Fort Smith General Darby Challenge

Fort Smith General Darby Challenge

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Downtown Fort Smith

Time: 7:00 am

Length: 13.1 Half Marathon—Ruck, Run, or Walk

Registration: Live link available in November

Registration links and information: darbyhouse.org or fortsmithmuseum.org

FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS--Mark your Calendars! The Fort Smith Museum of History, The Darby House, and the City of Fort Smith proudly announce the inaugural Fort Smith General Darby Challenge, a ruck march and half marathon dedicated to honoring General William O. Darby and Fort Smith’s twin cities, Cisterna, Italy and Nago-Torbole, Italy. The Darby Challenge will take place on Sunday, April 28, 2024 starting at 7:00 am at Cisterna Park in downtown Fort Smith.

The Darby Challenge is a non-sanctioned but timed half-marathon that welcomes participants to ruck, run, or walk. It is open to those on direct military orders, active and/or retired military, and civilians alike. Special recognition will be awarded to those with the best times.

The Darby Challenge serves as a tribute to General William O. Darby, who made the ultimate sacrifice on April 30, 1945, in Nago-Torbole, Italy. In April 2023, Nago-Torbole, Italy, and Fort Smith, AR, formed a special "twinning" partnership to honor their shared history with General William O. Darby. The Fort Smith General Darby Challenge will be an international twin city event, taking place on the same weekend as Nago-Torbole, Italy's Col Darby 40 Mile Ranger Challenge. Both events commemorate the anniversary of General Darby's death on April 30, 1945.

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.

For those young and the young at heart, there will be a Darby Ranger Mile Fun Run & Walk on Saturday, April 27, at 10:00 am. This fun event will begin at the head of the Greg Smith River Trail at the Riverfront Park, with more details to be announced soon.

All proceeds from these events will benefit the Fort Smith Museum of History and The Darby House.

Stay tuned for the registration link, which will be available in November 2023. Join us in celebrating the legacy of General William O. Darby and the bond between Fort Smith and its twin cities, Cisterna, Italy, and Nago-Torbole, Italy, at the Fort Smith General Darby Challenge on April 28, 2024.

For more information, please contact:

Caroline Speir

Executive Director - Fort Smith Museum of History

479.783.7841

caroline.speir@fortsmithmuseum.com

Registration links and information: darbyhouse.org or fortsmithmuseum.org