The new identity positions the festival to continue its rapid growth over the next decade.
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Southwest Arkansas’s biggest festival will have a new name and a new look in 2025. Festival coordinators are rebranding the Arkadelphia Festival of the Arts (AFOTA) to Mid-South Music Festival, taking center stage in downtown Arkadelphia on October 17-18, 2025.
Named the Arkansas Festival and Events Association’s 2021 Best New Festival or Event, event coordinators hosted their most successful AFOTA in 2024, welcoming over 5,000 people to downtown Arkadelphia over the October 11-12 weekend. As event coordinators wrapped year four, the City of Arkadelphia’s Director of Communications Emma Brown said they knew it was time to make a change.
“We tossed around the idea of rebranding the festival in 2023, but after 2024, we knew it was time,” Brown said. “This festival has grown to be the largest in Southwest Arkansas, and we wanted it to have an identity that represents our region. Not only is Arkansas in the Mid-South region of the United States, but Arkadelphia is the midpoint of Southwest Arkansas. It was a no-brainer, and we could not be more excited for the future.”
Mid-South Music Festival will continue to celebrate the region’s best music, food, and art. The festival will begin on Friday, October 17 at 5:00 p.m. with local performances, cooking demonstrations and tastings, and an crafter’s vendor show. Mid-South Music Festival’s Friday Night headliner, sponsored by Southern Bancorp, is Dial Up, a 1990’s/2000’s cover band. Dial Up’s set will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Day two of Mid-South Music Festival will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 18 with art workshops, the Crafter’s Corner vendor show, a food truck competition, and a live DJ. Groups will begin performing on the main stage at 1:00 p.m., leading up to the Saturday’s Southern Bancorp headliner at 8:00 p.m.
There is no admission cost to attend the Mid-South Music Festival. Follow @midsouthmusicfestival on social media to get the latest updates and festival news.