Stuttgart, the Rice and Duck Capital
Stuttgart claims the title "Rice and Duck Capital of the World," a dual identity that defines nearly everything about this Grand Prairie town of roughly 9,000 people in Arkansas County. The flat, clay-bottomed farmland surrounding Stuttgart holds water well, making it ideal for flooded rice paddies. Arkansas leads the nation in rice production, and Stuttgart sits at the geographic center of that output.
Every November and December, the rice fields and nearby bayous flood naturally or are intentionally flooded, creating massive wetland habitat for migrating ducks and geese traveling the Mississippi Flyway. The Wings Over the Prairie Festival, held the week after Thanksgiving, includes the World Championship Duck Calling Contest and draws thousands of hunters, spectators, and vendors. The contest has been held annually since 1936, making it one of the oldest competitive calling events in the country.
Beyond agriculture and hunting tourism, Stuttgart hosts the Riceland Foods headquarters, one of the largest rice milling and marketing cooperatives in the world. The company processes rice from farms across the Mid-South and exports globally. The Stuttgart Municipal Airport, originally built as a military training field during World War II, still operates for general aviation and crop dusting. The Grand Prairie Center, a performing arts venue on the Stuttgart campus of Phillips Community College, opened in 2001 and provides the area's only dedicated live performance space.
The Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie documents the agricultural and cultural history of the region, with exhibits covering everything from rice cultivation techniques to the German immigrant families who settled the area in the late 1800s. Their surname legacy is visible in street names and local business names throughout the county.
Show more
Stuttgart claims the title "Rice and Duck Capital of the World," a dual identity that defines nearly everything about this Grand Prairie town of roughly 9,000 people in Arkansas County. The flat, clay-bottomed farmland surrounding Stuttgart holds water well, making it ideal for flooded rice paddies. Arkansas leads the nation in rice production, and Stuttgart sits at the geographic center of that output.
Every November and December, the rice fields and nearby bayous flood naturally or are intentionally flooded, creating massive wetland habitat for migrating ducks and geese traveling the Mississippi Flyway. The Wings Over the Prairie Festival, held the week after Thanksgiving, includes the World Championship Duck Calling Contest and draws thousands of hunters, spectators, and vendors. The contest has been held annually since 1936, making it one of the oldest competitive calling events in the country.
Beyond agriculture and hunting tourism, Stuttgart hosts the Riceland Foods headquarters, one of the largest rice milling and marketing cooperatives in the world. The company processes rice from farms across the Mid-South and exports globally. The Stuttgart Municipal Airport, originally built as a military training field during World War II, still operates for general aviation and crop dusting. The Grand Prairie Center, a performing arts venue on the Stuttgart campus of Phillips Community College, opened in 2001 and provides the area's only dedicated live performance space.
The Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie documents the agricultural and cultural history of the region, with exhibits covering everything from rice cultivation techniques to the German immigrant families who settled the area in the late 1800s. Their surname legacy is visible in street names and local business names throughout the county.
Country selected
Region selected
City selected
