Mountain Valley Spring Water was the official water partner of the 10th annual Fayetteville Roots Festival which took place August 21st – 25th at 12 music and culinary venues from Fayetteville to Bentonville. This was our 2nd consecutive sponsorship of the 5-day urban music and food experience.
The Roots Festival is a showcase for the many elements that make the Fayetteville community and Northwest Arkansas region an increasingly popular cultural hotspot. “Roots” is intentionally used to describe both the music and food that makes this region of the Ozarks so unique. The Festival features nationally known musicians and chefs who are paired with emerging regional and local talent. The 2019 event did not disappoint with musical performances from notable Americana artists including Mavis Staples, Milk Carton Kids, Rhiannon Giddens, Traveling McCoury’s and Yola. More than 65 celebrated chefs including Graham Elliot, Georgia Pellegrini, Matthew Bell, Mark Hardin, Colin Stringer and many more lent their culinary artistry to a variety of events ranging from intimate dinners to a Grand Tasting and VIP Party for 1500!
The festivities began Wednesday night with the Chef Dinner at The Hive in Bentonville’s 21C Hotel. This was the week’s only sit down, coursed dining experience of the event and featured 8 guest chefs, curated beverage pairings and an intimate after party on the outdoor patio. The 125 in attendance included other guest chefs, sponsors and Roots Festival supporters. Mountain Valley Spring and Sparkling waters were included on all guest tables and poured by bar staff during cocktail hour.
On Thursday, Mother Nature had the final word, offering up enough rain and thunder to force the Folk Family Reunion to relocate from the expansive fields of Pratt Place to more the more confined, albeit sheltered Fayetteville Town Center. The Roots Festival producers made the best of the situation, successfully moving their main kickoff event including music performances/staging, 50+ guest chefs, local breweries, a themed tasting experience and all 1500 guests. Although challenged for space, everyone went along with the spirit of the evening and enjoyed a boisterous time.
The Fayetteville Town Center took advantage of the unexpected Thursday night test drive, hosting seamless events Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Ongoing musical performances took place inside the theater, while the adjacent Food Court, Roots Bar and Sponsor/Vendor activations enjoyed steady traffic. Mountain Valley Spring Water had brand ambassadors located by the theater doors, keeping music fans, guest chefs and other sponsors hydrated during the weekend’s heat and humidity.
Pratt Place was back in business on Saturday, hosting Roots, Food & Spirits, a culinary cornucopia featuring 8 programmed food zones, 50 chefs, themed tasting events, craft beer, spirits, marketplace, demonstrations, cookbook signings, and an outdoor stage featuring musical performances throughout the afternoon and evening. In addition to sampling Spring and Sparkling waters, Mountain Valley hosted a promotional sweepstakes offering complimentary home delivery for up to a year and other prizes including a Schwinn mountain bike won by a surprised and effusive Roots fan who by chance hails from Mountain Valley’s home town of Hot Springs, AR.
Additional Roots programming took place at Friday’s Brightwater Chef Master Class, Tri Cycle Farms Sunday Jamboree and Friday/Saturday late night soirees at Heartbreak House.
In spite of the weather challenges and Thursday’s change of venue, the 10th annual Roots Festival once again brought together an enthusiastic collection of fans supporting the musical, culinary and cultural artistry of the region. For Mountain Valley Spring Water, the opportunity to support the Roots Festival and emerging regional talent in the brand’s own backyard is extra meaningful. If you were at Fayetteville Roots Festival and have photos or videos, please feel free to share them with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and follow us to see what we’re up to next.
