Since 2011, the award-winning Arkansas Cornbread Festival in Little Rock’s SoMa neighborhood has been offering a day full of fun, live music, art—and of course delicious cornbread. And, with 20 vendors this year, you don’t want to miss the cornbread competition. We sat down with our friend Kevin Shalin of The Mighty Rib, who is co-hosting the festival, to get the scoop on this year’s event.
Q: What made you want to get involved in co-charing this year’s Arkansas Cornbread Festival?
A: Well, the story starts about a year and a half ago. I posted something on The Mighty Rib Facebook page, saying how much I missed the Cornbread Festival. It had been on a three-year hiatus because of the pandemic, and frankly, I didn’t know if it would ever come back. The post generated some buzz, and about a week later I was sitting in a meeting with Anita Davis, founder of the festival, and a few other folks from SoMa. Since I opened my big mouth, I figured I better back it up and get involved. So, I joined the committee in 2023 to bring back the festival. It was a big hit, so I decided to co-chair this year.
Q: What can people expect from this year’s event? Is there anything new compared to years past?
A: Yes, we will have more cornbread! We had 14 restaurants participate in 2023. It will be 20 this year and I’ve asked each restaurant to make even more cornbread. Also, we’ve expanded the geographic footprint a bit. The festival will now be held on Main Street from 14th to 17th Street. This is one block more than last year. Folks should also expect plenty of vendors, live music, a bouncy area for the kiddos, and all the wonderful stores along Main Street will be open.
Q: How can attendees taste each cornbread?
A: Super easy, Just go to ArkansasCornbreadFestival.com to buy a $20 ticket. That allows you to sample all of the cornbread entries. The festival is a free event, but if you want to eat cornbread, you’ll need to get a ticket. And I’d recommend buying in advance rather than waiting the day of the event.
Q: Any insider scoop on the competition this year?
A: This is now the second year that I like to call it more of a “celebration of cornbread.” The competition part is lowkey, as we don’t have any judging. Each paid attendee gets a voting token and we’ll announce one audience choice award towards the end of the day.
Q: Are there food trucks and other food available to festival goers?
A: We’ll have one food truck, The Utopia Deli, and I believe a few food vendors. But a lot of the restaurants along Main Street will be open. This was intentional, as we really want to encourage folks to support those SoMa businesses.
Saturday, November 9, 2024
11am-4pm
14th & Main St. in SoMa
Little Rock
Don’t forget, admission to the festival is free, but to fully enjoy the cornbread experience, be sure to grab a Cornbread Tasting Ticket. With this ticket, you can sample all the competing cornbreads and vote for your favorite, helping decide the people’s choice winner!
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:
• Cornbread tasting from 20 local restaurants/chefs
• Live music
• Local artisan creations & gifts
• The Utopia Deli food truck & food vendors
• SoMa restaurants will be open
• Cosmo Kids Zone
A fan favorite, the Arkansas Cornbread Festival draws crowds to SoMa year after year. With its blend of fun, food, music, and local artisan creations, it’s no wonder the event is so popular. Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 9, 2024, and experience all the fun in Little Rock’s vibrant SoMa neighborhood.
Photography courtesy of the Arkansas Cornbread Festival
