Rush Springs watermelons evoke pride

→8 p.m.:

Rodeo

Aug. 7

→All day: Vendors on Blakely Street in Rush Springs

→5 p.m.:

Parade

→8 p.m.:

Rodeo

Aug. 8

→7:30 a.m.: Watermelon Festival 5K Run

→9 a.m.: Opening ceremonies

→9:45 a.m.: Tiny tots

→Noon: Seed spitting

→4 p.m.: Free watermelon slices until gone

→5 p.m.: Auction prize water-melons

→5:30 p.m.: Coronation ceremony

→5:45 p.m.: Rush Springs Band

→All day: Arts and crafts fair throughout Jeff Davis Park,

antique car and tractor show, concessions and carnival

Economic impact of events

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department searched its database for festivals for 2009 and found about 235 in Oklahoma. Here are examples of the economic impact of events:

• Norman Music Festival: The Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau reported the April 25 Norman Music Festival brought in more than $2.5 million. Surveys filled out during the festival found that 56 percent of the respondents were from Norman; 33.5 percent lived within 100 miles of Norman, and 4.5 percent were from Oklahoma but lived more than 100 miles away. Six percent were from outside Oklahoma, including one from France.

• Downtown Oklahoma City: In one weekend, three major events in downtown Oklahoma City — The Drag Boat Nationals on the Oklahoma River, the Charlie Christian International Music Festival and the Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival — had a combined economic impact estimated at $6 million, according to the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau.

• OK Mozart Festival: The festival at Bartlesville last year played host to more than 22,000 visitors from 33 states and several foreign countries, resulting in an economic impact of $4 million to $8 million.

Source: Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department