Honoring the Builders: A Living Documentary Experience

Step into a joyful, family-friendly journey where Conway’s story comes alive through music, storytelling, youth activities, and community.
About this Event

About This Commuity Event

A free, family-friendly community experience open to all ages.

Every community is shaped by people whose names may never appear on a building, but whose courage, care, creativity, sacrifice, and everyday leadership leave a lasting mark.

• Honoring the Builders is a free joyful, family-friendly living documentary experience that brings Conway’s history to life through narration, music, storytelling, images, and community participation.
• Guided by an emcee and narrator, the experience will move through three chapters—The Beginning, The Belonging, and The Path Forward. Each chapter will help place the stories of Conway’s builders within the time periods, challenges, and communities that made their contributions so meaningful.
• Storytellers will share the lives and legacies of selected honorees—some living, some remembered—revealing not only what they accomplished, but who they were, what they stood for, and how their choices helped shape Conway.
• This is not an awards ceremony. It is an opportunity to experience history in a more human way—to be entertained, to learn, to reflect, and to recognize the people, families, educators, institutions, businesses, organizations, and neighborhood leaders whose work continues to influence the community we share.

The larger event experience will also include youth and family activities, food, local vendors, community partners, and opportunities for people of all ages to connect, participate, and carry the story forward.

What You’ll Experience

• A Living Documentary
  Narration, music, storytelling, and artistic moments that place Conway’s builders within the history and circumstances of their time.
• Stories of Legacy and Humanity
  Personal stories honoring living and deceased builders while revealing the values, relationships, sacrifices, and everyday acts behind their contributions.
• A Journey Through Conway’s Story
  An experience that moves from the community’s beginnings, through the people and places that created belonging, and toward the responsibility of future generations.
• Add Your Story to the Living Record
  Guests will have opportunities to share a story, memory, photograph, family connection, or reflection about someone who helped shape Conway. With their permission, selected contributions may be recorded or photographed as part of the event’s living documentary and the continuing effort to preserve community stories.
• Youth and Family Activities
  Creative, hands-on experiences designed to help young people and families explore leadership, belonging, history, and the kind of community they want to help build.
• Food, Vendors, and Community Connection
  Local food, businesses, organizations, and community partners creating a welcoming space to gather, connect, and enjoy the day together.

Who Is Invited

Conway residents, families, young people, educators, community leaders, local organizations, history lovers, and anyone who wants to experience the stories of the people who helped build the community we share.

We especially welcome family members, friends, former students, neighbors, colleagues, and community members who want to support the honorees or who carry stories, memories, photographs, and historical connections of their own.

Guests will also have opportunities to contribute to the living record by sharing the people, places, and experiences they believe should be remembered. You do not need to be a historian or prepared speaker—sometimes a name, a photograph, or a personal memory is where an important story begins.

All generations are welcome.

Event Details

Free Admission

Saturday, August 29, 2026
3:00–7:30 PM
MLK Park / MLK Square
1101 Markham Street
Conway, Arkansas 72032

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Reserve Your Place

This event is free and open to the community, but advance registration is encouraged so we can prepare for the number of guests attending.

When you register, you will also have the opportunity to let us know whether you:

• Have a story or memory connected to Conway’s builders
• Have photographs, documents, or historical materials to share
• Are connected to one of the honorees
• Would be interested in being interviewed or documented
• Would like information about future Honoring the Builders programs

About the Organizer

Honoring the Builders is produced by Sisu Spark Studios, a creative production and experience-design studio creating community-centered events, storytelling platforms, media projects, and public experiences that help people connect, participate, and feel more fully seen.

Get Involved

Interested in supporting Honoring the Builders as a volunteer, sponsor, or vendor?

For information about current opportunities and participation details, contact:

Chelsea Mattison
Sisu Spark Studios

Closing Invitation

Come experience Conway’s story as it comes alive through music, narration, memory, and the voices of the people who carry it.

Bring your family. Hear the stories. Enjoy the activities. Connect with your community. Help us honor the builders who shaped Conway—and inspire the next generation to recognize that they, too, have something meaningful to build.