FEATURES
Profile: Esther Silver-Parker
Investing in Others
Esther Silver-Parker has spent a lifetime building bridges. In Northwest Arkansas, she has become a trusted voice at the intersection of corporate leadership, philanthropy and cultural stewardship, helping shape a region that is still defining what it wants to be as it grows.
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But long before boardrooms, foundations and national stages, Esther’s understanding of leadership was shaped in the tobacco fields of eastern North Carolina.
Arts & Culture: Water for Elephants Comes to Thrilling, Dazzling Life
Step right up, and join in for what Variety is calling “spellbinding entertainment.” Based on the critically acclaimed bestselling novel, Water for Elephants hits the stage in a unique, spectacle-filled musical. This larger-than-life production is headed to Walton Arts Center with eight performances Feb. 24 through March 1.
Arts & Culture: Behind the Mask
SoNA concludes Season of Discovery with Romeo and Juliet
Following a stellar lineup of packed houses over the last few months, the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas will officially close its 2025-26 mainstage concert season with Behind the Mask: Romeo and Juliet on March 7 at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, performing under the baton of guest conductor Tamara Dworetz.
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With SoNA’s longtime music director concluding his tenure with the organization last spring, the orchestra has presented a bold new season of discovery featuring six different guest conductors — four of whom are finalists to become SoNA’s next artistic leader, including Dworetz.
Community: Celebrate Black History Month Across the Community
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The arrival of February also marks the arrival of Black History Month, a dedicated time for education, reflection and celebration of Black culture and contributions that have shaped the country. Spend time reading Black authors, immersing yourself in art and music, supporting Black-owned businesses or just listening to Black voices. We’ve put together a list of some local events this month where you can do just that.
Destination: A Guide to the Perfect Staycation
The cities of Northwest Arkansas are growing and changing, adding more hotel options and restaurant choices to their respective downtowns and commercial areas. For couples looking for a little staycation, where they can relax in a comfortable room and dine at some of the best restaurants in the area, there are a multitude of options.
Nonprofit: Woven With Purpose: The Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter Becomes EverHope
When children arrive at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter, they walk past a quilt unlike any other. Made of twenty-five individual fabric squares and marked with painted handprints, it reflects many stories — distinct, unfinished and deeply human — stitched together by care, time and intention.
Sports: Van Horn, Hogs Seeking Fifth College World Series Trip in Nine Years
University of Arkansas baseball reached the College World Series last year and advanced to the semifinals, but for the Razorbacks to return to Omaha for the fifth time in nine years, head coach Dave Van Horn must rebuild his weekend pitching rotation and replace at least six starters in the field.
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Led by shortstop Wehiwa Aloy (.350 average, 81 runs scored, 21 home runs, 68 runs batted in), winner of the 2025 Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur baseball player in the country, the Razorbacks went 50-15, including 7-2 in the postseason, to finish third in the country.
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Eats & Drinks: Maison Mouret
320 N. Bloomington St., Ste. B, Lowell | (479) 563-1163
A well-made croissant is, quite simply, a work of art. Building layers upon layers of dough and butter that yield a golden, flaky texture that is simultaneously crispy and moist is not an easy task, but rather one that takes years to perfect. The moment that a perfectly executed warm croissant is pulled apart to reveal fragrant air pockets of pastry, known as the honeycomb, is nothing short of culinary nirvana. Divine all by themselves, they are also worthy to stand up to both savory and sweet accoutrements of silky pastry cream, fresh fruit, and salty ham and cheese — and the list goes on. So, it’s not hard to comprehend my deep affinity and eternal search for the perfect croissant.
Living Spaces: Living in a Work of Art
These homeowners restored a historic mid-century modern home in Fayetteville
Jud and Ashley Lee always wanted to live in a mid-century house in Fayetteville.
“I had friends who lived in E. Fay Jones homes in Fayetteville, and I spent time in some of them as a kid, and they always made an impression on me,” he said.
