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There is something special about hearing live music outdoors on an Arkansas fall evening. Add the Arkansas River, the lights of downtown Fort Smith and a lineup packed with Red Dirt, Americana, country and rock, and you have the makings of a memorable weekend.
Oct. 2-3, the Peacemaker Festival returns to Harry E. Kelley Riverfront Park in downtown Fort Smith for its 12th year. But Peacemaker is more than a weekend of concerts hosted by a group of volunteers in Fort Smith.
What began as an idea among a few Fort Smith music lovers has grown into a festival that draws fans from across Arkansas, Oklahoma, and the United States. Along the way, Peacemaker has introduced audiences to emerging musicians, strengthened Fort Smith’s reputation as a live-music destination, and raised funds for organizations serving children and families.
A Music Festival with a Fort Smith Story
The idea for Peacemaker began with Bill Neumeier, Jeff Gosey, Trent Goines and fellow Fort Smith music lovers who saw an opportunity right in front of them: a riverfront park in downtown Fort Smith that could become an incredible outdoor music venue for the core music people in this region love!
They wanted to bring a fun event downtown and ensure it benefited their community. Peacemaker was organized as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, with proceeds supporting children’s charities in the River Valley and causes important to participating artists.
The first Peacemaker Festival was held in 2015. Jason Isbell, Lucero, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, the Cate Brothers and others helped launch what would become an annual Fort Smith tradition.
Festival organizers say that over the first 11 years, Peacemaker contributed more than $1 million to charitable causes. The recipients have changed over the years as organizers identify organizations with financial needs, including the Boys & Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., local shelters and other nonprofits serving children and families. At times, the board has also researched causes important to the musicians coming to Fort Smith and found ways to support those organizations.
Even as Peacemaker has grown, its foundation has remained surprisingly simple. There is no full-time festival staff. Board members are unpaid volunteers who love live music and their community. Local sponsors have also been an important part of that story, helping organizers keep ticket prices accessible and maximize the festival’s charitable impact.
Finding Peacemaker’s Sound
Peacemaker did not start out as a Red Dirt festival. Early lineups spanned country, rock, blues, Americana and roots music. By about the fifth year, however, organizers noticed a pattern in their ticket sales. Fans were traveling into Fort Smith from eastern Oklahoma and elsewhere specifically for the Red Dirt artists.
Peacemaker gradually leaned into that sound and gave the Arkansas festival a distinctive position. Before Red Dirt festivals became as common as they are today, Peacemaker was already building a weekend around a genre deeply connected to this part of the country.
Fort Smith is a fitting setting. Located on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border, the city has long served as a crossroads between the two states. Peacemaker brings that relationship to the Riverfront Amphitheater, where Arkansas audiences can discover musicians with established followings in Oklahoma and Texas.
The festival’s reputation has grown among musicians as well. Organizers say they have intentionally focused on artist hospitality and on creating an experience that makes performers want to return. And word is out about the Arkansas hospitality on the border!
See Them Before Everyone Knows Their Name
Part of the fun of Peacemaker is arriving early. You may know the headliner. You may have a favorite artist halfway down the lineup. But the artist opening the afternoon could be the one everyone is talking about a few years from now.
To provide some context, Zach Bryan headlined the festival in 2022, sharing the bill with Charley Crockett, Shane Smith & the Saints, Pecos & the Rooftops, Tanner Usrey and Ella Langley. The Red Clay Strays performed at Peacemaker in 2023. Stephen Wilson Jr. appeared in 2024.
Festival organizers cannot predict which emerging artist will be next, but discovering them has become part of the experience. That progression is exactly what organizers hope festival fans will witness.
So, Who’s Coming to Peacemaker in 2026?
- Friday night belongs to William Clark Green, a familiar name among Red Dirt fans and an artist known for his engaging live shows.
- Pecos & The Rooftops provide direct support on Friday, bringing their Texas blend of country and rock to the riverfront. The Friday lineup also features Drayton Farley, Pony Bradshaw and Jason Scott & the High Heat.
- Saturday brings a long-awaited Peacemaker booking to Fort Smith: JJ Grey & Mofro. Festival organizers say they have been trying to bring the band to Peacemaker since the festival’s earliest years.
- Tanner Usrey, a fan favorite, returns as direct support with Drake White, Giovannie and the Hired Guns and the Kruse Brothers also scheduled to perform.
The result is a lineup that reflects what Peacemaker has become: established performers, Red Dirt favorites and artists that festival organizers think fans should start paying attention to now.
What to Expect at Peacemaker
Peacemaker takes place at Harry E. Kelley Riverfront Park, tucked along the Arkansas River beneath the bridges leading into Oklahoma. The outdoor setting is part of the experience. Festivalgoers spread out across the lawn in low-back lawn chairs as live music fills the riverfront.
Whether you are walking over from a downtown hotel or being dropped off by rideshare services, you’ll find food and drink vendors, including local food trucks, on the festival grounds. All ages are welcome, though everyone entering the park needs a ticket.
One important detail to know before you go: reentry is not permitted. Once you enter the festival grounds, plan to stay for the evening, or know that your access ends when you leave.
Festival organizers typically welcome thousands of fans each day, and downtown hotels can fill up during Peacemaker weekend. If you are traveling to Fort Smith, it is wise to book accommodations early.
Downtown also offers free public parking within walking distance of Riverfront Park, and rideshare services are available. Festival parking can be purchased separately. NEW this year is premier and general admission parking at the riverfront space.
You can find more FAQs details for bag policies, gate times and prohibited items on the Peacemaker Festival website.
Make a Fort Smith Weekend of It
One advantage of Peacemaker’s downtown location is that the festival does not have to be the only thing on your Fort Smith itinerary.
- Spend the morning exploring Garrison Avenue and downtown Fort Smith.
- Visit the S. Marshals Museum or walk the grounds at Fort Smith National Historic Site, where stories of the federal court, U.S. deputy marshals and the city’s location at the edge of Indian Territory help explain Fort Smith’s role in American history.
- Tour Miss Laura’s Brothel Museum – a unique experience for understanding women’s history
- Explore the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum (RAM) or spend some time hunting for vintage finds at Belle Starr Antiques & Flea Market.
- Take the guided tour of the Clayton House and drive through the Belle Grove historic district.
- You can even turn your walk downtown into a self-guided art tour. Fort Smith’s murals transform unexpected walls and corners into massive works of public art.
- Then grab lunch or an early dinner downtown before walking toward the riverfront for the festival.
When the final Peacemaker set ends, the evening does not necessarily have to.
Fort Smith’s downtown Entertainment District makes it easy to keep exploring restaurants, bars and live entertainment after the festival. The Peacemaker weekend will also feature late-night music at DIGS in The Bakery District, with performances starting around 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The after-parties are open to the public, and no Peacemaker ticket is required.
Peacemaker has grown well beyond the hometown festival its founders envisioned more than a decade ago. Organizers say fans have purchased tickets from all 50 states, and in recent years, visitors have traveled from Canada and Mexico as well.
Yet its roots remain firmly planted in Fort Smith. It is still organized by volunteers. It still uses music to support charitable work. It still fills a park along the Arkansas River that its founders believed should be used and enjoyed. And it still gives music fans the chance to stand in a crowd and discover someone new.
Cover image taken by the Feisty Panda and used with permission from the Peacemaker Festival. All other images provided by the Peacemaker Festival.
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