Good morning, Fort Smith.

The Clayton House in downtown Fort Smith will host its annual Gaslight Gala fundraiser on Dec.

5 to kick off the Christmas season — the event offers a unique community celebration for the start of holiday festivities.

Downtown Fort Smith will kick off its holiday season on Saturday, Dec.

29 when a free Cocoa Crawl runs from 2–5 p.m. — the event will also feature a Christmas Tree Lighting at Cisterna Park from 5–6 p.m.

River Valley Community Band will hold a free Christmas concert on Sunday, November 30 at 3 p.m. at Ramsay Middle School auditorium—local holiday music lovers can enjoy classic seasonal tunes in a festive setting.

City leaders including the mayor and Board of Directors will serve hot chocolate + popcorn at the Holiday Express Opening Night Celebration on December 1 at 5:30 p.m. at Creekmore Park in Fort Smith.

Greenwood Coach Chris Young, Booneville Coach Doc Crowley and Mansfield Coach Whit Overton continue a long Thanksgiving football practice tradition — Young said he feels 'a little bit spoiled' by the unique experience.

The UAFS women’s basketball team earned its first win of the season Wednesday by defeating Drury 74-65 in overtime at the Drury Thanksgiving Classic.

The teams were tied at 63 at the end of regulation and then UAFS scored 11-2 in extra time while guard Jah'Mareah Linville scored six of her 12 points in overtime.

Yesterday, 1,414 runners gathered at Chaffee Crossing in Fort Smith for the 21st annual Mercy Thanksgiving Day Turkey Run, which promoted preventive care through fitness—runners included Jim Kolp, Riley Moses, Skye Key, and Angel Rivera.

The event showed strong community support for health as participants enjoyed the race.

Christmas Honors Wreath-Laying Event

8 a.m. - 11 a.m. — Fort Smith Convention Center — Free entry — Participate in a heartfelt wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the holiday season.

Hearts of Gold Classic 5K Run/Walk for Project Compassion

3-5 p.m. — Ben Geren Regional Park — Registration details available — Participate in a festive holiday run to support Project Compassion.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Systems Administrator II Training

Dec 8-11 — Fort Smith Adult Education Center — $1890 — Enhance your Linux skills with this hands-on, expert-led training course.

Velcro Pygmies Live Performance

7:30 PM - 1:30 AM — Majestic Fort Smith — Ticket prices vary — Experience a nostalgic musical journey with the World Famous Velcro Pygmies.

An Evening with Jane Austen

6:30-11 p.m. — Bonneville House — Ticket purchase required — Celebrate Jane Austen's 250th birthday with a Regency dinner, wine tasting, and dance lessons.

Candlelight Christmas Concert

6:30-8:30 p.m. — United States Marshals Museum — Ticket prices vary — Experience the magic of Christmas Carols performed by strings under candlelight.