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Good morning, Fort Smith! ☀️
Another beautiful fall week in our Arkansas River gem, where festival season hits full stride and downtown prepares for its biggest weekend of the year. Whether you're planning your Saturday around the Fall Festival or keeping an eye on what's happening at your kids' schools, we've got the local intelligence that matters.
What to expect in today’s newsletter:
🎭 Festival resilience - Federal shutdown closes Historic Site, but Fall Festival rolls on Saturday across downtown
⚠️ School safety - Second bomb threat disrupts bus routes; FBI investigation underway as district maintains vigilance
💰 Property values - Home sales down 8% but prices up 6%—what this split means for your investment
🏭 Economic win - Trane's $6M expansion brings 60-plus jobs at $25/hour to Fort Smith manufacturing
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—Your Neighbour
📅 THIS WEEK IN FORT SMITH
Must-Attend Events
🎭 Fort Smith Fall Festival & Oktoberfest | Oct 4 | Downtown Fort Smith & Partner Museums | Historic reenactments, Kids Zone, trolley, free museum entry, vendor fair, car show | Main Festival Page, Museum Activities, Partner Details
🎨 RAM Fall Family Day | Oct 4 | Regional Art Museum | Free art activities, crafts, scavenger hunts | Event Info
🎨 Evermore: The Poe Experience | Oct 24–Nov 1 | Skokos Center, Alma | Immersive Edgar Allan Poe performances | Details
🎨 Candlelight: Halloween Classics | Oct 30 | Marshals Museum | Spooky live music | Tickets
🛍️ Arkansas River Holiday Market | Nov 1 | Riverfront area | 135+ booths, crafts, gifts, food trucks, Santa | Discover Fort Smith | Main Market Page | More Marketplace Info
By Category
🎵 Music & Entertainment
Beatles vs. Stones Musical Showdown | Nov 19 | ArcBest Performing Arts Center | Classic rock tribute | ConcertPage
Rittz Live | Nov 22 | The Majestic | Hip hop show | Majestic Tickets
Candlelight: Halloween Classics | Oct 30 | Marshals Museum | Spooky themed orchestra | Ticket Info
👪 Family-Friendly
Farmers Market | Every Sat & Wed | Garrison Ave & N 2nd | Local produce, crafts, morning shopping | Full Market Info
Historic Trolley Tours | Throughout fall | Downtown | Family-friendly haunted & holiday rides | AllEvents Listing
🏃 Sports & Fitness
Haunted 5K, 10K & Half Marathon | Oct 18 | Ben Geren Park | Halloween race, medals, costumes | Run Signup Link
United Way Pickle Ball Open | Oct 11 | Ben Geren Park | Event
🎨 Arts & Culture
Evermore: The Poe Experience | Oct 24–Nov 1 | Skokos Center | Event
Candlelight: Halloween Classics | Oct 30 | Marshals Museum | Concert
Arts On Main: Open Studio | Weekly | Downtown | Studio Calendar
🎓 Education & Business
Annual Meeting: Chamber of Commerce | Oct 22 | TBA | Chamber Info
🏞️ Outdoor & Recreation
Chaffee Crossing Food & Artisan Market | Oct 18 | Local foods, crafts | MarketSpread Info
Arkansas River Holiday Market | Nov 1 | Riverfront area | Discover Page | Official Site
Arkansas & Missouri Railroad Excursions | Weekly | Van Buren Depot | EventList
⌚️ Recurring Events
Farmers Market | Every Sat & Wed | Local produce, crafts | Event Link
Arts On Main: Open Studio | Weekly | EventCalendar
Downtown Bingo Nights | Weekly | Calendar
Quick Hits
📰 NEWS YOU CAN USE
PUBLIC SAFETY
Second bomb threat disrupts Fort Smith school buses this fall
What this means: While no danger was found, this marks the second threat targeting Fort Smith schools since August
Specific school buses were evacuated Thursday morning (Oct 2) after a bomb threat targeted certain routes. Fort Smith Public Schools Police and local law enforcement cleared all buses by 7:55 AM and normal operations resumed. This follows a September 15th threat at Northside High School, which resulted in a 15-year-old's arrest on Class D felony charges—serious enough to be tried as an adult.
Here's what parents should know:
District protocol moved students to alternate buses immediately
No evidence indicated students were in danger
Investigations continue with FBI and Homeland Security involvement
Schools maintain heightened security awareness
MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
Government shutdown closes Historic Site ahead of festival weekend
What this means: Fall Festival activities canceled at Fort Smith's biggest tourist draw
Federal budget gridlock forced the Fort Smith National Historic Site to close October 1st, canceling planned activities for this weekend's Fall Festival. The site typically draws 200,000-300,000 visitors annually, generating tourism revenue through meals, shopping, and hotel stays across downtown.
Here's what to know:
Visitor center, Judge Parker's courtroom, and gallows remain closed until shutdown ends
Canceled activities include Belle Starr trial reenactment, Civil War demonstrations, and kid's court photo booth
Fall Festival continues Saturday with food trucks, live music, vendor fair, and free trolley rides
Outdoor grounds remain accessible during daylight hours
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Fort Smith home sales down 8%, but your home value likely increased
What this means: Fewer homes selling, but prices rose nearly 6% year-over-year
Fort Smith metro home sales dropped 8.3% through August compared to 2024, with 2,179 homes sold versus 2,377 last year. However, the average home price climbed to $252,817—up 5.8% from $238,789 in the same period last year.
Here's what to know:
Sebastian County saw steeper decline: sales down 13%, values down 9.4%
Average days on market increased slightly from 84 to 87 days
Higher interest rates continue limiting buyer pool despite price gains
Metro includes Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott, and Sebastian counties plus eastern Oklahoma areas
Quick updates
Trane Technologies expanding with 60+ new jobs - $6M investment to boost thermal management production by 20%, bringing total workforce to 335+ with $25/hour average wage - Read more
Serious injuries in downtown motorcycle-semi crash - Friday afternoon collision near Zero Street and Towson required alternate routes; accident reconstruction team on scene for several hours - Read more
Main Street Fort Smith launches mini-grant program - Up to $15,000 in matching grants available for downtown facade improvements, awnings, masonry repair, and beautification projects through December - Read more
Solar canopy construction starting at Farmers Market - $1.45M project at 215 Garrison Ave. will cover parking, provide shade, and generate 500,000 kWh annually while protecting market operations - Read more
UAFS adds 25 new faculty hires - University expands teaching staff across multiple departments - Read more
Mercy Home Health earns dual 5-star CMS ratings - Only Arkansas provider achieving both Quality of Patient Care and Patient Survey Satisfaction ratings - Read more
Building permits plunge 40% in September - Fort Smith metro permit values totaled just $17.76 million compared to $29.47 million last September, though year-to-date numbers remain up 20% - Read more
Seeing something happening around town? Reply and let us know what you're noticing in your neighborhood.
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👋 UNTIL NEXT WEEK
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See you around town,
Your Neighbor
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