A New American Town - Bentonville, Arkansas

We sit down with Nathan "Woody" Woodruff, the founder of Progressive Trail Design (PTD), to unpack how a Fayetteville landscape hustle evolved into Bentonville's Slaughter Pen trail network and set the course for designing LA28’s Olympic mountain bike venue. Woody shares the early days of being an avid rider, getting tapped to build on Walton family land, and watching those miles become a public park that helped define Bentonville. That spark spread, inspiring crews who learned in Bentonville, launched companies, and refined the playbook. Along the way, PTD built a deep bench of designers and CAD pros, landscape architects, and specialty builders. If you care about trail culture,, this conversation maps the arc—from backyard singletrack to a global showcase.

ProgressiveTrailDesign.com 

IG @ProgressiveTrailDesign

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

Tired of conferences that keep everyone indoors and restless? We sat down with Wes Oliver, director of sales at Visit Bentonville, to unpack a NEW WAY:  The Unconventional Convention concept is a walkable, multi-venue model that trades hallways and windowless ballrooms for light, movement, and a sense of place. Bentonville stitches together high-quality spaces around downtown—think the Ledger, the Record, Compton Gardens, and new capacity at The Heartland Whole Health Institute and The Compton Hotel.

Beyond meeting rooms, Bentonville’s strengths show up in curated experiences: guided rides on nearby trails, docent-led tours at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and family-friendly stops at the Amazeum. The result is a destination conference model that boosts attendee satisfaction, supports sustainability with car-light movement, and turns a free afternoon into a meaningful part of the program. 

Find us at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn. 

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

You Belong Here—as the artwork over the Momentary Green says, to hear Jill Wagar unpack how a former cheese plant evolved into a living room where music, contemporary art, and food collide. Jill shares the backstory of the Momentary’s rise alongside Crystal Bridges, why the campus now leads with concerts, and how each venue—from the large outdoor Green to a more intimate experience indoors at the RØDE House—creates a distinct listening experience that artists love and fans remember.

We dive into the most dynamic season yet: sellout shows from Megan Moroney, GloRilla, and Alabama Shakes; big draws like Ziggy Marley and a programming model that blends national names with emerging talent and local openers. Beyond the headliners, the campus pulses with family-friendly rituals: House Party exhibition openings, Saturday Morning Cartoons with a cereal bar and classics on the big screen, and more.

Love live music, culinary adventures, and inventive art? Follow the Momentary on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, subscribe to the newsletter at themomentary.org, and consider becoming a member. 

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

We celebrate Christopher Blevins’ historic World Cup season and explore how he resets with mindfulness, play, and creative work. From Cal Poly roots to Stilspoke, he shares why slowing down builds a stronger racer and a fuller person.

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

A teen concert turned into a full-on adventure when Jo Brown, co-host of Wonderland on Points, who used her points-and-miles playbook to design a Bentonville escape. Jo walks through the meals that set a new bar—Table on Sixth’s craveable BLT, Witching Hour’s shockingly great burger, and the pure joy of Buttered Biscuit sauces—plus why this small city’s culinary scene rivals bigger markets. Then it’s bikes and art: e-bikes open the trails to casual riders, Crystal Bridges blends world-class curation with outdoor magic, and the Time Loop light-and-sound experience turns a forest into a meditative experience that even teens called peaceful. 

We also dig into how to turn everyday spending into award flights and hotel nights. Jo shares the ins and outs and practical takeaways with traveling on a budget using credit card points.

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

We sit down with Christopher Blevins in Bentonville to unpack The 2025 racing season, which finished with Christopher at the top of the sport claiming both overall titles (XCC & XCO) in the World Cup MTB. If you’re curious about sustainable high performance, athlete creativity, and the community that keeps joy in the grind, this conversation delivers.

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

We sat down with local food writer and curator Katie Robertson to chart Bentonville's rise as a destination for inclusive dining—with celiac-safe kitchens, vegan menus, and allergy-aware staff. Katie takes us behind the scenes of a movement powered by a growing population, deeper nutrition awareness, and Arkansas’s agricultural backbone. We spotlight fully gluten-free breweries like Stoic Brews Alternative and bakeries like Sandi Sue's; and shout out to vegetarians with a variety of Southeast Asian cuisine, and the vegan scene gets a boost from Third Space Coffee’s 100% vegan menu, plus unexpected menus like Pedaler’s Pub and Sunny’s with lots of tasty options.

This episode can be paired nicely with our delicious food guide, prepared by Katie: https://www.visitbentonville.com/blog/stories/post/holiday-dining-in-bentonville-glutenfree-vegan-allergyfriendly/ 

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

A Katrina-era detour turned a pre-med student into a chef, and her path led her to The Compton. We sit down with Chef Corrin Ellis, the executive chef behind The Compton’s food and beverage program, to unpack how design, community, and local farms shaped a three-part culinary vision: a Tuscan-style steakhouse (Sestina), an all-day cafe with an Onyx collaboration (Field Notes), and an upscale cocktail lounge with sweeping square views (The Eddie). The Compton and all its spaces open in November 2025.

Check out the website for more info, or to book your stay: The Compton | Official Site. Follow along on IG @TheComptonHotel, and on FB @TheComptonHotel.

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

We sit down with Luke Wetzel and Mollie Mullis to share how bonding over pizza led to the newest Bentonville hotspot, Townie Burgers & Bevvies. Hear about their roots and Luke's training under Alice Waters; and the influence on local, farm-to-table and seasonal sourcing. Get the scoop on your new favorite burger joint, and so much more--there's a huge patio, TVs, beer, cocktails, private room, inclusive menu for all diets and a welcoming spirt. "Come a stranger, leave a townie"! 

Follow at townieburgers.com and on Instagram at TownieBurgersandBevvies.

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.

Find us at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn. 

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

Ramo founder Laura Gheen sits down to share the journey of creating Bentonville's beloved wine bar, now celebrating its 11th year. From its origins as a cozy neighborhood gathering spot to becoming a Bentonville icon, Laura reveals what makes this gem unique.

Ramo is a charming place to enjoy wine, charcuterie, and outdoor seating with friends and was recently rebranded from "Ramo de Olivo" (Italian for "olive branch") to just "Ramo." Hear more about Laura's famous Monday night spaghetti dinner featuring her homemade sauce, custom gift services, holiday happenings, and more.

Visit Ramo's website at ramodolivo.biz or find them on social media to learn more about events, tastings, and special offerings.

Find us at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn. 

A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.