Toad Suck Daze is everyone’s favorite excuse to visit Conway. This outdoor music, craft and food festival underwent some changes last year to differentiate it from other local festivals and to feature more local artists and businesses. The companies responded well to the changes. This year, there are even more changes to make the festival more convenient and family-friendly.
One of the best changes is that providers will no longer require Toad Bucks. All sellers will now take cash or credit. In previous years, to buy food, you had to find a Toad Bucks stand and buy Toad Bucks. This often meant figuring out what he wanted and figuring out how many Toad Bucks it cost, and then driving back to a Toad Bucks stand to buy that amount. I understand why festivals have festival money, but it is not very user friendly, especially for large families with children.
Eliminating Toad Bucks makes grocery shopping so much easier.
This year is Toad Suck Daze’s 35th anniversary, and they have a special Cherokee Casino and Hotel – Roland “Concession Sweepstakes”. What that means is that every 35 clients who submit an eligible award receipt will be reimbursed.
Another big change is a second stage. Toad Suck Daze added a second stage, Kum and Go Stage at Kings, which will host regional and traditional acts. The McDonald’s / Crain Kia Main State in Simon Park will continue to host.
On Friday night, the stars are Kish Moody and The Holy Rock Revival, Josh Wilson, Peter Furler and Danny Gokey. Tate Smith and Tyler Kinchen and The Right Pieces will perform on the Kum and Go stage. On Saturday, the main acts are Taylor Nealey, Zac Dunlap Band, Dixie Jade, Blane Howard, Jordan Davis, Courtney Cole, Josh Dorr and Thompson Square. The smaller stage will have The Whole Damn Family, Akeem Kemp Band, and Groovement.
Bring your own chair for the show, because there is limited seating.
Besides music, Toad Suck Daze has many fun activities for people of all ages. There is an annual Toad Suck Daze 5k for those in your family who wish to participate in a race.
One of the best changes from last year that will return is the outdoor shopping on Oak Street. The Oak Street Galleria features high-quality products from luxury boutiques and skilled artisans from across the region. There is also the “Toad Market” which has more than 150 vendors. Many of these products will also be handcrafted, but you will find a variety of items, from hammocks and clothing to even major retailers like Tuff Shed and Jamberry.
Toad Suck Daze has 40 different concession providers. They say, “From burgers and corndogs to kettles and funnel cakes, if you’re in the mood for something on a stick, you’ll find it at Toad Suck Daze.” They even have some weird things like alligator and crawfish, fried rice, jambalaya, and wafflewiches.
The children’s area offers fun entertainment such as clowns and magicians, animals, dancers and martial arts demonstrations and a children’s play area, sandbox, zoo and pony rides. Toad Suck Daze has partnered with Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield and AETN to bring Daniel Tiger, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Nature Cat to the festival. Characters will be on the main stage at McDonald’s / Crain Kia on Saturday, April 30, 10. am to 12 pm and Sunday May 1 from 11 am to 1 pm There will also be a fun parade on Saturday at 10 am
Toad Suck Daze will take place April 29-May 1 in downtown Conway. You can usually find parking around Van Ronkle and Oak Street, but pay attention to the signs. The festival grounds are officially open on Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Proceeds from the festival support educational initiatives and scholarships. In the last 35 years, more than $ 1.5 million dollars have been donated to educational initiatives.
