On Sat., April 8, Blackwell hosted their Tulip’s A Bloom Festival at the fair grounds. This festival was a great opportunity for vendors and nonprofits to come show the surrounding communities what they had to offer.

To begin the day, the community came together to attend and be apart of the parade that morning. Local businesses and citizens were able to participate in the parade and later be entered into a competition where they were judged on the decoration of their transportation of choice. From Bikes and vehicles to floats and horses, contestants were entered into the Spring into Summer Best Decorated Contest.

After the parade and judging, those in attendance were graced with the opportunity to hear the Blackwell Band and grades 3rd through 5th perform throughout the rest of the morning. By noon, the silent auction and giveaways began. Later, Grunge Country performed live on stage and Blackwell Middle and High Schools followed soon after.

Throughout the event, Inspyral Circus elevated the entertainment with their stilt walkers and other talents. Creators of Inspyral Circus, Kelsey and Jeremy, came together during tough times in both of their lives and learned through the arts that they obtained a growth mindset and now share it with the world.

“Their passion for creating magical experiences through performance and costuming has grown into Inspyral Circus, where they have the opportunity to perform for large crowds at all kinds of events. Their fundamental motivation is to INSPIRE and EMPOWER people. and to teach about the importance of resilience and grit,” says their website.

The event was also packed with furry friends from the Ponca City FFA, Blackwell Animal Shelter, and pony rides. The Ponca City FFA brought a number of their animals to the fair grounds to offer a petting zoo to those in attendance. From lamas and donkeys to cows and miniature ponies, there was a plethora of livestock to see. Blackwell Animal Shelter had a successful adoption event at the Tulip’s A Bloom Festival. Dixi, former shelter spotlight animal and their longest resident, and Max both found their forever homes this weekend.

Overall, the Tulip’s A Bloom Festival was a success and people of all ages were able to enjoy the festivities. For updates on next year’s Tulip’s A Bloom Festival, follow their Facebook page at Tulpi’s A Bloom Festival for any new information.