Counting down the days until Great Bend’s Party in the Park, City Coordinator Christina Hayes mentioned a few of the highlights at Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting.

The end-of-summer bash starts at 9 a.m. at two locations: The Oozefest Mud Volleyball is at the Great Bend Expo Ground and all other activities take place at Veterans Memorial Park.

Great Bend resident Brad Shirer spoke in favor of returning mud volleyball to Vets Park in the future. He described himself as a neighbor of the park. “We’re disappointed that the Ooozefest isn’t going to be there,” he said. This was during the public comments portion of the City Council meeting. Shirer also praised the City for all of the work that goes into the Party in the Park.

There are six mud pits and Hayes proclaimed them the “best in the state.” 

“Kudos to the city workers for making those,” she said. “I’m a mud volleyball traveler, so I have looked and watched; they are the best.” If you want to register a team, the Great Bend Rec will take teams all the way up till Thursday.”

https://greatbendrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Oozefest-Flyer-Registration-2024.pdf

Vendors will be at Vets Park at 9 a.m. One new addition is a business out of Pratt that will lead a free yoga session. “So if you want to get your Zen on, you can come take a free yoga class on the south side in the grassy area before the parade starts,” Hayes said. “At that same area, we’ll be doing Paint in the Park for the kids for free.

“Ten o’clock is the Kiwanis Wet/Dry parade. If you don’t know what that is, anything east of the railroad tracks is dry, so you can’t get wet. You can get candy; it’s a normal parade. Anything west of the railroad tracks on 17th St. Terrace is a free-for-all. You can be sprayed, and they can spray you. It is a really big water fight, you could say.”

The Optimists Kids Fun Zone is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It costs $5 for a wristband. “We got the wet inflatables,” Hayes said. “(Since) the kids are already wet from the parade, they might as well go up and have a slippery time over there on the inflatables.” That will be on the north side of the lake.

The Anything That Floats race starts at 11:15 a.m. The Great Bend Police Department holds the trophy that has typically become a challenge between the GBPD and the Great Bend Fire Department, Hayes said. “It’s really fun competition when you watch those two battle it out.” However, anyone can enter and this year the sponsors have added a $250 prize. 

The Great Bend Police Department will host a dunk tank from noon to 2 p.m., near the inflatables. “I heard Chief might be in there.”

Noon to 5 p.m. is the Shifters car show.

“I’m really excited about this,” Hayes said. “They’ve added some fun things to bring on the entertainment.”

Organizer Deklyn Craven with the Shifters said there will be prizes for the Top 15 plus Best of Show and People’s Choice. “This year we also added a Rev Competition, a 50/50 raffle, and a Swap meet,” Craven posted on Facebook. “We hope to see you there and, as always, all years, makes and models are welcome.”

From noon to 5 p.m. the Midwest Elite Wrestling Exhibition will take place. This is a new event at Party in the Park, Hayes said.

“It is not mud. People have asked me that about 100 times. There’s no mud this year at the park, but there’s going to be a 14 by 14 ring set up, and they will be showing different wrestling moves.”

First Kansas Bank is donating money to turn the sand volleyball area into a Money Pit on the south side of the lake. 

The Cup Competition starts at 3 p.m. City councilman Davis Jimenez is last year’s champion in the adults competition, Hayes noted.

Cornhole registration is at 5:15 p.m. and competition starts at 6 p.m..

The gates open for the concert at 6 p.m. and a photo booth will be there from 6-9. “If you go take a photo and be part of our photo booth, you will get a free ‘I love Great Bend’ koozie, and they’re fantastic. So you’ll want to take your picture,” Hayes said.

Concerts start at 6:15 with the Taylor Fugitt Band; the Poison Overdose Tribute Band is at 8, fireworks a 10 p.m. and The Heathens at 10:30.