Good morning.
This weekend starts with a pretty good reason to stay up a little later tonight.
The Moon starts moving into Earth's darker shadow at 9:33 p.m., with maximum eclipse at 11:12. After that, we've got the final days of the Sebastian County Fair, Trey Kennedy in Alma, a $5 movie in Van Buren, and several good ways to fill a Saturday without spending much.
One practical note before we get into it: plan for late-August heat, especially at the fair and anything outdoors.
Let's get into it.
🌘 TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT
The River Valley gets a partial lunar eclipse tonight
If you only remember one time, make it 11:12 p.m.
That's when tonight's partial lunar eclipse reaches its maximum over Fort Smith and the River Valley. By then, most of the Moon will be sitting inside Earth's darker shadow.
You don't have to stay outside all night to see it:
9:33 p.m. - Partial eclipse begins
11:12 p.m. - Maximum eclipse
12:51 a.m. - Partial eclipse ends
And unlike a solar eclipse, you don't need special glasses. Lunar eclipses are safe to watch with your eyes.
So if the skies cooperate, step outside sometime after 9:30 and look up. No tickets, no drive, no equipment required.
🎡 THE FAIR'S LAST THREE DAYS
Here's what's actually happening at the Sebastian County Fair
The fair is already underway in Greenwood, but now that we have the full 2026 schedule, there's a much more useful way to look at the rest of the week.
Thursday
Gates open at 5 p.m., along with the Creative Arts and Commercial buildings and the carnival. Carnival wristbands are $25.
The Sheep, Goat & Cattle Show starts at 6, the Pet Pageant hits the Main Stage at 6:30, and the youth horse events start at 7.
Friday
Gates open at 4 p.m. and the carnival starts at 5. Wristbands are $30 per session.
At 7, you've got live music, Mutton Bustin and the Youth Rodeo.
Saturday
Saturday is the finale.
Senior Day runs from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., then regular gates open at 1.
Carnival wristbands are $30 per session, with sessions from 1-4 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.
The Junior Livestock Auction starts at 6, followed by live music and Mutton Bustin at 7 and the Youth Rodeo at 8.
Regular Thursday through Saturday admission is $7 for adults, $4 for ages 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under.
If you've been meaning to make it to the fair this year, Saturday is your last shot.
😂 ALMA GETS A BIG SATURDAY-NIGHT COMEDY SHOW
Trey Kennedy is at Skokos Saturday
Here's one for Saturday night if you'd rather sit in the air conditioning.
Comedian Trey Kennedy performs at the Skokos Performing Arts Center in Alma at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
It's a clean-laughs stand-up show, and tickets currently range from $45.78 to $85.02 including fees. Skokos also has senior, military and student discounts available through its box office.
The official ticket path was still active when we checked Wednesday, with no public low-inventory warning.
Saturday, Aug. 29 | 7:30 p.m.
Skokos Performing Arts Center | Alma
$45.78-$85.02 including fees
⚡ QUICK HITS
A few more good options that don't need a full sales pitch.
🍿 Ratatouille for $5 in Van Buren
King Opera House is showing Ratatouille Saturday from 7-9:30 p.m.
Admission is just $5.
For a family movie night inside one of downtown Van Buren's best-known buildings, that's hard to argue with.
🏃 Meet the Airedales in Alma
If you'd rather spend Saturday evening moving, Meet the Airedales starts at Alma Primary School with a free kids' half-mile at 6:15 p.m. for grades 3-9.
After the Alma High School cross-country introductions and season-opening time trial, the Twilight XC 5K starts at 7 p.m. It's open to runners and walkers of all ages.
The 5K is $15 without a shirt or $30 with one, and proceeds support the Alma Cross Country Team.
Registration closes at noon Saturday.
📚 Fill a bag with books
The Friends of the Fort Smith Public Library's annual Non-Fiction Used Book Sale opens to the public Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Main Library.
If you're bargain hunting, Sunday may be the better play. The sale runs 1-5 p.m. Sunday and everything remaining is half price.
Friends members also get a preview Friday from 4-7 p.m.
🎨 Free art or free archery?
RAM's Saturday make-and-take is chalk drawing from noon-3 p.m. Supplies are provided, all ages are welcome, and there's no registration.
Over at the Janet Huckabee Nature Center, there's a free canoe and kayak program from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and beginner archery at 2:30 p.m. Equipment is provided.
Nature Center programs are weather dependent, especially in this heat, so check their Facebook page before heading out.
🚗 Cars and coffee Sunday morning
Fort Smith Cars and Coffee runs Sunday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Phoenix Avenue Tire and Auto.
Bring the family, wander around the cars and talk shop for a while. The organizers' only big request is a reasonable one: respect the property and skip the burnouts.
FOUNDING SPONSOR
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🏰 WORTH THE DRIVE
The Arkansas Renaissance Festival opens this weekend
The Arkansas Renaissance Festival opens its 2026 season Saturday and Sunday at Dragonstone Springs in Mount Vernon.
Opening weekend is themed High Fantasy, with live jousting and sword fights, stage shows, artisan demonstrations, quests and plenty of people who have been waiting all year for an excuse to put on chain mail.
It runs 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Kids 5 and under are free, and if Sunday works for your family, there's a $50 Family Pack for two adults and up to three children.
Saturday & Sunday | 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Dragonstone Springs | Mount Vernon
🎸 One more road-trip option
If chain mail isn't calling your name, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner are at Walmart AMP in Rogers Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets were still available when we checked Wednesday, with no public low-inventory warning.
🐂 PLAN AHEAD
Labor Day weekend at Thunder Ridge is a big one
Next weekend is Labor Day weekend, and PBR Thunder Days takes over Thunder Ridge Nature Arena near Branson from Sept. 4-6.
Friday's bull riding starts at 7:45 p.m. and is followed by a Chris Janson concert.
Saturday starts at 6:45 p.m. and ends with Miranda Lambert.
Then Sunday's competition starts at 2:15 p.m., which makes that the easier option if you're bringing kids and don't want the night to run late.
There's also a family Fan Zone during the weekend.
Tickets were still available when we checked Wednesday. We're telling you now because this is the kind of Labor Day plan that's easier to make before Labor Day weekend actually arrives.
🏛️ CIVIC THIS WEEK
Coffee with the Mayor this morning in Alma
If you're reading early and you're in Alma, Coffee with the Mayor runs from 8:30-9:30 a.m. today at Alma Nursing and Rehab.
It's open to the public, and the host is also planning a sneak peek at the facility's new addition.
A correction from Sunday's issue
Fort Smith's Aug. 25 Board of Directors study session was canceled.
We had summarized material from the city's agenda packet ahead of that meeting. Since the session did not happen, those items should be understood as planned agenda material, not things the Board discussed Tuesday.
The next regular Fort Smith Board meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Blue Lion. As of Wednesday evening, the city's meeting calendar did not include an agenda for that meeting.
We'll pick it up once one is posted.
THE FULL CALENDAR
Looking for more?
We picked the highlights. The full Sweet Home River Valley calendar has everything we've found happening around Fort Smith and the River Valley.