OKEECHOBEE — Labor Day weekend brings the annual Labor Day parade, a festival in Flagler Park, rodeo excitement and a barbecue contest … weather permitting.

Special to the Lake Okeechobee News
Founded by former professional bull riders, the Premier Bull Riding Tour is focused on providing a platform, concentrated on aiding in the success of current and rising stars of the sport.

The Labor Day parade is planned for Saturday, Aug. 31, at 10 a.m. in downtown Okeechobee. The parade route starts near the Aldi supermarket on Parrott Avenue (U.S. 441), travels north on Parrott Avenue to the intersection of State Road 70, and then west on SR 70 to the end of Flagler Park. The Okeechobee Building Relationships Among Teens (BRAT) Club is the parade sponsor.

The Labor Day festival, hosted by Okeechobee Main Street, opens Saturday in Flagler Park, on State Road 70. The festival, open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and 2, will feature arts and crafts, food booths, performances by local entertainers and children’s activities. Festival admission is free.

Saturday evening brings the first round of the Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Labor Day Bull Bash at the Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Rodeo Arena, 1885 U.S. 441 N. The Bull Bash, part of the Premier Bulls Tour, will feature some of the top bull riders in the country taking on some of the meanest, toughest bucking bulls to be found. The rodeo action starts at 7 p.m.

On Sunday, Sept. 1, the Labor Day festival will include a Barbecue Ribs Contest. Cooks will be on site barbecuing, starting at 8 a.m. The contest awards presentation will be at 2 p.m.

On Monday, the festival will continue in Flagler Park. The Bull Bash will also continue Monday, at 2:30 p.m. at the Cattlemen’s Rodeo Arena.

Premier Bull Riding Tour

Founded by former professional bull riders, the Premier Bull Riding Tour is focused on providing a platform, concentrated on aiding in the success of current and rising stars of the sport. The tour provides electrifying productions to audiences across the nation, where the world’s greatest bull riders compete against the world’s toughest bulls.

Watching the storm
This week, the Labor Day festival and Bull Bash organizers will be tracking the approach of Tropical Storm Dorian. Changes may be made to the weekend plans, depending on the storm. For updates, go to lakeokeechobeenews.com.