Free, family-friendly event will feature food, children’s activities, fun competitions, live entertainment, and more
OIL CITY, LA – The Gusher Days Festival will take place, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 5 at Earl G. Williamson Park, 11425 Hwy. 1 South in Oil City. The festival will feature family-friendly fun such as arts and crafts, food vendors, children’s activities, competitions, a gun and archery shootout, live entertainment, and a fishing tournament. New this year is a petting zoo featuring kangaroos, porcupines, ponies, and more.
The Gusher Days Festival presents a unique, fun, engaging opportunity for festivalgoers to learn about Oil City’s heritage. Many look forward to the Gusher Days Festival’s classic fair food options such as barbecue, hot dogs, funnel cakes, and more.
“Returning to this year’s festival is an all-time favorite, Mr. Happy. Mr. Happy is a food vendor known for his stuffed smoked chicken breast and Cajun cabbage,” said Tammy Hawks, President of Gusher Days Festival.
The Gusher Days Festival has several competitions leading up to the festival date which includes a gun and archery shootout, fishing tournament, beauty pageant, photography contest, and a pet show.
The North Caddo Shooting Club will host the gun and archery shootout for ages 9 and up. Winning titles will be awarded in five different categories. Registration is $30 and begins at 8 a.m. Pre-registration is $25 and available online.
The fishing tournament will take place, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 28 at Earl G. Williamson Park. The first place winner will receive $650. Registration for the fishing tournament is $60 and starts at 5:30 a.m.
The Gusher Days Missy & Miss Pageant takes place, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, April 29 at North Caddo Elementary-Middle School in Vivian. Female contestants from ages 0-19 will compete for the title of Missy and Miss Gusher. Pageant categories include Baby Missy Gusher, Missy Driller, Missy Oil Well, and more. Admission is $5.
The photography contest includes four categories. Contestants will enter submissions by email to gusherdays@yahoo.com or drop off submissions at the Oil City Housing Authority Office, located at 126 North Dickey Avenue. Winners will be announced at the festival. There is no entry fee for the photography contest. Must be at least 5 years old to participate. The deadline for submissions is 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 2.
The pet show competition will be held at 6 p.m., Friday, May 4 at Earl G. Williamson Park. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m. The pet categories include smallest, largest, prettiest, most handsome, most unique, best costume, best trick, and more. Only one photo is allowed for submission. All pets must be contained or on a leash at all times.
For more information about the Gusher Days Festival and to enter competitions, visit www.gusherdaysfestival.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Tammy Hawks, President of Gusher Days Festival
gusherdays@yahoo.com
Chris Jay, Public Relations/Social Media Manager
Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau
318-429-0658 or cjay@sbctb.org