Bats and Bluegrass Festival -
We sold out in 2024. Get tickets early to guarantee entry!
Come join us at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership's Watershed Sanctuary for a fun-filled day in the Ozarks. Enjoy exploring the Watershed Sanctuary with all ages, our 30-ish acre sanctuary that houses the cave of Cave Springs. Play games and enjoy the tunes of live bluegrass music on the lawn, and leave with some knowledge about our favorite winged creatures - bats! and maybe a new favorite local band, or two.
Our cave is home to the Grey Bat, and at dusk, we hope to see their emergence to feast on tasty macroinvertebrates, aka bugs.
Our festival will feature live music from local bands, educational presentations on bats, activities from partners, food trucks, guided nature walks, face painting, and interactive activities for all ages. Don't miss out on the opportunity to explore the beautiful surroundings while enjoying great music and learning about these fascinating nocturnal animals. We will publish a full agenda in June!
Bring your lawn chairs and the whole family!
By the way, we have some more food vendors coming to serve you all this year. We have some bites for humans served up by:
Wicked Wood Fired Pizza
Monster Food Truck
Joyhouse Coffee
Beer vendor - TBD
Partners...
Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalists
Arkansas Game and Fish
Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
Arkansas Department of Health
US Fish and Wildlife
Wild Birds Unlimited
Boston Mountain Grotto
Know the Flow, our friends at the U of A Cooperative Extension
Gearhead Outfitters
Post Pediatrics
Ozark Roots
Cave Springs
Grab your friends and family and join us for a day of music, nature, and bats!
VOLUNTEERS ENTER FREE, SIGN UP HERE: Bats and Bluegrass Volunteer Form - Volunteers will have access to an exclusive volunteer lounge with snacks and drinks, IRWP swag, and volunteer shifts end at 8 PM so you can also enjoy the emergence and music.
