Arts & The Park, the annual ten-day celebration of the arts in Hot Springs will be held April 25 – May 4, 2025 and will feature a wide range of inspiring and fun creative offerings. From art exhibits, live entertainment, children’s activities and book give-aways, to studio tours, performances, live steamroller printing, the Glover Awards for Songwriting, demos, and more, Arts & The Park will offer a full schedule of engaging events. Produced by the Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance, the 2025 theme is “ARTventurous” highlighting the excitement art and creativity bring to life.
Arts & The Park will open on Friday, April 25 at 5:30 p.m. with the unveiling of the 2025 Art Moves outdoor art exhibit along the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail. Reproductions of artwork selected from the annual entries are mounted on metal panels and displayed along the paved trail located between Hollywood Avenue and Belding Street. The exhibit will be on display throughout the year and is free and open to all.
Visitors can enjoy Hot Springs’ first silent disco, “Atmosphere” on Friday, April 25 at 7 p.m. Individual headphones will be provided with playlists from live DJs. This family-friendly event is free and open to all ages.
Art Springs, the free two-day outdoor arts festival, will be held the weekend of April 26-27 from 10-6 on Saturday, and 10-4 on Sunday at Hill Wheatley Plaza and the nearby entertainment district in downtown Hot Springs. Art Springs includes a remarkable array of fine artists, artisans, and performers, along with hands-on activities for children, Chalk Walk, the Glover Awards for Songwriting, Under Pressure steamroller printing, Hot Springs Renaissance Faire experiences, a children’s book give-away, and much more! Booths displaying the work of fine artists and artisans will be featured throughout the festival, along with live music and performances. The Glover Awards for Songwriting will be held from 12-3 on Sunday, April 27. The Under Pressure steamroller printing event will begin at Noon on the 27th.
An architectural tour at Garvan Woodland Gardens will be held on Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. – Noon. A plein air painting event will also be held at Garvan Woodland Gardens from Friday, April 25 – Saturday, May 3 and will culminate in an exhibit displaying the artwork inspired by the gardens at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. Garvan Gardens is located at 550 Arkridge Road in Hot Springs and features 210 acres of stunning woodland gardens. Admission is charged.
A live cooking demo with Chef Maria of Cafe Kahlo will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 28. Chef Maria will create a traditional Mexican entree and dessert, with a hands-on portion and tasting for attendees. The cost is $35 per person, only 20 slots available. Cafe Kahlo is located at  at 919 Central Avenue. For registration information, visit hotspringsarts.org.
Garland County Library will host a series of art events throughout the week, including artist demos, local author features, activities for children, and performances. The library is located at 1427 Malvern Avenue in Hot Springs. Visit gclibrary.com for a full list of events.
IBLA International Musicians and the Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre will perform at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30 at the Grand Avenue Methodist Church, located at 841 Quapaw Avenue. Admission is free to this inspiring collaboration of music and dance.
Wednesday Night Poetry, a weekly event of the Hot Springs art scene for over 36 years, will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30 at Kollective Coffee + Tea located at 110 Central Avenue in downtown Hot Springs. Admission is free.
A guided hike with one of Arkansas’ favorite artists and naturalist Gene Sparling will be held on his private nature preserve nestled in the Ouachita Mountains at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 1. The guided tour offers two difficulty levels, easy and medium. Hikers need to provide their own supplies. Located at the Sparling Family Farm at Forest Path Gallery at 107 Stillmeadow Lane in Hot Springs. The tour is free and open to public.
CockTALE Hour will be held at the Arlington Hotel on Thursday, May 1 and will begin with a tour of the historic hotel at 5 p.m., followed at 6 p.m. with live music by classical guitarist David Perry and presentations by members of the Garland County Historical Society and hotel staff sharing tales of Hot Springs’ storied past. The event is free with a cash bar.
Hot Springs’ Gallery Walk will be held on Friday, May 2 from 5-9 p.m. in participating downtown Hot Springs galleries, studios, and additional venues. Gallery Walk has been held the first Friday of every month for over 35 years and features exhibit openings during the fun-filled receptions. Enjoy meeting the artists, along with entertainment, demos, refreshments, and more! This is a free event.
Visitors can experience the creative process in action during the Arts & The Park’s Studio Tours on Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4 from 10-4. Artists will welcome guests to their studio spaces and discuss their art-making practices with attendees. A full list of participating artist studios is available online at hotspringsarts.org. Admission is free.
For a full list of Arts & The Park events, visit hotspringsarts.org!

Photos by Lorien Dahl

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