Editor’s Note - Apr 5, 2026

Happy Easter from River Valley Local 🐣

Whether today is filled with family gatherings, church services, or just a quiet Sunday, we hope you get a chance to slow down and enjoy it.

Easter tends to mark a turning point this time of year. The weather starts to settle in, days get longer, and more people begin getting out and exploring what’s happening around the River Valley.

You can already see it — more events popping up, more activity across town, and more reasons to get out of the house.

That’s exactly what we’re building here — one place to keep up with what’s happening across the River Valley, week by week.

One of the best ways to find great local food isn’t through ads — it’s by paying attention to what people recommend when someone asks a simple question.

A recent local discussion asked:

👉 “Best food trucks (not Mexican — already have plenty of those)?”

And as always, the River Valley showed up with a long list of favorites.

Here are some of the spots that came up again and again:

The Buffalo Burger Co.
One of the most talked-about spots — multiple people called it a top-tier choice.

Lily’s Sandwich Shop
A standout with repeated mentions, especially for sandwiches and consistency.

Rollin’ Smoke BBQ
A go-to for BBQ lovers with strong local support.

The Mothership UFO Burgers
A unique option with a loyal following.

The Philly Shack / Marcus Moore
Known for Philly cheesesteaks — including pulled pork variations.

BOH Flavors • The Taste Station • Stickos • Neon Moon (Mountainburg)
Lambert’s Curbside • Freshstart Seafood & Catering • Nana’s Lunch Box
Mr. Klucks (Alma) • The Grubb • See’s Seafood

It’s always interesting to see how quickly a list like this grows — and how many strong local options there are once people start sharing their favorites.

We’ll keep building out more of these local recommendations over time.

If you’re out exploring the area or heading toward the mountains, Neon Moon in Mountainburg is one of those spots locals keep mentioning.

It’s the kind of place that adds character to the region — something a little different that’s worth checking out if you’re nearby.

Looking for something to do this week? We’re building one of the largest collections of events and things to do across the River Valley — gathered from community calendars, local organizations, and event listings throughout the region.

Our calendar now includes 400+ upcoming events, with new ones added daily.

Here are a few happening this week:

🛍 Lavaca City-Wide Yard Sale
📍 April 10, 2026
A full day of antiques, tools, collectibles, and more across the city. Maps available locally.

🎨 Figure Drawing Workshop (Mary Woodward)
📍 April 9–10, 2026 – Fort Smith
Hands-on workshop working from a live model. All supplies included.

🫖 3rd Annual Tea for Tails
📍 April 11, 2026 – Van Buren
A tea party and dog fashion show benefiting Almost Home Shelter, with auctions, prizes, and plenty of fun for pet lovers.

🐾 National Pet Day Festival – Pointer Dog Park
📍 April 11, 2026
Free admission, vendors, food, and a great chance to celebrate the new dog park with the community.

Planning the weekend? We also pull together just the Friday–Sunday events so you can quickly see what’s happening.

👉 See Things to Do This Weekend

Or browse the full calendar with 300+ upcoming events across the region:

If you’ve been paying attention to local recommendations lately, one name keeps popping up:

The Buffalo Burger Co.

It showed up multiple times in a recent local discussion about the best food trucks in the area — with people calling it a “top tier” choice.

From burgers to sides (especially the sweet potato fries 👀), it’s clearly one of those spots that locals keep going back to.

If you haven’t tried it yet, this might be a good week to check it out.

From chamber events to casual meetups, there are plenty of opportunities each week to connect with local professionals and entrepreneurs.

We keep a running list of upcoming networking events across the River Valley.

Hosting a networking event? Submit it to our events calendar.

If you’re a dog lover, next weekend is shaping up to be a great one.

The 3rd Annual Tea for Tails brings together the community for a fun tea party, dog fashion show, and fundraiser supporting Almost Home Shelter.

From photo ops to auctions and prizes, it’s a great way to support a local cause while enjoying a unique event.

Follow coverage from across the River Valley:

Add your Business to the River Valley Local Directory

Submit an Event to our Events calendar

Meet more Adoptable Dogs at Almost Home Shelter or Fort Smith Animal Haven

Thanks for reading River Valley Local. We’re continuing to build River Valley Local into a single place for events, local answers, and practical information.

Have something we should know about? An event, update, or story tip? Just reply to this email — we read every message.

Community note
River Valley Local grows through word of mouth. If you’ve found this useful, sharing it with a friend or neighbor helps strengthen local coverage across the River Valley.

We’re also working toward our next community milestone — 1,000 subscribers — and when we get there, we plan to celebrate with a local giveaway. More details soon.

River Valley Local is typically sent Sunday mornings. Occasionally, we’ll send a special mid-week update if something important affects a specific area.