Hot Dog! What a Night

Wieners were served up from the grill at the Prowers County Fairgrounds and Willow Creek Park on Tuesday evening, August 4. Residents could choose from the National Night Out event at Willow Creek Park and enjoyfree swimming, a movie and dozens of chili dogs with cheese and all the toppings, or they could head for the fairgrounds and the Family Night Specials, which meant 50 cent hot dogs and dollar hamburgers. Some people probably sampled both!

Lamar Police Chief, Kyle Miller, estimated a couple of hundred people came to Willow Creek Park for the annual National Night Out event. “We had about 175 people enjoy free swimming and I’d guess around 150 stayed for the outdoor movie,” he stated. Several fire and ambulance rescue vehicles were also displayed at the park, as well as some health-related displays to help people quit tobacco use.

The BBQ grills were smoking at the fairgrounds as volunteers were serving their hot dogs and hamburgers for the crowd. The summer evening was dotted with youngsters and parents displaying helium balloons, or waiting to take their turn walking inside the WOW Bubbles. Others were on hand for the Royalty Contest at the edge of Elmer’s Garden, watching contestants vie for their respective crowns. The sound of a chainsaw was evident in the background as the ‘Masters’ performed their wooden sculpture techniques and in the arena, several dozen contestants were trying their skills on horseback for the Open Team Roping events.

By Russ Baldwin