FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. ? The eighth annual Fayetteville Arts Festival has expanded its programming to become the largest festival of its kind in the region. To accompany the already popular visual arts booths, the festival will be jam-packed with film, theatre, dance, poetry and music.

The festival runs Tuesday through Aug. 28.

The festival will span a full 12 blocks in downtown Fayetteville, reaching the Walton Arts Center, the trendy Mill District, the Blair Library and the historic Town Square. More 10,000 people are expected to attend.

Kicking off the festival on Tuesday is the free Mayor’s Concert featuring internationally celebrated concert pianist and University of Arkansas distinguished music professor, Jura Margulis.

On Saturday, audiences will be able to enjoy the Fayetteville Short Film Festival. Short films (under 40-minutes) from around the country will be presented. The audience will choose one “Best in Show” film to receive $1,000. Film enthusiasts will also be able to attend workshops and lectures from film industry notables, grant makers, screenwriters and more. There will also be an exhibition portion of the programming featuring award-winning documentaries and films from local and national film-makers.

Slam poetry is on tap for Saturday night in the Arkansas vs. The World Poetry Slam Invitational at the Walton Arts Center. The winner of the competition will take home a $1,000 prize.

On Sunday, the festival will present a 24-Hour Play Festival. Twelve teams of one playwright, one director and three actors will arrive 24 hours before the production and begin work on creating 12 completely original 10-minute plays. They must write, cast, direct and rehearse their play, and ultimately perform it for the public, all within 24 hours. The winning team will walk away with $1,000. The plays will be judged by screenwriter, actor and director Mel Green, who has written for “Saturday Night Live” and “SCTV.”

Other events throughout the week include artist exhibitions, North Arkansas Symphony performances, literary and poetry readings, Arkansas Playwrights’ Workshop New Play Readings, a Patty Loveless concert, and the Art Festival Main Stage featuring performances of jazz, classical, blues, and bluegrass music, dance exhibitions, live theater and much more.

Updated schedule information is available at www.downtowndickson.com.