Fort Smith July 4 Festivities

Break out your picnic baskets and blankets! We’re only two days away from July 4. If you don’t have plans already, consider attending Family Fun Fest in Fort Smith for fireworks and more. Festivities begin with a unique car show at Pendergraft Park (3^rd and Garrison) at 2 p.m. This show will display a Segway and an electric car from Oklahoma Gas & Electric, so be sure to come take a look at the future of automotives.

Family Fun Fest will begin at 5 p.m. in River Park Glass Pavilion and Compass Park on the Arkansas River. The Great American Race will begin at 5:45 p.m. and the first car will cross the finish line at approximately 6 p.m. The cars in the race will be on display until 8:30 p.m. at 2^nd & Garrison and, if you’re lucky, you may meet a few of the drivers!

At 7 p.m. the Mayor’s 4^th of July celebration will begin at Harry E. Kelly Park, hosted by Mayor Ray Baker. Mr. Cabbage Head and the Screaming Radishes, a local musical favorite, will perform. At 7:30 p.m. the Border Town Legends will perform a Wild West shootout reenactment. Later, at 8 p.m. there will be an awards presentation to the winner of the Great American Race followed by a performance by the River Valley Community Band.

The main event (and everyone’s favorite), the fireworks show, will begin at 9 p.m. with fireworks being set off from a barge on the Arkansas River. This show will be able to be seen from the Oklahoma side of the river and even in nearby Van Buren, AR.

This festival will benefit many local charities. The 4^th annual Family Fun Fest aims to help fight hunger, so if you live nearby, come celebrate Independence Day in style, with all proceeds going to a worthy cause.