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EMS Connect: Your Guide to What’s Coming Up in NWA

  • Carlie Neel
  • Jan 16
  • 3 min read

EMS Connect Logo
NWA Local Living
Welcome to EMS Connect, your bi-weekly look at the people, places, and happenings that make Northwest Arkansas feel like home. Each issue highlights local events, community favorites, and businesses shaping the region — all curated to help you stay connected to the heartbeat of NWA.


Local NWA Events


Promotional image for The Nutcracker ballet presented by Classical Arts Entertainment in Fayetteville, Arkansas, featuring international ballet dancers and highlighting a holiday performance at the Faulkner Performing Arts Center in Northwest Arkansas.

NWA Comic Con | Jan. 17 - 18


Calling all comic, pop culture, and fandom fans. NWA Comic Con returns to the Rogers Convention Center with a weekend full of vendors, panels, artists, and collectibles. Spend Saturday browsing and meeting creators from 10 AM–6 PM, or stop by Sunday from 11 AM–5 PM to explore all things comics and memorabilia.

📍Rogers Convention Center


Santa Claus posing with two children beside a red mailbox during the Santa in the Basin Park event in historic downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Coffee with the Mayor | Jan. 20 | 8 - 9 AM

Join Bentonville Mayor Stephanie Orman for coffee and conversation at Fire Station 1. This community gathering includes a presentation on city operations followed by a station tour and Q&A session. This event is the perfect opportunity to learn more about how the city serves its residents.

📍 Bentonville Fire Station 1


Promotional image for Candlelight Christmas Carols on Strings in Fayetteville, Arkansas, featuring glowing candles and holiday décor for a festive live music performance.

German Cornejo's Tango After Dark | Jan. 21 | 7 PM

Experience the intensity and passion of Argentine tango at Tango After Dark. Led by award-winning dancer German Cornejo, this performance blends live musicians, powerful choreography, and sultry vocals set to the music of Astor Piazzolla for a memorable night at the theater.

📍 Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville




Frozen Toes 5K & 15K | Jan. 24 | 9 AM Bundle up and hit the trails at the Frozen Toes 5K & 15K, a race through Kessler Mountain Regional Park. This race is welcoming for first-time trail runners while still offering a challenge for those going the distance, featuring scenic single-track trails with technical sections

📍 Kessler Mountain Regional Park, Fayetteville


Disney's Beauty and the Beast | Feb 3 - 8 Observe a beloved classic as Disney’s Beauty and the Beast returns to the Walton Arts Center for its 30th anniversary production. While still preserving the Oscar-winning score audiences adore like “Be Our Guest,” this updated staging features exciting new sets and costumes. It’s a magical experience for theater lovers of all ages. 

📍 Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville

NWA News, Growth, & Happenings

Arkansas Children’s Northwest Expansion If you’re watching healthcare growth in the region, you have already heard that Arkansas Children’s Northwest in Springdale is in the midst of an $82.7 million expansion. The project will renovate existing facilities, add 50,000 square feet of new space, and expand outpatient specialties including cardiology, pulmonary care, and neurology. Construction began in 2025 and is expected to wrap up late this year, allowing more families to access advanced pediatric care closer to home.

NWA Businesses Looking for new places to support around Northwest Arkansas? Here are a few community favorites worth adding to your list:


Atlas Infrastructure Group logo featuring an orange globe-inspired “A” icon and the words “Atlas Infrastructure Group” on a dark background, representing a Northwest Arkansas construction and infrastructure company.

Grey Dog Vintage Boutique

Grey Dog Vintage Boutique offers a carefully chosen selection of one-of-a-kind accessories and clothing sourced from around the world. Known for tailoring pieces to flatter customers while keeping prices affordable, this Fayetteville shop is the perfect spot for anyone looking to add unique style to their wardrobe.

📍 824 N College Ave, Fayetteville


Exterior storefront of Ozark Mountain Bagel Co. in Northwest Arkansas, featuring the OMB logo and “Bagels” signage on the building.

Trailside Coffee Company


What started as a modest neighborhood favorite, Trailside Coffee Company has grown into something more adventurous. Trailside Coffee Company now operates as a traveling coffee trailers, serving handcrafted drinks at events and trails across Arkansas and beyond. The menu features creative drinks like matcha, honey vanilla cinnamon lattes, and affogatos, making it a perfect stop for coffee lovers, cyclists, coffee, or anyone in need of a relaxing break.

📍 Contact for Location


Interior of Yeyo’s El Alma de México restaurant in Bentonville, Arkansas, featuring warm wood tables, modern seating, and a stylish bar area in a contemporary Mexican dining space.

Pearl's Books


Independently owned by Daniel and Leah Jordan, Pearl’s Books is a welcoming Fayetteville bookstore offering new books, gifts, and thoughtfully curated reads. With a focus on connecting readers with authors and building community, Pearl’s is a cozy spot to browse and discover something new.

📍 28 E Center st, Fayetteville



Thanks for staying connected with us!


We appreciate you joining us for another look at the people and places that make NWA thrive. Stay connected, stay curious, and we’ll see you out in the community!



Questions?


We are always available to answer any questions you may have and provide any assistance needed.




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