[title subtitle=”words: Marla Cantrell
images:courtesy Jeff Gosey, Peacemaker Music and Arts Festival”][/title]
On the last day of July, Harry E. Kelley Park in downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas will fill with music lovers who’ve come to hear the bands slated to play in a three-day first-time event called the Peacemaker Music and Arts Festival. The lineup includes everything from country and rock, to gospel and bluegrass, to jam bands and funk.
Jeff Gosey, who spearheaded the push to bring the festival to the city, says he and his board of directors spent a month deliberating which musicians to seek out. They wanted the lineup to reflect the diverse population of the city. And while they knew country music is king in this part of the world, they also knew they needed to mix things up to please a wide audience.
When they were finished, they had fifteen bands: nine national, and six regional. Those following the music scene in this area will recognize names like the Cate Brothers, Tyrannosaurus Chicken and Luke Pruitt.
On a national front, one of the most recognizable names is Jason Isbell, the 2014 winner of the Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year at the Americana Music Awards. He will be performing just days after his newest album, Something More than Free, drops. Isbell plays on Friday night, July 31, at ten o’clock. On Saturday, August 1, the headliner is the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, a group with a wide following that describes themselves as a “farm to table psychedelic rock band.”
Several visual artists have been asked to set up booths. Food trucks from Tulsa, Kansas City and northwest Arkansas are coming in, and there will be drinks, including beer (and plenty of cold water), for sale.
On Sunday, gospel and bluegrass rule. The day starts off with the Praise God and Pass the Biscuits brunch. “That was a great idea Mike Hart, from 5 Star Productions, had, and we ran with it,” Jeff says. The homeless in the area have been invited to attend. There will be short sermons, gospel choirs, and food served with the help of local donations from businesses, and support from area churches. Also on Sunday, national bluegrass bands Sleepy Man and The Boxcars will perform.
As Jeff talks about the festival and the work it’s taking to bring it all together, he marvels at how quickly it happened. Last fall, the festival was nothing more than an idea he and several of his music-loving friends had kicked around for several years. And then he had a conversation that changed everything.
“One night in November 2014, I ran into Bill Neumeier at a local watering hole,” Jeff says. “I trust Bill; he started the Fort Smith Riverfront Blues Festival many years ago. I told him what I was thinking, and he thought it was a good idea. I went home, posted the idea on Facebook, and the response was overwhelming, and people started jumping on board to help. A couple of weeks later, we had a board of directors, and pledged to meet each week.
“We wanted to give back; we wanted to do something for the community. We picked three charities to support this year: Children’s Emergency Shelter, Girl’s Inc., and Developmental Wings. (A portion of the profits will go to each, with enough money held back to host the festival again next year.) We also wanted to provide something that gives people a reason to stick around. The kids that graduate from Northside and Southside, and UAFS, they don’t always stick around. Most people in their twenties and thirties want what bigger cities have to offer, or more entertainment. We think festivals like this one will give them a reason to stay.”
When Jeff talks about the concept behind the festival, it’s easy to see why he’s so excited. He’s lived most of his life here. He thinks Fort Smith is a gem of a place, largely undiscovered. This event will expose the city’s qualities to some who’ve never been here before. He’s heard from people as far away as New York who plan to attend. Jeff even believes the national artists will be impressed, both by the city, and by the locals. “We know how to turn on the Southern charm here,” he says. “When we do that, we’re downright irresistible.”
To bring in as many attendees as possible, the board set the ticket prices low. A three-day pass purchased in advance is only $25. Daily passes run from $10 for Sunday, to $15 for either Friday or Saturday, if purchased ahead of time.
“We hope to sell 8,000 tickets a day,” Jeff says. “Just imagine that, 8,000 people on the riverfront, enjoying live music and art, coming together for something so many people love and care about. I can’t wait to see it.”
There are so many people to thank, Jeff says, from the board, to those volunteering to work, to the people and businesses that donated the money to bring the Peacemaker Festival to the city. He thinks there will likely be a learning curve—something is bound to go awry—but he doesn’t think it will be anything major, and he’s certain those attending will be blown away at the amount of talent assembled in one place.
As for the future, he believes the festival will only get bigger and better. As the years roll by, more and more charities will be helped, and Fort Smith will be recognized as a town with great music, splendid people, and a knack for throwing one heck of a party.
Weekend Schedule
Friday
Gates open at 4:00 pm
5:00 – 5:30: Tyrannosaurus Chicken
5:50 – 6:40: The Paul Benjaman Band with Jesse Aycock
7:00 – 8:00: The Cate Brothers Band
8:20 – 9:30: Lucero
10:00 – 11:30: Jason Isbell
Saturday
Gates open at 2:00 pm
3:00 – 3:30: Luke Pruitt
3:50 – 4:30: Isayah’s Allstars’ “Help On The Way”
5:00 – 5:50: Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath
6:10 – 7:00: Red Wanting Blue
7:20 – 8:10: Anders Osborne
8:30 – 9:30: Corey Smith
10:00 – 11:30: Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Sunday
Gates open at 11:00 am
12:00 – 12:45: Shadygruve
1:10 – 2:10: The Boxcars
2:30 – 3:45: Sleepy Man
To buy tickets and learn more about each performer,
visit peacemakerfest.com.
Peacemaker Music and Arts Festival
July 31, August 1, August 2
Harry E. Kelley Park
North A & Riverfront Drive
Downtown Fort Smith
