Randolph County Arkansas Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival
Fifty-year-old music still moves through the streets of Pocahontas every autumn. The Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival fills the downtown square with sock hops, tribute acts, 1950s and 1960s sounds, and a crowd in poodle skirts and saddle oxfords. It exists because the road that carries you into town once carried Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and others to roadhouses, clubs, and drive-in theaters across the Arkansas Delta.
Pocahontas sits on the Black River where the Ozark foothills meet the edge of the Mississippi River delta, and the festival suits that in-between place. It is part street dance, part history lesson, and part small-town fall weekend, with dogs in costume, a 5K, and an open-mic stage near the courthouse.
About the Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival
The festival is an annual music event on the historic square in downtown Pocahontas. Past editions have been held in October, with Thursday and Friday evening events leading into a full Saturday, though one edition covered by KAIT ran into early September, so confirm the current date. The Randolph County Tourism Association has been a primary organizer, and its director at the time, Dewrell Thompson, said the festival celebrates the highway’s rock ‘n’ roll designation and keeps 1950s and 1960s music alive.
Typical programming has included Bop the Square, a Thursday-night downtown event with extended shop hours and a 1950s-60s theme, built on the monthly Stroll the Square; a Friday sock hop hosted by the Randolph County Heritage Dancers; a haunted tour of downtown; and a Saturday of live music from a stage on the square. The festival’s own website, rocknroll67.com, was the listed source in past years.
For another look at how a community turns its own traditions into a gathering, see the Jackson County Arkansas Depot Days Festival for a useful comparison.
It differs from a county fair because it has no livestock or midway at its core. It is a downtown music festival with a theme and an audience that dresses for the era.
History and Origins of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival
The festival traces back to a state law. In 2009, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe signed legislation designating US Highway 67 in Jackson, Lawrence, and Randolph counties as the Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway, with Act 26 of 2013 later adding the White County section. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, the designated route runs about 111 miles through northeast Arkansas, and musicians including Sonny Burgess played with the governor at the Capitol on the day the bill was signed.
The designation honored a real musical history. In the 1950s, Highway 67 linked Memphis recording studios with small-town clubs. Venues on the road included Bob King’s King of Clubs in Swifton, the Silver Moon Club in Newport, and, in Pocahontas, the rooftop of the Skylark Drive-In Theater. Performers who traveled the corridor included Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Sonny Burgess, who was a hometown favorite in the region.
After the naming, Pocahontas started its own festival. As the Randolph County Tourism Association’s director put it to KAIT, the idea was to celebrate the designation and keep the music alive. News coverage from 2013 and 2014 calls it an annual event, and a KAIT story in an undated year called it the fourth annual, which suggests a start in the early 2010s.
The festival has company nearby. Newport, in Jackson County, has held its own Depot Days festival since 1998, and it too pays tribute to the highway’s music history. Together the two events anchor a regional heritage music circuit.
Randolph County’s Rock ‘N’ Roll and River Heritage
Randolph County was created on October 29, 1835, from part of Lawrence County. Its landscape has been described as standing with one foot in the Ozark foothills and one in the delta. Five rivers cross it, the Spring, Black, Current, Fourche, and Eleven Point, which gives the county an unusual claim among Arkansas counties.
Pocahontas, the county seat and largest town, had a population of about 6,583 in one published count, and the county had 18,571 residents in the 2020 census. Agriculture contributes tens of millions of dollars to the county’s economy each year, and Pocahontas serves as a regional center of light industry, farm supplies, and education.
The rock ‘n’ roll connection is a layer of that history. Northeast Arkansas sat between Memphis and the Missouri state line, and many clubs in dry counties drew patrons from nearby wet ones. Newport, according to a festival organizer there, was a wet county that supplied entertainment to surrounding dry counties. That mixture of geography and law helped create the club culture the festival honors.
What to Expect at the Festival
Main attractions and activities
Past schedules show a pattern. Thursday has featured Bop the Square, a downtown evening with extended merchant hours. Friday has included the sock hop, where costume prizes are awarded, followed by a haunted tour. Saturday has included food and craft vendors on the square, live music beginning around noon, a doggie costume or fashion show hosted by the Randolph County Humane Society, an open-mic competition, and the Rock-N-Run 5K through downtown.
Other attractions have included a Rock ‘N’ Ride motorcycle run and turtle races, with the turtles wearing numbers on their shells and racing down a 60-foot track. Past performers have included The Boomers, Jason D. Williams, and Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers, who headlined in 2015. Lineups change, so treat these as examples.
Food and vendors
Food and craft vendors have been set up along the historic square, beginning in the morning. I could not verify a current vendor list. Local restaurants near the square usually stay open during festival hours, and the monthly Stroll the Square model means shops run specials.
Family and children’s activities
The festival has a family flavor. The doggie costume contest, sock hop, turtle race, and costume prizes appeal to children, and the 5K gives older children a goal. The haunted tour is billed as a fundraiser and may not suit small children. I could not verify 4-H exhibits or dedicated children’s areas.
Planning Your Visit: Practical Information
Getting to Randolph County
Pocahontas is on US Highway 67, the Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway itself, and US Highway 62 also passes through the area. From Jonesboro, you can reach Pocahontas in roughly an hour. Little Rock is about two and a half hours to the southwest, and Memphis is about two hours to the south and east. US 63 runs north from the area to Mammoth Spring and the Missouri line. The nearest commercial airports are Memphis International and Little Rock’s Clinton National, with smaller airports closer by. The festival is on the downtown square, near the courthouse and the Randolph County Heritage Museum. Neighboring counties that supply visitors include Lawrence, Clay, Sharp, and Fulton.
Where to stay
Pocahontas has chain hotels and motels near the highway, and I could not verify specific names or availability. Walnut Ridge, Jonesboro, and Newport offer more options, and cabins and river outfitters in the Ozark foothills offer a different kind of stay. Davidsonville Historic State Park is nearby, though I could not confirm current camping facilities.
Parking and crowd logistics
Expect streets around the square to close or fill. Saturday afternoon and evening are usually the busiest, and arriving before the music starts around noon gives you easier parking. Thursday’s Bop the Square is the lightest night, suited to browsing shops.
Admission, costs, and ticket information
Many festival events have been free to enter, with separate fees for specific activities. The haunted tour cost $5 in 2014, and the motorcycle run and 5K have registration fees. I could not verify current prices, so check rocknroll67.com or the tourism association.
Weather and what to wear
October in northeast Arkansas is generally mild, with daytime highs in the 60s and 70s and cooler evenings. Dress in layers, wear shoes you can dance in, and consider a retro costume. Bring a light jacket and rain protection.
Beyond the Festival: Exploring Randolph County
The Randolph County Heritage Museum, which opened in September 2006 on the courthouse square, houses oral histories, genealogical records, and exhibits on local archaeology, the Civil War, and the pearling industry. The 1872 courthouse on the square now houses the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce.
At Overlook Park, the historic Port of Pocahontas, you can walk along the Black River bluff. Davidsonville Historic State Park preserves the site of Arkansas’s first post office, first federal land office, and first courthouse. Eleven Point River outfitters offer float trips in warmer months, and Mammoth Spring State Park lies to the north.
Rock ‘n’ roll fans can continue down the highway to Newport, where the Rock and Roll Highway 67 Museum and the Depot Days festival continue the story.
The Economic and Community Significance of the Festival
For downtown Pocahontas, the festival brings foot traffic to merchants, restaurants, and lodging at a time of year when outdoor events are comfortable. Because it builds on Stroll the Square, it also supports a year-round effort to keep the historic downtown active.
It also gives nonprofits a stage. The Humane Society’s dog show and the Five Rivers Historic Preservation haunted tour raise money for local causes, and the Randolph County Heritage Dancers use the sock hop to raise funds for courthouse improvements. Volunteers and local sponsors carry much of the work.
Festival Area Map
The map below locates Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival at the courthouse square in Randolph County, Arkansas.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival?
It has typically been held in October, though one edition ran in early September. Confirm the current dates with the Randolph County Tourism Association.
Where is it held?
It takes place on the historic square in downtown Pocahontas, Arkansas, in Randolph County.
Is the festival free to attend?
Many events have been free, but activities such as the haunted tour, motorcycle run, and 5K have charged fees. Verify current pricing.
How long does it last?
It has run from Thursday evening through Saturday in past years.
What is the county known for?
Randolph County is known for its five rivers, the Ozark foothills and delta landscape, Davidsonville Historic State Park, and its place on Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67.
Is the festival suitable for children?
Yes, with family-friendly events such as the sock hop, dog show, and turtle races. The haunted tour may not suit young children.
What should visitors bring?
Bring layers, dancing shoes, a camera, cash, and sun or rain protection.
Are pets allowed?
Dogs are part of the festival’s costume contest, but I could not verify a general pet policy. Ask the organizers.
What to Expect From the Next Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival
Is Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival held every year?
Yes, Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival is an annual event.
When is the next Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival?
The next Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival is expected each year. Check with the organizers in the county for the confirmed date.
Does the Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival schedule change?
The performers, vendors, and activities at Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival change from year to year.
Last updated: October 2026
The Rock ‘N’ Roll Highway 67 Music Festival keeps a road’s musical history alive on the square where some of those musicians once passed through. If you like 1950s sounds, small-town streets, and a little costume fun, October in Pocahontas is a good time to take the highway.
