The Toad Suck Daze festival has revealed its stellar lineup, unique zoo display, and donation options

Conway, Arkansas – The biggest free family festival in Arkansas, Toad Suck Daze, made three major announcements on Thursday: a record amount of charitable contributions, a new exhibit at the Little Rock Zoo, and the main act for the festival, which is scheduled to begin the weekend of May 3. Commencing in 1982, Toad Suck Daze is now in its 43rd year of celebration.

More than $2.4 million has been donated to charities since Toad Suck Daze’s founding. The festival declared this year that it would provide an additional $220,500 to fund community development, STEM education, preschool funding, scholarships, endowments, and pre-K reading programs.

The Little Rock Zoo will also receive a $100,000 donation from the festival to help with the establishment of the Hidden Corners of the World: Uncommon Creatures exhibit.

A section of the reptile house will be rebuilt for the show, with six tanks containing several rare creatures. The featured species will be the following: the Amazon milk frogs, fringed leaf frogs, prehensile-tailed skink, Philippine tree skink, dyeing poison dart frogs, bumblebee dart frogs, emerald tree boa, amazon tree boa, Solomon Island leaf frogs, Bornean eared frogs, Colorado river toads, Vietnamese mossy frogs, flying frogs, and the tentacled snake.

“As unique as Toad Suck Daze are the creatures within the hidden corners of the world,” said Joy Matlock, director of marketing and development at the Little Rock Zoo. “This exhibit features reptiles and amphibians from all over our planet. Guests will marvel at the wonder, beauty, and oddities of magnificent creatures and learn about the unique habitats where they can be found.”

“Last year was an incredible one for Toad Suck Daze, thanks to our presenting sponsors and major festival partners,” said Conway Area Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Brad Lacy. “This allowed us to give more than any year in the festival’s history, and establish a new partnership with the Little Rock Zoo, which we are excited about.”

A list of the festival’s financial contributions can be found below:

• $100,000 to the Little Rock Zoo for the Hidden Corners of the World: Uncommon Creatures exhibit
• $20,000 to design and engineer a toad-themed pocket park in downtown Conway
• $25,000 to the Conway Downtown Partnership
• $33,500 to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library
• $17,000 in college scholarships for Faulkner County students
• $10,000 to the Toad Suck Daze Emerging Scholars
• $10,000 to a Greetings from Conway mural in downtown Conway
• $5,000 to the Reynolds Performance Main Stage Series

A wide range of entertainment has also been revealed as the main attraction of Toad Suck Daze’s upcoming festival.

On Friday, May 3, there will be performances by Sad Daddy, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, and the bluegrass group Arkansauce.

On Saturday, May 4, platinum artist Matt Stell and former American Idol champion Kris Allen will be featured.

Midnight South, Christie Huff, and Sophie and the New Relics will kick off the celebrations before them.

Josh Baldwin and David Leonard will perform on Sunday, with Destiny Worship Music serving as the opening act.

Toad Suck has announced a plethora of additional programs in addition to musical acts.