More Than Just Music: What to Expect at FreshGrass | Bentonville 2025
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Ready for the best in roots music?
Festival season is officially here and we’re kicking it off with the long-awaited return of the best American and global roots music fest around–FreshGrass! Get ready to dive into the heart of the Ozarks and plan your weekend of toe-tapping tunes, artistic explorations, and endless fun for the whole family.
SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, May 16
4 PM GATES OPEN*
4:45 PM | SISTER SADIE – MAIN STAGE
5 PM | ROSANNE CASH | ARTIST TALK – RØDE HOUSE
5:45 PM | AJ LEE & BLUE SUMMIT – NO DEPRESSION STAGE
6 PM | WILLI CARLISLE – TULIP BARN
6:45 PM | JAIME WYATT – MAIN STAGE
8 PM | BÉLA FLECK, EDMAR CASTAÑEDA, & ANTONIO SÁNCHEZ TRIO – NO DEPRESSION STAGE
8 PM | SQUARE DANCING – TULIP BARN
9:15 PM | SHAKEY GRAVES – MAIN STAGE
9:45 PM | GATES CLOSE — No entry / re-entry allowed after this time
10:35 PM | LOST BAYOU RAMBLERS – NO DEPRESSION STAGE
Saturday, may 17
12 PM | GATES OPEN*
12 PM | CHARLIE J. MEMPHIS – SOLAR ROLLER
12:30 PM | GUINEVERE GOODWIN – NO DEPRESSION STAGE
1 PM | JUDE BROTHERS – SOLAR ROLLER
1 PM | BANJO WORKSHOP – TULIP BARN
1 PM | BAND CONTEST – RØDE HOUSE
1:30 PM | ALISON BROWN – MAIN STAGE
2:30 PM | FIDDLE WORKSHOP – TULIP BARN
2:45 PM | LA DOÑA – NO DEPRESSION STAGE
2:45 PM | CRYING UNCLE – SOLAR ROLLER
3:30 PM | THE HOUSE OF SONGS PRESENTS: SONGRIDER – RØDE HOUSE
3:45 PM | FRONT PORCH – SOLAR ROLLER
4 PM | JESSE WELLES – MAIN STAGE
4:45 PM | DOWNRIVER COLLECTIVE – SOLAR ROLLER
5 PM | MIREYA RAMOS AND THE POOR CHOICES – RØDE HOUSE
5:15 PM | WAYLON WYATT — NO DEPRESSION STAGE
5:45 PM | FOG HOLLER — SOLAR ROLLER
6:30 PM | ROSANNE CASH WITH JOHN LEVENTHAL — MAIN STAGE
7:30 PM | SQUARE DANCING — TULIP BARN
7:55 PM | SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80 – NO DEPRESSION STAGE
9:10 PM | LUKAS NELSON – MAIN STAGE
9:45 PM | GATES CLOSE — No entry / re-entry allowed after this time
10:30 PM | CHA WA – NO DEPRESSION STAGE
FOOD + DRINKS
Blue Concessions
Masa
Chop Shop BBQ
Southern Sippin
Sugar Apple Baking Co.
Holey Moley
Burton’s Creamery
Free Wheelin Pizza
Takashimura
The Momentary Food Truck
Hungry? The bright, fresh flavors of the Momentary Food Truck pair nicely with cool drinks from the RØDE Bar, located nearby. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free menu items are available.
MO Food Pop up with Chef Lisa (Saturday only, 11am–2pm & 5pm–8pm)
WORKSHOPS
Fine-tune your skills with hands-on workshops IN THE TULIP BARN!
Instrument Workshops are Free with Admission!
Saturday Workshop Schedule
- 1 PM | BANJO WORKSHOP – TULIP BARN
- 2:30 PM | FIDDLE WORKSHOP – TULIP BARN
Lively workshops focusing on instruments and performance techniques (known to break into legendary jam sessions) are a signature feature of FreshGrass! Learn the basics of banjo from instructor Clarke Buehling, or join instructor Pete Howard to master the foundations of the fiddle. Bring your own instruments if you have them, and register on the day of the event when you arrive at the festival—first come, first served.
COMMISSIONS
WILLI CARLISLE
Arkansas native folksinger Willi Carlisle returns to FreshGrass, this year as the 2025 recipient of the FreshGrass Composition Commission, performing new music written for this commission for the first time in public.
For folksinger Willi Carlisle, singing is healing. And by singing together, he believes we can begin to reckon with the inevitability of human suffering and grow in love. On his latest album, Critterland, Carlisle invites audiences to join him: “If we allow ourselves to sing together, there’s a release of sadness, maybe even a communal one. And so for me personally, singing, like the literal act of thinking through suffering, is really freeing,” he says.
HOUSE OF SONGS
SongRider is back for a second year, merging the culture of musical performance with the energy of cycling in an innovative series of community rides and performances. Launched by the House of Songs, a nonprofit fostering collaboration and performance opportunities for musicians, SongRider pairs regional songwriters with local cycling groups for a unique pedal-powered journey across Northwest Arkansas.
Musicians will draw inspiration from the landscapes they ride through, the people they meet, and the emotions sparked by the journey to create original songs to debut. After each community ride, the songwriters who joined the group will treat participants to a performance.
Parking & Biking
Where is the entrance to the festival?
We have entrances at 8th Street Market and along SE E Street for those biking or walking from the Downtown Bentonville area. We also have an entry located just west of the parking garage, accessible from 8th Street (701 SE 8th Street). Please be ready to show your mobile/printed tickets to receive your FreshGrass wristband along with a valid ID.
How do I get to the festival? Where should I park?
FreshGrass | Bentonville takes place at the Momentary, located at 507 SE E Street.
Parking: Our parking garage is located next to the 8th Street Market at 701 SE 8th Street. A parking pass is required to park in the garage. Book your parking pass today.
- Note: There is an 8′ height limit for the garage.
- ADA Parking: Accessible parking is available in the garage.
- Additional free parking can be found at the Fire Station at the corner of 8th and A Street. It is approximately a thirty-minute walk to the venue from this lot. View Google Maps here.
- Bike Valet parking will be available at the Tulip Barn. Walk south down E Street to access our trail to the entry point.
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I purchased a parking pass for the garage, how will I receive it?
Parking passes will be sent via email upon time of purchase. Be ready to show either a printed or digital copy of your parking pass upon entry to the garage. Difficulty locating your parking pass? Please contact the Box Office at BoxOffice@theMomentary.org or (479) 657-2335.
WHAT TO BRING AND NOT TO BRING
BRING
- Valid ID and tickets to present upon entry.
- Folding chairs and blankets to use in designated areas at mid-field and beyond.
- Free water stations will be available. Empty plastic water bottles are encouraged to help stay hydrated. (No glass, metal, or opaque plastic containers.)
- Bring your credit or debit cards. The festival is 100% cash-less.
- Rain or shine, the show will go on! Come prepared with your sunscreen, hat, raincoat or a poncho.
- One clear bag no bigger than 12” x 6” x 12”, or a single one-gallon plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar). You may also carry a small clutch purse, no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”, with or without a handle or strap.
- All clear bags and clutch purses will be screened prior to entry. Security has final say on which bags will be permitted.
DON’T BRING
- No outside food and drink, large bags, coolers, or ice chests. No pop-up shade tents or umbrellas of any kind.
- No weapons or firearms of any kind are allowed, even if you have a permit. Laser pointers, glow sticks, and illuminating objects are strictly prohibited.
- No fireworks, fuel, or explosive materials of any kind.
- No skateboards, scooters, or wheeled devices other than ADA-compliant transport.
- No kites, frisbees, inflatables, or air horns.
- No illegal substances of any kind.
- No smoking or vaping will be allowed outside of designated smoking areas.
- No pets.
- No posters, signs, or promotional materials. Flyers and other promotional materials cannot be distributed on Momentary property without prior approval.
- No cameras, drones, selfie sticks, tripods, detachable lenses, and flash photography. No audio or video recording devices.
- We ask that you refrain from using your phones and other devices during the live performances at FreshGrass, as they are disruptive to both patrons and performers. Professional photographers MUST obtain a media pass in advance—email us at PR_US@4media-group.com.
- Prohibited items will not be admitted or checked. Please leave these items at home or in your locked vehicle.
Additional questions?
Learn more about our policies, contact the Momentary’s Box Office at (479) 657-2335, or email BoxOffice@theMomentary.org.