Good morning, Fayetteville.

Fayetteville has a full weekend of events from October 17 to 19—family-friendly art shows, fall festivals, sports games, music concerts, and more are planned throughout town.

The schedule also includes a Razorback football game against Texas A&M and community cleanups that offer something for everyone in the city.

Molly Rapert, director of the Center for Teaching Effectiveness, and Anna Zajicek, vice provost for Faculty Affairs, were appointed to the Walton Arts Center Foundation Board to help manage invested funds for the state’s largest nonprofit performing arts center—serving over 375,000 visitors a year and maintaining a long college-city connection through support from U of A, the city, and the Walton Family Foundation.

Argentine jazz guitarist Juampy Juarez will visit the U of A from Oct.

18-22 to perform two concerts and hold music workshops in Fayetteville and nearby venues. He will join faculty Jake Hertzog, bassist Garrett Jones & drummer Don Mayall as he works with students and shares his unique jazz fusion style.

Author Rajiv Mohabir, the 2025-26 Walton Visiting Writer in Translation, will read from his work at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct.

16 in the Walker Room at the Fayetteville Public Library (part of the True Lit festival) and will answer questions and sign books afterward (free and open to all).

Families, friends and community members will be invited to tour Old Main at the U of A on Saturday, Oct.18 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Student ambassadors will guide the tours and explain how Fulbright College supports student success.

Farmington School District rolled out six electric buses to lower fuel costs and reduce emissions—Superintendent Jon Laffoon said the buses save about $10,000 a year and the district plans to buy more if funding allows.

The district installed three dual electric charging stations using a $1.22M EPA grant that required scrapping older diesel buses.

Alan Woessner, manager of the AIMRC Imaging and Spectroscopy Core, will host a seminar on Oct.15 at 10:45 a.m. in BELL 2267 to demonstrate the core's advanced microscopes and spectroscopic equipment—he will also explain how the staff can assist faculty and the session will be streamed via Zoom.

The University of Arkansas International Students Organization has named its new executive board for the 2025 to 2026 school year—Samuel A.

Ajala will serve as president, Ahmed Saad as vice president, Tobi Amusat as secretary, Itunuoluwa Adegbite as treasurer, and Kayode Odunlami as public relations officer. The board has begun their duties and will host Bazaar 2025 during International Education Week from November 17 to 21—focusing on cultural and educational events for international students.

U of A students participated in nearly record-high global learning experiences in '24-'25, with 1,455 joining credit-bearing study abroad courses that increased by 6% and 40 faculty-led programs in 51 countries—Italy, Spain, Australia, Ireland and Denmark ranked among the top destinations.

Christine Rickabaugh—an open education assistant librarian at U of A—works with faculty to create free textbooks.

She plans to expand her outreach by helping smaller libraries and may teach a new course while pursuing doctoral studies in adult and lifelong learning.

The University of Arkansas held its annual Staff Recognition Reception on Oct.

9 in the Arkansas Union Ballroom to honor more than 300 staff members for their work—three of whom, Bryan Stover, Chuck Dwyer and Randall Carrell, were celebrated for 45 years of service. The event marked the university's ongoing effort to support its employees in a meaningful way.

U of A will host award-winning Italian author Nadia Terranova as she discusses her novel, 'The Earth Trembles' at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct.

20 in Mullins Library room 439, where the Italian Program and the endowed Italian Chair will lead a discussion and Q&A in Italian and English + co-sponsor the event with the Istituto di cultura italiana in San Francisco and the Consulate of Italy in Houston.

A review of local history shows that the Arkansas Travelers football team from the 206th Coastal Artillery Regiment gained media attention in 1941 when it held a scrimmage at Fort Lewis — a team now overshadowed by other uses of the Arkansas Traveler name in art and sports.

The story explains how this forgotten team fits into the broader legacy of a name familiar to many Arkansans.

Heart of the Ozarks Craft Fair & Fall Festival

9 AM – 6 PM — Washington County Fairgrounds — Free entry — Explore over 300 booths, enjoy live music, delicious food, and family fun.

Lily Rose: I Know What I Want Tour

7-9:30 p.m. — Ozark Music Hall — Ticket prices vary — Enjoy an evening with Lily Rose as she performs her latest tour hits.

Heart of the Ozarks Craft Fair & Fall Festival

9 AM – 6 PM — Washington County Fairgrounds — Free entry — Celebrate local crafts and enjoy food, music, and family fun.

Irie Lions & My Nextdoor Neighbor Sunday Show

5:30-9 p.m. — Prairie Street Live! — General Admission + Fees — Experience an evening of original reggae vibes and dynamic prog rock performances.

Fayetteville Haunts Ghost Tour

5-7 p.m. — Fayetteville Public Library — Registration required — Explore the haunted history and ghostly legends of Downtown Fayetteville on a spooky walking tour.

Whitney Cummings Live

7:00–8:30 p.m. — Walton Arts Center — Tickets from $69 — Enjoy an evening with the talented comedian Whitney Cummings in Fayetteville.

First Encounters NWA: Speed Dating for 40+

7-9 p.m. — Six Twelve Coffeehouse & Bar — Ticketed event includes one drink — Sip, flirt, and spark connections at this guided speed dating night for the 40s and beyond.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid #20 Partypooper Tour

5:30-7 p.m. — Fayetteville High School — $22 — Celebrate the 20th book release with a fun-filled birthday bash featuring author Jeff Kinney.

NWA TechFest Monthly Meetup

6-9 p.m. — GOAT Lab Brewery — Free drinks available — Connect with STEM professionals over great conversations and community Q&A sessions.

The Official Halloween Bar Crawl in Fayetteville

4 p.m. — Calle Latin Cuisine — No entry fee — Haunt the bars in Fayetteville during this fun-filled Halloween bar crawl!