After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Fayetteville Mardi Gras Parade will return for its 30th Anniversary on Feb 18 at 2p in Downtown Fayetteville.

• Float on: All are welcome to decorate and enter a float in the family-friendly Fat Saturday Parade of Fools, or register your business as a sponsor! All proceeds this year will support the work of Peace at Home Shelter.
• Dance and sing: This year's parade will be extra music-filled thanks to a partnership with Music Moves and the Black Music & Film Expo; the UAPB Marching Band will join the parade, followed by a performance by The Racy Brothers and Crescent City Combo at George's Majestic Lounge.

Hear from the parade and music expo organizers on KUAF HERE.

Fluid Trucks, an on-demand commercial vehicle rental platform for individuals and small businesses, is investing in Northwest Arkansas, no doubt drawn by the opportunities made available by the region's thriving startup culture.

• Out for delivery: The Colorado-based company offers 24/7 access to cargo vans, box trucks, and pick-up trucks 365 days a year through its mobile app, making renting commercial vehicles as easy as pushing a button.
• That cargo fast: Fluid Trucks is one of the fastest-growing tech companies in the nation and launched its Northwest Arkansas operations in Oct 2022, staging its rental vehicles at Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers near Target.

Read more from Talk Business & Politics HERE.

After another week of icy weather, we can't wait to get out of the house. Thankfully, the roads are finally thawing out, so let's get out there and enjoy this weekend!

• Pump up the jams: Check out KUAF's rundown of the local live music taking the stage at venues across Northwest Arkansas this weekend.
• Art walk: Check out the new Alfred Stieglitz photography exhibit at Crystal Bridges.
• Date night: Plan an early Valentine's date at one of these romantic dinner spots!
• New menu: You've got to try the pork belly carnitas at Loma, a new restaurant that opened this week at ONE Uptown in Rogers!
• At the movies: Pass the popcorn and don't miss the opening weekend of the Fayetteville-filmed movie Freedom's Path on-screen at the AMC Fiesta Square.
• Behind the mask: The Junior League of Northwest Arkansas's annual fundraiser, the Moonlight Masquerade Gala, is this Friday, Feb 3, at 7p, raising awareness about domestic violence.
• Ride on: Defrost your mountain bikes and join the Women of OZ for their February Flagship Ride on Saturday, Feb 4, at 2p.
• Cold reminder: To the lucky ones who got tickets before they sold out, here's your reminder that Frost Fest is this Saturday, Feb 4.

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone! See you next Monday.

Looking for a job? Check out these positions posted to our community board:

• Lifewater International has an open position for a Marketing Project Manager*
• OneStone is looking for a Client Manager

Have a job you're looking to fill? Post it here!

Serving the community from their 2-acre farm at Fayetteville's Gulley Park, Apple Seeds Teaching Farm is on a mission to inspire healthy living through garden-based education.

• Feed and teach: Beyond providing fresh produce to food-insecure children in NWA, Apple Seeds partners with local schools to provide nutrition education through programs like Cooking in Schools, Food Lab field trips, and more.
• Play with your food: The Kid's Table is a weeklong summer camp where kids from K-12 grade gain hands-on gardening experience, harvest fresh ingredients for themselves, and learn how to make delicious recipes.

Explore the learning opportunities at Apple Seeds Teaching Farm HERE.