3 Neat and Fun Things Happening in Northwest Arkansas

Hey—I’m Philip Shepard with All Things Northwest Arkansas. I love shouting from the rooftops about what makes this region special, and today I want to walk you through three big things happening around NWA right now: a healthy state surplus that could mean tax changes, a new luxury hotel coming to downtown Springdale, and a must-watch documentary about one of our best-loved local coffee brands. If you’re curious about moving here, investing here, or just visiting, read on.

1. Big Money: Arkansas’ healthy budget surplus

Arkansas closed the fiscal year with an impressive surplus—more than $360 million extra in the coffers, roughly 2% above expectations. That’s not a one-off: for nearly a decade the state has regularly ended the year with excess revenues. What they do with that money matters.

Historically, surplus funds have been used in a few ways: trimming payroll costs (through attrition rather than broad layoffs), reinvesting in state priorities, and returning money to taxpayers by lowering personal and corporate tax rates. From what I’m watching, there’s a real push among state leadership to move Arkansas toward becoming a no-income-tax state for individuals within the next 3–5 years. That would be a major draw—think Tennessee, Texas, Florida (and some would argue Arizona)—and it would only increase the appeal of NWA for newcomers and businesses.

Bottom line: steady revenue growth, tourism, and migration all point to a fiscally healthy state. If you’ve been on the fence about relocating or investing here, this is one of those signals worth paying attention to.

2. New luxury hotel: Star on Spring in downtown Springdale

Downtown Springdale is getting even more attractive: a luxury hotel called Star on Spring is opening soon. From the rumors and the buzz, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill motel—it’s a real, upscale downtown property that signals continued investment in Springdale’s core.

Why this matters:

• Downtown Springdale has been transforming over the past 3–4 years—new restaurants, parks, Airbnbs, and now a legitimate luxury hotel.
• Big-ticket investments like this normally mean more foot traffic, more jobs, and rising property values in the surrounding area.
• For anyone thinking about buying downtown or opening a business, there’s still a window—probably 2–3 years—before prices really start to climb in earnest.

If you want that downtown vibe—walkable restaurants, a lively nightlife, boutique hotels—you should be watching Springdale. This hotel is another sign the city’s downtown is on an upswing.

3. Onyx (Honest?) Coffee gets the documentary treatment

Coffee lovers, this one’s for you. A new documentary chronicles the origin story of one of our best-known regional roasters—the folks who source coffee from South America, roast it carefully, and put North Arkansas on the specialty-coffee map. Whether you know them as Onyx, Honest, or just “that amazing local roaster,” the film digs into things I love about local business stories: traveling to source beans, building relationships with growers, the craft of roasting, and creating the shop experience that makes people fall in love.

Why the documentary matters beyond the caffeine:

• It highlights how local brands can have global reach—these roasters literally fly to coffee-growing regions to source beans ethically and directly.
• It showcases the brand-building work involved in turning a single shop into a beloved local chain with a recognizable roast and culture.
• It’s a fun, human story about entrepreneurship in NWA—worth watching whether you’re a coffee nerd or just curious about how great small businesses grow.

Fun aside: I’ve had clients who discovered this coffee while traveling—Portland, Washington, even Hawaii—and later moved to NWA saying, “I’ve had this coffee before.” That kind of recognition is powerful for a regional brand.

Extra resources I built for people curious about NWA

If you’re planning a trip or thinking about moving to Northwest Arkansas, I’ve put together a few things to make your life easier. These are things I actually use when talking to clients and visitors:

• 3-Day Itineraries — Day-by-day plans tailored for foodies, adventurers, artists, sports fans, sightseers, and families with kids.
• Instant Home Updates — Better-than-Zillow alerts that notify you the moment a home that matches your criteria hits the market.
• Weekly “What’s Going On in NWA” Email — A Friday roundup of events, openings, and updates from Bentonville to Fayetteville and beyond.
• NWA Starter Pack — A 120-page guide with demographics, schools, attractions, plus postcards, stickers, and yes—a coloring book and other fun stuff shipped to your door.

These are designed for folks who want to know NWA beyond a quick Google search—what to do first, where to eat, what neighborhoods feel like, and how the market moves.

Want help moving or exploring NWA?

If you’re thinking about relocating to Northwest Arkansas or want a guided trip to see if it’s right for you, I help dozens of people every year move here. I chose NWA over a bunch of other great options in America because, in my opinion, it’s the number one place to live in America. If you want to talk about why I made that move, or how to make your own, reach out—call or text me at 479.332.9631 or email phillip@allthingsnwa.com.

“If you ever want to talk about why I chose Northwest Arkansas versus anywhere else in America, call me, email me, whatever it is. We’ll meet up for coffee and talk about it.”

Wrapping up

Northwest Arkansas is humming: state finances are strong, downtown Springdale is getting serious investment, and local stories—like our beloved coffee roasters—are getting national attention. Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or plotting a permanent move, now is a great time to get to know the region. If you want my NWA Starter Pack, one of the 3-day itineraries, or to set up instant home alerts, let me know and I’ll get you hooked up.

See you around town—coffee’s on me.