In early April, Bentonville think tank Heartland Forward released their 2021 edition of the Most Dynamic Metropolitans - NWA was ranked at No. 21.

• Metrics that mattered: The report ranks and analyzes "which metros are making themselves more resilient and moving toward better economic futures for their residents. Higher-ranking areas have assets such as tech hubs, outdoor and lifestyle recreation, and higher education institutions."
• How we compared: The report shows the NWA metro remaining at No. 21 from the 2020 rankings. In comparison the NWA metro was No. 17 in 2019. Central Arkansas ranked at No. 220, and the Fort Smith metro came in at No. 347.

Read the full study and rankings HERE.

A different way of thinking about healthcare, the Whole Health Initiative, has taken root at the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks.

• The approach: Instead of focusing on health issues directly, the Whole Health approach puts the patient in the driver's seat and focuses on what's important to them in life. They then bring the health care professional alongside them to help them get there.
• Realigned: This program is not just a different approach to health care, it's a cultural shift helping providers focus more on the person rather than the illness or disease they are treating.

If you want to learn more about this system and how the VA has implemented it, listen to the full story from KUAF here.

Returning for its 3rd year, Home Sweet Home music festival, presented by City Sessions will make its way around downtown Bentonville on April 29 and 30.

• What is it: There will be 40 shows with 20+ local 'hometown' artists and eight national artist all coming together over the course of two days to perform in locations around downtown Bentonville.
• How it works: “Home Sweet Home Festival is where music and hospitality reside". The small concerts are performed in and around homes in the community made to create intimate environments with a diverse set of music settings.

Read more about the festival and lineup HERE.

The season opener of the 2022 Professional Cross-Country Tour will begin on Wednesday in Fayetteville and kick off competitive cross-country mountain bike racing in the US.

• The event will feature a packed schedule of four days of racing over a five day period. A group of past and future Olympians, national champions, and international riders will compete on the first stop of a five state tour.
• The event will also cater to amateur athletes from across the country. Non-pro race options will be available on both Saturday and Sunday mornings, with riders competing on portions of the same course as the pros and sharing the same world-class finish line!

Learn more about the free event HERE.

Two, you-pick Tulip Farms are open for the season with over 35,000 flowers in Springdale and Bentonville.

• Wild Woodlane Tulip Farm: A former blue berry farmer turned tulip farmer planted around 35,000 tulips last year by hand and opened Wildwood Lane Tulip Farm. The farm opened on April 3, and will continue through the season.
• True Colors Farm: Northwest Arkansas's very first you-pick tulip farm is used to bring the community together to support PerspectAbility, a local non-profit. True Colors works to build an inclusive environment in NWA where neurodiverse adults can thrive in everyday life.

You can learn more about their hours of operations and locations on their facebook pages.