Fort Smith General Darby Challenge

Fort Smith General Darby Challenge
Press Release

For Immediate Release:

Fort Smith General Darby Challenge

Sunday, April 27, 2025 Downtown Fort Smith

Time: 7:00 am - 12:00 pm (dead stop)

Length: 13.1 Ruck or Half Marathon, 5K, or 10K—Ruck, Run, or Walk

Registration: runsignup.com w: fortsmithmuseum.org or darbyhouse.org e: fsdarbychallenge@gmail.com FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS--Mark your Calendars! The Fort Smith Museum of History, the new Darby House organization, and the City of Fort Smith proudly announce the 2nd Annual Fort Smith General Darby Challenge, a 13.1 m Ruck March or Half Marathon, 10K or 5K dedicated to honoring General William O. Darby and Fort Smith’s sister cities, Cisterna, Italy and NagoTorbole, Italy. The Fort Smith General Darby Challenge will take place on Sunday, April 27, 2025, starting at 7:00 am at Cisterna Park in downtown Fort Smith.

The Fort Smith General Darby Challenge event is a non-sanctioned but timed 13.1 m Ruck or Half-Marathon, 5K, or 10K that welcomes participants to ruck, run, or walk. The event is open to everyone, including citizens, those on direct military orders, active and retired military members, and ROTC and JROTC. For those unable to make the Fort Smith General Darby Challenge in person, a virtual participation option is available. Finisher medals will be awarded to all participants completing the challenge and special recognition will be awarded to those with the best times in their division.

The Fort Smith General Darby Challenge serves as a tribute to Fort Smith native General William O. Darby, who sacrificed his life on April 30, 1945, in Nago-Torbole, Italy. In 2023, Fort Smith and Nago-Torbole established a "twinning" partnership to celebrate their shared history. This international sister city event coincides with Nago-Torbole's Col Darby 40 Mile Ranger Challenge. The 2025 FS General Darby Challenge will commemorate the 80th anniversaries of General Darby's death and World War II’s armistice and will feature a Silent Mile along the Arkansas River to honor 94 WWII Arkansans listed as KIA or MIA near Fort Smith’s sister cities in Italy.

The Fort Smith General Darby Challenge will kick off at the General William O. Darby statue in Cisterna Park in Downtown Fort Smith. Participants will follow “A” Street to the Greg Smith River Trail, where the route turns north and continues along the Riverfront to Fort Smith Park. The return route retraces the trail, leading back to the General William O. Darby statue at Cisterna Park in Downtown Fort Smith. Participants will have the opportunity to pay their respects to General Darby upon completing the Darby Challenge.

A sponsor dinner will take place on Saturday evening, April 26, 2025 at the Fort Smith Museum of History. The evening of entertainment, music, and special programming will honor our distinguished guests and sponsors. All proceeds from these events will benefit the Fort Smith Museum of History and new Darby House organization.

Register for the FS General Darby Challenge at runsignup.com an join us in celebrating the legacy of General William O. Darby and the bond between Fort Smith and its Sister cities, Cisterna, Italy, and Nago-Torbole, Italy, at the Fort Smith General Darby Challenge on April 27, 2025.

For more information, questions, or to sponsor the Fort Smith General Darby Challenge, please contact: Caroline Speir Executive Director Fort Smith Museum of History 479.783.7841 e: fsdarbychallenge@gmail.com

More information about the hosting organizations can be found at: fortsmithmuseum.org or darbyhouse.org 2025 Media Sponsor