Get Roped Into Eating Calf Fries

Vinita hosts the 75th annual Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo and 32nd annual World’s Largest Calf Fry Festival and Cook-off August 23-27.

Two great Oklahoma events combine once again to offer five days filled with amazing events August 23-27 in Vinita.

The 75th annual Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo and the 32nd annual World’s Largest Calf Fry Festival and Cook-Off once again come together to promise family fun with live entertainment, specialty acts, a world-famous rodeo, a softball tournament, cowboy games, crafts and vendors.

“The two events were first combined in 2009,” said B.J. Mooney, executive director of the Vinita Area Chamber of Commerce. “The combination and sharing the same dates and resources made everything bigger and better, and we look forward to an even greater turnout this year.”

The Craig County Fair Grounds and the American Legion Rodeo Grounds are the sites for the various activities. In addition, the Rodeo Parade rolls through Vinita on Historic Route 66 on Wednesday, August 24 beginning at 11 a.m. Following the parade, All Settlers Day at Cowboy Junction is the place to hang your hat for more fun, including a band, door prizes and refreshments.

The 75th annual Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo will be held August 23-27, while the Calf Fry Festival and Cook-Off takes place on Saturday the 27th.

“This is the premier calf fry event in the entire state,” said Mooney. “Several teams compete each year for top honors and the distinction of being the winner of the World’s Largest Calf Fry Festival and Cook-Off.”

Celebrate the rich ranching history of the Vinita area by ­tasting the festival’s namesake, calf fries, also known as a local “delicacy.” Visitors who wish to taste the calf fries, also referred to as Rocky Mountain oysters, can purchase tickets to enter the cooking area and sample the tasty fries. Vote for your favorite team in the People’s Choice competition and sample other treats, including beans, cobblers, salsa and breads, made by the various cook-off teams. Celebrity judges will determine the overall winners. The World’s Largest Calf Fry Festival and Cook-Off serves up, on average, 2,000 pounds of calf fries each year.

Also at the festival visitors can browse through arts and crafts, keep the kids entertained with an extensive selection of children’s activities and ­inflatables, or enjoy cowboy games. The annual Cowboy Games, held on August 27, will include four-man teams competing in exciting events such as heading and heeling, doctoring, bulldogging, cutting, penning and more.

The always anticipated Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo is one of the top rodeos in the Southwest region of the nation, according to Mooney. The event is sponsored by the American Legion Post #40. Over the years, Vinita’s American Legion Post #40 has spared no expense in making sure the rodeo attracts the top cowboy champions in the world to compete for thousands in cash prizes. Applications and more detailed information are available by contacting the Vinita Area Chamber of Commerce at (918) 256-7133.

Don’t miss these exciting Oklahoma events! Vinita is ­located about an hour northeast of the Tulsa metro area.

 

For more information, contact

Vinita Area Chamber of Commerce

(918) 256-7133