New holiday to promote cities across 501 area code

The Malvern Downtown Development Corporation and the Malvern/ Hot Spring County Chamber of Commerce along with officials from across central Arkansas are asking residents to join in to celebrate a new holiday: 501 Day, to take place on 5/01 – May 1st, 2021.

“Most people know 501 as the area code for central Arkansas. Over the years, 501 has come to represent much more than just part of a phone number; 501 has become a symbol of a beautiful, bustling region in the heart of Arkansas,” according to a news release.

The Downtown Little Rock Partnership, together with other cities, chambers of commerce, and community organizations throughout central Arkansas, created 501 Day to celebrate the region they are proud to call home, according to the release.

“We’ve seen this done in other regions whose area codes correspond to dates on a calendar,” said Gabe Holmstrom, executive director of Downtown Little Rock Partnership. “During a brainstorming session one day, we realized we had this great opportunity to celebrate the 501 on 5/01. We got on the phone with some other 501 cities and it snowballed from there.”

On 501 Day, businesses and organizations are encouraged to show their 501 pride with special 501-themed offers, activities, merchandise, public art displays, and whatever else they dream up. According to the 501 Day website, “501 Day is exactly what you make of it. Each community in Central Arkansas is encouraged to engage their people, organizations, and businesses with creative ways to celebrate. The options stretch as far as the imagination can go.”

With the hashtag #Celebrate501, @Celebrate501 on Instagram and Facebook, and Celebrate501.com, 501 Day and the Celebrate 501 movement has a public platform for people to share what they love about central Arkansas year-round, culminating with an annual event on May 1.

According to Lance Howell, director of the Malvern/ Hot Spring County Chamber of Commerce, Monday 501 Day was introduced to the community.

In a promotion video for the holiday, local leaders were featured.

Howell hopes that this event will be an opportunity for small businesses to promote themselves in this community and for local business owners to get some expose outside of their city and county.

To learn more about what cities fall in the 501 area code, and to see a list of activities and offers happening on 501 Day, visit www.celebrate501.com.