“I’m dreaming of a white July…” Wait, what? That’s right Chickasha is gearing up for the chill in the air and holiday spirit that comes with Christmas, during the month of July. Though the weather is not conducive to snow this time of year, there will still be plenty of holiday cheer to go around. Christmas Town should be at the top of your list to visit during the month. Kicking off Christmas in July on the 4th, Christmas Town will host the Parade of Star & Handlebars at 10 a.m. at Shannon Springs Park. Then that evening stick around the park for Festival of Freedom, the city’s magical fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. or dark. The festivities don’t stop on the 4th, there are great reasons to visit Chickasha throughout the entire month. On July 13th, get in the holiday spirit and see where Chickasha’s iconic leg lamp came from by attending Movies at the Leg. The movie for that evening is 'A Christmas Story' and games for the kids starting at 8 p.m. Staying in the holiday spirit, come back out for the 2nd Movies at the Leg on July 20th. Same activities as the 13th, but the movie showing will be 'Elf.' Keeping in the holiday spirit throughout the entire month, come visit Christmas Town and cool off at the Christmas Cool Down Block Party on July 27th. The evening will be full of activities and entertainment, including FREE snow cones for the kids, and water slides. The festivities will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. With all these activities, you are bound to get hungry and/or thirsty. Whether visiting Chickasha or a local, you can download the Christmas in July Restaurant Bingo card. Purchase a meal, snack, or drink from any five of the places on the card and you are entered to win. To download the card, upload your completed card, or more information, you can go to chickashachamber.com/christmasinjuly . Still looking for more holiday cheer? The big tree in Shannon Springs Park will be turned on every night during the month of July. Be sure to go by and see it and let the lights get you in the holiday spirit. With all these activities, you are sure to find something in Christmas Town to get you in the holiday spirit and tide over your love of the season until the Festival of Light in November. Be sure to take it all in and enjoy the joy of the season to get you through the hot days of summer. For more information, please go to chickashachamber.com or visitchickasha.com . We will see you around the one-and-only Christmas Town.

Next Monday is July 1st which starts all the fun of the Chickasha Chamber’s Christmas in July. All kinds of activities are scheduled throughout the month, including outdoor movies at the Leg Lamp. Both the movie “ Elf ” and also “ A Christmas Story ” will be free to view for everyone that enjoys the idea of movies at the Park. There are so many good Christmas movies, it’s hard to choose. My favorite of all time is “It’s a Wonderful Life,” but “Miracle on 34th Street is a great one too. My favorite line from “Miracle on 34th Street is “Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.” The Bricktown Canal will celebrate its 25th anniversary on the 4 th of July. I remember the day it opened and how amazed everyone was. The City of OKC constructed a beautiful canal out of what was just a dusty old street. In 2023, Bricktown had 2.6 million unique visitors, making it one of the biggest sales tax generators in OKC and a vital part of OKC’s $4 billion annual tourism economy. Even after MAPS passed, there were many naysayers that just didn’t believe a dusty old street could be turned into a canal with water taxis operating daily. OKC was also in the news last week when it was announced that it would be hosting Olympic events in 2028. Olympic canoeing and softball will be played there, only a 30-45 minute drive from Chickasha. Wow! This is happening because of the planning done in MAPS for the Oklahoma River and also due to OKC continuing to improve their facilities at the Softball Complex. But…the biggest reason all these amazing things are happening in OKC is because they BELIEVE! When I was back in high school in the early 80’s, my Dad was the Assistant Principal and he loved to do the announcements of the intercom each morning. When he was telling everyone about some kind of success a team or a student had, he would say: “Gawlee can you believe it!” I can still hear him say that to this day. Like the quote from movie, sometimes we have to believe in something when commons sense says it won’t ever happen. Just ask Tim Elliott how many people laughed at him when he would bring up the idea of a 50 foot Leg Lamp at the end of Main Street. As we celebrate many things in the month of July, it’s also a good time to dream about our future here in Chickasha. I “believe” that we are on the verge of having truly incredible things happening in our Community, but we ALL have to Believe! 25 years from now, I hope Chickasha is celebrating things that many thought would never happen. I hope someone is writing a column and reflecting back on all that was accomplished because we simply believed we could do it. I have a feeling that the Leg Lamp was just the start. I believe we are all going to be involved in making BIG things happen here and it all starts in believing in #TheGoodStuff!

July is heating up to be another exciting month at the Grady County Fairgrounds with a wide variety of events that promise fun and entertainment for anyone needing to step out of the summer heat into our state-of-the-art climate-controlled event spaces. Kicking off the month, the Sooner State Morgan Horse Show will take place from July 5-7 . This event is a must-see for equestrian enthusiasts, showcasing the top Morgan horses from across the Midwest. Attendees will be treated to a display of elegance and skill, as these magnificent horses compete in various disciplines, highlighting their beauty, versatility, and agility. The excitement continues during July 11-14 with the Oklahoma State 4H Horse Show. Qualifying 4-H youth members will compete for state championship titles in a range of events, demonstrating their hard work and dedication to horsemanship. The BadShot Gun Show returns and will be held in the North Expo Building on July 20-21. This event is perfect for firearm enthusiasts, offering a wide selection of guns, ammunition, and accessories. Finally, rounding out the month is the highly anticipated Barrel Bash Tour on July 26-28 . This elite barrel racing event will showcase top equine athletes and riders from across the United States. This thrilling competition promises to be fast and furious, as both horse and rider compete for top prize money. These events not only provide entertainment but also bring significant tourism dollars and economic impact to the region, benefiting local businesses and the community. I promise you will not want to miss a second of these exciting events at the Grady County Fairgrounds in July!

I read through a report last week that showed what items our residents have to go out of town to purchase. As you can probably guess, superstores, apparel and home improvements were at the top of the list. Any time there’s a post on social media asking what businesses people want to see, the categories always make the list. So what should we do about it? The first thing we should always do is Shop Local, #ShopChickasha, #SpendWhereYouLive… all those sayings and hashtags. The next time you see an Amazon Truck driving through town, ask yourself, have you ever seen an Amazon sign hanging from fences at the baseball fields? Instead you have probably seen local businesses, some of them have been around for decades. They are always there supporting our Community, so shouldn’t we support them? The second reason to shop local is simple math. The more you spend your money in Chickasha, the more sales tax revenues increase. Sales tax is the largest revenue stream for our City’s budget. If you want the City to spend more on roads, safety, water or anything else, we all need to grow the revenue that allows them to do those things. As the City’s fiscal year comes to an end in June, it will have benefitted from the second straight year of record sales tax collections. That is great news! The increase in sales tax has even outpaced the inflation rate. We must keep this momentum going because we need to make up for years of deferred maintenance. The City has a lot of capital improvement items to catch up on.

Utilizing Video Marketing in a Digital World

Renewing your Chickasha Chamber of Commerce membership is crucial for maintaining and enhancing the vibrant business community that defines our city. Membership renewal not only provides you with continued access to valuable networking opportunities, resources, and events but also ensures that you remain an active participant in shaping the local economy. By renewing, you support the Chamber's efforts in advocacy, community development, and business promotion, which in turn, helps create a favorable environment for your business to thrive. Your renewed commitment allows the Chamber to sustain and expand its initiatives, such as educational workshops, marketing support, and collaborative projects, all designed to bolster your business and the broader Chickasha economy. To our valued members who have renewed their memberships, we extend our deepest gratitude. Your continued support and engagement are the backbone of our community's success. Thanks to your dedication, we can pursue exciting projects and events, as well as offer comprehensive services that benefit all local businesses. Your investment in the Chamber is an investment in the future of Chickasha, helping us to foster growth, innovation, and a strong sense of community. We appreciate your loyalty and look forward to another year of working together to achieve new heights for our local business landscape. Thank you for being a member! Check out our Chamber Champions (renewing members) in 2024 so far... Aggreko, Inc. Alabaster Advisors, LLC Alpacas of Oklahoma Altrusa International of Chickasha, OK Angel, Johnston, & Blasingame, CPA Around the Clock Home Care Arvest Bank Baity Screw Machine Products, LLC Best Western Plus of Chickasha Big John's Lawn Care LLC Bill McVey Blaine County Chem-Cans LLC Bloom Beauty Ink Blossoms Boutique Boom-a-rang Diner Chickasha Brinks Downtown Boutique Bud Andrus Buff Boy's Detailing LLC Buster Crabbe Pools Cameo Properties, LLC Century 21 / Mosley Agency CharDon Builders, Inc. Charles Allen Ford Inc. Cherokee Temps, Inc. Chickasha Airport Authority Chickasha Chiropractic Clinic Chickasha Clinic Pharmacy, LLC Chickasha Community Theatre Chickasha Country Store/Apache Farmers Coop Chickasha Golf and Country Club Chickasha Industrial Authority Chickasha Monument Chickasha Municipal Authority Chickasha Nursing Center Chickasha Opportunity Center, Inc. Chicken Express City Of Chickasha Cochran Abstract & Closing Company Dean Images Dolese Downtown Mercantile & Chickasha Visitors Center Downtown Tattoo Duncan Overhead Door of Chickasha, LLC Dwight Yokum Eastwood Realty Group Edward Jones - Cale Walker Evans National Express Employment Professionals Farm Service Company Ferguson Funeral Home First National Bank & Trust Company Friendly Travel Funlight Creations Galleria Furniture Outlet of Chickasha Gonzalez Pest Control Gorilla Plus LLC Grady County Farm Bureau Insurance Grady Memorial Hospital Hairy's Hampel Oil Company (formally Steagall Oil) Heidi Helping the Homeless Heritage Park Theatre Hicks Company Hometown Paving Hormone Clinics of Oklahoma | Weaver Clinics HSI Sensing Inked Cosmetics & Spa Lounge | Lashed & Bronzed Interurban of Chickasha Investment Center Advisor Group Jack Donnellan Jay's Jewelry John Holt Auto Group Johnson's Commercial Rentals, LLC Junior Social Workers LaForge Properties Legends Pubhouse & Venue LLC Liberty Drug, Inc. Liberty National Bank LifeLine Home Health & Hospice Inc Lifetime Dentistry of Chickasha Lion's Club International- Chickasha Club Lopez & Sons Roofing LLC M & M Computer Solutions, LLC Mama Carol's Kitchen McRay Funeral Home McRay-Denton Vision Center Merit Auto Group Michael Day Insurance Agency, Inc. MidFirst Bank Mollett Hunter Insurance Mollman Media NAPA Auto Parts | Marshall Auto Supply Nowata Gardens Apartments Oh18 Optimum Dental of Chickasha Park, Nelson, Caywood, Jones, LLP Pecan Grove RV Resort Pollution Control Corp. Randy Talley Recovery Massage LLC Red Rock BHS Regency Inn Rock Island Candy Company Rock Island Grill Ron Justice Ross & Henderson, PLLC Royce Terry Insurance Sevier's Chickasha Funeral Home Shelter Insurance Sherwin-Williams Company Smith Roberts Baldischwiler, LLC Southwest Youth & Family Services, Inc. Standley Systems Storage ''R'' Us Summit Utilities Sun Loan Company Tans Unlimited Time 4 U Therapy Massage Clinic & School of Massage Therapy Todd's Auto Repair Town's End Stillhouse & Grill Two Vets Clothing Co.a Vellum Skin Care Studio Victory Family Church Viridian Coffee Co Washita Valley Abstract & Closing Company Watson Mobile Home Estates WCS Roofing

Chickasha Chamber Kicks Off 2024 with Exciting Ribbon Cuttings and New Members

The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce proudly announces the appointment of Matthew Stockman as the new Director for the Festival of Light and Tourism. As preparations gear up for the 32nd annual Festival of Light this November, Stockman steps into this pivotal role. Responsible for the comprehensive management of the festival, Stockman will oversee everything from sponsorships to logistics, ensuring seamless operations from setup to teardown and cleanup once the festivities conclude. "It's a testament to the Festival of Light that we were able to attract an impressive list of applicants, several from out of state and one from as far away as the state of New York. The fact that Matthew with his experience was not only interested, but excited about this position shows us how strong the brand is for the Festival. With Matthew on board, I believe this will the biggest year ever for our nationally recognized event,” stated Jim Cowan, President of the Chamber. Hailing from Dibble, Stockman's journey to this position has been marked by a diverse professional trajectory. Graduating from OSU in 2006, he has since held notable roles, including Vice President of Experience and Events at Tulsa Regional Tourism. During his tenure, Stockman played a pivotal role in shaping Tulsa's tourism landscape, notably spearheading the establishment of Tulsa's stand-alone visitor center. In anticipation of this year's Festival of Light, exciting expansions are on the horizon. Additional lighting installations north of the dam and an enhanced experience at the Big Tree promise to captivate attendees. Furthermore, the Downtown Shuttle service will once again be available on Friday and Saturday nights in December, offering convenient transportation to and from the festival grounds, alleviating congestion. Beyond his Festival responsibilities, Stockman will serve as Chickasha's year-round Tourism Director. Collaborating with the Chamber, he will play a key role in orchestrating and promoting various events throughout the calendar year, including Christmas in July, the Oklahoma Food Truck Championship, and Neewalloh.  Recognized at the state level by the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association for its recent tourism endeavors, Chickasha aims to further elevate its standing under Stockman's leadership, fostering continued growth and prosperity in tourism for Chickasha.

Over the past few years, the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce and the Chickasha Economic Development Council have teamed up to promote Tourism in our community. We have had the Festival of Light drawing people to Chickasha for the holidays for over 30 years, but now things like the Oklahoma Food Truck Championship, the City’s Air Show and of course the Leg Lamp are helping bring people to town all year long. The Sports Complex and the Grady County Fairgrounds also have a huge impact on our hotels and restaurants, the difference that has happened the past few years is that we are telling our story more now. As Oklahoma’s third largest industry, tourism is vital to the state’s economy. The Oklahoma Tourism Department, along with the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association, Chickasaw Country and now our Visit Chickasha brand all work together to answer the question: “Why Chickasha?” Besides attracting visitors to town, Tourism also positively impacts economic development. Many of our new businesses that have opened or are scheduled to open, will benefit significantly from travelers stopping off here in Chickasha. California developer Chet Hitt has said many times publicly that seeing the Leg Lamp being constructed helped him decide to invest millions in our community. Promoting Chickasha as a tourism destination is still a somewhat new idea, but I believe that it’s just the beginning for us. More businesses are coming that will shape our City’s future. As a town that originated because of being a stop on the railroad, it should not be a surprise that visitors not only got us started, but will play a major role in the success of our future!