Festivals on the horizon

By TERRY JOE WILES

Wow! There’s a lot of live music and festivals this week — all family friendly, too! They’re all just a short drive across the Arkansas state line. According to “The Farmers Almanac,” the temperatures will be from 60 to 85 degrees and no rain.

SUPPORT LOCAL, LIVE MUSIC

The best pick, in my opinion, will be in Ozark, Arkansas, the birthplace of Roy Buccanan, master of the Telecaster. This is a tribute concert by the very best pickers in our area. The Saturday festival is centered around the 53rd Ozark Square Gathering. There will be arts and crafts vendors and food trucks in every corner, but the live music is the big event that starts at 3 p.m. and goes until nearly 9 p.m. The schedule of musicians are as follows: “James Glen Loveless and the Midwestern Playboys” at 3 p.m., “Gary Hutchison and Oreo Blue” at 4:30 p.m., Randall George at 6 p.m., Ben Haggard at 7:30 p.m. What a line-up!

Take your family to Ozark this Saturday.

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The longest running live-music festival in Arkansas is in Waldron. The Turkey Track Bluegrass Music Festival has been going on for 48 years. The campground has several hundred full hook-ups for trailers and RVs and has a population of 2,000 or so fans enjoying the scenery, company and top-notch music. It will start on Wednesday with the “Turkey Track Band”, which will have music every day from Noon until 10 p.m. or so, and will end with the headliner — “Rhonda Vincent and the Rage”!

However, that’s not even the best thing about it. There are circles of musicians and singers everywhere in the campground, passing songs around at all hours of the day and night. You don’t meet a stranger, you make friends. Some of them come in spring and fall to the festival to enjoy the opening parade, the Hog cooking, the crafts vendors and more. It’s a great family friendly place. For additional information call (479) 637-3717 or go on Facebook — and remember, NO MOONSHINE allowed!

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The Peacemaker Festival is bringing the hottest acts in Americana, red dirt, rock, indie, and country to Fort Smith, Arkansas On Friday and Saturday, the live music will ring out in the Riverfront Park on the banks of the Arkansas River. Food trucks and drinks will be available to enjoy with some of the best entertainment going. On Friday starting at 5:30 p.m., “Danno Simpson and Them Dirty Roses,” “Southall,” and Stephen Wilson Jr. will be playing. On Saturday at 3 p.m. will be “Covington Creek,” “Vandoliers,” “The Joe Stamm Band,” “Silverada,” William Clark Green and Sam Barber.

Tickets are still on sale for the best music for the price. See you there!

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In Poteau, “The Taste of LeFlore Country” is Thursday and features a smorgasbord of dishes from restaurants in our area, and local cooks bring their best entrees, sides and salads for your dining pleasure. The weather looks great for the dinner to be served next to the LeFlore County Museum at Lowery Hotel in downtown Poteau at the corner of Dewey and N. Witte avenues. It will be put on by the LeFlore County Historical Society and Donna and David Deaton and a faithful and hardworking staff. The service is supreme. You don’t want to miss this!

Not only will the food be grand, there will be awesome music as “The Al Grzech Trio” which has played at the museum for several years at monthly “Jazz at the Museum,” will be joined by Professor Don Bailey. Don joined the teaching staff and has been involved with the music department at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith since 1985. Don is director for the jazz program at UAFS and works with “The Jazz Catz” and UAFS jazz band, holds jazz camps and takes shows to high schools in the Oklahoma-Arkansas area. Don is an ambassador for jazz music. It is a joy to watch Don unleash improvisations inside tunes familiar but with his style on saxophone or flute, he makes the music much more interesting and entertaining. It will be a treat. Dinner and music will be served at 6 p.m. All proceeds will go to the LeFlore County Historical Society for the upkeep and operation of a true history of our home, LeFlore County. Contact David for ticket information at (918) 647-9330.

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The first annual Octoberfest Blues Jam was a hit. It was well attended with an awesome house band and great venue, the Shop Dog Brewery in downtown Poteau. Thanks Annie Kobus and The Red Dirt Blues Society for putting it on.

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The Poteau BalloonFest will take place on Oct. 17-18 at the LeFlore County Fairgrounds. It is the longest running balloon festival in Oklahoma, and “The Farmers Almanac” predicts sunny skies with easy winds for lift off! I’ll have a schedule and line-up for the live music that adds to the entertainment in next week’s column. The state contest for Kansas City Barbecue Society will take place as well as mud races, a carnival midway and food everywhere — and it’s a very family-friendly event. I’ll have more information next week.

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As for live music this week, my very favorite group, “MJ and The Geezers” will be in downtown Poteau at The Shop Dog Brewery on Friday night. An eclectic song list, creative arrangements and excellence in performance make this trio stand out, thanks to harmonies, harmonicas, strings and things will fill out the band’s set list and keep it very interesting. The music will be from 7-9 p.m.. The Shop Dog Brewery is doing a lot to keep live music available and fun nights for the community. Follow the band on Facebook and see what I mean. See you there.

“Oklahoma 59 South” will play for the folks at the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Senior Activity Center beginning at 7 p.m. Friday. It’s a great place to meet your friends, with a big dance floor and awesome music.

On Saturday, it’s Randy Fennell and Earl Hearon singing your favorite country songs at The Ranch Restaurant at Talimichi near Albion and Tuskahoma. You won’t find better food or music anywhere! The music will start at 5:30 p.m.

Muldrow City Limits will have an awesome line-up for October, and “The Richard Rauch Band” will take the stage this Saturday night. This band has the best show and dance tunes in our area. The music will start at 7 p.m. Get there early for a good seat.

“The Libby Starks Band” has a show close to home for the talented singer as she and her band will play beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Sallisaw Veterans of Foreign Wars Building for the dance, which will have a great band for it. Libby sings from the heart and keeps it up for the whole dance. Don’t miss the fun, be there!

That’s all I got this week, folks! They ain’t no more. I am saving myself for next week. I am just like cheap wine — I’m worth every penny, and I just get better with age. Thanks for supporting local, live music!

For additional information about any local live-music events or to let me know about any such venues, call or text message me at (918) 649-5736, reach out to me on Facebook or e-mail me at tj.wiles61@outlook.com.

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