FEATURES
Profile: Michelle Barnes
Gathering with Purpose
When Michelle Barnes talks about Gathered Goods, she rarely starts the conversation with home décor. Instead, she talks about people, the feeling she hopes customers experience the moment they walk through the door, the stories behind the pieces they choose and the community that has grown organically around a shared love of home.
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“I want people to feel a sense of community the second they walk in,” Michelle said. “That’s really the heart and soul of everything we do.”
Arts & Culture: Sing, Celebrate and Soar at Arkansas’ Favorite Vocal Festival
Calling singers of all skill levels and lovers of live music! The annual VoiceJam A Cappella Festival returns this year for all a cappella enthusiasts. Jam to headliner Voctave on April 10 at 7:30 p.m., learn from industry professionals at free workshops on April 11 and cheer on your favorite group at the VoiceJam Competition on April 11 at 7:30 p.m. Don’t miss this weekend honoring all things a cappella.
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Arts & Culture: Crystal Bridges Explores 250 Years of Art, History and Civic Participation With America 250: Common Threads
From George Washington’s many faces to contemporary quilts, from the Declaration of Independence to the moon landing, see our nation’s history in vivid color, detailed stitches, patriotic snapshots and luminous paintings in America 250: Common Threads at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Arts & Culture: 2026 Arkansas Quail and Turkey Stamp Art Winners to be Announced
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It’s almost time to announce the winners of the 2026 Arkansas Northern Bobwhite Quail Conservation Stamp and Eastern Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp Competition. Along with partners Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, Historic Cane Hill will host an awards ceremony and exhibition-opening reception for selected entries from around the country. The event will take place March 14 at 3 p.m.
Destination: Take a Break This Spring With a Getaway
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Make new memories this spring break with a getaway! These nearby destinations are perfect for a relaxing solo trip, a couple’s retreat or an action-packed family vacation.
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Big Cedar Lodge welcomes its Adventure in the Great Outdoors Season this month through May.
Nonprofit: Safeguarding Peace at Home for the Next 50 Years
In 1977, in a quiet house on Mountain Street in Fayetteville, a group of community members began a legacy of sanctuary in Northwest Arkansas. From that single house almost five decades ago, Peace at Home Family Shelter — the first domestic violence shelter in the state of Arkansas — has become the expansive, lifesaving organization it is today.
Eats & Drinks: The Big Lieutenant
600 SW 41st St., Ste. 8, Bentonville | (479) 332-4318 | www.thebiglieutenant.com
Sometimes we dine out for entertainment, or for nourishment, or even because we crave something on a menu that has meaning on a personal level. It’s unusual, however, when all of those components culminate into a singular, important experience. The Big Lieutenant in Bentonville has managed to pull off just that.
Living Spaces: Bentonville Roots
This couple’s home honors their heritage and provides a place to entertain friends and family
Both Michael and Lisa Brewer’s family trees have roots running deep in Bentonville soil. Their Bentonville stories began when both sets of their great-great-great-grandparents moved to the area. Michael’s arrived in 1843, homesteading on Osage Creek. His family farmed and owned all the land from J Street to Rainbow Curve in what is now Bentonville.
