Festival to spotlight water quality

Water games, comedy, magic and hands-on demonstrations will be featured at the first-ever Bates County Watershed Festival 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sat., Aug. 27, at the Butler City Park. The festival’s theme is “Be a Solution to Water Pollution.”

Headlining the festival are The Fishin’ Magicians, with performances at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Fishin’ Magicians Steve Craig and Amy Short use magic, mystery and clean comedy to educate youngsters and adults all about this precious natural resource – water.

Magicians Steve Craig and Amy Short 

In addition to the live performances, youngsters can enjoy the inflatable water slide and slip ’n’ slide, face painting, water games, stream trailer, Enviroscape demonstrations and more.

The event, organized by the Osage Valley Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council, is free and open to the public. Food vendors will be on hand to supply lunch, snacks and drinks for festival-goers.

Those attending can enter a drawing to win a free rain barrel decorated by local artist Jamie Bokern. The work of budding Bates County artists also will be on display at the festival, with winners of the “Be a Solution to Water Pollution” poster contest announced at noon.

Bates County Industries will be collecting office paper, magazines/catalogs, cardboard, aluminum, plastics (1 and 2) and even clothing throughout the day.

Various exhibits and activities will offer opportunities for both children and adults to learn about water quality issues, how to save money and energy, protect and restore natural resources and discover how the work of many local groups make our region’s communities better places to live.

Sponsors providing financial support for the event include Adrian Bank, Casey’s General Store, Community First Bank, James Binkley, D.D.S., Don’s Tire & Service, Ferguson Farms, Grizzell’s, Max Motors, Osage Valley Electric Cooperative, Ritchie J. Davis with American Family Insurance, Security Bank, and Wimsatt Propane.

Osage Valley RC&D is a not-for-profit foundation promoting resource conservation and community development in Bates County and nine other Missouri counties in the Osage River Basin. The Bates County Watershed Festival is associated with the Mound Branch Watershed Evaluation and Restoration Project partially funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.

For more information and event schedule, visit www.osagevalleyrcd.com or call the RC&D office at 660-679-4332.