When an event has been around for a long time, it becomes so entrenched in local culture that people couldn’t imagine it not being a part of life. After 78 years, no doubt that is what happened with the Ozark Folk Festival. For the people of Eureka Springs, it’s a yearly music event they plan for, count on, and consider a vital part of local culture.
“It’s the largest continuously running folk fest in the U.S.,” explained festival coordinator Nancy Paddock. “The whole town is always involved with it. It’s a tradition in Eureka Springs.”
This quaint city in northern Arkansas, known for its unique architecture and colorful history, becomes an even more attractive destination when folk performers descend upon it for one weekend each fall. For 2025, the Ozark Folk Festival is set to happen September 5, 6 and 7; now is a good time to mark calendars and make lodging reservations in advance.
While the lineup for the upcoming year isn’t usually announced until late winter/early spring at the earliest, Paddock says, “We’re looking at acts already for 2025, and we’ve got an idea.” Those marking their calendars might want to look at the 2024 festival lineup to get an idea of the types of performers the fest generally books. The website is available at Ozarkfolk.com, which is also the source of tickets for any ticketed concert. Paddock said it’s also a good idea to follow the Facebook page to get updates as things evolve.
When Paddock speaks of all this, it’s easy to sense her love for this event. She explained that it was created to bring tourists to town and still serves that purpose today. While the essence of the festival’s purpose remains the same, the offerings have evolved over the years. A most recent addition just happened in 2024.
“We had workshops last year that we’re bringing back for 2025,” Paddock said. The workshops focused on musicianship in areas such as guitar or folk percussion.
Paddock explained that the fest is a nonprofit organization financed and managed by the City of Eureka Springs's City Advertising and Promotion Commission (CAPC).
The lineup's goal is to present the music of the mountains and to celebrate the music rising from the people and landscapes of what is often considered one of the country's most unique and nature-inspired places.
“We try to focus on local Ozark musicians,” Paddock said. Examples might be the Springfield, Missouri-based Ozark Mountain Daredevils or upright bassist, singer and songwriter Melissa Carper. She added that while the scene includes all types of folk music, bluegrass is certainly a part of that, and there’s a burgeoning group of youngsters making bluegrass music now in Eureka Springs.
Toe-tapping, dancing, and active listening take place in two spaces: Basin Spring Park, where music is presented for free, and the Historic Auditorium, where music lovers can take in additional ticketed performances.
In addition to the basic features, you’d expect to find at most folk fests—including a songwriting competition and arts and crafts “Ozark Folk Fair”—attendees are also treated to a unique, longstanding tradition.
“The Barefoot Ball has been going on since the 1950s,” Paddock explained, of the yearly concert encouraging barefoot dancing on the original wooden floor in the Historic Auditorium basement. Paddock said she loves that event, but for her, affection for the fest is non-specific.
“It’s always just …the music. I love the music,” Paddock said, summarizing why she devoted herself to such a worthy cause for Eureka Springs. “There’s lots of pickin’ and grinnin’ going on.”