Taco Talk: Springdale events czar Kat Wilson

Kat Wilson's the sort of person you take to review tacos and she orders the torta . Artists are a funny bunch.

The setup: I met her at Alex's Taqueria in Springdale, where the red sauce is hot and the green is mild.

• I ordered my usual tacos — two asada and one pastor ($2.60 each) — but added a cheese, bean and chicken gordita ($4).
• Wilson's torta was asada.

Driving the news: She was named Downtown Springdale 's executive director of events in March.

• It's the latest in a long list of — jobs? gigs? posts? — where Wilson typically injects her spark of nonconformist creativity , business savvy and true get-'er-done grit.

The big picture: Springdale's downtown revitalization is turning the corner toward maturation . Businesses have launched, restaurants are a draw and developers are investing in residential units .

Between the lines: Wilson isn't making immediate, major changes to the city's list of successful events; however, next year she hopes to build on the calendar with even more events and broader appeal.

What she's saying: "It's such a big golden era for Springdale, right now," she said.

The verdict: The tacos were solid choices, though I preferred the asada over the pastor. The gordita was fine, but not a must-have for me.

• Wilson enjoyed the torta and liked how the asada was chopped.

What's next: A slate of events are scheduled throughout the spring, including the Art Walk set for Thursday-Saturday.

• The renovated and reimagined Luther George Park is scheduled to reopen in October and will quickly become a centerpiece for many events, Wilson said.

Taco Talk is a regular feature. We sample a taqueria with the movers, shakers, artists and bakers of NWA, and rap about news in their world.