THE ARKANSAS PODCAST FESTIVAL 2026
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 // RECEPTION AT 5:30 PM E.O. MANEES HOUSE // NORTH LITTLE ROCK
ARKAST is the yearly festival the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative puts on for the people who make and listen to podcasts in Arkansas. The fifth ARKAST is a dinner on Friday, October 16, 2026 at the E.O. Manees House in North Little Rock. The Collab will present its new membership packages that night, and nominations for the ARKAST Awards open the same evening.
THE VENUE // ARGENTA, NORTH LITTLE ROCK
The venue
The E.O. Manees House is a restored historic home in the Argenta district of North Little Rock, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The evening uses the indoor rooms and the garden.
The house is at 216 West 4th Street in North Little Rock, and parking is free.
THE EVENING // FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16
The evening, hour by hour
Doors open at 5:00 PM, the reception starts at 5:30 PM, and the evening runs until 11:00 PM. This is the plan for the night.
Reception
Check in at the door, get a drink, and find your table. This is the time to meet the other hosts before dinner starts.
Dinner
Dinner is seated and served at 6:00. Podcasters, listeners, and the Collab's sponsors eat together.
New membership packages
The Collab explains its new membership packages for the coming year: what each level includes, what it costs, and how to sign up that night.
Recognitions and awards nominations
The Collab recognizes a few people and shows for their work this year. Then nominations open for the ARKAST Awards. After nominations close, the finalists are announced and public voting opens. Winners are announced at the spring ARKAST in Northwest Arkansas, so no award is decided on October 16.
Networking
After the recognitions the house stays open until 11:00 PM for conversation.
THE DETAILS // OCTOBER 16, 2026
Date, venue, and tickets
Tickets are on sale through Eventbrite. Refunds are available up to 7 days before the event.
DATE
Friday, October 16, 2026
Reception at 5:30 PM, dinner at 6:00 PM, networking until 11:00 PM.
VENUE
E.O. Manees House
216 West 4th Street, North Little Rock
Argenta district, with free parking.
TICKETS
On sale now on Eventbrite. Refunds are available up to 7 days before the event.
ABOUT ARKAST // SINCE 2022
What ARKAST is
ARKAST began in 2022 as a one-day meetup for Arkansas podcasters. Over the next two years it grew into a festival with live recordings, panels, and workshops, and in 2024 it added the ARKAST Awards. The Arkansas Podcast Collaborative formed in spring 2023 to run ARKAST and to support podcasters between festivals.
The fifth ARKAST is one evening instead of a full day. The program is the dinner, the new membership packages, and the opening of awards nominations, with the rest of the night left open for conversation.
PAST YEARS // 2022 TO 2026
Five years of ARKAST
Year one
The first ARKAST was a one-day meetup for Arkansas podcasters.
Year two
The Arkansas Podcast Collaborative formed in the spring and took over running the festival.
Year three
ARKAST added the ARKAST Awards. The first ceremony was held in Fayetteville on November 14.
Year four
ARKAST held one edition in Central Arkansas and one in Northwest Arkansas, along with the second ARKAST Awards.
Year five
A dinner at the E.O. Manees House on October 16, with the new membership packages and the opening of awards nominations.
PHOTOS
Photos from past years
THE ARKAST AWARDS
Award nominations open October 16
The ARKAST Awards recognize Arkansas podcasts by category. Nominations open at the festival on October 16. When they close, the finalists are announced and public voting opens, and winners are announced at the spring ARKAST in Northwest Arkansas. The categories, the nomination rules, and the ballot are on the awards page.
SPONSORS
Sponsoring ARKAST 2026
ARKAST is paid for by local sponsors. A sponsor package can cover part of the evening, the awards, or a placement on this website. The sponsor sheet lists each level and what it includes, and the advertise page is where to ask for it.
YEAR FIVE // FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2026
Get your ARKAST ticket
Tickets for Friday, October 16 are on sale through Eventbrite. The ARKAST email list sends a reminder and arrival details the week of the event.