Lake lovers come from all over western Oklahoma to participate in the 33rd annual Foss Lake Christmas in July Festival. Coordinators Joe and Neva Pyatt are getting ready to host the anticipated event that celebrates the holiday season. This year it will kick off Friday afternoon, July 7th, from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m., and run through Sat., July 8th, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. There will be free parking throughout the weekend.
Friday events include vendor booths that open at 1 p.m. The opening ceremonies will be honoring area veterans and first responders. The Elk City Honor Guard, made up of Fireman will be conducting the presentation of the colors at 6 p.m. Master of Ceremonies, Shawn Wilson, will introduce Gene Smith, Jr., a Vietnam veteran, who will be the keynote speaker. Refreshments for the veterans, their families and the first responders will be at the Cedar Point pavilion following the program. The festival celebration will continue with a free concert by the Dean Jackson Band which runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Runners will be up early Sat. morning to hit the ground running at 7 a.m. for the 5K Run for Fun Across the Dam. Check in starts at 6:15 a.m., and registration details can be found at http://bit.ly/5K-fun-run. At 10 a.m. the Kayak “Trail Ride – Chinaberry” will start, and the Foss Lake Little King and Queen contest will take place on the main stage at 10:30 a.m.
Another big event is the Beckham County Baggers Cornhole Tournament at Cedar Point that starts at 11 a.m. The tournament is being hosted by the Beckham County Baggers and the H20 Baggers. They will have a guaranteed payout of $2000. The upper division prize breakdown is first place -$800, second place $400, and third place $300, while the lower division break down is first place - $250, second place - $150, and third place - $100. Upper division is a blind draw, and costs $30 per person to participate. There is no PPR cap, therefore, there will be a high-level competition. The lower division will also be a blind draw, and the registration fee will be $20 per person. The PPR cap is set at 6.5 or lower, which will create a balanced playing field. Pre-register for the tournament on the Scorefollo app or in person that Sat. The cornhole tournament is being sponsored by Paragon Communications, Pacific Brim, Classic Communications, and The Laundromat on Broadway.
The newest event this year is the Doubles Disc Golf tournament at the Foss State Park Disc Golf course, which is presented by Garage Bicycle Works in Elk City. The cost is $30 per team to enter with CTP prizes worth $325 and $800 in added cash. The sponsors for the CTP and hole sponsors are Branbar Liquor from Sayre, Branbar Diner, and Fly High. There will be payouts to the top five teams.
The main event for the evening is the fireworks display which is set to music and can be heard on 93.1 FM. This spectacular fireworks show will fill the sky with a display of color to draw another Christmas in July Festival to a close. Participants are encouraged to bring their own blankets, snacks, family, and friends for a memorable weekend of lake fun.
