Published: November 15, 2007 07:13 am      

Smaller communities holding centennial celebration

Oklahoma City and Guthrie aren’t the only ones who will be celebrating the state’s centennial in style this week.

If you are thinking about staying closer to home this weekend, check out activities at Leedey or Ringwood on Saturday.

These towns might be small, but they are offering up some big centennial fun.

Leedey’s celebration will begin at 10 a.m. as local crafters display their creations in an arts and crafts show held at the Leedey Fire Station, while those with nimble needles showcase their skill in a quilt show held at the Leedey Community Center.

The quilt and craft shows will be open to visitors throughout the day as will be the local museum. Other day-long activities include live musical performances by local musicians and games for the kids.

At 10:30 a.m., there will be a mystery food auction, where participants will blindly bid on homemade baked goods.

At 11:30 a.m., the Spring Creek Regulators will provide some historical education and entertainment with an Old West saloon re-enactment. They will also perform again at 1 p.m.

The Leedey Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a free barbecue lunch at noon, which will include pit-cooked beef. As a special treat, there will also be free refreshments provided by Dr. Pepper.

Then at 2 p.m., a centennial parade will wind through downtown Leedey.

Sara Owens, chamber member and local business owner, said there are already 45 to 50 participants entered in the parade and entries will still be accepted until Friday.

Owens explained that the events are not only “a celebration of our state [but] also a celebration of our city.”

“A lot of people underestimate Leedey,” she said. “We want people to see what we have here in our town.”

“We have a very strong tradition here,” Owens said.

Ringwood will also be celebrating Oklahoma tradition and heritage with its centennial celebration beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday with a chuckwagon breakfast.

Then at 10 a.m. there will be agricultural exhibitions detailing a variety of processes from threshing to hay baling to corn shelling. The exhibitions will be performed again at 2 p.m.

At 11 a.m. there will be a parade, followed by lunch and live musical entertainment until 2 p.m. at the fair buildings.

In other enter entertainment there will be a tractor pull at 1 p.m. by the grain elevator. Also at 1 p.m. there will be an auction along Main Street.

And what would a party be without fun and games? There will be children’s races and games at the Ringwood school baseball field beginning at 2 p.m.

At 5 p.m. the Masonic Lodge is hosting a rib dinner.

Throughout the day, festival attendees will can visit the “Seams like Yesterday” quilt show, antique memorabilia displays, antique tractor and farm machinery displays, a car show and a craft show. Or they can take a tour of Ringwood’s historic downtown or stop in for a treat at an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. There will also be a fireworks display as part of the festivities.