Downtown Fort Smith pub crawl cups to feature Isaiah Joe, Jaylin Williams

The downtown Fort Smith St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl will have a bit of thunder this year. Fort Smith natives Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams, members of the Oklahoma City Thunder professional basketball team, helped design pub crawl cups for the March 14 event.

Joe and Williams, who played basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks and were part of the Thunder’s NBA championship run in 2025, grew up in Fort Smith and were standout players at Northside High School.

“Both athletes grew up in Fort Smith before rising to national prominence in the NBA, and their participation brings a unique hometown connection to the celebration,” noted a statement from the Downtown Fort Smith Business Association.

The association worked with Rhyan Besco, founder of The RiverBoy Foundation, to secure the opportunity to have the limited-edition collector cups at the pub crawl. Association Director Stephanie Nugent credited Besco for “having the connections and the interest” to connect the downtown event with the two players.

The cups will be available, while supplies last, during the event for $5.

“The design featuring me and Jaylin is fire, and it means a lot to be included in something that represents home,” Joe said in a statement. “Being part of a community that’s this close-knit is truly special and I’m proud to say I’m from Fort Smith, Arkansas!”

“It’s been amazing to create something together that celebrates a community that Isaiah and I care so much about,” Williams said. “I’m so proud to represent Fort Smith and the incredible people here, and I truly look forward to finding more ways to give back and stay involved in the future.”

The event begins at 3 p.m., with downtown bars and restaurants offering specials, entertainment, and “themed experiences,” the association noted. The pub crawl also will include a scavenger hunt. Nugent said the Fort Smith Fire Department Pipe and Drum Corps will march along Garrison Avenue, and will stop at several venues “for surprise performances.”

Nugent said she is not sure if Joe or Williams will be able to attend the pub crawl. The Thunder play March 12 and March 15 in Oklahoma City.

At 1 a.m, there will be live music at Roosters, on Garrison Avenue, with the event curated and hosted by Besco.

“Welcoming home our hometown heroes, Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Joe of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and celebrating them as current NBA champions is special,” Besco said. “RiverBoy is about honoring greatness that comes from Fort Smith and turning our people into ambassadors for the city. When you have two champions who are proud to be from here, that’s something we should celebrate and recognize. It shows what’s possible for the next generation.”

Nugent said pub crawl attendance and participation has grown in recent years, and she hopes the connection with Joe and Williams will introduce more people to the event and to the downtown area entertainment and dining options.