On Saturday, August 31, Crystal Bridges is hosting its seventh-annual Light Night (8-11 pm) at the entrance of the museum, near Buckyball! This beloved event is a celebration of art and music, offering an illuminated wonderland of creativity, lights, music, and dance for guests of all ages to explore. Light Night is completely free and family-friendly. 

Keep reading to know what you can expect at Light Night, as well as answers to some FAQs:

1. Participate in the Pre-Event Happy Hour + Glow Bike Ride

Kick off Light Night with a special family-friendly Happy Hour at Bike Rack Brewing Co. at 8th St. Market, presented by Crystal Bridges, 103.3 KOBV – Bentonville Community Radio, and Bike Rack Brewing Co. Bring your bike to their 8th St. Market location beginning at 6:00 p.m., play some board games with your family (all ages welcome), and enjoy happy hour prices offered by Bike Rack.

Then, join us as we bike to Light Night in a pre-show glow bike ride! We will bike from Bike Rack to Crystal Bridges starting at 7:30 p.m. And don’t forget to decorate your bike beforehand! Prizes will be awarded for the best light-decorated bike and costume.

2. Where to Park

For Light Night, guests can park in the lots at the Amazeum, Helen Walton Children’s Enrichment Center on J St., Orchards Park, or Memorial Park Tennis Courts. 

Lyft/Uber drop-off at the museum is always an option, and visitors can be dropped off right at Light Night.

Or, you are welcome to park downtown and walk up the Art Trail or join us in the Glow Bike Ride from 8th St. Market (see #1 above).

3. Rock Out with the Music Lineup

Light Night always hosts a killer music show, and this year is no different! Between the Main Stage and the DJ booth, Light Night will host several bands and acts, each with their own sound, to keep the party going all night long. Here is the lineup:

7:30-8:15 pm: Spaghetti Eddie’s Rocking Family Show at Buckyball [this will be a pre-event family show, so feel free to come a bit early!]

8:00-9:15 pm: Frisson at the Main Stage

8:30-11 pm: DJ Classy B at Buckyball

9:30-11 pm: Thumpasaurus at the Main Stage

Frisson is​ ​an​ ​eight-piece​ ​instrumental​ ​collective​ ​formed​ ​in​ 2015​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Oberlin Conservatory​ ​of​ ​Music and led by composer and vibraphonist Matt DiBiase. It is comprised​ ​of​ ​graduates​ ​and​ ​current​ ​students​ ​of​ ​Oberlin,​ ​the​ ​Juilliard School,​ the ​Berklee​ ​Global​ ​Jazz​ ​Institute​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Brubeck​ ​Institute.​ With​ ​influences​ ​ranging​ ​from​ ​jazz​ ​and hip​-hop​ ​to​ ​funk​ ​and​ ​electronic​ ​music,​ ​the​ ​band’s​ ​live​ ​performances​ feature​ ​hypnotic​ ​grooves, exhilarating​ ​solos,​ ​and​ ​thoughtfully​ crafted​ ​original​ ​compositions.​

Los Angeles-based Thumpasaurus are a gang of five superbly-skilled young American musicians taking hugely divergent influences. .They offer up their own unique punk/funk stew wherein, hidden in plain sight and sound, as well as some rocking heavy metal, free jazz, musical theatre and even some light opera references thrown in for good measure.

*Note: AQUEOUS had to cancel, due to a family matter.

4. Walk in the Valley of the Giants

This year, we’re hosting a new art installation at Light Night! Valley of the Giants by artist Mari Hildago King is a collection of wacky, inflatable tube people all dancing together in one place. Each piece in this installation is usually seen individually, so the artist chose to assemble a collection of these unpredictable air giants to ignite laughter, joy, and unity in all their viewers. Don’t miss your opportunity to dance with them!

5. Enjoy Glow Activities + Fire Dancers

There will be several artmaking projects available for all ages to give guests the opportunity to play with glow-in-the-dark paint, markers, and glow sticks! There will also be a black light graffiti wall that everyone is welcome to write on to leave their mark on the party.

Sacred Somatics Circus Arts, a regional group, will also have fire dancers performing at Light Night! Watch safely from a distance as these entrancing artists light up the night with fire and acrobats.

6. Food Trucks will be Available

If you get hungry, food trucks will be available at Light Night for dinner or a late-night snack. Here is the lineup of food trucks expected to be at the event:

High South on a Roll (our Crystal Bridges food truck!)

Brightwater

The Dough Zone

Persephonē’s on Wheels

Dondi’s Food with Attitude

Local (moh-tiv)

Kona Ice 

Pedal Pops

Additionally, there will be a bar selling beer, wine, and Coca-Cola products. A cash bar will be available if needed.

7. Enjoy Buckyball’s Light Show

Light Night takes places near Leo Villareal’s Buckyball for a reason. Every evening at sunset, the artwork illuminates in a spectacle of light and changing colors. Guests are encouraged to sit underneath Buckyball and enjoy the show, which transitions unendingly throughout the night.

***

Sponsored by JTH Productions.

Special thanks to our collaborators Deadhead Productions, Bike Rack Brewery, KOBV 103.7 Radio, and the Amazeum! And special thanks to our artist partners Mari Hildago, Kellen Carroll-Snapnart, Justin Camerer, Brian Bailey, Kat Wilson, Sacred Somatics Circus Arts, and JoAnn Kaminsky.

We look forward to greeting you at Light Night!