Stories, Laughter and Lots of Meatballs
Every Christmas, my family holds our annual spaghetti dinner—a tradition that I hope will continue for generations. We serve homemade spaghetti and meatballs, still following the handwritten recipe cards passed down from my great-grandmother, faded and stained in red sauce. Alongside them is a mysterious dish called “Remp” that we can’t trace anywhere else. If we had to describe it, we would say it’s like stuffing with a lot of lemon.
My late grandparents, Tim and Dottie Massanelli—better known as Poppy and Nanny—were the soul of these gatherings. Dad and his two brothers quietly laughed over old stories, while me and the cousins passed dishes, joked, and carried on with other childlike antics. My mom and aunts kept the table running smoothly, making sure everyone had enough to eat and drink, and of course, making sure we still had room for dessert. Nanny and Poppy would join in on the fun before retiring to the den, but every now and then, you could see them sit back and simply take it all in—the stories, the laughter, and the warmth of family.
In this issue, we celebrate food as more than sustenance. It’s a universal language, a bridge between people, and the heart of every tradition. Meals bring us together, story by story, memory by memory, reminding us of what truly matters: connection, family, and the joy of gathering around the table.
MADELYN MASSANELLI, PUBLISHER @SPRINGDALECITYLIFESTYLE
October 2025
PUBLISHER
Madelyn Massanelli
madelyn.massanelli@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Bo Simpson bo.simpson@citylifestyle.com
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders
AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe
LAYOUT DESIGNER Meredith Wilson
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Hannah Leimkuhler
Proverbs 3:5-6
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: Spaghetti Supper at Tontitown Grape Festival. 2: Pizza at MJ Pizzeria in Springdale. 3: Food at the Boardwalk in Springdale. 4: Sipping on Cocktails and Mocktails at the Blind Bear. 5: Madelyn and Amy with Haven and Harmony at Hello Local. 6: Enjoying the grape icecream at the Tontitown Grape Festival. 7: Neighbors night at For the Love with Strike the Sasquatch.
Madelyn turned a magazine into community.
City Lifestyle isn’t just a publication — it’s a pulse. A rhythm of voices, neighbors, and stories woven together by someone who believes in the power of connection. As we expand, we’re looking for people ready to turn care into community. Are you ready to be that spark?
Springdale City Lifestyle
Published by Madelyn Loved by Springdale
Sara Posey Closes Deal Bringing Dempsey Bakery to Fayetteville
Local Collier & Associates real estate broker Sara Posey just closed on Arsaga’s School Street location in Fayetteville. Arsaga’s will remain open until October 31, after which the new owner will introduce the beloved Dempsey Bakery — a Little Rock–based, 100% gluten-free restaurant and bakery. Thanks to Sara’s work, Northwest Arkansas will soon enjoy an exciting new option for gluten-free dining while other Arsaga’s locations remain open.
At Haven and Harmony, Amy Lee designs spaces that feel personal, welcoming, and calm. Specializing in residential homes and Airbnb properties, she creates interiors that reflect your style and support your lifestyle—whether through organization, a full refresh, or a complete redesign. Inspired by her daughter, Amy focuses on making spaces meaningful, functional, and supportive, ensuring every home isn’t just beautiful, but a true haven.
Opulent Outings: Where Every Moment Shines
Opulent Outings LLC transforms ordinary events into extraordinary experiences. Specializing in luxury picnics and bespoke mobile bartending, they craft unforgettable moments tailored to your style. Whether it's a romantic date, a birthday celebration, or a corporate gathering, Opulent Outings handles every detail—from elegant decor to custom cocktails. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for perfection, they ensure your event is nothing short of opulent.
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BUYERS
Let me guide you through the exciting journey of finding your dream home, from initial search to closing.
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Riley Hays Roofing & Construction brings over 13 years of trusted Arkansas expertise to Northwest Arkansas. Led locally by Rodney Carr, a construction veteran with 22 years of experience, the team is dedicated to helping homeowners and businesses protect and enhance their properties. Known for quality, integrity, and exceptional service, Riley Hays isn’t just about roofs—they’re about building lasting relationships and adding real value to the communities they serve.
who works with teens and adults to navigate life’s challenges. She primarily uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to support personal growth and also offers Art Therapy and Group Therapy for clients who thrive in creative or community-based settings. Known for her compassionate approach, Christi is passionate about creating a safe, supportive space where clients can build resilience and discover new paths forward.
Glow Goals: Meet Skin Clinic Siloam
At The Skin Clinic Siloam, glowing skin isn’t just a goal—it’s a lifestyle. Housed in a stunning historic building, their expert team pairs rejuvenating facials with cutting-edge treatments, making self-care feel effortless (and a little luxe). Whether you’re chasing youthful radiance or some well-deserved pampering, Skin Clinic Siloam has the glow-up you didn’t know you needed.
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Steve Massanelli Managing Partner
ARTICLE BY BO SIMPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BO SIMPSON, FOR THE LOVE
FOR THE LOVE IS A PLACE WHERE LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR BECOMES A REALITY, WHERE COMMUNITY MEANS FAMILY
FOR THE LOVE
Some parts of the human experience exist across all boundaries. An example we can all recognize is hunger. And while eating alone isn’t necessarily unusual, there’s something deeply familiar about sharing our meals with others.
Since the beginning of time, people have gathered around food—cooking
“SOME
impact is not the same for everyone, and being left out starves us of more than just food. It leaves us longing for the nourishment of connection.
In 2020, at the height of Covid, three women recognized this reality, as well as the need for more support, community, and love for the hungry and displaced
PARTS OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE EXIST ACROSS ALL BOUNDARIES.”
together, passing plates, and telling tales—because sharing a meal is more than just filling our stomachs. It’s about filling a need for connection. Around a table, or even a campfire, we find safety, belonging, and a sense that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.
When we gather with others, no matter if it’s around a table, a campfire, or any other common space, we are reminded of the bonds that hold us together. For community secures us to our past through tradition, our present through connection, and our future through faith.
There are, however, people who find themselves on the outskirts of our campfires, without easy access to food or a community to share it with. Hunger may touch us all, but its
here in Northwest Arkansas. Their names are Meredith Chapuis, Jennifer Cristofaro, and Melinda Williams.
Meredith, Jennifer, and Melinda quickly got to work. With the help of friends, family, and volunteers—not to mention a hot off the lot food truck— For the Love began.
For the Love is a non-profit organization that serves our community every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday night in Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville.
A location is coming soon to Fayetteville.
It is their mission, “ … to not only feed the hungry, but feed the soul,” and by inviting everyone into their campfire, hungry people are fed and a unique community is cultivated. Their intention of addressing poverty in this
way shows that, at the end of the day, we are all just neighbors on this earth who need food and need each other.
“We believe that food is more than sustenance. It’s a bridge to connection, community, and resources,” said Jennifer Cristofaro, one of For the Love’s founding members.
Jennifer also pointed out the vitality of sharing in the lives of people with different socioeconomic backgrounds, political beliefs, and religious views. Thinking with others challenges our perspectives, teaching us not just what to think, but how to think. “Getting to know these people over the years has really changed my perspective, especially about the policies that affect them.”
One of the things realized in spaces like For the Love is the development of friendships that might otherwise seem unlikely. Something about sitting down with people and hearing their life stories bridges the gaps between different ways of thinking. It
“WE BELIEVE THAT FOOD IS MORE THAN SUSTENANCE.”
takes down our walls and allows us to be as we are, seeing others as they are too.
To attend one of For the Love’s “neighbor nights” is to hear countless stories of people’s lives changing through friendships made. Activities such as yoga classes, game nights, and birthday celebrations (but ultimately people going out of their way for each other) have established a home for those who once felt alone, providing them a community of friends and family to make life more stable … and also more fun.
Iris Murdoch defines love as the “extremely difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.” This requires looking at someone else and seeing not just a person, but someone as deserving of love and sacrifice as any other.
For the Love refuses to simply believe this reality. They live it. And as they’ve shared with me, the experience comes not just from those who put it all together: it’s the people who show up that make it so special.
ARTICLE BY LAUREN FORTENBERRY PHOTOGRAPHY BY Q PHOTOGRAPHY AT MAQ STUDIOS
Beauty on the Menu?
GET TO KNOW THE AESTHETICA TEAM
Spencer
Sumlin
–
Marketing Manager
Spencer has worked as a social media consultant since 2020 with certifications in YouTube, Google, Ads, and Meta. Away from work, he enjoys Formula One and time with his two cats, Amethyst and Emerald.
Britt Erickson – Esthetician
Britt, a Northwest Arkansas native, graduated from Ark Beauty Academy in Bentonville. She loves connecting with people, traveling, and staying active. At home, she and her partner of nearly 10 years share three dogs.
Chantal Crosse-Sumlin, RN, FNP-C, earned her nursing degrees from Columbus State University and the Medical College of Georgia. With expertise in preventative care and aesthetics, she helps clients achieve their goals while building lasting connections.
Office Manager
Lauren has been in the aesthetics industry since 2017, bringing organization, knowledge, and warmth to every patient interaction. A devoted wife and mom to two boys—with another on the way—she balances her passion for aesthetics with the joy (and occasionally chaos) of family life.
Chantal Crosse-Sumlin, APRN
Lauren Crawford –
Tontitown Grape Festival
ON HISTORY, COMMUNITY, AND TRADITION
ARTICLE
BY BO SIMPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONTITOWN ARCHIVES, BRENDA PIANALTO
Back Row L-R: Zulpo Family: Giovanni Zulpo, Catterina Zulpo, Pietro Zulpo, Tommaso Zulpo, Marianna (Brunialti) Zulpo. Front L-R: Maria Zulpo, Adolfo Zulpo.
Tontitown Grape Festival aerial view in 1993
The first Tontitown Grape Festival occurred as a Thanksgiving celebration at the turn of the twentieth century. Just two months ago, it celebrated its 126th anniversary.
For generations, people have come together in Tontitown, Arkansas, to listen to music, play games, eat spaghetti, and spend time with each other—family, friends, and strangers alike. It’s a place where culture comes to life, legacy lasts, and memories are made.
Good memories have a way of finding us, even when we don’t try to hold onto them. The moments that stick are the ones that matter most, and in remembering them, they become even more lasting. These memories reveal truths about the world that only we can see, and about parts of ourselves only we can know.
And while each of us carries our own memories, we are never alone in them. Our lives are woven together with the experiences of others: shaped by the past, shared in the present, and passed forward to the future.
When people come together in Tontitown, sharing moments side-by-side and creating experiences that become memories, something remarkable happens. We call this kind of connection community.
And as a community endures over time, something deeper emerges. It binds people together and at the same time becomes their responsibility to protect and pass on. We call this tradition.
So as we reflect on the meaning embedded in this particular tradition, we would do well to think about the meaning of tradition itself, as well as the kind of community it takes to keep tradition alive for more than a century.
“Led by a saintly Priest, the settlers came To these green sloping plains to make their home; Far from the mother land where they were born, On fertile soil of Venice, Malo, Rome”
- “Sempre Padre,” Rosa Marinoni
Between the founding of the University of Arkansas in 1871 and the Roaring Twenties, more than four million
Italians left their homeland to seek a new life in the United States. This movement was driven in large part by high taxes, poverty, overcrowding, food shortages, and political unrest in Italy. But amidst fears of leaving all they had ever known, hope survived in the freedom they wished to find in America.
The story of those who would find their way to Tontitown, Arkansas, begins with a banker in New York by the name of Austin Corbin. At the time, Corbin owned a plantation in south Arkansas called Sunnyside, and he arranged to divide the Sunnyside plantation at interest among a group of 98 Italian families. These families boarded a New Orleans-bound steamship in Genoa, Italy, on November 8, 1895.
It wasn’t long after the Italians arrived on the plantation in December that problems arose. Communication suffered between the plantation managers and the immigrants, as the managers did not speak Italian and the immigrants did not speak English. Additionally, the Italians were not familiar with plantation agriculture.
In January of the following year, a priest by the name of Father Pietro Bandini was assigned as chaplain to Sunnyside. Bandini had a history of challenging authority, speaking his mind, and using his scholarship to accommodate the needs of others. His studies in philosophy and theology as well as his travels from Italy to Montana, Montana to New York, and finally New York to Arkansas, served his ability to traverse difficult terrain and stand out as a leader.
But after nearly two years, the situation only got worse for the Italians. Dying crops, disease, and miscommunication plagued their efforts to make Sunnyside home. To make matters even more complicated, Austin Corbin died in June 1896, and Corbin’s heirs expressed little interest in continuing the Sunnyside project.
So Bandini proposed a plan.
“Led by a saintly Priest, the settlers came To these green sloping plains to make their home; Far from the mother land where they were born, On fertile soil of Venice, Malo, Rome.”
“Just west of Springdale were rolling hills of untamed soil, tough from the winter months and covered in fallen limbs and broken briar. If not the most expected of places, where there was promise Bandini saw it.”
Father Pietro Bandini; taken between 1911 - 1917
126th Queen Concordia Emily Starkey (Grape Festival photos taken by Event Photographer: Brenda Pianalto)
In November of 1897, Bandini traveled northwest to Springdale, Arkansas. He was looking for a new settlement: a promised land.
Just west of Springdale were rolling hills of untamed soil, tough from the winter months and covered in fallen limbs and broken briar. Not the most likely of locations, yet Bandini saw opportunity where others did not. Here, future generations of Italians would delight in the green plains and oak shades, and Bandini intended to make it a home for his people.
Three months later, Father Bandini led some 40 families on an exodus from Sunnyside to a place they would call Tontitown. It was named in honor of Henri de Tonti, an Italian-born French military officer who helped explore the Mississippi River and founded the Arkansas Post.
The transition was not easy at first. They lived in abandoned farmhouses, had little to eat, and faced hostility from local residents. Over time, however, the grit and perseverance of the Italians earned them respect among the surrounding communities.
As the Italians bought the necessary equipment for farming on credit—finding jobs on railroads, in mines, and as carpenters to support their efforts— they experimented with crops and eventually found success unlike they had experienced since coming to America. Of all the crops they planted, their grapes became the most popular.
At some point, likely without warning (and for some more quickly than others), Tontitown became home.
To celebrate both their arrival and the arduous journey that had taken them from Italy to Sunnyside, and then Sunnyside to Tontitown, they held a
Thanksgiving feast every summer. These gatherings were accompanied by national attention as Tontitown became recognized as a successful immigration story, one that connected different parts of the world and country in its trajectory. These gatherings were also the first of what we know today as the Tontitown Grape Festival.
Throughout the following years, new traditions were picked up as others remained the same. In 1932 the first official spaghetti dinner and Queen Concordia pageant took place. In the mid-twentieth century, carnival games began filling out lots and attracting crowds as they do now.
Meanwhile, traditions such as Thanksgiving picnics, church services, singing and dancing, homemade meals, and (what was it?) grapes! have remained deeply entrenched in Tontitown tradition ever since those first celebrations.
Ultimately, the Tontitown Grape Festival represents a place where communities, cultures, and people converge across location and time. With an atmosphere of whimsical congeniality and lighthearted fun, the countryside complements the carnival charm, the community focuses on the moment at hand, and tradition roots its observers in the not-so-distant past.
By the time you walk away with a grape ice cream cone melting in your hand and stomped grapes between your toes, you realize that what it takes to keep meaningful tradition is a community of shared memories—those too enduring to be forgotten—carried forward by those who remember, for the sake of whoever comes next.
LEARN MORE: If you want to learn more about this and other historical events in Tontitown, please visit their website at: HTTPS://WWW.TONTITOWN.COM/TONTITOWN/MUSEUM
Postcard produced between 1904-1918 of the early Tontitown Picnic (later known as the Tontitown Grape Festival).
A HINT OF MIDNIGHT
A fall ritual in a cup — this caffeine-free latte pairs velvety decaf espresso with house-made black sesame vanilla syrup for a nutty, toasty sweetness that lingers beyond the last sip.
FOR THE SIMPLE SYRUP: FOR THE LATTE:
ingredients:
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons black sesame powder
• 1 vanilla bean pod, split and scraped
• 1 cup of water
directions:
Step 1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring often so sugar doesn’t scorch, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 2 . Cool. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Talking Crow Coffee Roaster's Black Sesame Vanilla Latte
ingredients:
• 2 shots of Talking Crow decaf Guatemala
• 1-2 oz of the Black sesame simple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
• Steamed milk
directions:
Step 1. To your favorite mug, add the decaf espresso shots, then the simple syrup. Lastly, add the steamed milk.
Step 2. Sip and enjoy.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY
CAROL BLANCHET
SPRINGDALE
AFTER DARK
Wine, brews, and cocktails worth staying up for.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY BO SIMPSON
Springdale’s bar scene may come alive after dark. But despite what the title may suggest, locals and visitors can still enjoy a drink before the sun goes down.
At Sassafras Springs Vineyard and Winery, the rustic scenery of sloping fields, flowing creeks, and towering trees make for a refreshing glass of wine as sunlight filters through the canopy. Sitting outdoors as the first of fallen leaves scatter in the wind, a glass of wine pairs perfectly with a slice of pizza and good conversation. Out on the pavilion, you hear talk
of professors catching up on the latest, cheers for birthdays, anniversaries, and the like, as well as regulars relaying plans for coming weeks, especially Halloween. In any case, Sassafras accommodates the needs of all Springdale before-or-afterdark attendees, losing its grip on fair temperatures soon to chill.
1. SASSAFRAS SPRINGS VINEYARD AND WINERY
2. THE ODD SOUL
When the sun goes down, The Odd Soul provides space for a much-needed brood or banter. What’s on draft? Featured in the image is my go-to IPA, Space Goose, but a number of local and domestic drafts are waiting on tap.
The charm of The Odd Soul is in its mystery, yet the social atmosphere reinterprets this mood toward warmth and connection. You get an attractive mix of old school nostalgia and modern flair: the sort of place that can both surprise you and make you feel like you’ve been there before.
With an intriguing balance of neon signs and dusky undertones, some say just walking in makes you a regular in training. If a place can be both vibrant and moody, The Odd Soul toes this line carefully, weaving buzzing neon and silent shadows into a night that’s entirely your own—with bar talk and good music to chase away the quiet.
No matter if your night has just begun or if it’s coming to a close, The Blind Bear introduces all night owls to a seasonal menu that makes every round feel curated. The cocktail/mocktail menu has something to offer everyone, and the cosmopolitan vibe ensures everyone feels welcome in its dimly lit quarters.
Fan favorite cocktails include The Lost Cosmonaut and Princess Diana. (Don’t blame me if a couple sips leave you floating in space or raising a pinky.)
By entering the Blind Bear, you open yourself up to a drinking experience that is both sophisticated in tone and brimming with excitement beneath the surface. You may forget you’re in Springdale, swept away in the ambiance of the room and imaginative quality of the drink. But by the time you step back outside, Emma Avenue reminds you where you are, and calls you back to reality.
3. THE BLIND BEAR
Stacked for Fall
THE SEASON’S BEST SANDWICHES
ARTICLE BY ANGELA BROOCKERD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
There’s something deeply satisfying about a well-made sandwich—especially when it comes together with minimal effort but delivers big on flavor. As the season changes and appetites grow heartier, fall is the perfect time to get creative with ingredients tucked between slices of crusty bread or buttery rolls. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your lunch routine, enjoy comforting flavors and bold textures, or impress guests with a no-fuss meal, these easy-to-make sandwiches strike the perfect balance between simple and sensational.
Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream
Savory
INGREDIENTS
• 2 slices crusty bread (sourdough, ciabatta, French bread)
• 6 oz roast beef
• 2 slices provolone cheese
• 2 tbsp butter (for toasting)
INSTRUCTIONS
• 2 ½ tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp horseradish sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Arugula
• Cherry tomato
• Caramelized onions
Toast the bread. Butter one side of each slice and toast in a skillet until golden. Heat roast beef briefly in a pan. To make the spread, mix mayo, horseradish sauce, and Dijon. Spread on the toasted bread. Layer roast beef, cheese, and broil briefly to melt. Add arugula, tomato, and caramelized onions if using. Top with the second slice of bread.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 grilled chicken breast
• 2 slices pepper jack cheese
• 2 slices cooked bacon
• 1 tbsp fruit jam (fig, raspberry, or jalapeño recommended)
INSTRUCTIONS
• A handful of fresh arugula
• 3–4 cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1 tbsp garlic aioli
• 1 brioche bun (toasted)
Lightly butter the inside of the bun and toast in a skillet or oven until golden brown. Spread a layer of garlic aioli on the bottom bun. Add the sliced grilled chicken breast. Place the pepper jack cheese over the hot chicken to slightly melt it. Layer on the crispy bacon slices. Add halved cherry tomatoes and a small handful of arugula. Spread the jam on the top bun. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
• 3 oz goat cheese
• Fresh arugula
• ¼ cup caramelized onions
• 1 pear, thinly sliced
• Honey, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
• Butter for toasting the bread
• Rotisserie chicken breast thinly sliced
• Sourdough bread, buttered (optional)
Spread goat cheese on one side of the bread. Top the cheese with arugula, caramelized onions, sliced pears and chicken breast. Drizzle with honey. Top with remaining slice of sourdough bread. Use a griddle or panini press to heat the sandwich.
events
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
OCTOBER 3RD
Jones Center Bike Festival
The Jones Center | 5:00 PM
The Jones Center Bike Festival returns to Runway Bike Park for two days of cycling fun. On Friday, Oct. 3, from 5–7 PM, attendees can enjoy a free community BBQ, games, giveaways, and open riding. Saturday, Oct. 4, features the Pump Track Championship, Vendor Village, food trucks, prizes, and more. Race entry is $25 in advance, $35 day-of, with members receiving 20% off.
OCTOBER 4TH
ArkanSalsa Fest
Luther George Park | 11:30 AM
It’s time for ArkanSalsa! Attendees can enjoy a day celebrating all cultures with music, food, a parade, art, lotería, free salsa and chips, and plenty of fun. This exciting event also serves as a fundraiser supporting literacy programs—perfect for friends and families to come together, celebrate, and make a difference.
OCTOBER 9TH
James and the Giant Peach
The Medium | 6:30 PM
Arts One presents James and the Giant Peach through its Youth Driven Theatre Program, where young people lead on stage and behind the scenes, gaining skills in acting, directing, design, and more. Auditions are August 6–7 at The Medium. Performances run October 9–11. Tickets are on sale now. Runtime: 75–90 minutes.
OCTOBER 11TH
Halfway Halt
Walter Turnbow Park | 8:00 AM
Come downtown for a party the morning of Square to Square. Cheer on the riders during their 30-mile trip that travels from Bentonville to Fayetteville on the Razorback Greenway. Enjoy food, drink & music.
OCTOBER 11TH
Bauhaus Farmers Market
Bauhaus Biergarten | 11:00 AM
Mark your calendars! Every other Saturday, enjoy the best of both worlds—shop fresh produce and artisan goods at the market, then stick around for delicious food and cold beer from the Bauhaus Biergarten. Pet friendly! Bring your furry friends along for the fun.
OCTOBER 12TH
Fall Carnival
Parsons Stadium | 6:00 PM
Families are invited to enjoy rides, games, and fair foods at the annual carnival at Parsons Stadium. Fun Time Shows, a family-owned amusement company, brings excitement twice a year with food concessions and attractions for all ages. Open 6–11 PM (times may vary with attendance and weather). Daily specials are offered, and armbands are available on-site.
Want to be featured?
OCTOBER 12TH
Out of the Darkness Walk - Color Outside The Darkness
Orchards Park in Bentonville | 12:00 PM
Join the Northwest Arkansas Out of the Darkness Walk on October 12 at Orchards Park, Bentonville, to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention. The family-friendly event features art vendors, a kids’ area, and community activities. Come together to support mental health, honor loved ones, and connect with local artists and neighbors in a meaningful, uplifting atmosphere.
OCTOBER 15TH
"The President’s Own” Hits Northwest Arkansas!
Pat Ellison Performing Arts Center | 7:30 PM
For the first time in over 20 years, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band returns to Northwest Arkansas for a free concert October 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Don Tyson School of Innovation’s Pat Ellison Performing Arts Center in Springdale. Free general admission tickets (limit 4) are available now at www.dtsoimusic.org. More details: www.marineband.marines.mil/Tour
OCTOBER 16TH
Black Apple Comedy Night
Black Apple Hard Cider | 8:00 PM
Join Natural State Comedy every Thursday in Springdale for Black Apple Comedy Night! Now in its 9th year, the show features hilarious stand-up comedians from across the country—for free! Doors open before the 8:00 PM show to grab drinks and seats. This week’s lineup includes headliner Bailey Pope from NYC, special guest Neil Rubenstein, and top local comedians. Adult content.
OCTOBER 17TH
Savor the Ozarks Dinner Series
Market Center of the Ozarks | 6:30 PM
The Savor the Ozarks Dinner Series at AFIC@MCO features Chef Tyler Rogers of Stonebreaker, celebrating the region’s seasons, food traditions, and local agriculture. Each dinner highlights seasonal ingredients and showcases emerging chefs from the shared-use kitchen, collaborating with local and national talent. Guests enjoy memorable dining experiences while supporting the AFIC@MCO Scholarship Program and Northwest Arkansas’ local food economy.
OCTOBER 23RD
Bingo Night
Yankabilly Smokehouse | 6:30 PM
Enjoy a fun night of BINGO with cool prizes, delicious food, and cold brews! Bingo is free to play, and if you try anything, don’t miss their brisket burger—you won’t regret it.
OCTOBER 25TH
Springdale Halloween Fest
Luther George Grove Street Park | 4:00 PM
The Springdale Police Department and Springdale Parks and Recreation are bringing back the Springdale Halloween Fest in Downtown Springdale on Saturday, October 25th, from 4–7 PM! Enjoy a fun, FREE afternoon with family and friends featuring candy giveaways, touch-a-truck, carnival games, costumes and a contest, our famous pumpkin drop into Spring Creek, and much more!
Hosting the Perfect Dinner Party
Your next event, served alfresco
Catering experts Chef Kyle and Hannah Williams, owners of Savor & Swirl culinary company, create an outdoor dinner party with chef-driven perennial dishes served in beautiful seasonal settings. For this alfresco dinner party, Chef Kyle draws on his favorite recipes updated for a modern palate and paired with wine selections to complement the bountiful feast.
Insider Tips for Hosting:
• Build a menu around the season. Start with what produce is available locally based on the season for the most authentic meal experience. For instance, Chef Kyle says “In November, people crave turkey, sage stuffing and cranberry sauce,” but that meal served in the heat of Summer wouldn’t hit the same. In-season fruits and vegetables will always be of highest quality and best taste.
• Always greet guests with a beverage and appetizers. “Offer champagne for wine-lovers or a sparkling drink or signature cocktail. It’s all about serving guests to the highest caliber,” Kyle says.
• Draw inspiration from the season’s colors and temperatures. For Spring and Summer, think flowers, fresh herbs and linens. For Fall, think flannel blankets, wooden tables, fire pits, open grills, string lights and candles to create a really cool environment you haven’t been able to do all summer.” For Winter, head indoors to create a cozy environment for guests to connect.
• An easy but thoughtful detail is to put a simple menu at each place setting, so guests know what to expect. “Add a pen, so guests can jot tasting notes, especially for wine pairings or multiple courses,” Hannah says. “Guests can share comments, then take the menu home as a sweet reminder of the event.”
• As fun as it is to dine outside, always have an indoors back-up plan. “We’ve had to bring it indoors before,” Hannah says. “It’s still fun.” Insider Tips for Hosting: “Think flannel blankets, wooden tables, fire pits, open grills, string lights and candles to create a really cool environment you haven’t been able to do all summer.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
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