Late spring through October is the long season. The Ozark Folk Center's full schedule of concerts and craft demonstrations runs April to October, the square pickin' is at its best in warm dry weather, and the float trips and the cave both work in the heat of summer. The Arkansas Folk Festival in mid-April and the Bluegrass Festival in early November draw crowds — book accommodation well ahead for those weeks.
Late autumn is colour season in the Ozarks — late October into early November is striking, with the courthouse pickin' continuing on warm days. Winter is quiet and chilly; the cave runs year-round on a limited schedule and the town is at its most local then.