Dedicated to providing economic opportunity for Northwest Arkansas's entrepreneurs, the Fayetteville-based microlending platform, Kiva NWA, has reached a significant milestone by making its 100th interest-free small business loan.

• Intentional investments: Kiva NWA has connected entrepreneurs with over $800,000 in interest-free loans since Jan 2022, intentionally focusing on disadvantaged small business owners, prioritizing "character over credit," and funding opportunities for borrowers when conventional lenders cannot.
• Local encouragement: Supported by grants from the Walton Family Foundation, Kiva NWA is facilitated by the Startup Junkie Foundation, which serves as a local partner and provides consulting and technical assistance to those seeking loans through Kiva. Startup Junkie will feature many local startups during the 2023 Startup Crawl on Sep 8.

Learn more about how to lend and borrow with Kiva NWA HERE.

Immerse yourselves in the captivating rhythms of blues, rock, and funk during The Eureka Springs Blues Party, and download Stages.Live to keep track of all 30 shows across 10 venues over the four-day festival happening Jun 1-4.

• Feelin' the blues: Headliners like the iconic Ray Willie Hubbard and blues/roots queen Marcia Ball will electrify audiences at The Auditorium on Friday, Jun 2, along with standout acts like Funk Factory and King Cabbage Brass Band, performing at host hotel Basin Park's Barefoot Ballroom.
• Stream music and plan: Get to know the artists beforehand with the Stages. Live local music streaming player, and plan your entire weekend by saving the shows you want to see through the app's events schedule.

Stages.Live is the official app of The Eureka Springs Blues Party and the NWA App for Live Music. Check it out HERE.

The Scott Family Amazeum will open its exciting new Building Buddies exhibition, which invites children to creatively explore building and construction, this Saturday, May 27, at 12p.

• As a continuously developing community, this exhibition reflects the NWA landscape with a playful point of view where kids are encouraged to explore a colorful, interactive village and build a better community utilizing play and exploration.
• Children can construct, build, paint with light, decorate, tile, and more in the multi-sensory environment filled with STEAM learning activities intended to encourage social behaviors such as sharing, cooperating, taking turns, and teamwork.

Building Buddies will run through Sep 2023, and is included with admission. Plan your Amazeum visit HERE.

The Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit will host the second installment of its new AI Series exploring the topics of Security, Privacy, and AI at the Bentonville Community Church on Thursday, Jun 1, from 5-7p.

• From the field: A group of panelists from various fields will bring expertise to the table and discuss the latest developments, challenges, and opportunities in online data security, cyber-attacks, and the ethical implications of AI on privacy.
• Tech growth: The AI conference is a new addition to the NWA Tech Summit, an annual fall summit hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce with support from the Walton Family Foundation, Northwest Arkansas Council, Walmart, J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, Salesforce, and the University of Arkansas. The summit has drawn over 1,700 attendees from 28 states in its ten occurrences.

Reserve tickets for the AI Conference HERE.

Gather your friends and family for the Fourth Annual Berry Fest at The Berry Farm in Bentonville on Saturday, Jun 24, from 2-7p!

• Berry pickin': Pick a basket of fresh organic blueberries, relax on a lawn chair or picnic blanket to the sound sound of live music, shop local businesses in the expanded Vendor Village, and grab a snack or two in the food truck area. This year's event will have activities for everyone, even a play area for kids!
• Berry nice: The Berry Farm not only provides NWA with fresh, locally-grown food and a beautiful event venue space but also partners with Help One Now to empower orphaned children across the globe to do the same in their communities. All proceeds from Berry Fest will support Help One Now's efforts in Zimbabwe and Belize.

Ticket sales close on Jun 16 or once the event reaches capacity and tickets will not be sold at the door, so get them while they last! Reserve yours HERE.