How did this festival get started, you ask? Well, sit back and let me share the story!

Back in June 2014, Thunder on the Mountain made its debut on Mulberry Mountain, just north of Ozark, Arkansas. It was an unforgettable weekend featuring top artists like Luke Bryan, Toby Keith, Big & Rich, Justin Moore, and more. Thousands of fans from around the world gathered to celebrate country music, and I, Lance Carpenter, had the honor of performing. It was an incredible experience, and plans were already in motion for a second festival in 2015.

Then, just two weeks before the event, I got the phone call. Pipeline Entertainment, the company hosting the festival, was canceling. Yes, canceling—just two weeks out! I was shocked, but instead of sitting back, I took action. I called Byrd’s Adventure Center, a nearby venue with two small stages, to see if they were booked that weekend. They weren’t, due to the now-canceled festival. When I broke the news to them, the response was disbelief: “We’ve got hundreds of campers coming! What do you mean it’s canceled?”

I asked if I could use the stages to put on a smaller event for all those fans who would soon be getting bad news. Their response? “Sure, but you’ll never pull it off in two weeks.”

Well, if you know me, you know I love a challenge. I simply said, “Watch me.”

Two weeks later, I hosted a three-day event called Music on the Mulberry featuring national acts like Kevin Fowler, Roger Creager, and Ricochet, along with 20 other artists, including Arkansas’s own Matt Stell. The event was a success, but let me tell you—festivals are a LOT of work and incredibly expensive. I personally invested nearly $30,000 to make it happen and lost about 25 pounds in the process of coordinating every detail: contracts, security, production, vendors, hospitality, permits, radio promotions—you name it. It nearly wiped me out, but on that Sunday evening, sitting on stage looking out at the crowd that didn’t want to leave, I knew it was all worth it.

By 2020, after five years at Byrd’s, we rebranded to Carpenter’s Country Fest and moved the event into Ozark. Partnering with the North Franklin County Fair Board, we built an incredible 40x30x16 stage at the fairgrounds. The backdrop? A pond and breathtaking sunsets that make for the perfect festival vibe. Add live music, great food, and a crowd of good people, and you’ve got memories that last a lifetime.

If you’ve attended over the past eight years, THANK YOU! Your support keeps me going year after year. This year marks our ninth festival, and we’re aiming for our biggest one yet. Please join us, bring your friends and family, and get ready for a day filled with music, food, and fun that you’ll be talking about for months to come.

I hope to see you there!

Warmest regards, Lance Carpenter
Founder, Carpenter’s Country Fest

P.S. Want to learn more about me, my music, or my mentoring work? Visit www.lancecarpentermusic.com.