Northwest Arkansas’ largest food festival postponed until the fall

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 2,679 views 

Event organizers said Tuesday (April 14) the sixth annual BITE NW Arkansas food festival, originally scheduled for June 19-20, has been postponed. The event will be rescheduled for fall 2020 in downtown Rogers, with festival dates to be announced at a later time.

“Out of respect for our community and local partners, we feel postponing BITE NW Arkansas is the right thing to do in this unprecedented time,” said event chairman Jay Allen. “We are committed to continue our support for the restaurant industry and local charitable partners, all impacted greatly from the COVID-19 public health crisis, and are hopeful to return in the fall to be able to celebrate the spirit of this community and our incredible partners.”

The food festival is held in conjunction with tournament week for the annual LPGA Tour stop at Pinnacle Club in Rogers. Tournament officials announced earlier this month the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G is still slated to be held June 15-21 at Pinnacle Country Club. Those plans are being evaluated and modified as needed.

“The health and safety of our volunteers, spectators, players and our community here in Northwest Arkansas remains our number one priority,” said Annye DeGrand, event director. “We are currently exploring modifications to the week, including limiting large-scale gatherings in confined spaces and incorporating virtual programming where appropriate.”

Event officials are working closely with the LPGA Tour, local health officials and other resources to carefully monitor the COVID-19 situation. If needed, an alternate date for the tournament is available later in the 2020 LPGA Tour schedule.

Individuals who have already purchased tickets for this year’s BITE NW Arkansas food festival will be contacted directly, with the option to receive a full refund or the opportunity to transfer their ticket to the rescheduled event. Additional information regarding the refund process can be found at this link.