Cobras, Tractors & Archery Highlight Pelican Festival

Area residents can kick off Fall by attending all of the events the region has to offer this weekend. There's fun for everyone with a good measure of hometown pride in all the various events planned.
First off, the grand daddy of them all, Grand Lake Association’s 24th Annual Pelican Festival. The activities and fun will take place on September 21-22 at the Flying Cow Arena on Hwy 59 just 6 miles North of Grove and 5 miles South of I-44 at the Afton exit. Hours for activities taking place at the Flying Cow Arena are 3:00 to 7:00 pm Friday the 21st with the barn dance from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. and Saturday gates open at 9:00 am and again the barn dance will run until 10p.m. Best part of the entire Pelican Festival, there is no admission charge to any of our events.
These are the activities that will greet you at Flying Cow: arts and crafts vendors, tasty food vendors, and live entertainment. Celebrating the new release of her book titled Set Me Adrift in the Sea of Faith, author Judith Ames David will be signing copies of her book which is also available for purchase.
The latest ATV’s and sporting goods will be on display, and you can test your skills to win prizes and trophies in the archery competition which will feature a 3-D shoot with two classifications, youth through 15 and adult. This 3-D archery competition will take place on Saturday, September 22 beginning at 8:00 am and running until 5:00 pm. First place in the youth category will win a bow valued at $300. The adult class first place prize is a Hoyt Vectrix Bow valued at $800. There will be prizes for second and third place too. Entry fee for the adult competition shoot is $20 and for youth only $5.
Also on Saturday, members of the Tired Iron of the Ozarks tractor club will be on hand with a fine display of antique tractors and engines. Tired Iron of the Ozarks is a non-profit educational and historical organization whose goal is to inform and educate the general public about farm life in the early 20th century. All visitors to the display will have a chance to vote for “best of show.” There will be other antique tractors from clubs in Welch, OK and Anderson, MO as well.
The kids can have fun bouncing around on the huge inflatable jumping gyms that will be at the Flying Cow Arena. While Mom and Dad are walking around the arena, we’ll have the kids busy in their own “fun zone” competing for prizes and awards at the games planned for them.
Come evening time there will still be plenty of activities taking place. Both nights you can enjoy live entertainment featuring the very talented Bill Adkins and Marshall Mitchell performing both country and some “classic” rock ‘n roll. Bill and Marshall interact with the audience to bring that special touch of fun to entertainment. Wear your dancin’ boots; kick up your heels and Texas Two-Step at the barn dance.
On Saturday morning at 10:00 am get to Main Street Grove for a parade you won’t want to miss and won’t soon forget featuring the 70 members of the World Famous Marching Cobras Drill Team from Kansas City, MO. They will perform along the entire parade route along with the marching bands from Grove schools and a few others. You’ll have another opportunity to see the award-winning, awe inspiring Marching Cobras perform when they take to the floor at 1:00 pm at the Flying Cow Arena. This is one performance you won’t want to miss.
The parade theme for 2007 is “Oklahoma Centennial ~ 100 years of change.” Everyone is invited to take part and join in the fun. Start building an awesome float to compete in the parade and a chance to win some extra dollars for your group or organization. There is no entry fee to compete for the parade “Best Float”.
When the parade is over, be sure to join the fun at the Community Center at Third and Grand where the Grove Downtown Merchants Association is hosting an Arts & Crafts Fair and Sale.
Then it’s time to travel to Pelican Landing Resort if you want to taste the fare at the annual Hook ‘N Cook-off being held by the Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. They are selling their advance tasting tickets for only $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children. This fun runs from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm.
Pelican Landing is located 4 ½ miles east of Ketchum. There will also be arts and crafts vendors and music performed by Lickty Split. For tickets and additional information, call the Grand Lake Area Chamber.
Now it wouldn’t be a fall festival if we didn’t include some activities going on at the Island—Monkey Island that is. Leave it up to the island’s No. 1 Cheerleader, Joyce Duke to come up with something completely “outside the box.” This year they’ve planned “The Old Coots Talent (No Talent) Show” which will be taking place at Big Shots. Doors will open at 3:00 pm Saturday with the show following at 4:00 pm. Monies raised will be divided between DCCSAN, the Humane Society and the favorite charity of the talent contest winner. Sorry kids, this event is for the 21 and older age group.
If you want additional information on any of the activities visit our website at www.grandlakefun.com or call 866-LUV-GRAND or 918-786-2289. The Pelican festival is brought to you by the Grand Lake Association and its members including these fine sponsors; City of Grove, AEP Public Service of Oklahoma, Seneca-Cayuga Tribal Gaming Corp, Tempy’s Sporting Goods, Bank of Grove, Northeast Electric Cooperative, and Grand Bank.