Busy weekend planned in Okeechobee with parade, festival, rodeo and Bass Pro tournament; Cattle drive to follow parade

Okeechobee County Fair opens Tuesday!

Posted 3/12/21

There’s lots of family fun planned for this weekend, ranging from a festival to a rodeo and even a fishing tournament

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Busy weekend planned in Okeechobee with parade, festival, rodeo and Bass Pro tournament; Cattle drive to follow parade

Okeechobee County Fair opens Tuesday!

Posted

OKEECHOBEE – There’s lots of family fun planned for this weekend in Okeechobee with the Speckled Perch Festival, the Cowtown Rodeo and the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team Championships.

Speckled Perch Festival Parade at 10 a.m. Saturday

On Saturday at 10 a.m., the Speckled Perch Festival Parade will travel the regular parade route, starting at Aldi supermarket on U.S. Highway 441 (Parrott Avenue), traveling north to the intersection of State Road 70 and then west on State Road 70 to the end of Flagler Park.

The Okeechobee Cattlemen's Association cattle drive will follow the parade.

After the parade, the festival in the park will include food booths, arts and crafts and entertainment.

Bass Pro Tournament family fun starts at noon Saturday

At noon on Saturday, the Bass Pro fishing tournament will feature outdoor activities for the whole family at the Scott Driver Recreation Area on the Kissimmee River. Parking at the Scott Driver Recreation Area will be reserved for the 500 angler participants and tournament staff. Parking for the public will be at the Okee-Tantie Recreation Area on State Road 78. A shuttle will be available to transport fans from the parking area at Okee-Tantie to the Family Fun area at the Scott Driver Recreation Area.

The Bass Pro event will include free kids activities: Free interactive games, inflatable slides and more will create a festive atmosphere for families and fishing fans of all ages to enjoy. The event will be hosted by country music star Chris Janson and legendary angler Roland Martin. Tournament weigh-in will begin at 2:30 p.m. Competitors will arrive at the weigh-in site in waves throughout the afternoon and are invited to stay for the final award ceremony, taking place at 6:30 p.m.

The Petersens, an American bluegrass band from Missouri’s Ozark mountains, will also provide live music and entertainment throughout the day. Fans can test ride the latest offerings on the water. Models from America’s foremost boat brands including Tracker, Ranger, Nitro and more are available for fans 18 years of age and older. Guests can also learn about fisheries conservation with representatives from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and enjoy a Bass Pro Shops pop-up shop with exclusive merchandise and the latest gear from top outdoor brands, along with food and special activities.

Cowtown Rodeo set for Saturday and Sunday

The Okeechobee Cowtown Rodeo will bring rodeo excitement back to the Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Rodeo Arena, 1885 U.S. 441, on Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 14.

Gates open at 1 p.m. each day with Mutton Bustin’ is at 2 p.m. Rodeo events start at 2:30 p.m.

Okeechobee County Fair opens Tuesday
There’s more fun to come next week. The Okeechobee County Fair opens Tuesday, March 16, at the Okeechobee Agri-Civic Center, with entrance off State Road 710. The first night of the fair is Dollar Night, with $1 admission and $1 rides, Most food vendors will also have at least one item for $1.

The fair will continue through Sunday, March 21. The fairgrounds open at 5 p.m. on weekdays and at noon on Saturday and Sunday.

Fair entertainment will feature a petting zoo, Sunshine Monkeyshines, Cycle Circus Live, Max Power & Nitro and more. Carnival wristbands will be $20 Tuesday-Thursday; $25, Friday-Sunday.

The Demolition Derby will be Saturday, Mach 20 at 6 p.m.

For more information online go to https://www.okeechobeecountyfair.com/

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