Summer Arrives in Northwest Arkansas

Summer officially started Wednesday! 

It was also the Summer Solstice, which means it's the longest day of the year.

Harold and Phyllis Pierce spent their first day of summer hand in hand on a stroll through Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.

"So long as the humidity's not really really high it's pretty nice right here, there's usually a breeze," Harold said.

There's only two things he doesn't like about summertime, the bugs and the storms.

"A couple of years ago for my birthday my wife rented that pavilion over there and in comes a summer storm that day and the lightning was so close I thought that was the end of it right there," he said.

The Pierce's aren't the only people who like to visit the battlefield park when it's warm outside.

"We have a great increase in walkers and runners, those kinds of people in the park too," said Holly Houser, historical park interpreter.

At Wilson Park in Fayetteville, it's not just humans who are enjoying the dog days of summer.

Kelly O'Connell's dog Hector likes to swim in the small pond near the children's castle.

"Hector has been coming here for about four years and he tries to catch the fish, thank goodness the fish are really fast," she said.

But O'Connell has to be careful in the rising temperatures.

"It requires a lot of water and shade, it's easy to get overheated."

When folks are ready to cool down, they come to Kayla Thames at Tropical Sno.

"It's the best time of the year," Thames said.  "You get to go outside, hang out, go to the lake, get snow cones obviously, that's the best part."

She's seen all sorts of flavor combos.

"Anything from root beer with orange to like four different flavors.  They'll just mix anything, I've heard some really crazy ones."

Deborah Bradford-Jennings is kicking the summer off with her first snow cone of the season, in her favorite flavors.

"Strawberry, peach, mango."

It's a cool way to welcome in the hottest time of year.