TheatreSquared plays: Spend nearly any night in downtown Fayetteville and see a musical.

• Shows: “It Came From Outer Space,” now through Sept. 18; drama “Detroit ‘67” Oct. 12-Nov. 6; and comedy “Stones in His Pockets” Nov. 9-Dec. 18.
• Get tickets.

"Listening Forest": This nighttime outdoor exhibit by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer in the forest outside Crystal Bridges incorporates light, sound and projections.

• Aug. 31-Jan.1, 2023.
• Get tickets ranging from $22-$27 or $15-$20 for museum members.

FORMAT: This Bentonville music, art and technology festival debuts this fall and promises to be an immersive experience with traditional performance stages, a barn for disco parties, an "adult playground," a "maze" of retail and food vendors, venues for art installations and experimental sounds and a lengthy lineup of musicians.

• Sept. 23-25.
• Get one-day tickets starting at $125 or three-day tickets starting at $300.

Bikes, Blues, and BBQ: It’s not just the bikes. This staple bike rally (that’s taking place in Rogers instead of Fayetteville in a big change this year) is packed with music, food and vendors.

• Oct. 5-8.

Craft fair weekend: Make a day (or two or three) out of it and buy your heart’s desire of pumpkin everything.

• Check out the "It’s Fall Y’all" craft fair Oct. 13-16 at the Benton County Fairgrounds, War Eagle Fair Oct. 13-16 or Ozark Regional Crafts Fairs NWA Oct. 13-15 at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

Walton Arts Center Broadway series: It’s not too late to catch a couple of larger-than-life productions before the series ends.

• “Legally Blonde the Musical” will be on stage Oct. 14-16, and “Chicago” will be on stage Nov. 8-13.
• Get tickets ranging from $33-$82.

Fayetteville Film Fest: Stay tuned for film selections and ticket info. Categories include best narrative feature, best documentary feature, best narrative short, best documentary short, best emerging filmmaker, best Arkansas connection and audience choice: best of fest.

• Oct. 20-22.

Momentous: This four-day electronic music festival will take over the outdoor space at The Momentary with headliner Arca.

• Oct. 20-23.
• Get single-day tickets for $20-$40 or $16-$32 for museum members and $15-$20 for students. Sunday is free.

Read our full guide

Fall is the perfect time to get outside for a long walk or bike ride to enjoy NWA's natural beauty.

• It's also a great opportunity to finally better check out that mural or sculpture you've only seen from the car at 40 mph.

Why it matters: NWA's cities and businesses have been investing in public art projects for the past several years, enhancing area aesthetics and encouraging people to linger longer.

Details: Each of the four largest cities publish online guides to some of the most notable works. These are extensive but not necessarily all-inclusive.

Bentonville

OZ Art NWA is the most comprehensive collection, mostly in Bentonville. The organization is dedicated to boosting the regional arts scene through public art. See the map.

Fayetteville

The most observant have noted faded murals in Fayetteville for decades and of course know about the "Seven Points" castle at Wilson Park, but there's also a lot of fresh paint. See the map.

Rogers

A relative newcomer to public art, Rogers features some of the most vibrant works in NWA. See the guide.

Springdale

The nonprofit Downtown Springdale has designated an arts district in the city known for poultry production. Several murals now wrap buildings and alleyways. See the map.

The bottom line: It's fun to make a game of finding pieces that aren't mapped, especially with kids, and post selfies of your tours.

Save the date for these headliners.

• Japanese Breakfast: Sept. 17 at The Momentary in Bentonville. Get tickets for $45.
• Goo Goo Dolls: Sept. 18 at the AMP in Rogers. Get tickets starting at $35.
• The War on on Drugs: Sept. 22 at The Momentary. Get tickets for $48.
• The Chicks: Oct. 4 at the AMP. Get tickets starting at $39.
• Old Crow Medicine Show: Oct. 8 at JJ’s Live in Fayetteville. Get tickets starting at $40.
• The Black Keys: Oct 13 at the AMP. Get tickets starting at $60.
• Waka Flocka Flame: Nov. 11 at JJ’s Live. Get tickets starting at $25.

The Northwest Arkansas National Airport just got a pop of color.

What's happening: The service buildings on Regional Avenue now double as the "Ice and a Slice" installation by Camille Walala.

• The project was commissioned by OZ Art NWA.

What they're saying: "Our goal was to signal the vibrance of Northwest Arkansas' culture and community through a welcoming piece of public art," Olivia Walton, who leads OZ Art NWA, said in a news release. "'Ice and a Slice' gives visitors a taste of the energy here, and an impression of the art experiences that are part of everyday life in NWA."