In the annals of stuff people talk about doing but never actually do, opening a bar, learning to play a musical instrument and running a marathon are pretty well clustered at the top. Somewhere in the mix is putting on a concert and for the really big thinkers, organizing a music festival. Most of those ambitions wither in the face of the enormity of the task, quickly shifting from “We should do this,” to the much safer “Someone ought to do this.” These facts are what make Peacemaker Festival such a unique story, although one might not know it from the nonchalance of the event’s co-creator Trent Goins.
“Well, there was a group of three of us and we decided we wanted to do something to bring attention to downtown Fort Smith,” he says in a tone as casual as ordering dinner. “We wanted to utilize the park in downtown Fort Smith while doing something that raised money for children’s charities in the River Valley. That’s kind of how the Peacemaker was born.”
Perhaps the only thing more attention-grabbing than Trent and his co-founding pals Jeff Gosey and the late Bill Neumeier’s audacity in pulling off the first concert is that the feat has been repeated ten times since. As music festivals have ebbed and flowed, Peacemaker enters its twelfth iteration bigger and better than ever.
“So, the first year, we had sold two hundred and twenty-seven tickets before we opened the gates. I think we did about eighteen hundred people for the weekend and I thought, ‘What in the world have we gotten ourselves into?’” Trent chuckled. “Now we average eight thousand to nine thousand for the weekend or between thirty-five hundred and four thousand a day.”
Trent credits the longevity of the event to a number of factors, luck being a not unsubstantial one. Mostly, he says, the festival thrived by finding its groove and staying there, content to be the best at what it does instead of mediocre at trying to be something it is not.
“You know, we started the first four or five years being all genres, appealing to a broad range of concertgoers,” Trent says. “Around year six we realized red dirt Americana kind of country music was really what was selling tickets. So, we steered toward that genre.
“That seemed to gain a good foothold in Fort Smith. It’s a genre people love, with artists that we bring in as national touring acts. The show itself is a production that takes an entire year to plan.”
In hindsight, organizers were clearly on to something, though narrowing the festival to one genre wasn’t as assured at the time. Still, the trio trusted their instincts. Today red dirt music — described by Wide Open Country as a blend of country, rock, blues and folk with raw, gritty storytelling — is a major subcategory of country music, known more for its independence from Nashville’s mainstream scene than formulaic hits.
By going all-in when they did, the fathers of Peacemaker became the godfathers of the genre and the Fort Smith event became a must-play for rising and established acts alike who knew there’d be an appreciative audience waiting for them.
“Becoming a red dirt only festival, at the time there weren’t many in the country,” Trent says. “Over time, I think we established ourselves as the premier red dirt festival in the region, especially as the genre has, sadly, become mainstream. You start seeing all these festivals popping up that are owned and operated by Live Nation.
“We’ve been approached over the years to sell the Peacemaker, but we thought we would lose our identity. So, we have kept it a nonprofit, governed by an all-volunteer board of directors, and all the money we raise goes back to local children’s charities.”
That commitment to doing things their own way extends to the music, where each year’s lineup is both carefully considered and highly anticipated. For Trent, 2026 is no exception. “We’ve been trying to land JJ Grey & Mofro since our very first year. JJ puts on an incredible show and he’s our headliner Saturday night. I think that is gonna be a fan favorite,” he says. “William Clark Green is our headliner Friday night. Will is an incredible performer, great at working the crowd and engaging everybody.
“We’ve got some up-and-comers and those who have been coming here for a while. This will be Tanner Usrey’s seventh Peacemaker. I’m really excited about Jason Scott & The High Heat, and I think people need to get there early. They are absolutely incredible and I’m really looking forward to seeing their set.”
More than any one act, Trent is most proud of Peacemaker’s contributions to children’s charities — more than $1 million to date.
“Honestly, after the first year, I wasn’t sure there would be a year two, so to be in our twelfth year is pretty cool,” he says. “I think the thing that I’m most proud of is what we’ve done for the community. It’s not just the money that we give back to the charities, it’s the economic impact of the weekend on the community.
“We had a study done three or four years ago and it came back that between the hotel tax, restaurants, gas and all the other things that go into people traveling, it’s about a three-and-a-half-million-dollar economic impact to Fort Smith. That was really important to all of us, to give back to charity while having a positive impact on our city.”
The Peacemaker Festival is slated for October 2-3. To learn more, visit peacemakerfest.com.
2026 LINEUP
JJ Grey & Mofro
Blending Southern rock, swamp funk and Memphis soul, the Florida outfit has spent twenty-five years building a reputation for deeply soulful music and electrifying live shows.
William Clark Green
A fifteen-year road veteran, Texas singer-songwriter William Clark Green pairs a commanding live performance with honest storytelling about life’s struggles and triumphs.
Tanner Usrey
Raised on Alan Jackson and Whiskey Myers, Texas-born Tanner Usrey is known for his soulful voice, confessional songwriting and charismatic live performances.
Pecos & the Rooftops
Formed by college friends in 2019, Pecos & the Rooftops blend country, classic rock and gritty Americana, earning a devoted following and more than 350 million global streams.
Drake White
Named one of Rolling Stone’s 10 Country Artists You Need to Know, Alabama native Drake White has four Top 40 hits and has toured with Luke Bryan, Eric Church and Zac Brown Band.
Drayton Farley
Alabama singer-songwriter Drayton Farley blends Americana, country, rock and folk with emotionally honest storytelling rooted in his Southern upbringing.
Giovannie and the Hired Guns
One of this year’s wild cards, the Texas five-piece mixes alt-metal, red dirt country, Latin pop and Americana, attracting everyone from cowboys to metalheads and skate punks.
Pony Bradshaw
A voracious reader turned gifted lyricist, Pony Bradshaw has built a reputation for imaginative songwriting and a distinctive approach to Southern storytelling.
Jason Scott & The High Heat
Oklahoma City’s Jason Scott & The High Heat land somewhere between amplified Americana and heartland roots-rock, delivering a sound built on groove, grit and spirit.
Kruse Brothers
Phoenix-based brothers Chandler and Miles Kruse blend country, rock and Americana with tight harmonies, heartfelt songwriting and a high-energy sound shaped by their Southwestern roots.
