A New American Town - Bentonville, Arkansas

You Belong Here at the Momentary for Music, Art, and Food

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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.

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Beth Bobbitt:

Welcome back to a new American Town. I'm your host, Beth Bobbitt, and today I am super excited about our guest and topic. I get to sit down and talk live music with the lovely Jill Wagar, the director of the Momentary. Jill, thanks so much for being here.

Jill Wagar :

Oh, it's my pleasure to be here, Beth. Thank you.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yes, of course. And Jill has been with Crystal Bridges since the beginning, right?

Jill Wagar :

Yes, I'm um 15 years now. So I've joined Crystal Bridges in early 2011 before it opened and was along for the ride when the Momentary opened. That's amazing.

Beth Bobbitt:

Uh time flies also. Like, how has it been that long? And I know you because we work together. But for our listeners, tell us a little bit about your career journey and what led you to Bentonville.

Jill Wagar :

Sure. Thanks for asking. Actually, this fall marks 20 years that my family and I have lived in Northwest Arkansas. We are Oklahoma natives, and we moved here for my husband's business 20 years ago that he's not doing anymore. We're so glad that it led us to this space. Before coming to Crystal Bridges in the Momentary, I worked in healthcare and higher education. So um worked across at three different sectors, and I can say that this one is the most fun.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah, I bet. And you started your career at Crystal Bridges in development, but you've sort of moved around in different leadership roles and talk about your role now.

Jill Wagar :

Yeah, I've moved um through a lot of different uh positions at Crystal Bridges. As you said, I started in development and moved to the chief strategy officer role, and then um was deputy director, and then the Walton family asked me to step over to the momentary to assume its leadership. So today I am the director of the Momentary, and I'm also senior director at Crystal Bridges to continue to provide leadership there.

Beth Bobbitt:

So many hats. Yes. Always. So we're gonna talk about live music, and I want to start by just kind of laying the foundation. Why is it so important for our community and culture?

Jill Wagar :

Live music has an amazing way of bringing people together. Um, it is something that everyone connects to, um, no matter where you're from. It's universal, but it's also deeply local and um something that uh resonates uh with audiences. You know, I always oftentimes think about the sense of belonging that live music uh brings together and people can sort of share, shed their cares away. Um when you're on the momentary green where we have a lot of our outdoor music series, you see the significant neon sign that has become such a sign for Bentonville that says you belong here. And I think that's a really great way to think about what uh live music does.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah, yeah. It just is like the exclamation point when you're watching a show and you look over and you see that sign and just all the warm, fuzzy feelings for sure. And I guess backing up a little bit, so Momentary does a lot of live music. And prior to that, Crystal Bridges tinkered. There were there were some musical performances, but explain a little bit of the differences between Crystal Bridges and the Momentary.

Jill Wagar :

Yeah, let's let's go back. So Crystal Bridges is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was founded by the Walton family, primarily driven by Alice, and opened in 2011. Uh The Momentary was founded by Alice's nieces and nephew, so Tom and Olivia Walton and Stuart Walton. It opened in 2020, just three weeks before the pandemic, the most awkward start ever. But uh, the momentary is part of Crystal Bridges 501c3. We are um two separate locations and have two separate identities, but we are um the momentary is essentially a second location of Crystal Bridges. Uh the Momentary was a former craft cheese plant and turned into um this art space. Um, I would say um having opened the momentary just before the pandemic, it was and then closing for a while, and then people didn't want to gather for a couple of years, you know how um that strange period in our history uh will always be. I think the momentary found itself trying to find its footing and having the community really understand what is the momentary. And so in the last couple of years, we've been able to come out very strong and say the momentary is a place for music, art, and food. And we're leading with the music. As you said, Crystal Bridges has had some piano concerts or jazz sessions, but in terms of like a live music concert, the momentary is really where it's at. We also have art and we have an incredible um food programming team.

Beth Bobbitt:

It happens to be my favorite place to see live music. It's just it's just so cozy and I love being on the green. Um, so let's jump into the numbers. Like, what does this mean for our local economy?

Jill Wagar :

Yeah. So this uh last season, the uh 2025, when we had our outdoor music um concert series or 12 concerts, and um those 12 concerts alone brought over $2 million of impact to Bittonville's economy. I mean, that is huge for our local businesses, our hotels, and our restaurants. When you look at the audience demographic of who's coming, it is almost split half in half with locals and those um outside of our local area, although it does skew heavier to um the local market. So it is um interesting to think about that. It really is serving the local community, but also bringing outside tax dollars into Bentonville to benefit our economy.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah. That's amazing. And, you know, it hasn't always been that way. There hasn't always been that pull to visit.

Jill Wagar :

So um And that's only and um those outside concerts are only a portion of the music that we do. We have an entire indoor music um series too. We just have don't have the economic numbers on that.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah. And you've touched on this a little bit, but talk a little bit about how the Momentary's music role has changed since it opened and how it's evolved.

Jill Wagar :

Yes, I don't know that when the Momentary opened, we knew that it would have such a prominent music uh scene as it does now. But it was uh very quickly uh we were able to see that that's really where a superpower lies. And so the momentary um is music. We want Bentonville to be known for live music just as much as it is for our art and biking. And we know that that might take a while, but the momentary has really stepped into its place in driving part of that live music scene here in Bentonville.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah. And we'll talk a little bit about the specific acts and um bands and everything, but tell us about like set the scene. Where can we hear live music? Because it's not just on the green. There's indoor and outdoor places.

Jill Wagar :

Yeah, there is. So I will say that the venue spots at the momentary are some of the best around, and we're hearing that uh very loudly from artists who are performing here and also from their managers and agents. So the Green is outdoors, and it is the outdoor open-air amphitheater that can have up to approximately 5,000 people. Um, and then if you come inside Road, the Roadhouse, which is named for Road Microphones, I think it's such an appropriate name. Roadhouse is more of an intimate setting that is about 500 people. And I will tell you that the acoustics of that place and the sound is like none other. I I would I would put our acoustics up against anyone. Yeah. And we're hearing that loudly from the people we're uh talking to. But then there's also really beautiful and wonderful areas for music to pop up around the momentary. For instance, the outdoor R Vest courtyard is a great place for we have courtyards, free courtyard sessions in the summertime, out in the courtyard, and even up in the tower bar, we're able to do some acoustical sets or um have a little DJ setup in the tower bar and really and everywhere in between. And I don't think a lot of people know that Bentonville Radio relocated to the Mometaries property um in the last couple years, and so they brocast live from our north courtyard.

Beth Bobbitt:

So cool. You know, the best views, the best ambiance. Uh just imagine a concert in the tower bar. Yes. Like just looking over all of Bentonville. So cool. So tell us a little bit about the 2025 season, who you brought here, some of your favorites or highlights.

Jill Wagar :

Yeah, well, 2025 was a really dynamic year, probably our most dynamic yet. We had sell-out crowds for Megan Moroney, Glorilla, and Alabama Shakes. All three of those were really amazing concerts. Um, we had we welcomed some new audiences when we had acts like Ziggy Marley and Poncho Barraza. And then we had, you know, other lots of others in between, Muscadine Bloodline and Still Woozy and Japanese Breakfast among others. Um, our goal is always to blend these big national names, but also with emerging artists and others who are coming. We oftentimes look for local artists to do opening acts if the if the traveling band doesn't already have one. But then when we look to um how we're programming our courtyard sessions or inviting people in to play in the roadhouse, whether it's a community concert or um an act, we're trying to make sure that we're celebrating local artists in addition to bringing in um others from outside the community.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah. And then the Momentous Festival. Can you talk about the experience? Because it's when I've been to festivals at the Momentary, I love it because it's so family friendly for one thing. I mean, you can get food, drink, walk around, there's art activities. Yeah.

Jill Wagar :

So we want to talk about Momentous. So okay, Momentous is an electronic dance music festival. Um, we just had it. It is amazing. Okay, I will make an admission right here on this podcast is that um when I first started working more closely with the Momentary, I didn't like EDM. I was like, it is loud. I'm like, oh my gosh. Well, I went to the first Momentous festival for me that I had experienced. And um it was last year or the year before. And it was programmed by Laura Newell, one of our music programmers, who is amazing. And I fell in love with EDM. And I think it's because I got to hear the variety of that music all in one setting with this environment. And now it's um it's something that I really look forward to. So um Momentous is all about EDM. We just had it. It is, it's outdoors, it's indoors, there was a night market, there was food, there was performance, there were lots of lights, and it was just this really amazing energy that in a way it almost reminds me of the Format Festival. That was a lot of people think format festival was the Momentaries Festival. It wasn't. We were just the uh venue for it. But there's a certain kind of an energy, like on a small bit of a smaller scale that it reminds me of. Uh, we are already planning for next year's Momentous, which is going to be um November 6th and 7th in 2026. So if you are an EDM fan or if you want to learn more about it, uh November 6th and 7th of next year is for Momentous. Okay, you're selling it. I am. Well, and um I do want to talk too about the family-friendly aspect of the Momentary that you mentioned. One of our goals is to make sure that the Momentary feels like a living room of the community where people can pop in and out whenever they want or can. Um, and it is there's Onyx Coffee, you know, in our lobby. And we do have a lot of art making activities. Actually, coming up November 22nd is our house party. And is this a really wonderful way that it's uh we've decided to open our exhibitions with. It is like a block party. And um on November 22nd, we're opening National Geographic, the um greatest wildlife photography. And it's gonna be a really great show. But on that day, uh November 22nd, come by anytime after 10, and there's music and there's dancing, and there's food, and there's crafts, and there's the exhibition, and there's there's all sorts of things for uh families to do. Beth, I don't know if you've had a chance to bring your family to Saturday morning cartoons yet. We're going to. Okay, well, so this is really great. So um I think everyone thinks that we program Saturday morning cartoons during the winter months for um kids. Actually, it's for the adults, right? And parents, because they want to show their kids some nostalgic cartoons that they grew up with. And so in the Roadhouse, one Saturday a month, um, the next one coming up is December 27th. So it's just after the holidays while people are trying to find some things to do. Um, we will be in Roadhouse with um, it'll there'll be a cereal bar there, some uh snacks from McDonald's, who's serving as a sponsor. And we're gonna show some Christmas um uh cartoons like Frosty the Snowman, um Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Um last year we showed um Saturday morning cartoons, some great like old um Scooby-Doo and other kind of cartoons that were the old school from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that parents really um cherish. But we love to see the kids piled up in the front um on their pillows, watching their cartoons, eating cereal and the pajamas and curtains. Pajamas, yes. And the parents are in the back and they have their um their coffee and they're connecting with one another. So these are the kind of ways that the momentary can really serve as that gathering place for the city.

Beth Bobbitt:

Oh, I love it. That's perfect, yes, and perfect timing. You're ready to get out of the house by December 27th for sure. So let's speak ahead, talk about 2026. What kind of festival series can you tease for us?

Jill Wagar :

No, we have um, well, we already talked about Mementous, uh, November 6th and 7th. We also, um in 25, we started a festival called Send It South. So um, Arkansas is one of the best places for winter bicycle riding because our weather is usually pretty temperate, or if it's chilly, it's actually great for um the bike riding that's happening in this area. And we're able to invite people from, especially from out of state from cold winter states, to come to Bitonville to ride on our trails during the day and then gather at the momentary in this really fun, like lodge, rustic type feel environment that we create and come from music and to gather with one another. So we have Send It South on February 27th and 28th, um, which is great. We um I just heard from our music team that we've just gotten the first couple bookings for our concerts on the green, but I can't announce them yet. But stay tuned to Momentary Socials for announcements of what that um next um season looks like. One of the new programs we're doing, uh, Beth, is um Wednesday night happy hours in Roadhouse that will have some live music, oftentimes local and a time for people to gather. One of the things that I think a lot of surveys in Northwest Arkansas come back saying is that young professionals, especially in our community, have a harder time meeting one another. And so we want to be able to provide a space that has live music, that has a place where people can drop in and really just a happy hour to visit with one another. So starting on Wednesday nights, we'll be having um happy hours all year long, which is great. Weekly, that's the cadence. Wow.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah, that's amazing.

Jill Wagar :

And then if um you haven't been to one of our food programs, you're really missing out. Um we um invite local chefs to come in for a monthly supper club. It's a really long farmhouse style table where we have chefs come and tell their stories about what influenced their life, what influenced their cooking, and then give us some of their best recipes to taste. Um, it's an incredible program. And then taste makers is when we bring in chefs from around the country to come in. Maybe, maybe they're eating um food or bringing food that is not something we have here locally, right? Um, but really giving us um a taste of what their specialty is. So look at our calendar for for those things too.

Beth Bobbitt:

Music, food, art, what else?

Jill Wagar :

And next year we have um, you have to come and see an exhibition we'll do called Lucy Sparrow. Um, she's an artist from Britain and she creates these fantastical worlds made entirely of felt. And it is like thousands of objects. What she's doing um the momentary is recreating a um 80s and 90s supermarket and out entirely made out of felt. And it is a world that you cannot actually even imagine until you see it. So um what watch for the dates and announcements for that. But anytime, right now and through next year, middle of next year, you need to come to JR's printing press at the moment. Have you been? I have tell us about your experience.

Beth Bobbitt:

So amazing. I mean, you you walk in and um you get to learn about printing press for one thing, and then actually experience it. So you go in like a photo booth style, you can use props or accessories or whatever. But um, the best part is watching it get printed on the ceiling and there's sort of a light show, and then it comes out and there's this humongous print of your family, your portrait, you know, that you can keep forever.

Jill Wagar :

It's it was amazing. We had a blast. It's amazing. It's actually going a bit viral on TikTok. Yeah. So you'll have to come to see uh JR's printing press running now through next summer. It's still there. I want to tell you about some things still happening this year. So do you like baking, Beth? Of course. Okay. Be at the momentary the first week in December. We're having pastry week. We're bringing in chefs both locally and nationally to have different kinds of pie workshops and having pop-up um markets of pastries and uh different films related to um pastries. And so it is going to be uh really uh and a fantastic week. That's the first week in December. And then um the following week, uh December 10th through 14th, come to the Inverse Performance Festival. It is um things that you can't imagine that are just there to delight. I'll give you an insight. One of the um, one of the performers this year is the artist that has created a cell phone roller coaster. It's actually an artist duo from Kansas City and Aspen. And it is literally this roller coaster that's for your cell phone. You can put your cell phone on the roller coaster in its little spot and push record, and then your cell phone will record this really fantastic journey that it makes through um through the roller coaster.

Beth Bobbitt:

And so I know it's quite my mind's kind of blown right now, yeah.

Jill Wagar :

But that's the kind of fun that comes from um inverse. Also, um the local artist Daniel Hatch is um doing some textile work and also a performance with Inverse. And it is just it's really interesting to see.

Beth Bobbitt:

Oh my gosh, can't wait. Well, our calendars are already really full now. Thank you. You're welcome. So when you're not working and programming this amazing venue, what do you like to do in Bentonville? What are some of your favorite hotspots?

Jill Wagar :

Well, you can never go wrong with the farmer's market.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah.

Jill Wagar :

Right. I mean, it's a place to connect with other people to be able to also support um some of the local growers and craftsmen and things here. So we really enjoy that. I will tell you that there are so many new restaurants and bars in the downtown Bitonville area. Um, my husband and I will oftentimes um pair that for a date night. We'll we'll pick a restaurant that we haven't been to yet and pick a bar that we haven't been to yet and experience those. I love to say we mentioned it earlier, but the tower bar at the momentary has the best views of town. And what you can see looking down from the tower bar is one of my favorite things in um Bentonville is the Bucky Ball. It used to be located at Crystal Bridges and now it's on the Momentary's property. And if you haven't sit back in the zero gravity chairs that encircle um, it looks kind of like a soccer ball that lights up with different colors. We like to refer to it as like a digital campfire, if you will, but you can sit back on these zero um gravity benches and just admire it and just kind of sit back and relax and let the stress wash away.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah. Amazing. I love that. Well, how can we follow along the momentary? There are social website, newsletter, all of the things.

Jill Wagar :

I would say if you're not subscribed to our e-newsletters, you should be. You can do that on um online at themomentary.org. Um, so you can be some of the first to know what's happening. Also follow our socials, um uh TikTok, um, Facebook, Instagram, the momentary, uh at the momentary. Um and I would say one of the best ways to stay connected is to become a member of it. So um one of the things that many people don't realize, maybe about Crystal Bridges, but also about uh the momentary, is that we are a nonprofit and um we need um outside dollars to be able to fund the things that we're doing. As a uh public charity, um we rely on outside dollars. Many people think that since we're founded by the Walton family, that we may not need funding. It's not true. There's a limit from the IRS of what the Walton family can provide. So for us to be able to continue to bring all these free programs and then also the the amazing um national acts that we're bringing to town, we need support. So be a member and help support us. Or if your organization wants to underwrite a program, let us know. We'll be glad um to talk to you. But um, yeah, follow along and support us when you can.

Beth Bobbitt:

Yeah, that's really important. I'm glad you brought that up. And there are certainly perks with being a member, you know, discounts and be the first to know. First to know. Absolutely. Thanks so much for your time, Jill. This was fun. Thanks, Beth. Don't forget, Visit Bentonville is here to help you navigate things to do, where to eat and stay, and what's going on in our new American town. Check out the show notes to follow us on social, sign up for the newsletter, and visit our website at visitbittenville.com. Thanks for listening.