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On April 25th, 2026, Fort Smith will be hosting its America’s 250th Celebration as part of Fort Smith Darby Days. The event honors veterans past and present and includes the Fort Smith General Darby Challenge Half-marathon and Ruck Run the following day. From 10-3 on Saturday the 25th, Fort Smith National Historic Site will be showcasing a military timeline, from Revolutionary War to modern, active-duty military, military encampments, living history and historic weapons demonstrations. At 10am there will be a series of speakers including Mayor George McGill, Lt. Colonel Linn and our Keynote Speaker, Lydia Klimuk, a Holocaust Survivor. It will also include a flag raising ceremony on the park’s 100 foot tall, garrison flagpole.
At 11am there will be an area where you can meet and greet with veterans as far back as WWII and Holocaust survivors. And at 12pm and 2pm there will be historic weapons demonstrations. At 1pm in the park's visitor center, Miss Laura's Brothel Museum will be offering a program entitled 'Services for Service Men: The Untold History of Women's Roles in War Time'.
We will be partnering with the Fort Smith Museum of History, Chaffee Crossing Barbershop Museum, Miss Laura's Brothel Museum. The Fort Smith Museum of History will have food trucks, family activities and free entrance to their museum. All day there will be living history and military encampments between the two museums including a very large military vehicle collection from WWII to Desert Storm! The programs are free to the public.
*South 3rd (south of Garrison Avenue) and Rogers Avenue to the corner of 4th Street will be closed to traffic but open for pedestrian traffic. Darby Days merch will be available for purchase at tables in the Fort Smith Museum of History parking lot.
10am-Veteran’s Honors Ceremony—Keynote Speaker Lydia Klimuk
11am—Veteran’s Meet and Greet
12pm—'From Flintlocks to M4s’--Historic Weapons Demonstrations
1pm—Miss Laura’s Brothel Museum presents, ‘Services for Service Men: The Untold History of Women’s Roles in War Time’
2pm—'From Flintlocks to M4s’--Historic Weapons Demonstrations
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Event Venue
320 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith, AR, United States, Arkansas 72901
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