Nestled between downtown high rises and the Arkansas River banks, the River Market district is one of the South's most colorful cultural centers and as close to a microcosm of Arkansas as you can get.

Take the food, for example. Tomatoes grown in the Ozarks, watermelons from Hope and peaches from eastern Arkansas are staples at the bi-weekly farmers market held from May through October.

But Arkansas is more than that. Along with Southern favorites, vendors serve Asian, Middle Eastern, Italian cuisine and more from Ottenheimer Market Hall, the anchor building in the district.

Activities here range from the enlightening to the raucous. Art galleries attract crowds every month with 2nd Friday Art Night. Tourists flood the area to visit the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and other cultural heavyweights, including Heifer International. After dark, dueling piano bars, rock & roll venues and upscale lounges attract the masses.

The typical weekend brings children and families to area parks and educational venues. On blockbuster weekends â€" like Riverfest, the music festival held on Memorial Day weekend â€" much of central Arkansas gathers here.

And no matter what the occasion, as the activity winds down, many residents head home to glimmering new high-rise condos just blocks away.