Enders Extravaganza draws 800 for variety of events

    An estimated 800 people took in all or some of the events at Saturday’s Enders Outdoor Extravaganza.
    After last year’s 100th year celebrating the state parks, staff at Enders Lake Recreation Area put on another day-long schedule of activities this year, starting early and ending late.
    Supt. Beau Licking said it was a great weather day, despite some wind, providing much cooler temperatures in the low 80s, compared to the 2021 event when it was hot.
    The only “bummer,” he said, was the wind, which cancelled the day’s kayaking on the lake.
    Twelve barbecue masters competed in the Smokin’ on the Lake contest, with Wauneta’s Pits & Spits BBQ taking Grand Champion honors.
    The team of Shane Anderson and Aaron McKinney, along with their wives, were runners-up in 2021.
    This year, they took first in three of the four divisions to bypass Reserve Champion Wayne Bahler of Lamar, who placed second in two of the divisions Saturday.
    Other events included tractor, car and working truck shows, in addition to a morning 5K run and evening concert featuring BD and the Boys from Grand Island.
    In between, people enjoyed a craft show, a Nebraska Game & Parks trailer with poaching information, games, a watermelon feed, bouncy house, demonstrations and more.
    Licking said they’ve already set the 2023 date for the third annual Outdoor Extravaganza.
    Set for Saturday, June 10, 2023, the team shooting Gould Brothers will return by popular demand, Licking said.
    Smokin’ on the Lake will also return in 2023 with many of the popular events this year.

Contest winners

Smokin’ on the
Lake BBQ

    Grand Champion—Pits & Spits BBQ, Shane and Lindsay Anderson, Aaron and Monica McKinney, Wauneta, $500 and banner.
    Reserve Champion—Wayne Bahler, Lamar, $250 and banner.
    Brisket—1st Pits & Spits BBQ, 2nd Wayne Bahler, 3rd Chris Conner, Sterling, Colorado.
    Pork Butt—1st Pits & Spits BBQ, 2nd Fischer’s BBQ, Wauneta, 3rd Chris Conner.
    Mystery meat—1st Meat Masters, Benkelman, 2nd Pits & Spits BBQ, 3rd Chris Conner.
    Dessert—1st Pits & Spits BBQ, 2nd Wayne Bahler, 3rd  Chris Conner.
    Divisional winners received banners.
Tractor show
    1st Rose Cayer, 2nd Jerry Varilek.    
Car show
    Top 4 winners—Keithan Cochran, Mike Lorimer, Steve Terryberry, Doug Reinke.
    Winners received hub cap plaques.
Truck show
    Winners—Steve Haskins, Fred Colglazier, Colby Way and Allen Smith.
5K run
    Under 20—1st Brayton Weiss, 2nd Jordyn Stafford.
    Age 20-30—1st Lora Villarreal, 2nd Meghann Pursley, 3rd Kym Weiss.
    Over 40—1st Davina Stanford, 2nd Amy Thelander.
    Over 60—1st Stephanie Noyes.
    Runners raised $350 for the Gary Sinise Foundation.