Experience the 2024 Solar Eclipse on Beaver Lake

2024 Solar Eclipse path of totality over North America

Make your 2024 Solar Eclipse experience even more spectacular with 180 degree views over the Ozarks, here on the shores of Beaver Lake, at Sugar Ridge Resort.

As you likely already know, there will be a total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024, visible diagonally across the US, from Texas to Maine, including a large swath of Arkansas. Though our portion of Northern Arkansas is not directly under eclipse, we’re just next door, so can still expect a fantastic show.

Partial and total solar eclipses aren’t actually all that rare. In fact, there’s one visible somewhere on the planet just about every 18 months.  What makes them seem so rare is that an eclipse’s “path of totality,” the band of darkness it creates, is actually fairly narrow. If you’re not under that “path of totality,” you see only a partial eclipse – or even nothing at all if you’re too far away.

As I say above, Beaver Lake is not directly under the path of totality, so what we’ll see is a partial eclipse – still an amazing natural show to experience over the lake! Especially with the 180 degree views available from our Beaver Lake, AR cabins and suites.

2024 Solar Eclipse Over Beaver Lake

2024 Solar Eclipse Over Beaver Lake

Solar eclipse totalities, when the moon completely obscures all but the sun’s corona, can last from 10 seconds to nearly 7 and a half minutes. Here in northern Arkansas, the 2024 solar eclipse totality will last as long as 4 minutes.

On Beaver Lake, we can expect partial coverage of the sun to begin on April 8th, 2024, at around 12:37pm. The eclipse peaks at about 1:54pm, and everything will be back to normal by around 3:15pm. That’s nearly three hours of out of this world, natural phenomenon to enjoy!

They say that 180,000 eclipse watchers are coming to Arkansas for this historic, astronomical event. Most, of course, will head deeper into the state to enjoy the full path of totality. For those unable to find accommodations inside the path of totality, or maybe looking for a less crowded, lakeside experience, we suggest a stay at Sugar Ridge Resort.

Not only are our Eureka Springs cabins and suites located high above Beaver Lake with 180 degree views of the surrounding Ozarks but Eureka Springs is just next door. Consequently, our guests can enjoy fishing, boating, hiking, scenic drives, stunning sunsets, shopping, dining, festivals, theater, and more!

So go ahead and book your stay at Sugar Ridge Resort for the 2024 Solar Eclipse over Beaver Lake – but do it fast before we’re all booked up!

Learn more about the upcoming 2024 total solar eclipse over Arkansas at www.greatamericaneclipse.com.

Get Set for Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2024

Get Set for Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2024

Gear up for the 10th annual Ozark Mountain Music Festival, affectionately known as OzMoMu! Experience four days of live music at the historic Basin Park Hotel in downtown Eureka Springs. January 18th to the 21st, 2024.

OzMoMu is unmatched, combining lively American roots music on multiple indoor stages with a variety of fun, daily activities. Attendees can enjoy theme nights, whiskey tastings, yoga & mimosas, ice skating, hatchet throwing, macrame, tie-dyeing, and more.

Ozark Mountain Music Festival is a winter event, so held indoors, but is otherwise just like a top-notch, multi-band, outdoor music event. One of the festival’s highlights is its lack of a backstage. Both bands and the audience share the same space, creating a warm intimacy that sets this festival apart.

OzMoMu 2024 begins Thursday night, January 18th. Don’t miss the Late-Night Jam at nearby Chelsea’s Corner Cafe & Bar on both Friday and Saturday nights.

The festival venue, the 1905 Basin Park Hotel, sits in the heart of Eureka Springs, surrounded by dining and shopping options, all within easy walking distance. Better yet, downtown Eureka Springs is less than a half hour’s drive from your Beaver Lake accommodations at Sugar Ridge Resort.

Spend the day enjoying the festival and exploring Eureka Springs, then it’s a quick and scenic drive back to your Beaver Lake cabin or suite. A grand adventure!

2024 Ozark Mountain Music Festival Lineup

OzMoMu 2024 concert poster

Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2024 runs from Thursday, January 18th, to Sunday, January 21st, 2024

The festival is held at the Basin Park Hotel, located at 12 Spring Street, in downtown Eureka Springs, AR 72632.

This year’s festival lineup boasts:

  • Pixie and the Partygrass Boys
  • Pert Near Sandstone
  • Kyle Tuttle (Artist At Large)
  • Handmade Moments
  • Stillhouse Junkies
  • 3 Penny Acre
  • Chucky Waggs & The Company of Raggs
  • Reverend Hylton
  • John Depew
  • Goldpine
  • March To August
  • … and many more TBA!

Visit the festival website for more information and to purchase tickets. You can also view the festival’s Facebook event page.

Don’t Miss Original Ozark Folk Festival 2023

Original Ozark Folk Festival 2023

Original Ozark Folk Festival 2023, America’s longest continuously running folk festival, is just weeks away! The 76th annual return is set to occur November 9th through the 11th, 2023 in Eureka Springs City Auditorium.

Original Ozark Folk Festival 2023 celebrates the American Songwriter with 2 days of live music from rising stars of the folk world. This year’s lineup includes John Fullbright, Matt the Electrician, and Trout Fishing in America. There will also be a special performance by the Kelly Willis, Brennon Leigh and Melissa Carper super trio! All appearing at The Aud in downtown Eureka Springs.

The festival also includes the annual Barefoot Ball at Eureka Springs’ Basin Park Hotel. This year’s lineup for the Ball includes opening act The Nightimers (Shilah Molina and Doc Hopper), followed by Jumpsuit Jamey & the Can’t Wait To Play Boys.

Attendees on Friday and Saturday will also want to check out The Ozark Folk Faire in the Auditorium Basement, 11am to 4pm, Friday and Saturday. This is an annual arts and crafts show featuring wonderful handcrafted goods and live folk music. This year’s Folk Faire promises a variety of free performances by the Korey McKelvy Duo, Opal Agafia and DeAnna Smith, Trout Fishing in America, and many others.

The festival’s main aim is keeping the traditional folk music and traditions of the Ozarks alive. and many performers come to the festival with homemade instruments. In fact, many attend the festival hoping to buy genuine, Ozark instruments.

Best of all, Sugar Ridge Resort is less than a half hour’s drive from all the Folk Festival fun in downtown Eureka Springs!

Original Ozark Folk Festival 2023

banjo player at Original Ozark Folk Festival 2023

This year’s festival is scheduled for November 9th through the 11th, at the Eureka Springs City Auditorium. Nearby Basin Spring Park will be a site of free concerts and jam sessions throughout the weekend.

Thursday, November 9
6:30pm to 7:30pm – Hedgehoppers
8pm to 11pm – Barefoot Ball at the City Auditorium. NightTimers, featuring Shila Molina and Doc Hopper, and Jumpsuit Jamey and the Can’t Wait to Play Boys

Friday, November 10
11am to 4pm –  Ozark Folk Fair. The Kory McKelvey Duo, Opal Agafia and DeAnna Smith, and Mountain Alice & Dylan Hawf
7pm to 8:30pm – Trout Fishing in America and Matt the Electrician

Saturday, November 11
11am to 4pm – Ozark Folk Fair. Jesse Dean, Still on the Hill, Trout Fishing in America, and the Luthier Bayard Blain Trio.
7pm-9:15pm – John Fullbright and The Melissa Carper, Brennen Leigh, Kelly Willis Trio

So go ahead. Spend the day in Eureka Springs enjoying folk music, crafts, and other Ozark Mountain traditions, then it’s just a quick, scenic drive back to your Beaver Lake cabin or lake view suite at Sugar Ridge Resort. Perfect!

Visit the Ozark Folk Festival’s Facebook page for more information.

Attend Hillberry Music Festival 2023!

Hillberry Music Festival audience members

Hillberry Music Festival 2023 is just weeks away. The popular, multi-day festival features over 30 groups playing Americana, Bluegrass, and Funk on two stages for five nights. October 4th through the 8th, 2023.

If you like good music, good food,  and a good time, you’ll love the Ozarks, you’ll love Hillberry Music Festival. The event, which sprang to life spontaneously in 2015, celebrates the arrival of the harvest moon. Thus it’s less well known full name: Hillberry the Harvest Moon Festival.

The festival seems to get a little bigger each year and is considered one of the Midwest’s top Bluegrass Festivals. The event draws thousands of people each year and who can blame them? More than 30 bands for 5 nights plus food, drink, craft vendors, workshops, and more.

The event takes place on The Farm, a 160-acre campground and events center north of Eureka Springs. The location is a stunning camping area featuring 360-degree panoramic views of the Ozarks. Mark Twain National Forest, Table Rock Lake, the White River, and Beaver Lake are all nearby.

In fact, The Farm is less than a 15 minute scenic drive from Sugar Ridge Resort.

While many who attend the festival simply camp on site, others prefer to retire to a separate location. Somewhere like the Beaver Lake cabins and suites at Sugar Ridge Resort!

Spend as much time as you like soaking up the fun of the festival, then return to the peace and quiet of your accommodations on Beaver Lake. Perfect!

2023 Hillberry Music Festival Lineup

This year’s Harvest Moon Festival runs from October 4th through October 8th, 2023. The Farm is located at 1 Blue Heron Lane in Eureka Springs, AR

Hillberry Music Festival 2023

Wednesday, October 4 –
5:40pm – 7:10pm: Front Porch (Shrine Stage)
7:55pm – 9:25pm: Eureka Strings (Shrine Stage)
10:10pm – 11:40pm: Friends of the Phamily (Shrine Stage)

Thursday, October 5 –
11:30am – 12:30pm: Danny Spain Gang (Shrine Stage)
1pm – 2pm: Magnolia Brown (Shrine Stage)
2:30pm – 3:30pm: Red Oak Ruse (Shrine Stage)
3:40pm – 5pm: Country Jesus (Main Stage)
5:40pm – 7:10pm: Rumpke Mountain Boys (Main Stage)
7:55pm – 9:25pm: Kellergrass with the Hillbenders (Main Stage)
10:10pm – 11:40pm: Kitchen Dwellers (Main Stage)
12:55am – 1:55am: Arkansauce (Main Stage)

Friday, October 6 –
1pm – 2:30pm: Skye Pollard & Fanmily Holler (Shrine Stage)
3pm – 4:30pm: Chucky Waggs & the Company of Raggs (Main Stage)
5:10pm – 6:40pm: Sierra Hull (Main Stage)
7:20pm – 8:50pm: The Wood Brothers (Main Stage)
9:30pm – 11pm: Leftover Salmon (Main Stage)
11:40pm – 1:10am: moe. (Main Stage)
1:30am – 3am: Fireside Collective (Shrine Stage)

Hillberry Music Festival Performer

Saturday, October 7 –
9am – 10:30am: Hillberry All-Stars / Chompdown! (Activities Tent)
12:45pm – 2:15pm: The Vine Brothers (Shrine Stage)
2:30pm – 4pm: Catfish Seminar (Main Stage)
4:30pm – 6pm: Opal Agafia (Main Stage)
6:45pm – 8:15pm: Neal Francis (Main Stage)
9pm – 12am: Railroad Earth (Main Stage)
12:40am – 2:10am: Here Come the Mummies (Main Stage)
2:10am – 3:40am: Sicard Hollow (Shrine Stage)

Sunday, October 8 –
10:15am – 12:30pm: John Henry Band Competition
12:30pm – 2pm: The Gary Lawrence Show (Shrine Stage)
2:30pm – 4pm: Rochelle Bradshaw (Main Stage)
4:40pm – 6:10pm: Sad Daddy (Main Stage)
6:50pm – 8:20pm: Elephant Revival (Main Stage)
9pm – 12am: Railroad Earth (Main Stage)
12:40am – 2:10am: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (Main Stage)
2:15am – 3:30am: Blurrred Name (Shrine Stage)

Festival tickets are limited and sell out every year. Get yours while you still can on the Hillberry Music Festival website. You can also find this event on Facebook

Eureka Springs Corvette Weekend 2023

Eureka Springs Corvette Weekend 2023

Corvette fans and classic car enthusiasts will want to mark their calendars for the 32nd annual Eureka Springs Corvette Weekend! This popular event sees four glorious days of Corvette shows, parades, drives, and more. October 5th through the 8th, 2023 in Eureka Springs, AR.

Early fall is a lovely time of year, here on Beaver Lake. The sun is still out and the leaves are still green but the temps are cooler, the crowds lesser, and there’s still plenty to do and see.

Nearby Eureka Springs always has something up its sleeve to entertain and, in early fall, that’s the annual Corvette Weekend.

The event began quietly in 1991, with just 33 Corvettes and a picnic. It has since grown to include nearly 1,000 Corvettes and a whole host of events.

In fact, Eureka Springs Corvette Weekend is now one of the three largest, non-commercial, annual Corvette events in the country! Enthusiasts come from all over to show off their own Corvettes, meet fellow fans, and ogle all the gorgeous cars.

Eureka Springs Corvette Weekend 2023

Corvette Weekend almost always occurs the first weekend of every October and 2023 is no exception. This year’s event is scheduled for October 5-8, 2023.

You don’t have to own a Corvette to attend but, if you do, you should consider bringing it along and entering it in the show! All vintages of original, modified, restored, or even daily driver Corvettes are eligible.

The event is decidedly friendly. There is no real competition to engage in, no stressful prep or points to win or lose. Just a fun 4 days of driving and admiring Corvettes with fellow fans.

Events take place at various locations in and around Eureka Springs, AR. Past year’s highlights include an Owner’s Choice Car Show, a Poker Run, and a Fuel Economy Run. This latter is very popular, attracting a hundred or more Corvettes for a drive on some of the area’s most scenic roads.

Corvette Weekend 2023 in Eureka Springs

There are also a variety of fun challenges to compete in. A Fan Belt Toss, a Bull’s-Eye Rod & Piston Throw, and everyone’s favorite, the Blind Man’s Short Course Autocross. This latter event teams blindfolded golf car drivers with sighted co-pilots for a run through a short course of safety cones. Always a lot of fun.

Wishing you had a Corvette of your own to show off? Hit the event’s For Sale Corral and, who knows? Maybe you’ll find one to buy!

Corvette Weekend also includes an Awards Ceremony and The Parade of Champions through downtown Eureka Springs.

Best of all, it’s all happening less than a half hour’s drive from Sugar Ridge Resort. Spend the day attending events and admiring the wide variety of Corvettes, then it’s an easy and scenic drive back to your cabin or suite on Beaver Lake. The makings of a perfect weekend!

Visit www.eurekaspringscorvette.org to register and for more information. You can also find this event on Facebook.

Don’t Miss the 2024 Solar Eclipse

2024 Solar Eclipse Over Beaver Lake

The next Great American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse running diagonally across the US, Texas to Maine, will occur April 8th, 2024. This amazing natural event sweeps right past Beaver Lake, promising one heck of an amazing natural show over the lake. If you’d to be here, now is the time to make those reservations before we’re all booked up!

Partial and total solar eclipses occur far more often than we realize. In fact, one occurs about every 18 months or so – but you have to be in the right place, at the right time to catch one. Those not in the narrow band directly under the eclipse, known as a “path of totality,” will only see a partial eclipse or, if farther away, nothing at all.

This rarity, coupled with the sheer uniqueness of the event, makes experiencing a solar eclipse a real treat. Especially a total eclipse, like the upcoming one on April, 2024.

Here in Northern Arkansas, we can expect partial coverage of the sun to begin around 12:37pm, with full coverage at 1:54pm. Everything will back to normal by about 3:15pm. That’s nearly three hours, start to finish.

Of course, since Beaver Lake is not directly under the path of totality, we’ll only experience a partial eclipse. We’re not that far away though, so should still be treated to an amazing natural show. One made even better by the view from our Beaver Lake, AR cabins and suites.

2024 Solar Eclipse Over Beaver Lake

As I say above, the 2024 eclipse will occur on April 8th. The eclipse’s path of totality is set to run in a diagonal arc across North America; through Sinaloa, Mexico, up across the US, and out through Newfoundland.

Solar eclipse totalities can last anywhere from only 10 seconds to almost 7 and a half minutes long. The April 2024 eclipse totality will last around 4 minutes long in northern Arkansas. Not bad!

2024 Solar Eclipse path of totality over North America

Arkansas expects somewhere in the neighborhood of 180,000 outside visitors for the eclipse. Of course, most will head for the path of totality. Those interested in less of a circus and more quiet, lakeside views are urged to book now, before we fill up.

Predicting an eclipse is one thing, predicting the weather is another. While I’d love to promise clear skies for this event, I cannot – but at least you’ll be at beautiful Beaver Lake!

If it’s overcast, you can always go hiking, boating, birding, or explore the region. Eureka Springs is right nearby, after all, and much more, too. You can also just kick back somewhere comfortable at the resort and take in those stunning, Beaver Lake views.

Visit www.greatamericaneclipse.com for more information about the upcoming 2024 total solar eclipse over Arkansas.

Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2023

Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2023

2022 is nearly a memory and that means it’s almost Ozark Mountain Music Festival time! OzMoMuFest 2023 is scheduled for January 19-22. Four days and more than 20 bands serving up heaping helpings of live music. Bluegrass, folk, urban American roots, and more. Don’t miss it!

Heat up the New Year with the premier winter music event of the Ozarks: OzMoMu! The Ozark Mountain Music Festival draws a diverse lineup of musicians and their fans from across the country to Eureka Springs every year. The beloved event is like an outdoor music festival but held indoors at Eureka Springs’ historic Basin Park Hotel.

Performances are scheduled to kickoff Thursday night and continue for four days on multiple stages. A popular Late-Night Jam occurs on Friday and Saturday night at Chelsea’s Corner Cafe & Bar.

One of the best aspects of the festival is that there is no backstage. Consequently, band and audience members share the same space for the event, creating a fun and lively group intimacy between performers and fans. So very unique.

Best of all, Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2023 and Basin Park Hotel are all less than half an hour’s drive from Sugar Ridge Resort! Enjoy hours of mountain music at the festival, then it’s an easy hop back to your Beaver Lake cabin or suite. What fun!

Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2023 Lineup

This year’s headliner is Lindsay Lou, a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has released several critically acclaimed albums. The festival will also see performances by other top artists in the folk, bluegrass, and Americana genres, including:

Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2023

Marbi
Willy Tea Taylor
The Mighty Pines
The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers
Catfish Seminar
Shakedown Strings
Tyler Gregory
Front Porch
Patti Steel
Eureka Strings
Gary Lawrence
Casey and the Atta Boys
Don & Roy
Ashtyn Barbaree
Haymakers
JP Stringfield
“Icky” Ichniowski
Dusty Rust
Danny Spain Gang
Gravel Yard
Dale Kellison
Doug Myerscough
Grace Stormont
Steve Jones
Good Morning Bedlam

Visit the festival website to learn more and buy tickets. You can also follow this event on Facebook.

The 75th Original Ozark Folk Festival

Original Ozark Folk Festival 2022

Celebrate the 75th annual return of America’s longest continuously running folk festival at the Original Ozark Folk Festival! November 10th through the 12th, 2022 at Eureka Springs City Auditorium.

The Original Ozark Folk Festival has been a Eureka Springs tradition since 1947, drawing talented musicians, entertainers, and crowds of Folk and Americana fans every year.

The annual festival is much more than a simple multi-day concert. The festival’s main aim is keeping the traditional folk music and traditions of the Ozarks alive.

Many performers come to the festival with homemade instruments. Either treasured heirlooms or results of their own craftsmanship. In fact, a good part of the festival’s attraction, after the music of course, are all the artisans selling genuine, Ozark folk masterpieces.

This year marks the 3-day event’s 75th anniversary and, as such, promises to be more exciting than ever. It also marks the first return to a full and centered festival after a few years of pandemic precautions.

2022 promises a return to a more traditional festival. There will be scheduled concerts at the City Auditorium, free concerts in Basin Spring Park, and a variety of other events, performances, and impromptu jam sessions all around town.

You’ll also be able to peruse the offerings at the Ozark ‘Folk Faire’ in the Auditorium Basement, 10am to 3pm, all 3 days. Here, local musicians, artisans, and museums will showcase their wares and ties to the history and future of folk in the Ozarks.

Perhaps best of all, Sugar Ridge Resort is less than a half hour’s drive from all the Folk Festival fun in downtown Eureka Springs!

Spend your day enjoying the music and other folk traditions of the Ozarks, then it’s just a quick drive back to the comforts of your Beaver Lake cabin or lake view suite. Perfect!

Original Ozark Folk Festival 2022

Front Porch at Original Ozark Folk Festival

This year’s festival is scheduled for November 10th through the 12th, at the Eureka Springs City Auditorium. Nearby Basin Spring Park will be a site of free concerts and jam sessions throughout the weekend.

Thursday, November 10
11am – Skye Pollard & Family Holler
12:30pm – Sprungbilly
2pm – Willi Carlisle
4:30pm to 7:30pm – Barefoot Ball at the City Auditorium with Willi Carlisle, Chucky Waggs & The Company of Raggs
5:30pm – The Hedgehoppers with musical guest Danny Spain

Friday, November 11
11am – Jesse Dean
12:30pm – Front Porch
2pm – Shannon Wurst
4:30pm to 7pm – Shinyribs & Rachel Ammons at the City Auditorium

Saturday, November 12
11am – Dandelion Heart
12:50pm – Brian Martin
2pm – Ozark Mountain Rhombus

Visit the Ozark Folk Festival’s Facebook event page for more details and tickets.

Don’t Miss War Eagle Craft Fair 2022!

War Eagle Craft Fair 2022 at War Eagle Mill

Whether your a fan of hand crafted goods, looking to do some early holiday shopping, or just want to spend a fun out and about, War Eagle Craft Fair is for you. The four-day event is Arkansas’ single largest arts and crafts show with over 300 artisans in attendance. October 13th through the 16th, 2022.

There’s never a bad time to visit the Beaver Lake/Eureka Springs area but autumn may be one of the best. Cooler temps, smaller crowds, and all the stunning fall foliage colors. Add to that the number of fun, end-of-season events. Harvest festivals, Oktberfest, and the mother of all craft shows, the War Eagle Craft Fair.

The annual War Eagle Craft Fair is really three craft fairs folded into one. There’s the War Eagle Mill Fall Arts and Crafts Fair, The Sharps’ Show, and War Eagle Fair. The four-day event features more than 300 artisans and draws an estimated 130,000 people, with annual sales exceeding $1 million.

The event is held the 3rd weekend of October, every year,  and considered one of the very best craft shows in the country. Attending artisans undergo strict screenings to ensure that their offerings meet the high standards of the enduring Ozark tradition. You’ll find no third rate kitsch and imported gew-gaws at this craft fair!

War Eagle Craft Fair 2022

War Eagle Craft Fair 2022

Visitors to the fair will see handmade arts and crafts of all kinds. Wood carvings, stoneware, paintings, fiber arts, jewelry, blown glass, and much more.

With three shows and 300+ vendors to peruse, you’re going to be here a good while. You may want to take along some snacks or even a picnic lunch – but you don’t have to. War Eagle Mill is also home to the Bean Palace Café, offering reasonably priced, full country breakfasts and lunch specials. Perfect!

Other amenities include parking assistants, permanent restrooms, and a free Fairbook listing all the exhibitors. All this plus you’re on a historic farm, rimmed by the beautiful Ozarks.

This year’s fair is scheduled for October 13th through the 16th, 2022. Historic War Eagle Mill, site of the craft fair, is located at 11045 War Eagle Road in Rogers, AR.  This is less than an hour from our Beaver Lake cabins and suites. Spend the day perusing all the fine offerings at the Craft Fair, then a scenic drive back to your cabin at Sugar Ridge Resort.

Once you’re back, feel free to share your purchases with us, if you like. Each year, a few guests do a “show and tell” after the fair. We inevitably see something that has us running down to the fair, ourselves. What fun!

Visit the craft fair website for more information. You can also follow the fair on Facebook.