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Organizer seeks larger city sponsorship for Atoka’s 48 Hours music festival, council requests layout and property details
Summary
Garrett Smith, coalition president of Atoka Music Arts and Entertainment, asked the council to increase city sponsorship from $25,000 to $35,000 for an Oct. 3, 2026 festival; council members asked for a site layout, property-owner approvals for fencing, and logistics on ticketing and parking before deciding.
Garrett Smith, president of Atoka Music Arts and Entertainment, asked the Atoka City Council to sponsor the 48 Hours music festival on Oct. 3, 2026 and increase the city’s contribution to $35,000 from $25,000 last year.
Smith described a revised festival plan that would move the date to Oct. 3, add two stages (one on Court Street and one at the amphitheater), introduce fenced paid zones with a $49 day ticket for inside stages, and double the number of vendors. He said the coalition expects about 1,500–1,800 attendees and estimated direct local spending of roughly $90,000 based on last year’s figures. Smith said fencing estimates range from $2,200 to $2,500 for installation and teardown.
"I'm Garrett Smith, coalition president," Smith told the council. He said ticket revenue and sponsorships are intended to seed scholarships for Atoka County youth in the arts through the coalition’s 501(c)(3), Atoka Music Arts and Entertainment.
Council members welcomed the presentation but requested additional materials before committing city funds. Members asked for a detailed map of the proposed fenced zones and entrances, confirmation of property ownership where fence lines are proposed, and more information on how ticket control and vendor access would work. One trustee requested the city manager review the layout and for staff to confer about property sections that may be privately owned.
Council questions covered parking plans, how paid and free zones would interact, and whether the festival would restrict pedestrian access to storefronts. Smith said gates would be limited to two entrances for the paid area and that attendees with scanned tickets could leave and re‑enter. He also said the coalition is negotiating contracts with larger headline acts and expects to finalize bookings.
Council did not take a vote on the sponsorship request; members asked staff to review the map and logistics and to return for a future action after the organizers provide the requested site layout and property-owner confirmations.
