The long-standing tradition of the Blue Grass and Chili Festival is making a comeback this weekend, marking over four decades of celebrations. The festival will start on Friday in Pryor, and the festival director, Del Davis, along with Pryor Mayor Zack Doyle, stopped by the Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages Porch to share details about this year's event.

The festival started in 1979 in downtown Tulsa but later made its way to Pryor. It joined other downtown events like Mayfest and became an integral part of the community's cultural calendar. News On 6 has been a dedicated community partner of the festival for many years.

"Our goals are to present the best free family entertainment that we can," said Davis. "We now have four generations of people who have attended the event, starting with their parents and grandparents."

The festival promises a packed schedule for both Friday and Saturday. Attendees can look forward to a captivating tractor show, a vibrant car show and the Mid-America Regional Chili Cook-Off, where winners of the Traditional Red and Homestyle competitions will go to the World Cook-off in 2025 with over $75,000 in prizes.

The festival widely encourages everyone, regardless of their cooking expertise, to join in and showcase their culinary skills.

Mayor Zack Doyle expressed his excitement, highlighting the significant impact the festival has on Pryor, saying, "Pryor is known for our music festivals, and we're delighted to host events like the Blue Grass and Chili Festival to showcase our downtown and what we do."

For more information, you can visit the festival's website at bluegrasschilifest.com.