The Poultry Federation’s 66th-annual Poultry Festival is set for Rogers in June, and it promises to match last year’s event, which sold more than 4,500 tickets and impacted the local economy by $4.19 million.
The event, which will carry a Route 66 “All Roads Lead Here” theme, will take place on Friday and Saturday, June 12-13, at the Rogers Convention Center. The festival concert will take place Saturday night inside the Walmart AMP.
Presented by the Poultry Federation, the Little Rock-based advocacy group for poultry and egg producers, the festival annually attracts members and friends of the industry from across the country to northwest Arkansas for two days of socializing, networking, team building, games and live music.
Officially, TPF represents producers from Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, but the organization has evolved into a major voice for the industry nationally, and the festival has evolved over six decades into one of the biggest celebrations of the industry in the U.S.
This year’s activities will include a golf tournament, trap shoot competition, a Route 66 classic car showcase, the annual scholarship auction, an industry awards ceremony, an all-member cooking competition and Arkansas 4-H cooking competition and, of course, live music.
Entertainment will be headlined by Diamond Rio, featuring special guest The Wilder Blue.
Purchase of a festival ticket or package includes:
- 1 entry to the industry awards banquet and scholarship auction on Friday
- 1 entry to the all-member cooking competition on Saturday
- 1 entry to the all-member cooking competition dinner and presentation of awards on Saturday
- 1 entry to the festival concert on Saturday (seat selection based on ticket type — platinum, gold, silver or lawn)
More information on tickets and activities, including tent options and cooking competition guidelines, is available here.
Two of the most anticipated components of the festival each year are the scholarship auction, which will mark its 30th anniversary in 2026, and the all-member cooking competition. The federation annually provides scholarships to deserving young people interested in a career in the poultry and egg industry. All proceeds from the auction are applied to the federation scholarship fund and provide support to 4-H and FFA chapters in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
In 2025, the auction raised a total of $143,250 in scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year to 27 undergraduate and 11 graduate students in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
This year’s goal is $140,000 with 20 live auction items and 100-plus silent items.
Information on donating to the auction is available here.
The all-member cooking competition will also mark its 30th year in 2026. It is open exclusively to poultry and allied TPF members and will take place on Saturday.
Competitors are encouraged to transform their booths into a showstopper straight out of the golden age of chrome and checkered floors. Think drive-ins, soda fountains, bold retro signage and a dash of roadside magic.
Teams may choose to cook or offer an alternative snack, beverage or game. Cooking options include eggs, bone-in or boneless chicken and bone-in or boneless turkey — or competitors can serve up a creative snack, drink or interactive booth experience (think milkshakes, mini-games and diner bites).
Booth decór is highly encouraged, and competitors are encouraged to go big with neon, checkerboard, poodle skirts, record walls or Route 66-inspired flair.
Awards will be presented to:
- Grand champion (poultry, allied, egg)
- Poultry 1st–3rd place (bone-in chicken, boneless chicken, bone-in turkey, boneless turkey)
- Allied 1st–3rd place
- Egg champion (boiled, fried, scrambled)
- 1st – 3rd place booth design
More information is available here.
The golf tournament, trap shoot and classic car showcase will take place on Friday and require pre-registration. Registration in the all-member cooking competition, golf tournament, trap shoot and classic car showcase does not grant access to the festival concert.
The full festival agenda is available here. This year’s title sponsors are Butterball, CEVA Animal Health, FPEC and Sunbelt Rentals.
Registration for the 2026 festival closes on June 12 at 8 a.m.
Feature image: The Saturday night concert — Chris Janson performed in 2023 — is a staple of the annual Poultry Festival. (Photo courtesy of TPF)
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