The U of A went virtual in more ways than one to help students continue learning this year. The Tesseract Center took home an international award in the Serious Play Competition for its game development.

• The center: The Tesseract Center for Immersive Environments and Game Design is an on-campus, fully-functional game studio. Students create a range of products including educational video games, interactive 3D visualizations, and 360° VR videos. 
• Award winning: The Tesseract Center's Mornin' In Your Eyes "is an interactive visual narrative" that gives players fresh perspectives on events in the Civil Rights Movement. The game took home silver in the recent competition.

Learn more about the award winning game and Tesseract Center HERE.

Blowing Springs Park in Bella Vista was already an NWA jewel, but its latest addition makes it even better.

• Pit stop: Dubbed the Gear Garden, this fun, new place is the perfect spot to grab a refreshment after enjoying a walk, hike, or ride on the miles of paved and dirt trails in and around Blowing Springs. This pit stop is open every Wednesday through Sunday from 2p - dusk.
• Special brew: Bella Vista POA partnered with Bentonville Brewing to bring a new brew to the location - the Trailhead Lager. This lager is only available at Bentonville Brewing and at BV POA restaurants, including the Gear Garden.

Learn more about the Gear Garden HERE.

Not only is NWA one of the best places to live in the country, but its schools are also some of the best in the state. Seven of the top ten Best Public Schools in Arkansas are in NWA, according to Niche.

• Leading the pack: Centerton schools took the number one spot this year, followed by Cave Springs, Bentonville, and Bella Vista. Rankings aside, all the public schools and cities in NWA received high marks.
• Grading rubric: Each school system's ranking was measured by state test scores, SAT/ACT scores, graduation rates, teacher quality, and student and parent reviews.

Find the full Best Public Schools in Arkansas list and methodology, HERE.

A new festival is making a stop in NWA this fall, one of several destinations for the festival from Austin.

• What to expect: Delayed last year due to the pandemic, the 'Live in America' festival is letting local artists take the stage in October as part of a 10 day festival. Live performances will reflect on the richness of life in the Ozarks.
• Behind the scenes: The lineup for the festival is yet to be announced, but it will highlight the diverse groups of people that make up our region through a unifying celebration at the Momentary this fall.

Find out more about what the 'Live in America' Festival is all about HERE.

Factory Obscura is bringing its collaborative art to downtown Springdale this summer. Art from its new, interactive experience will be on display at the Famous Hardwood store next month.

• Group thinking: BRAIN TO BRAIN PAPER PLANE is all about collaboration. Over a dozen artists have combined their talents and ideas to give NWA a glimpse into the world of collective art.
• Taking to the streets: An opening ceremony will be held on Aug. 13, giving the community a chance to meet the artists behind Factory Obscura.

Find out more about Factory Obscura's summer setup HERE.