MOUNTAIN VIEW Ozark Folk Center State Park will celebrate its golden anniversary this weekend in lively fashion with old-time music and dance to mark the sustained success of this Arkansas cultural treasure.
Rarely if ever does The New York Times mention an Arkansas small town much less mention it in the same breath as a metropolis like Chicago or Seattle. But Mountain View gained that distinction nine days ago.
The annual Arkansas Folk Festival, first held in 1963, returns to the tiny town of Mountain View this weekend. Musicians, fans of folk, bluegrass and country music and the merely curious are expected to again pack the area surrounding the Stone County Courthouse, all the streets leading to it and the nearby Ozark Folk Center State Park.
Among the many pleasures derailed by the pandemic in the past two years were nearly all the spring festivals that normally bring fun and funds to Arkansas communities. With many events returning in 2022, here is a sampler of time-tested favorites.