Is it too early to dream of summer music festivals?

Recently The Ozark Music Initiative announced Sunny Xia, assistant conductor for the Seattle Symphony, will be the principal conductor for the inaugural Ozark Music Festival, set for June 10-22 at various locations in Fayetteville.

Xia has established herself as a rising star in the world of orchestral conducting with her exceptional musicality, technical precision, and compelling presence. In addition to serving as the Douglas F. King associate conductor of the Seattle Symphony, her previous engagements include notable performances with the San Diego Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Chandler Opera Theater and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, among others, according to a press release from Ozark Music Initiative.

Offering more than 12 public performances over the span of two weeks, the inaugural Ozark Music Festival is designed to provide chamber music and orchestral training for college and graduate students by offering a platform for the next generation of musicians to hone their craft under the guidance of world-class mentors.

Virtual auditions are open until March 31 for college and graduate-level students. Musicians must be at least 18 years of age. Interested students should visit ozarkmusic.org/audition for information about fees and requirements.

For more information on the Ozark Music Initiative and the inaugural Ozark Music Festival, visit ozarkmusic.org.

Ozark Odyssey

The Ozark Odyssey Benefit Festival March 28-30 at the Enchanted Ozark Camp in Jasper still has spots available for those looking to have an early spring festival experience for a good cause. Every sold ticket supports Operation Happy Place, an organization “helping veterans reconnect with purpose, passion, and the support they deserve.”

Organizers say: “Ozark Odyssey isn’t just a festival — it’s a family reunion of kindred spirits where music, workshops and nature come together to celebrate community, creativity and our veterans.” Weekend workshops and art-making opportunities include tie-dying, mask making and face painting, an interactive art wall, a memorial tree and star painting, guided hikes, fungi foraging, yoga and meditation, flow arts, a dulcimer workshop and more.

The festival kicks off on March 28 with a Mad Hatter Welcome Tea Party with Carolina Mendoza followed by more music from Crazy Folkers with Dom B Roy, a Camp Blue Light Honorary Chili Dog Hootenanny with Danny Spain Gang and then Chucky Waggs & Co. of Raggs and Front Porch. A Friday Night Bonfire Jam closes out the night. Festivalgoers are welcome to bring their instruments and jam.

Saturday morning starts with a breakfast jam and guest speaker followed by music with Brian Martin at 9:30 and 1 p.m. plus more music throughout the day and night by Mountain Alice, Blood on the Mandolin, Patti Steel Band and The Mighty Pines. Saturday also includes a masquerade ball, catered community dinner, fire ring sessions and a Saturday Night Bonfire Jam hosted by Gary Lawrence.

Find out more at linktr.ee/ozarkodyssey2025.

BENTONVILLE

Bike Rack Brewing – Brewroom sessions with Daniel Moody (folk), Jasper Logan (rap), Common Roots (Americana) and Dandelion Heart (Americana), 6 p.m. March 22

The Momentary — Just announced: Still Woozy, Aug. 4 and Ziggy Marley & Burning Spear, Oct. 4. Oh He Dead, March 6; Wonder Women of Country with Kelly Willis, Melissa Carper and Brennen Leigh at 8 p.m. March 7; TRAITORS, March 8; The Main Squeeze, 8 p.m. March 28; Jessica Pratt, 7 p.m. April 6

Meteor Guitar Gallery — Country line dancing, 6 p.m March 6; Thoughts on Bowling, 7 p.m. March 7; That 70s Band, 7 p.m March 14; Pat Travers Band, 8 p.m. March 22; Oxytocin, 7 p.m. March 27; The Almas and Crashing Wayward, 7 p.m. March 28; Mountain Sprout, 7 p.m. March 29. The Reeves Brothers celebrate Merle Haggard’s birthday, 8 p.m. April 6. Open mics 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday.

Blake Street House – Crys Matthews with Jude Brothers, 6:30 p.m. March 25. citysessions.org for tickets.

Ozark Social Club — Wildermiss and A Strange Bird, 7 p.m. April 11. citysessions.org for tickets.

EUREKA SPRINGS

The Aud – Robert Earl Keen, 7:30 p.m. March 13; Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, 7:30 p.m. April 5; Eureka Springs Music Awards, 3 p.m. April 13; Ozarks Chorale Concert, 7 p.m. April 27.

Rowdy Beaver Den — Bluegrass Brunch with Mountain Alice, 1-4 p.m. every Sunday; Gary & Benji, 7 p.m. Tuesdays; and Alex Hawf Revue, 7 p.m. Thursdays.

Gotahold — Common Roots, 6 p.m. March 8; Todd Crush, March 9; Mountain Gypsies, March 15; Brandy Lee, March 16; Tom Peavar, March 23; Gullywasher, 6 p.m. March 29.

FAYETTEVILLE

Morano’s – Buddy Shute & the Motivators, 7 p.m. March 8.

George’s Majestic Lounge — Phat Tuesday Party with Crescent City Combo, 8:30 p.m. March 4; Spencer Sutherland, Stacey Ryan and Cloe Wilder, 8 p.m. March 5; Fierce & Loud: A Night of Femme-Led Sound with The Phelgms, Chainsaw Lassy & Daisychain, 8 p.m. March 6; Happy Hour with Full House, 6 p.m. March 7; Andy Frasco, March 12.

Folk School of Fayetteville – Old Time Jam & Square Dance, 6 p.m. March 4; Soldier Songs & Voices Jam, 2 p.m. March 9; Learning Irish Tunes (slow jam), 5:30 p.m. and Irish Session, 6:30 p.m. March 10; original songs open mic, 6:30 p.m. March 11; Old Time Jam, 6 p.m. March 18; Songwriters Circle, noon, March 21; Dad Jam, 7:30 p.m. March 22

Six Twelve – Juan Moscoso, 7 p.m. March 4; Damon Mitchell, 7 p.m. March 6; Mike Bewley, 7 p.m. March 8; Jesus Vela, 7 p.m. March 11; Jeff Scout, 6 p.m March 12; Jeremiah Griffin, 7 p.m. March 13; Rachel B, 7 p.m. March 14; Hilltop Hip-Hop Open Mic Series, 8 p.m. March 15; Buddy Shute & Friends, 6 p.m. March 18.

Faulkner Performing Arts Center — Treble Chorus & Razorback Chorus Concert, 7:30 p.m. March 6; Arkansas Brassworks, 7:30 p.m. March 12; Exposed: A Ballet on the Trails, 7:30 p.m. May 3.

Walton Arts Center — Ian Fidance, 7:30 p.m. March 6; The Burney Sisters, March 7; Matt Wilson’s Good Trouble Quintet, March 8; Keb’ Mo’ x Shawn Colvin, March 15; A Taste of Ireland: The Irish Music & Dance Sensation, 7:30 p.m. March 25; The Second City: 65th Anniversary Show, April 1.

JJ’s Live — Bryce Vine, March 2; Randy Rogers Band, 8 p.m. March 6; It’s A 2000s Party, 9 p.m. March 7; Killswitch Engage, 7 p.m. March 8; Corey Kent, March 13; Bingo Loco presents Music Trivia, 7:30 p.m. March 14; Band of Horses, March 15; The Wallflowers, March 19; The Fabulous Freddie Mercury Tribute with Randall Shreve, 7:30 p.m. March 21; Everclear with Idle Valley, March 22; The Four Horsemen (Metallica tribute), 8 p.m. March 28; Pallbearer, 8 p.m. March 29.

LOWELL

The Grove Comedy Club — Stewart Huff and Paul Varghese, 6:30 p.m. March 7-8; Jeff Allen’s The Human Condition: We’re Still Not There Yet, 6 p.m. March 14 and 6 & 8 p.m. March 15; Beth Stelling, 6:30 p.m March 21, 6 & 8:45 p.m. March 22.

PRAIRIE GROVE

Magnolia House — Saturday brunch jam hosted by Kevin Mills, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday. Concerts begin at 6 p.m. for the Listening Room music and dinner series with Caleb King, March 8; Tara and the Gift Horses, March 15; Batterton & Edwards, March 22; Sean Harrison, March 29; Still on the Hill, April 5; Some Guy Named Robb, April 12;

Reservations at magnoliahousepg.com/events.

RIVER VALLEY

Cousins Music Upstairs – TV Preacher, Depose and Blanket of M, 7 p.m. March 21.

TempleLive — Robert Kelly, March 22; Geoff Tate, March 26; Justin Willman, March 29; Creed Fisher, April 3; The Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show, April 15; Waylon Wyatt, April 19; The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit: The Concert and The Music of Hans Zimmer & Others: A Celebration of Film Music, April 24

King Opera House – Take3, 7 p.m. March 4

Majestic Fort Smith — Giovanni and the Hired Guns, 8 p.m. March 15; Kanton Teen & The Penny Pickers with Emily Hollings, JT Hubbard, 7 p.m. March 21; Drake Milligan, April 4; Jason Boland & The Stragglers, 8 p.m. April 5; Mike Ryan, April 11; Big Head Todd & the Monsters, 7 p.m. April 15.

ROGERS

Underbrush Books – Shine Through Winter Listening Room with Taylor Smith, 5:30 p.m. March 9.

The Music Depot — Jazz Jam, 7 p.m. March 6; DJ Night with DJ Squaby, 10 p.m. March 7; Panchami with Kartik Balachandran (violin), Sarada Karthik (vocal), Nikola Radan (flute), Anthony Ball (drums), Vishaak (Mridangam), 4 p.m. and then 4TC, 9 p.m. March 8; Ozark Blues Society, 6:30 p.m March 13; Remembering the Giants (Jazz tribute) with Stan Adelman, Roby Rantall, Rick Salonen, Garrett Jones and Steve Wilks, 7 p.m. March 22; Michael Fields Jr. & Tom Braxton, 6 p.m. March 29; Jokes on Us comedy night, 8:30 p.m March 29. Funk Factory Live Karaoke every Friday.

SPRINGDALE

Black Apple Cider — Comedy starts at 8 p.m. with Ben Jones (North Carolina), March 6; Meredith Hopping (St. Louis), March 13; Ed Bell (Denver), March 20; Gabbie Watts (Atlanta), March 27; Kevin Casey White (Brooklyn), April 3; Aaron Naylor (Chicago), April 10; Cori Stewart (Denver) w/ Katie McDonald April 17 and Dan Alten (Louisville), April 24.

Fairlane Station — Early James with Jon Dooly, 6:30 p.m. March 21.

Tontitown Winery — Lazy Daisy, 6:30 p.m. March 7; Maud Crawford, 6:30 p.m. March 8; Dime Box Duo, 6:30 p.m. March 14; JR & Evan Dueling Pianos, 6:30 p.m. March 15; Rumours, 6:30 p.m. March 22; White River Band, 6:30 p.m. March 28; A&E Music, 6:30 p.m. March 29.

WEST FORK

Little O’ Oprey – Live music at 7 p.m. every Saturday. Snack bar opens at 5:30 p.m. (271 S. Campbell Ave.)

WEST SILOAM SPRINGS

Cherokee Casino — Easton Corbin, 9 p.m. March 7.

Send your music events to Monica Hooper at mhooper@nwaonline.com