Texoma's Best Outdoor Festival

This year, FallsFest celebrates it’s 22nd year, and along with double 2 year (22) comes many doubles to go with it. Since its beginning, FallsFest has continued to develop, improve, and evolve into the premier outdoor festival for the entire family. Yet again in 2007, FallsFest has been voted by the Wichita Falls community as Texoma’s Best All-Around Event and Texoma’s Best Festival.

Endeavors to make this festival bigger and better began when the 73 member steering committee undertook their respective challenges in early 2007. Their dedication, along with over 1,700 League and community volunteers giving over 12,000 hours, will again bring to fruition another successful FallsFest. Local businesses also play a foundational role through their generous sponsorships. Continued faithful underwriting of FallsFest has allowed over $1,216,000 to be returned to the Wichita Falls community through partnering entities since 1986.

Now on to the festival!

Lucy Park will hold something for everyone during the weekend of September 28th and 29th. Park hours are 5-11 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturday. Now here’s what we have in store.

Our Friday night entertainment line-up this year includes the first double. Special guest on Friday night will be one of Texas’s hottest young touring acts, Aaron Watson. The headliner for Friday night is Kevin Fowler, who has sold an astonishing 200,000 albums. Our opening act is newcomer Candy Coburn.

Saturday will include our second double with double headliners. Taking the stage first will be Wichita Falls’ own Bowling For Soup. Following Bowling For Soup will be "The American Band", Grand Funk Railroad. What a fabulous line-up to welcome our "Nuts and Bolts" riders into the park.

We will also continue to have a weekend filled with musical entertainment on the Wee-Chi-Tah stage. It will feature continuous entertainment during park hours. The line-up will include exhibition groups, acoustic sets, and local amateur bands. And if that’s not enough entertainment, the FallsFest Idol and Battle of the Bands final competitions will return to the Red River Stage. Idol competitors will kick off this year’s festival on Friday, with the winner warming up the main stage prior to the headline entertainers. Some of the best bands in Texoma will be vying for bragging rights and a spot under the main stage lights on Saturday’s Battle of the Bands.

New events for 2007 include the Tranter Indy Race car Experience: Powered 100% by Ethanol. This display will feature an Indy race car, a driver, and a race simulator for aspiring Indy drivers to test their skills. Come out and see this free event. Also introduced is the multicultural tent, a full size trail train, a miniature train for kids, and the return of the Zipper.

The 4th Annual CASI-sanctioned Chili Cook-off will fill the park with an awesome aroma as both the Adult and Junior division participants turn up the heat. We will have two contests this year, with Friday’s competition benefiting the WF Miracle League. Get your recipe tweaked and enter the competition, or hurry out to sign up to be a judge.

Another FallsFest favorite will be the return of the Red River Harley-Davidson/FallsFest Nuts & Bolts Run. It takes place Saturday, September 29th at 2:30 PM at Red River Harley Davidson and will culminate with a grand entry into Lucy Park.

For those who prefer something with a competitive edge, the FallsFest sporting events will offer a variety of action packed opportunities. The sand volleyball tournament, and of course, the Zipper, Flipper and Rock climbing wall will all be present to challenge both the beginning and experienced sportsman.

Did someone say FREE? Children’s activities this year will be great fun and will include the traditional Kid’s Korner favorites….arts and crafts, penny dig, and plant potting. TXDOT will return with their games along with the Fire Safety House, McGruff the Crime Dog, and storytellers and magicians. New this year is a petting zoo. And for those festers ready to experience the thrill of momentum, gravity, friction, and centrifugal force, head to the skateboard demonstration held on Saturday.

One of the many great things about FallsFest is the support patrons provide local non-profit organizations. By enjoying the park fare, playing the games, and shopping in the arts and crafts market, we are all helping area non-profits raise money for their valuable programs. In 2006, $66,612 was returned to the community through various nonprofit organizations.

And finally, when night falls on Lucy Park, oohs and aahhs will follow the rhythmic bursts of colorful fireworks over the park skies. One of the community’s favorites, the nightly fireworks display, will again be sponsored by FallsFest Presenting sponsor, First Bank, and Premier Partner, Comanche Red River Casino.

Be sure to purchase pre-sale tickets at all First Bank locations, Comanche Red River Casino, select U.S. Cellular locations, United Market Street, Finishing Touch and SAFB Activities Center. Pre-sale tickets are $5. Ticket prices will be $6 at the gate prior to 7pm when the price will increase to $8.

Included on the website are specific event details and registration forms, volunteer information and parking instructions.

It is with great pride and excitement that we welcome all of Wichita Falls, from the hundreds of volunteers, to the thousands of festival goers, to join in this "fest for all."

Kathy Mickus and Sheila Catron
FallsFest 2007 Co Directors