Events in Hot Springs, AR - The Waters Hotel

Upcoming Events in Hot Springs, AR

***Unfortunately many of the events below have been canceled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Please contact us at (501) 321-0001 to find out if an event you are interested in is still be held.***

These are just some of the annual happenings in Hot Springs. For the exact dates for this year’s events, check the Hot Springs tourism website for more complete information along with other events. http://www.hotsprings.org/events/

JANUARY

- Annual Arkansas Shorts affiliated with Low Key Arts
  - Arkansas Shorts is an annual event showcasing short film by natives and current residents of Arkansas. Each film is 10 minutes or less and directed by professionals, amateurs, hobbyists and beginners alike.
- Annual Live Racing at Oaklawn Park (January – April)
  - A Hot Springs tradition, live thoroughbred racing kicks off in mid-January and will end with the Racing Festival of the South and the Arkansas Derby in April. Make plans to be a part of this exciting pastime which started American Pharoah on his road to the Triple Crown in 2015.

FEBRUARY

- King of the Springs Video Gaming Tournament
  - Hot Springs Convention Center
  - This event is a statewide collaboration between Hot Springs’ own Spa City Smash League and Fayetteville’s Team Knight Owl, offering singles and doubles brackets for the wildly popular Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Melee.
  - Pre-registration information can be found at: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/2374/

MARCH

- Arkansas High School Basketball Finals
  - Bank of the Ozarks Arena
  - This high-energy state tournament is sure to have you cheering. Your $8 ticket will get you in to see as many high school basketball games as you would like.
  - For more information, visit: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/2393/
- Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade
  - Bridge Street, Downtown Hot Springs
  - Known worldwide as the biggest little parade in the south, the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade draws a crowd from far and wide with celebrities joining in the fun. Held just a few steps from The Waters on the 98-foot stretch of Bridge Street, the shortest street in the world in everyday use, this year’s parade will welcome Grand Marshal, Joey Fatone of N*SYNC, Official Starter Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), and music by Grand Funk Railroad and Morris Day and The Time.
  - Learn more at: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/1531/
- Annual Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival
  - Various locations
  - Presented by Low Key Arts, the 13th Annual Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival showcases original, cutting-edge music in intimate settings around the city. Day passes start at $10.
  - Learn more at: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/2370/

APRIL

- Annual Hot Springs Fishing Challenge
  - Lakes Catherine and HamiltonLakes Catherine and Hamilton
  - Area anglers flock to this annual event with $86,000 worth of prize fish released in lakes Catherine and Hamilton. Big Al, the $10,000 grand prize fish, has eluded anglers from the first year of the competition. Will you reel in this cash prize?
  - Learn more at: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/2390/
- Annual Corvette Weekend
  - Hot Springs Convention Center
  - The Central Arkansas Corvette Club has been cruising through Hot Springs for nearly 20 years with its annual Corvette Weekend. More than 200 Corvettes will be on display in the Convention Center during the event, with other events scheduled over the course of the weekend.
  - For more information, visit: http://centralarkansascorvetteclub.com/
- Third Annual Hot Springs Gumbo & Crawfish Festival
  - Hill Wheatley Plaza
  - Sample gumbo from area teams as they compete for the title of “Best Gumbo in Hot Springs.”
  - For more information, visit: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/1779/
- Annual Arts and the Park (April or May)
  - The Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance presents the third annual Arts and the Park arts festival, showcasing the talents of area potters, jewelers, poets, dancers, glass makers, authors, etc.
  - Learn more at: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/1469/

MAY

- Summerfest Uptown
  - Park Avenue
  - Summerfest Uptown is just one of many festivals that kicks off summer season in Hot Springs. With arts and crafts, vendors, games, barbecue and chili cook-offs and music, this event serves as a fundraiser to purchase street lights for “Light Up Park Avenue.”
  - For more information, visit: http://www.summerfestuptown.com/

JUNE

- Annual Stueart Pennington Running of the Tubs
  - Downtown Hot Springs
  - Teams from businesses and organizations all across Hot Springs suit up in costume and push wheeled bathtubs down Bathhouse Row. This free event is a quick glimpse at just some of the quirky fun happening in Hot Springs. And with all that water, no one goes home dry.
  - Learn more here: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/2182/
- Hot Springs Music Festival
  - Various Locations
  - This annual event has a twofold mission: to provide performance experience and mentorship for talented international pre-professional musicians, and to provide high-quality music performances at little to no cost. Events range from free outdoor performances to ticketed indoor concerts.
  - For full details on this year’s lineup, visit: hotmusic.org

AUGUST

- Annual Hot Springs Jazziest (August or September)
  - The Hot Springs Jazz Society celebrates America’s music — Jazz — at the annual Jazzfest event, showcasing the stylings of local artists and school groups in this weekend event.
  - For more information, visit: hsjazzsociety.org

SEPTEMBER

- Annual Blues Festival
  - Hosted in the heart of Downtown Hot Springs, the Hot Springs Blues Festival keeps the tunes jamming through the city. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
  - For more information, visit: spacityblues.org
- Annual Hot Springs Open Motorcycle Rally
  - Hot Springs Convention Center
  - This is the largest open rally held in Central Arkansas, and it offers something for every motorcycle enthusiast. The event continues to grow each year which is no surprise as the thunder of motorcycles starts rolling in for a weekend of fun.
  - Learn more at: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/1715/
- Spa-Con
  - Hot Springs Convention Center
  - Back by popular demand, the Spa-Con will be bringing with it all the geek culture and entertainment fans of the inaugural event wanted more of. This multi-fandom convention is sure to please.
  - Learn more at: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/2321/

OCTOBER

- - Hot Water Hills Music and Arts Festival
    - This event has come to be known as a quirky mix of music and art, food and drink, with activities and contests appealing to all ages.
    - Make plans for this event here: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/2371/
  - Annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (October or November)
    - The oldest non-fiction documentary film festival in North America returns, screening over 100 short and feature-length works by filmmakers from across the globe. HSDFF offers one-of-a kind forums, tributes to industry greats, and numbers of noted guests and visiting professionals.
    - Make plans for this event here: http://www.hsdfi.org/

NOVEMBER

- Tom Daniel Holiday Chili Cook-off
  - The annual Tom Daniel Holiday Chili Cook-off has local teams cooking up their favorite chili recipes all in the name of holiday fun. Funds raised from admission go toward purchasing more holiday lights and decorations for Downtown Hot Springs. The event ends at dark with the lighting of Downtown.
  - For more information, visit: http://www.hotsprings.org/events/event/2391/
- Holiday Lights (November – December)
  - Garvan Woodland Gardens
  - Thousands — yes, THOUSANDS — of lights adorn the paths and botanicals of Garvan Woodland Gardens each year, creating a winter wonderland by night. With several opportunities to see this display throughout the holiday season, there’s no reason to miss this.
  - Learn more at: http://www.garvangardens.org