“Art in the Park” Brings Fun to Watonga

“Art in the Park” is a special collaboration between the City of Watonga, Friends of the Watonga Public Library, the Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and others. Each Saturday, beginning May 28, Watonga residents have been treated to special performances by professional musicians, artists and story tellers at various parks in Watonga. The first performance was on May 28 outside the Roman Nose Pool. June 4 was drawing with Sheryl Cozad at the Wheeler (Library) Park. On June 11 Spaghetti Eddie provided a Family Music Concert at the Huff Lorang Park. Most recently, Will Hill, a full blooded Muscogean Indian who is a widely acclaimed storyteller performed stories and songs of native American lore at the Moudry “Scout Hut” Park.

There is one other special Saturday “Art in the Park” Presentation next Saturday featuring The Five Year Gap Band at 10 a.m. in Legion Park on the SW corner of Watonga.

Watonga is fortunate to have some 11 parks. Donnie Dunn and his crew do an excellent job of maintaining these parks, and many other public spaces as well. These parks are important not only for “Art in the Parks” but for various recreational, nature and aesthetic qualities.

We also have an excellent public library with summer reading programs and other many activities. These special activities are not only on Saturdays, but on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There is a summer reading program for children with the theme “Oceans” and a program for adult reading. There are selected books, videos, magazines and newspapers to read at the library or check out. You can buy books at greatly reduced price. My wife and I enjoy the audio and digital books available to download. Archives of the Watonga Republican are available on DVD for research. Internet, printing, copying and laminating services may be found at the library in addition to special classes in the conference room. Soon that room will be filled with voting machines and volunteers to ensure our democracy. For more information about library, go to https://www.watongapl.okpls .org or stop in five days/week.

So join me in appreciation for our creative City Manager, Karrie Beth Little, elected government, and city employees (the library has four employees led by Terri Crawford) as they invest our local, state and federal tax dollars and private grants to provide these services. Be sure to attend the last concert in the “Art in the Parks” series at Legion Park on Saturday, June 25 at 10 AM and the celebration of our nation’s independence on July 4 at Huff Lorang Park.