BENTONVILLE — The only thing that might keep the Bentonville Sports Festival from being an instant success could be the weather.
The inaugural event is the collaboration of the Bentonville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Bentonville Parks and Recreation Department and the North American Sports Group. It begins today at Memorial Park and combines a number of amateur sporting events with live music and food.
“It can only grow from here,” said Jennifer Snow, the sports manager from the Bentonville Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This year, we made it where the event was more locally driven, but later on we can expand and make it a more regional event.”
Weekend Ticket
Bentonville Sports Festival
WHAT: A combination of athletic events designed for ages 6 through adult.
WHEN: Today through Friday
WHERE: Memorial Park
NOTABLE: There will be live music, local food vendors and inflatables for children to enjoy. … Cost to participate will depend on the athletic event itself. … There will be same-day registration for some of the events, such as lacrosse, the 3v3 basketball tournament and the 4v4 flag football tournament.
The Bentonville Sports Festival was organized by building around two established events — the Kick-It 3v3 soccer tournament and Spam Slam tennis tournament — that were already scheduled this weekend at Memorial Park. It now includes an American Strongman competition and a glow run, as well as tournaments for basketball, flag football, lacrosse and sand volleyball.
Competitions will be available for ages 6 through adult. Snow said there will be same-day registration for some events in hopes of drawing additional interest.
“There’s going to be something for everybody,” Snow said. “There is also going to be a local baseball tournament going on at the same time. Memorial Park is big enough to host a number of events at the same time, and all of this will fit together.”
Team registration will be held from 6-8 p.m. today, followed by the 2-mile “Glow Run” at 9. The remaining events will be held throughout the day Saturday, with the finals in the Kick-It soccer tournament and the Spam Slam tennis tournament slated for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Local bands — including Paperjam, Breaking Silence, The Got Blues Band, and Mrs. Roper’s Pool Boys — and DJs will be on hand to provide the music. Concession stands and local vendors will also be present to provide various types of food throughout the event.
Now if only the weather will cooperate.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for no rain,” Snow said. “If the rain comes, we’ll make do. It should be a great event.”