Waurika’s brick Main Street will be bustling this weekend, thanks to the Waurika Chamber of Commerce’s annual Downtown Again celebration. It’s no secret that our Main Street has seen some amazing renovations over the last year or so. This weekend is all about highlighting the positive changes that have happened and are continuing to happen along our brick streets.
Downtown Again is a celebration created by Waurikans, for Waurikans. It focuses on our beautiful Main Street and all that downtown Waurika could be. While the purpose of the weekend is to get residents downtown to play and shop by offering free and inexpensive family fun, it is also a great chance for those who may be considering opening a new business in the area to see what kind of spaces are available downtown. You can expect to find some great local food and drink, lots of fun activities for every age, and plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy our downtown!
Lindsey Forst says she was surprised last year by all the fun going on. “We had so much fun at last year’s Downtown Again event. We planned to only run down there for a short time and ended up running into so many friends. We called more family members to come join us and ended up spending most of the day visiting, eating and letting the kids do activities. So nice to see the community come together for a great event!”
This year’s event kicks off Friday evening with a free outdoor movie. Star Wars: The Last Jedi will begin at 9pm, on site of The Empress Theater. Doc’s Place will open their first ever pop up shop that evening for snacks and adult libations on Main Street!
Registration for the Downtown Dash 5K and 1 Mile Walk will begin at 8am on Saturday. This year, an optional obstacle course has been added to the route, making it more fun and more challenging for participants. Some obstacle examples include a mud pit, slip & slide, and climbing wall just to name a few. The race will start at 9am and this year takes participants through beautiful Harmon Park. The cost for individuals to participate is $30, groups of 5 or more will be $20 per person, and student registration will be $10. This is truly a family event.
Another great addition to this annual event is the debut of the Waurika Farmers Market, which will be kicking off at 10am on Saturday. There will be a crowd judged salsa-making contest, complete with free samples, as well as backyard gardeners selling produce and other homemade or home-produced edibles like local honey. There will also be plenty of plants for sale to get your own garden going! The winners of the salsa-making contest will be announced at 2pm.
A Youth 3v3 basketball tournament will begin at noon and is free to participants. You must register in order to play and can do so on-site. There will be a 3v3 basketball tournament for ages 13 and up and will start at 3pm. Cost is $10 per player.
Kids will have the chance to participate in a paint party from 1pm to 2:30pm with artist Jana Oakman. Adults can also stop in and paint at any time between the hours of 1pm and 5pm. Kids will be painting “Crazy Birds” and adults will have several options to choose from. Costs for the paint classes vary depending on age.
Doc’s Place will again open noon til ..?, serving sidewalk eats and drinks. The Food Pantry will be hosting a benefit BBQ meal from 11am to 1pm at the Senior Citizen’s Center. (Donations accepted, no price per plate). The Scholastic Book Fair will debut in the lobby of the newspaper office. A bounce house will be at Small Town Creations, as well as numerous lawn games on The Lawn on Main. Circle D’s will be open Saturday evening, serving Mexican food in honor of Cinco de Mayo.
Saturday night will wrap up with a free showing of Pixar’s Coco at 9pm at The Empress. A dance will be held in the Farmer’s Market, which will also begin at 9pm.
Full Lineup of Events:
Friday 9pm: Bring your blankets and lawn chairs! Free outdoor movie at the Empress Theater site on Main. Snacks and drinks available for purchase from Doc’s Place Pop Up across the street.
Saturday:
8am – Downtown Dash 5K/1 Mile Walk registration, Main & Broadway
9am – Downtown Dash 5K/1 Mile Walk begins
10am – Farmers Market and other activities open, all along Main
11am – 1pm – BBQ Benefit Lunch for Food Pantry, Sr. Citizen’s Center on Main
Noon – Youth 3v3 Basketball Tournament, Main & Broadway
1pm -2:30pm – Kids paint class, Small Town Creations
1pm – 5pm – Adult painting sessions, Small Town Creations. Stop in at any time to paint a masterpiece!
2pm – Salsa Contest winners announced
3pm – Adult 3v3 Basketball Tournament, Main & Broadway
9pm – Free outdoor movie at the Empress.
9pm – Dance, Farmers Market
All Day: bounce house, Doc’s Place Pop Up, Scholastic Book Fair, yard games
Evening: Circle D’s serving Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo
Come enjoy Waurika’s beautiful Main Street like it was meant to be. Meet up with friends, sit a spell along the sidewalks, shop, and enjoy the atmosphere of a vibrant Downtown Again!
