Traditions are a big part of life in the South, and one of those traditions is diving headfirst into any fresh batch of cornbread you encounter. So if you follow your nose to SoMa this fall, you’ll find a whole bunch of locals happily doing just that.
On Friday, Nov. 7, the Arkansas Cornbread Festival will make its highly-anticipated return to the South Main neighborhood. The beloved fest returned to the post-COVID social scene in 2023, then in 2025 “[took] a one-year hiatus … [to] reassess on how to move forward with a potential future event.”
As always, the event will bring cornbread competitors together for a battle of the bakes, each vying for the most votes from festivalgoers, and this year with an amateur contest open to the public.
New this year is the move to a Friday schedule, which will coincide with the neighborhood’s monthly SoMa After Dark series. And instead of closing down South Main Street, the 2026 fest will take over the adjoining 13th, 14th and Scott streets, as well as The Bernice Garden and the adjacent lot.
“There’s something powerful about a food that shows up in every Southern family’s story,” says Anita Davis, festival founder and longtime SoMa advocate. “That’s always been at the heart of this festival for me, a chance to center what we have in common and celebrate community together.”
To learn more, visit the Arkansas Cornbread Festival website, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
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