Spavinaw Kicks Off Event Center Grand Opening With a Blast

A classic example of the proverbial phrase “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is being played out in the tiny community of Spavinaw.

Faced with empty buildings after the Spavinaw School District closed in July 2016, members of the community, including Mayor Jim Winn, City Councilman Mike Bradford, Betsy Swimmer, Ray McBride and others, set about turning the loss of a local school into something that would benefit the town.

When students of the closed school district were annexed to the Jay, Salina and Adair school districts in July 2016, the buildings and property were transferred to the Jay School District.

In October 2016, the Jay school board voted to approve the conveyance of the property to the town of Spavinaw with the hopes that the community could get some economic use out of the property.

And, that’s just what the town is doing.

Rather than let the building sit unused, the community has been working to repair the old school in order to use it as a community event center.

Grand Opening Celebration

On Saturday, July 1, the town will host the Spavinaw Creek Blast, a fundraising event that will celebrate the grand opening of the Spavinaw Creek Event Center.

A day-long celebration, the Spavinaw Creek Blast will include live music and entertainment, food, cultural events, native games, art displays and a Trader’s Market.

Spavinaw is one of the earliest and most historic settlements in the heart of the Cherokee Nation. In addition to marking the event center’s grand opening, the Spavinaw Creek Blast will celebrate this Cherokee heritage with cultural events, native games and appearances by several Cherokee National Treasures.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., traditional Cherokee games — stickball, chunkey, cornstalk shooting and Cherokee marbles — will be played.

In addition, the event will include a tomahawk throw exhibition and a display of traditional Cherokee clothing.

Cherokee National Treasures, like featured guest artist Clesta Manley, are Cherokee Nation citizens with exceptional knowledge of Cherokee art forms and who are reviving and preserving Cherokee cultural practices. Several will be in attendance during the Spavinaw Creek Blast to demonstrate traditional crafts, including bow making, basket weaving, flute making and storytelling.

From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., a variety of vendors and artists will be displaying their wares and art at the Trader’s Market. From fine art, pottery and beading to woven baskets, jewelry and wine samples, the Trader’s Market will have something for everyone.

A farmers’ market, located across from the event center, will offer cantaloupe and watermelon from Arkansas, as well as tomatoes, okra, green beans and other produce from local farmers.

A musical group from Tahlequah will provide live music at the event center from 3 to 6 p.m.

The Kingfisher Blues Band will take the event center stage for the Saturday evening dance, performing from 7 to 10 p.m.

The Spavinaw Creek Blast will close with a Cherokee stomp dance. This traditional ceremonial observance will begin at 10 p.m., and will be held on the baseball field across from the event center.

Future Plans

The Spavinaw Creek Blast is the first of what organizers hope will be many more such events hosted at the Spavinaw Creek Event Center.

“We plan on holding monthly dances, as well as three or four shows a year, like antique and shabby chic shows,” said Bradford, who is the event coordinator for the Spavinaw Creek Blast. “It will also be a music venue for musical performances. And, we hope to lease office space to businesses as well.”

“We’ll host events like arts and crafts shows, antique shows,” Winn said. “And, because the school’s gym is the main event center space, we could lease it out for tournaments. We’re open to using the event center for anything and everything.”

The public is invited to attend the Spavinaw Creek Blast, which has a $5 admission fee.

All proceeds from this grand opening celebration will benefit the town of Spavinaw, its efforts to repair the old school building and, as Winn said, “make the town some money.”

Winn also extends an open invitation to a grand opening reception that will be held Friday, June 30, at the event center from 6 to 8 p.m. Attending the reception will be special guests, artists, vendors and sponsors.

“Come out and meet the Cherokee National Treasures,” Winn said, “and see the new event center.”

The Spavinaw Creek Event Center is located at 400 W. Lake Ave., in Spavinaw.