Another successful event is officially in the books for the Ozark Moonshine & Music Festival, which celebrated its fourth annual gathering on November 1 at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds in Clinton.
The one-day festival welcomed visitors of all ages for a full schedule of live music, food trucks, distillers, traditional arts demonstrations, and family-friendly activities, including the crowd-favorite pumpkin chunkin’ competition, featuring a newly added catapult.
Festival organizers transitioned the event from a two-day format to a one-day celebration this year — a change that helped bring more guests together despite chilly temperatures. The grounds filled with the sounds of banjo, fiddle, dulcimer, and guitar as musicians led open jam sessions throughout the day.
The all-day music lineup concluded with a headline performance by Ruby Leigh, an 18-year-old singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known for her appearance on season 24 of “The Voice,” where she turned all four judges’ chairs. Ruby joins a list of past festival headliners that includes Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Rhonda Vincent, and Lonestar.
In addition to music, guests enjoyed live demonstrations of blacksmithing, leatherworking, and chainsaw carving, along with tastings and educational exhibits hosted by members of the Arkansas Distillers Guild at the popular Moonshiner’s Cove exhibit. Festivalgoers also interacted with personalities from moonshine-themed television shows and participated in live podcast recordings with the Moonshine Militia.
The festival is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Arkansas moonshine heritage while supporting children’s advocacy and community outreach programs. Over the past four years, the event has raised nearly $60,000 benefiting organizations such as CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and the Children’s Advocacy Alliance in Clinton, along with disaster relief efforts in rural communities across the Carolinas and Tennessee.
Organizers expressed appreciation to sponsors, volunteers, and community partners, including Van Buren County Judge Dale James, Clinton Mayor Richard McCormac, the Clinton Police Department, the Clinton Fire Department, and the Van Buren County Fair Board.
The 5th Annual Ozark Moonshine & Music Festival is scheduled for October 2026. Vendor and sponsorship information is available at ozarkmoonshinefest.org.
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