Labor Day Weekend is just around the corner and there’s no better place to be than Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. How much fun can you pack into one weekend?
Hot Springs has it all, everything from music festivals, art shows, firework displays, and even a pickleball festival. Check out our list of Top 10 Things to Do for Labor Day in Hot Springs, Arkansas below!
JazzFest – September 1-5
Are you ready for some Jazz? The Hot Springs JazzFest is returning September 1 – 5 to Hot Springs, Arkansas and we couldn't be more excited! This year’s jazz festival is jam-packed with amazing music, kicking off with a Classical Jazz Blowout at The Legendary Vapors Nightclub on September 1st. Followed by The Clyde Pound Quartet at the Ohio Club on September 2, the Rodney Block Collective (and more!) at the Broadway Street Skybridge on September 4, Jazz Workshops at the Garland County Library on September 5, and, to close out the festival, the Stardust Big Band Tea Dance at the Arlington Hotel on September 5. You won't want to miss this year's festival line-up full of live musical performances, workshops and plenty of dancing held all across Hot Springs!
Gallery Walk - September 3
Hot Springs Gallery Walk has been held on the first Friday of each month in Historic Downtown Hot Springs since 1989. Each Gallery Walk features the opening of new art exhibitions showcased in downtown's fine art galleries and studio spaces. From contemporary to traditional, the diverse offerings of Gallery Walk arts and cultural scene place Hot Springs as the place to be the first Friday of each month. Galleries extend their hours to stay open later for Gallery Walk and those enjoying the art! You'll even find some providing snacks, refreshments, and maybe some live music- free to enjoy! Stroll Historic Downtown Hot Springs this Labor Day Weekend for the September installment of Gallery Walk on Friday, September 3 from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. For more information on the galleries, studios and upcoming Gallery Walk schedules, click here.
The Big Pickle - September 3 - 5
The Big Pickle isn’t all about the sour, vinegary snack paired best on a burger. The Big Pickle is the World’s Greatest Pickleball Festival and it's happening in right here in Hot Springs, Arkansas on Friday, September 3 – Sunday, September 5. The Big Pickle Pickleball Festival will be partnering with the Blues Festival and Jazz Festival, taking over the streets of Hot Springs for a weekend full of live music and pickleball play! The Big Pickle will host structured competitions like PickleBlitz, a mini Pickleball game, a city wide Scavenger Hunt including pop-up courts, and loosely organized play throughout the weekend. The Big Pickle will take place in the Bridge Street Live! Entertainment District throughout Bridge Street and Malvern Avenue, jam-packed with vendors, food trucks, beer gardens, live music and more! For more details on the Big Pickle click here.
BluesFest - September 3 & 4
Boogie to the Blues all Labor Day Weekend! The Hot Springs BluesFest will take place in Hill Wheatley Plaza, 629 Central Avenue, on the evenings of September 3 & 4 from 5:30 – 11 p.m. Gates will open at 5 p.m. Get ready to groove on Friday, September 3rd to live musical performances by The Spa City Youngbloods, Trey Johnson & Jason Wilman, and Ghost Town Blues Band. The fun doesn’t stop there; join us the following night for another night of blues! Night two of the Hot Springs BluesFest will include live musical performances by the Port City Blues Players, Josh Parks Band, and Reba Russell on Saturday, September 4th. BluesFest will have a variety of food and drinks to enjoy while soaking up the shows each night. One of the best parts of BluesFest is that it’s totally free, so bring your lawn chair and get a front row seat to all of these amazing musical acts - a fun event for the whole family!
Hot Springs Farmer’s & Artisan's Market – September 4
Wake up early and find yourself wandering through a variety of goods at the historic Downtown Hot Springs Farmer’s & Artisan's Market! The Hot Springs Farmer’s Market is open from 7 a.m. – 12 p.m. every Saturday. Browse a wide variety of locally-grown produce, locally-sourced meats, cheeses, art, jewelry, plants and more from local farmers and artisans. Take home a new succulent, a hand-crafted birdhouse, an array of herbs, farm-fresh eggs or some fresh locally sourced tomatoes, all at the Hot Springs Farmer's Market. Bring a lawn chair along and enjoy live music by local acoustic artist Mike Tripp from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. while checking out the variety of vendors. The Farmer’s Market is located just outside of downtown Hot Springs at 121 Orange Street, near the Transportation Depot with free parking at the north & south ends, free admission, and always family & pup friendly!
Skillet at Magic Springs Theme & Water Park September 4
American Rock band Skillet will take the stage at Magic Springs Water & Theme Park on Saturday, September 4. Spend your day enjoying the theme and water park then head to the concert at the Timberwood Amphitheater! The Amphitheater will open at 6 p.m. and Skillet will take the stage at 7 p.m. The concert is included with a one-day park admission or season pass and a reserved seat will require either a one-day admission ticket or season pass to be valid.
By 2019, Skillet had not only garnered a pair of GRAMMY® Award nods and sold over 12 million albums worldwide, but they also took home a BillboardMusic Award for the double-platinum "Awake." Its breakout single “Monster” remains “one of the most-streamed rock songs of all-time” with over 3 Billion global audio streams. Click here to reserve your seats or bring a chair or blanket to enjoy from the open seating section.
Labor Day Fireworks Display - September 5
Celebrate Labor Day with a bang! Visit Hot Springs will be hosting a Labor Day Fireworks Display on Lake Hamilton on Sunday, September 5 at 8:40 p.m.! The fireworks will be shot from the middle of Lake Hamilton from barges located on the east side of Highway 7 at the first Highway 7 bridge opposite the DoubleTree Hot Springs. Tune in to radio station 97.5 FM US97 Country to listen to music synched with the firework display. Arriving early is recommended to grab the best views. Parking is generally found along Highway 7 or courtesy of local businesses that allow parking. The display can be viewed all the way to the Hot Springs Mall parking lot, which is perfect for younger children, those with noise concerns or that just wish to avoid the crowd! The best part is the firework display is FREE to attend so watch from your car on land or by boat directly on the lake!
Alicia Villarreal at Magic Springs Theme & Water Park - September 5
Looking for some more live music at Magic Springs? Grammy nominated Mexican singer-songwriter Alicia Villarreal will be performing live at Magic Springs Theme & Water Park, Sunday, September 5!
Enjoy a day riding roller coasters and water slides, and then head to the Timberwood Amphitheater to enjoy the show. The venue will open at 6 p.m. and Alicia Villarreal will begin at 7 p.m. Remember concerts are free with one-day admission or a season pass and each Sunday you can bring a cooler packed with all your favorite goodies into the park. There's no limit on how much food or drink you can bring as long as you can pack it in your cooler. No alcoholic beverages or glass allowed. This concert will be open seating so be sure to bring your blankets or chairs for a comfy spot to watch the show!
Mid-America Science Museum Crayons to Canvas – Ends September 5
The Mid-America Science Museum ‘Crayons to Canvas’ exhibit opened May 29 and will be on display to the public through Sunday, September 5. The Crayons to Canvas exhibit features the art of renowned Hot Springs artist Longhua Xu and his grandson, Han Xu. Longhua who is 66 years old and his grandson who is 6 years old offer a collaborative study influenced by the whimsical drawings of the grandson. Pictured here, a drawing with crayon by Han Xu featuring an underwater creature comes to life with bright colors on canvas by his grandfather Longhua Xu. Visit Mid-America Science Museum on Labor Day Weekend to see this creative exhibit before it’s gone!
Hot Springs National Park Centennial - All year long!
In case you haven’t heard, 2021 marks the 100th Birthday of Hot Springs National Park! President Andrew Jackson set aside the Hot Springs land in 1832 as a Federal Reserve, 40 years before Yellowstone became the first National Park! To celebrate, the National Park has hosted several events including a B.A.R.K. Ranger Day for dogs and several yearlong events like their Iron Ranger Challenge. The National Park has several great events scheduled through the rest of the year to celebrate the Centennial, like a 1921 Block Party where visitors are encouraged to dress in their best roaring 20’s attire. Don’t miss out on celebrating with a hike in Hot Springs National Park or a relaxing soak on Bathhouse Row during your Labor Day Weekend! For a full list of upcoming Hot Springs National Park Centennial events, click here.
Whether you spend Labor Day rocking out to Skillet at Magic Springs or pause to admire the Crayons to Canvas Art Exhibit at Mid-America Science Museum, we’re sure your Labor Day weekend in Hot Springs will be a blast! Head to Hot Springs for the long holiday weekend where there’s something for everyone to enjoy.