Chickasaw Country 2015 Summer Festival Highlights

OKLAHOMA CITY – Chickasaw Country is known as home to some of the most unique festivals in Oklahoma. The 13 counties in south-central Oklahoma host a magnitude of festivals and events; some of the most notable summer festivals include cultural, food and fish.

Okie Noodling Tournament, Saturday, June 20

The 16th annual Okie Noodling Tournament will take place in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma and features fierce noodling competition-the sport of fishing for catfish using only one's bare hands. The world-famous event wouldn't be complete without an array of spectators, coupled with a catfish cook-off. The day is filled with family-friendly activities, along with retail and food vendors. This year's event will be preceded by an Okie Noodling Eve Concert in the Park at Wacker Park in Pauls Valley on Friday, June 19 from 6-10 p.m. For more information about Okie Noodling, please visit: http://chickasawcountry.com/events/view/okie-noodling-tournament.

Stratford Peach Festival, Saturday, July 18

The self-proclaimed Peach Capital of Oklahoma is where you can find the annual Stratford Peach Festival. Hosting around 14,000 guests, the Peach Festival offers a variety of peach desserts to satisfy your peach cravings. The action-packed day starts at 6:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast, and the peach cook-off gets started soon after. Events during the day includes a hay toss, best-dressed animal, sack races, water balloon toss, hula-hoop contest, car show, and many other family activities. For more information about the Stratford Peach Festival, please visit: http://chickasawcountry.com/events/view/stratford-peach-festival.

Rush Springs Watermelon Festival, Saturday, August 8

Since 1948, the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival has been held the second Saturday in August. More than 20,000 guests will invade the town of Rush Springs to celebrate a day full of events centered around the fruitful fields of royal sweet, black diamond and many other varieties of locally grown watermelon.  Watermelon themed activities include Watermelon 5K, seed-spitting contest, arts and craft fair, motorcycle show, live entertainment, carnival rides, local food vendors and much more. Festival-goers will receive their portion of more than 50,000 pounds of free watermelon. For more information about the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival, please visit: http://chickasawcountry.com/events/view/rush-springs-watermelon-festival.

Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting and Festival, Saturday, September 26- Saturday, October 3

The week-long Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting and Festival is full of cultural events and entertainment hosted in the 13 counties in south-central Oklahoma known as Chickasaw Country. The 55th Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting and 27th Chickasaw Nation Annual Festival is comprised of a golf tournament, 5K, cultural demonstrations such as frybread making, storytelling, live vignettes, along with cultural arts and crafts, a parade, health fair, stickball tournament, stomp dance demonstrations and much more. The week-long meeting and festival ends with a State of the Nation address from the Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. For more information about the Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting and Festival, please visit: http://chickasawcountry.com/.

To see a full list of festivals, events, concerts, entertainment and much more, visit: http://chickasawcountry.com/.

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 About Chickasaw Country

Chickasaw Country is a regional tourism organization representing 13 south-central Oklahoma counties. The marketing department lead by The Chickasaw Nation to blend tourism efforts in the region, Chickasaw Country represents festivals, events and attractions. A very diverse and cultural destination, Chickasaw Country has new adventures around every corner. In 2013, the U.S. Travel Association honored Chickasaw Country with a Destiny award in both the Best Travel Website and Best Use of Social Media Platform categories. The awards were given during the annual Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations conference.

About the Chickasaw Nation
With more than 50,000 citizens, the Chickasaw Nation is the 12th largest federally-recognized Indian tribe in the United States. The Chickasaw Nation had an economic impact of more than $2.4 billion in Oklahoma in 2011. The tribe is the seventh largest employer in Oklahoma, with almost 13,000 employees. A democratic republic with executive, legislative and judicial departments, the tribe's jurisdictional territory includes all or part of 13 counties in south central Oklahoma.

Media Contact:

Krista Bruce | Koch Communications | kbruce@kochcocmm.com | 405-615-1526