The Salt Bowl Committee is pleased to announce that we will be “Together Again” for Salt Bowl 2021 at War Memorial Stadium!
The largest high school football game in the State of Arkansas, Salt Bowl 2021 will be played on Saturday night, August 28, 7:00pm at War Memorial Stadium. The Benton Panthers will be the home team this year and their fans will sit on the west side of War Memorial Stadium. The Bryant Hornets will be the visitors and sit on the east side.
Tickets go on sale TODAY (August 2, 2021) at all Saline County Big Red Store locations, they are $12 and include a Salt Bowl T-shirt!! Benton fans should purchase tickets from a Benton Big Red location; Bryant fans from a Bryant store. Tickets will be available at the stadium for $15 but do not include a t-shirt. Only AAA passes will be accepted at the gate.
The Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC) and the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) are partnering to provide free Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccines for those 18 and older from 2:00pm-7:00pm in the tailgate area on the east side of War Memorial Stadium. All those 18 and older who receive their vaccine will receive their choice of a $20 Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Scratch-Off or Arkansas Game and Fish Certificate. No appointment is necessary, bring your ID and insurance card if available.
Again, this year for those unable to attend in person, the game will be available via Pay Per View. A link will be provided closer to game day on the Salt Bowl website www.saltbowlar.com and on each school district’s website as well as social media. The game will also be carried on 1037 The Buzz sponsored by Big Red Stores and on 1067 Buzz2 for the Panther broadcast sponsored by Everett Buick GMC and the Benton Touchdown Club. For updates regarding this year’s game, fans can visit the website, our Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram @SaltBowlAR. Comment using the hashtag #SaltySaturday.
It is also important to remember there are security procedures at War Memorial Stadium including a clear bag policy and each fan will go through a metal detector. A list of permitted and prohibited items can be found on the Salt Bowl website at www.saltbowlar.com. Gates to the stadium will open at 5:00pm and fans are encouraged to arrive early.
“We are looking forward to another great Salt Bowl experience for our players, fans and both communities, the Salt Bowl Committee will continue to monitor the ongoing situation with Covid-19 and will work with our partners and update everyone with any new information related to this year’s game” said Shane Broadway, one of the Salt Bowl founders. “The committee remains extremely grateful to everyone who worked with us last year to pull off the largest outdoor event since the beginning of the pandemic and we appreciate the confidence and guidance of Governor Hutchinson, the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Activities Association.”
Game week will kick-off with the Recycle Saline Coaches’ and Players’ press conference held at noon on Tuesday, August 24th at the Saline County Career and Technical Campus-ASU Three Rivers and via Zoom. Coach Brad Harris, Coach Buck James and two players from each team will be available for interviews about this year’s game. A Zoom link will be sent to the members of the media prior to the press conference.
That evening both teams will have community pep rallies at 6:30pm. Benton will be at Everett Infiniti and Bryant will be at Everett Buick GMC.
This year’s event will include the annual Dairy Queen-Arkansas’ Largest High School Tailgate Party that will include nearly 100 vendors and organizations from across Saline County and will kick-off at 4pm on the East Side of War Memorial Stadium. Anyone interested in renting a booth space should contact the Bryant Chamber of Commerce at 501-847-4702
Pre-game festivities will begin at 7 p.m. and will include a flyover after the National Anthem by Bulldog Flight-Mid South RVators. We will recognize the recipients of our Community Service Awards, the Rob Patrick Award and the Donnie Burks Awards, all sponsored by McFarland Eye Care.
The Future Panthers and Future Hornets sponsored by ACDI, will be back on the field this year to be recognized and form the line for the teams to enter the field.
The Honorary Co- Captains sponsored by Republic Services will be the sons of the late Coach Michael McClellan who passed away in June of 2020. Coach McClellan was a beloved coach for many years who played high school football for the Bryant Hornets and coached the defensive line for the Panthers from 2010-2017. His son Julius McClellan will be the Captain for the Hornets and Jett McClellan will be the Captain for the Panthers.
At halftime, both bands will perform on the field together. The Benton Band will be seated in the North End Zone and the Bryant Band in the South End Zone. Cheer and dance squads will perform from both schools.
Salt Bowl 2021 “Together Again” would not be possible without the support of our community and our great sponsors. The sponsors this year include Big Red Stores, Everett Buick GMC, ACDI, Wood Grill Buffet of Benton, McFarland Eye Care, Chuy’s Restaurant, Jones Heating and Air, Arkansas Urology, Dairy Queen, Skippy Foods, Arkansas Copier, Recycle Saline, Bin There Dump That, Ortho Arkansas, Arkansas Bone and Joint, Republic Services, Saline Memorial Hospital, Mascot Media, The Kinzler Family/SaltyDawg, Silver Eagle GPX, Bryant Chamber of Commerce, and the Benton Chamber of Commerce.
The Salt Bowl Committee is pleased to once again work with great organizations to give back to our community: The Arkansas Foodbank, the Arkansas Blood Institute and Goodwill Industries of Arkansas. These organizations and the work that they do are even more important given the impact of Covid-19 on our communities.
The Arkansas Foodbank will again be partnering with Skippy Foods for the annual Peanut Butter Drive. The peanut butter collection will begin August 1 at Big Red Stores. As you purchase your Salt Bowl Ticket, you will have the opportunity to purchase a jar of peanut butter for $1 and donate it in the Arkansas Foodbank collection barrel located at the store. Big Red Stores will be collecting the entire month of August. The School Districts collection and competition will BEGIN at the Salt Bowl game this year and run the entire month of September, which coincides with Hunger Action Month. The goal is to provide a nutritious staple food item for children and families in Saline County, as well as educate students of the impact of hunger in our community. Teachers will receive instructional packets from the Foodbank to use in their classrooms. With the goal of 25,000 pounds, schools from Bryant and Benton compete to see which one will collect the most peanut butter. Skippy Foods is generously offering to provide a matching gift. The peanut butter collected at the Big Red Stores and the school districts will be donated to Arkansas Foodbank member pantries located in Saline County to be distributed immediately to children and families in our communities.
The Arkansas Blood Institute will be holding Blood Drives at both high schools. The dates of the drives at both schools will be shared closer to game day. The districts will be competing for a trophy to the school that donates the most pints of blood.
Goodwill Industries of Arkansas is another strong partner of Salt Bowl. Beginning August 16 through August 27, Goodwill stores in Benton and Bryant will collect Salt Bowl donations. Students, families and the community are encouraged to donate gently used clothing and household items at their respective Goodwill locations. In addition to helping fund numerous programs that provide education, training and employment assistance, donations collected will mean money for the school districts and gift cards for families in need. Fans can also make a monetary donation at GoodwillAR.org designating the school to support.
On August 26, the donations will be totaled and the winning district named at the game. The district with the most donations will receive a check for $1,500, along with $500 in gift cards to give to families in need. The second place district will also receive $500 in gift cards, plus with a check for $1,000.
The tradition of the Salt Bowl continues to be togetherness and helping those in our community, We are excited that we will be “Together Again”.
Free COVID-19 Vaccines Available at Stadium
Committee to Monitor COVID Situation and Adjust Events as Needed