the link here.
@DowntownBentonville is the official social media account for Downtown Bentonville Inc. We’ll post all event updates on our accounts first, so follow us for the latest news, and be sure to check out our stories for fun sneak peeks.
Be sure to tag us for a chance to have your photos and videos reshared!
