Saturday, May 2, 2015 ● 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Downtown El Reno, Oklahoma
The “Big Burger” starts cooking at 12 noon
8 ½ feet and 850 pounds of the finest in Fried Onion Ecstasy
Car Show ● Games ● Rides ● Drag Boat Exhibition ● United Freestyle Stunt Team
Craft Show ● Food Court ● Live Entertainment
Bun Run – Memorial Stadium
One Mile Fun Run/Walk at 8:30 a.m. and 5K at 9:00 a.m.
FREE Admission * Fun for the Entire Family!!!
Main Stage Featuring
Jazz Band, Dirty Joke, Avenue Duo, Jason Young Band,
Annie Oakley, and Small Town Sound
Contact El Reno Main Street at 405.262.8888
WWW.ELRENOBURGERDAY.COM
Burger Day Festival
Press Release
April 10, 2015
El Reno Main Street invites everyone to join us downtown for the 27th annual Fried Onion
BURGER DAY FESTIVAL on
SATURDAY, MAY 2nd from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Come watch the WORLD’S LARGEST fried onion burger
being cooked over an open pit fire...it’s 8 1/2 feet in diameter and weighs over 850 pounds.
You might even get a free bite of the big one!
Downtown El Reno will be bustling with family fun.
There will be entertainment located throughout the festival;
MAIN STAGE, featuring the Jazz Band, Dirty Joke, Avenue Duo,
Jason Young Band, Annie Oakley and Small Town Sound.
CHILDREN’S STAGE, featuring clowns, magicians, Extreme Animals, Elsa and Anna, and fun contests;
and, of course, Rockin-on-Rock Island music playing all your special requests.
You can see the CLASSIC CAR SHOW with antique and custom cars.
Other attractions include a
DRAG BOAT EXHIBITION, the engines will fire up at 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.,
CRAFT SHOW, GREAT FOOD,
UNITED FREESTYLE STUNT TEAM will perform at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
GAMES, and much more.
There’s something for everyone at
El Reno’s BURGER DAY FESTIVAL on SATURDAY, MAY 2nd.
For more information contact
El Reno Main Street
405.262.8888
www.elrenoburgerday.com
Festival Details
Debbie Harrison
Program Director/Event Coordinator
El Reno Main Street
405-262-8888
[email protected]
Burger Day Chairman, Bobby Boyles
405-295-6464
=====================
Big Burger - 850 lbs and 8.5 ft. in diameter.
Jason Duff, 405-262-2949
Gene Stroman, Emcee, 405-760-7199
93.3 Jake FM, featuring Owen Pickard, will be doing a Radio Remote from Noon until 2:00 p.m.
 Big Burger Schedule:
10:00 a.m. - Sign up for the Burger Eating Contests
11:00 a.m. - Big Burger Cooking preparation.
12:00 p.m. - Begin cooking of the Big Burger.
12:15 p.m. - Crowning of Bryan Albrecht, King of the Big Burger
12:30 p.m. - Burger Eating Contests
1:00 p.m. - Serving of the Big Burger to the anxiously awaiting crowd.
Burger Fun Facts!
 Register for the Burger Eating Contests from 10 a.m. – noon at the Big Burger Arena. Four kids, ages 10
and under, will be chosen at random for the first contest. Four adults, 18 and older, will be chosen at
random for the second contest.
 Burger Recipe:
-350 pounds of beef donated by OKC West, OK Beef Industry Council, Larry’s Meats and Alfadale
Farms
-150 pounds of onions donated by Beachler’s Hometown Market
-350 pound bun
-Lots of mustard and pickles!
 Bun Recipe:
-60 eggs
-15 cups of oil
-15 gallons warm water
-7 ½ cups yeast
-225 pounds of flour
-3 ¾ cups salt
-20 cups powdered milk
-11 ¼ cups sugar
 The bun is baked in a 12’ x 12’ convection oven. It is the only one of its kind and was also used to make
the bread for the World’s Largest PBJ.
 The bun is prepared the Friday morning before Burger Day. 15 batches of dough are prepared. The dough
is poured onto a custom made cooking sheet and formed into a circle with a special device. The bun is
fully cooked by approximately 1pm.
==============================
Main Street Burger Booth
Selling famous fried onion hamburgers all day long!
Craig Huber, 262-1202
 Last year 3,200 hamburgers were cooked in seven hours.
 .50 cents of each hamburger sold is donated by El Reno Main Street to a community project. This year’s
project will be the Students Striving for Success Mentoring Program.
==============================
Main Stage
Brooke Stroman, 405-250-3949
Main Stage Sponsored By Lucky Star Casino
Schedule of Events
10:00 a.m.
El Reno Jazz Band
10:30 a.m.
Dirty Joke
11:45 a.m.
Avenue Duo
1:00 p.m.
Jason Young Band
2:00 p.m.
Annie Oakley
3:30 p.m.
Small Town Sound
Dirty Joke
El Reno's Dirty Joke Band was born in 2014 when drummer Aaron Walker walked up to co-worker Chuck Smith
and said, "I heard you play guitar?" Smith soon contacted singer Greg Edgmon, another co-worker with whom he
had previously played in several bands, recruited local bassist Jim Eischen, and the group was formed. Dirty Joke's
seasoning of talented veteran musicians Smith, Edgmon and Eischen, combined with the youthful high energy of
Walker's drumming, serves up a crowd-pleasing mix of classic and pop rock and modern country favorites.
Cutline: El Reno's Dirty Joke Band, (from left) Jim Eischen, Greg Edgmon, Aaron Walker and Chuck Smith,
brings its mix of rock, pop and country favorites to the Main Stage at this year's Burger Day Festival.
Avenue Duo
Avenue is formed from only the finest ingredients, playing all of the best pop, rock, hip-hop and more. The band is
perfect for wedding receptions, corporate events, clubs, casinos, and just about any other type of event. Just a few
of the artists covered: U2, INXS, Maroon 5, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Depeche Mode, Gavin DeGraw,
Paula Abdul, The Killers, Rihanna, & Prince.
Jason Young Band
Jason Young is from Edmond Oklahoma and moved to Tampa Florida in 2003. In Oklahoma Jason started his
musical career working for Nashville Recording Artist Ty England. Jason formed his own band when he got to
Tampa in 2003. Jason has worked with artists such as Ty England, Chad Brock, Cody McCarver, Confederate
Railroad, Cledus T Judd and has shared the stage with artists such as Charlie Daniels, Cross Canadian Ragweed,
Tracy Bird, Gary Allan, Marshall Tucker, Lee Brice, Josh Turner, Blake Shelton, Lynyrd Skynyrd and many more.
Under BrickTown Records he is currently working on his third CD “Have Faith” and has cut Video’s for “You’re
All Alone”, “Waiting On Something Better”, “Is There Anybody There”, “Simple Way of Life”, and “Only In
Time” (Rock Version) which is a song written about his grandfather, but dedicated to our Veterans and the
amazing men and women that fight for this country every day. In the early part of 2012 Jason has relocated back to
Oklahoma to hit the Midwest music scene. Joining Jason on lead guitar is Steven Adam, Rick Toops on keys, Bass
Player Mike Myers and drummer Keith Coulson.
Annie Oakley
Annie Oakley is an all-girl Americana band founded by Oklahoma singer-songwriters Sophia and Grace
Babb. Their music and compelling harmonies have a soulful, indie-folk feel that has been described as coming
“straight from the heart.”
The Americana music the sisters write and play combines elements of folk, bluegrass, country, indie, and soul. It
seems to grow from Oklahoma’s red clay—and no wonder, since the sisters descend from pioneer Land Run Okie
stock on both sides of the family. They also share the same distant Ulster Scots heritage as Woody Guthrie and
Merle Haggard, giving the stake they’ve claimed in Americana music a typical all-American, multi-cultural
foundation. The 17-year-old twins released their debut EP, Annie Oakley, in December 2013.
High school juniors concurrently enrolled in college classes, the girls perform with friends Nia Personette on
violin, and Gabee Rolla-Danley on mandolin.
The historic Annie Oakley best expressed the spirit of this duo thus:
“Aim at a high mark and you’ll hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second time. Maybe not the third. But keep on
aiming and keep on shooting, for only practice will make you perfect. Finally, you’ll hit the bull’s-eye of success.”
Small Town Sound
Small Town Sound (STS) has risen up from the red dirt roads of Minco, Oklahoma population 1672. These bluecollar boys from the flatlands of Oklahoma bring their own style of music to the table. Raised on traditional
outlaw county music and classic southern rock they have managed to merge the two, to form that Small Town
Sound. First and foremost Small Town Sound are more like family than close friends. They share a deep love of
music, which can be heard in the songs they play. Small Town Sound are influenced and inspired by all styles of
music, from classic country, early rock and roll, Moto town, southern rock and a little straight forward rock. Each
member of Small Town Sound brings to the table their own style from Tuffy Casteel troubadour like powerful
vocals, Tim Elliott's hard edge lead guitar playing, Jacob Moss's rhythmic straight forward drumming, Todd
Neece's soulful bass and Cody Hashell's bluesy harp and rhythm guitar. When put all together this is what they
like to call that Small Town Sound. They truly enjoy playing for others and spreading their love of music.
Small Town Sound recently recorded three songs with Mr. Mike McClure at the Boo Hatch studio in Ada
Oklahoma, and are scheduled to return later this summer to finish their album. They released their first single
"Whiskey" from their recording session with Mr. Mike McClure in February with the LeeCherry Entertainment.
Small Town Sound have received great reviews and a some success with this single. Whiskey stayed at the
number one spot on KRAZE radio @thereddirtzraze.com for 3 weeks, it was the number three downloaded song
on Access Radio on the second week of February.
Small Town Sounds most recent accomplishment has been with Hard Rock Rising Global Battle of the Bands.
From over 400 bands enter into Hard Rock Rising they placed number five and proceeded onto round 2 of the
competition in Dallas Texas. After sweeping the contest on the 31 of March, Small Town Sound is schedule back
to Dallas to play against two other bands to compete in a chance for the national finals. The winners are chosen by
a panel of international music industry professionals, and will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Barcelona, Spain,
to perform at the first-ever Hard Rock Rising Barcelona global music festival July 24-25.
=============================
Car Show
Tom Tennery, 405-350-3048
 Sponsored by Sugar Creek Casino. Anticipate 200 cars.
 Awards will be given to the top 25 in the car show at 3:00 p.m. Awards are voted on by the car show
participants.
 Special awards given for Best in Show, Main Street’s Choice, Sheriff’s Choice, City Manager’s Choice,
Police Chief’s Choice, Fire Chief’s Choice, Mayor’s Choice
 Door Prizes throughout the day and a 50/50 Cash Drawing!
 Registration from 8:00 a.m. until noon
==============================
Children’s Stage
Tracey Rider, Chairman
Schedule of Events
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m.
Mother/Daughter Look Alike Contest
Hula Hoop Contest (age 6 and under)
Sponji
Extreme Animals Show
Hula Hoop Contest (age 6 – 12)
Father/Son Look Alike Contest
Sponji
Hula Hoop Contest (age 13-17)
Bubble Gum Blowing Contest
Elsa and Anna, The Frozen Sisters
All contests will have 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes.
 El Reno Main Street, El Reno Public Schools and Walmart Foundation funded the Children’s Stage
activities.
 The Extreme Animal Show will feature a chinchilla; kangaroo; lemur; baby crocodile; parrot; albino snake,
fox, otter, and hedgehog.
 John Pansze aka Sponji has been performing regionally since 1976 as both a professional magician
and clown. He has worked in a variety of settings, including numerous special events. His
performances as a professional comedy magician are well received by audiences.
 The Frozen sisters are coming to Burger Day! Bring your little princesses...and even princes to see Elsa and
Anna. They will be singing several songs, taking pictures, and signing autographs so don't miss them!
Elsa and Anna are portrayed by Jordan Tech and Morgan Renbarger of Calumet, Oklahoma, who are
cousins, but are really sisters at heart. Jordan is a senior at Southwestern Oklahoma State University,
where she will graduate this May with a B.B.A. in Marketing. Morgan is a junior at Northwestern
Oklahoma State University, where she is pursuing a degree in education.
==============================
Kids World
 Several games and activities are planned:
Airbrush Face Painting and Glitter Tattoos, Basketball Hoop Shoot, Duck Pond/Fishing Game,
Sand Art, Spin To Win Prize Wheel, Dare To Be Prepared, Spin N Win, Rockwall, Pony Rides, Petting Zoo,
Jurassic Adventure, Swing, Gone Fishing, Obstacle Course, Mechanical Bull, and much more.
New this year is the United
Freestyle Stunt Team.
United Freestyle Stunt Team will be performing at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. in the parking lot
south of the Canadian County Election Board.
United Freestyle Stunt Team has been providing high quality family entertainment since 1999. They offer
some of the best riders in bmx freestyle as well as skateboarding and flatland. They have been amazing
audiences at festivals, fairs, car shows, and many other exciting venues across the United States. Their
team has also been to countless schools and camps promoting a drug free lifestyle, bicycle safety and
character developing messages.
==============================
Drag Boat Exhibition
Josh Finnigan, 405-570-3057
The Engines will FIRE UP at 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
==============================
Bun Run
Dorrie Parrott, 405-831-1444
This will be the 18th year for the Bun Run and the second year that Wesley UMC has organized this event.
The USATF sanctioned and certified course for the 5K run and the 1 mile fun run/walk will start at Memorial
Stadium, 2001 Sunset Drive, and wind through the Lake El Reno and Crimson Creek Golf Course area.
The Event
One Mile Fun Run/Walk at 8:30am
5K at 9:00am
Register online March 1st - May 1st, 5K entry fee is $30 and Race day registration fee is $35. The 1 mile fun
run/walk is $25. Registration includes the Wesley UMC Bun Run T-shirt.
The race is sanctioned by USATF and the course is certified. Participants are eligible for state and national
records.
Awards will be presented to the top three male and female runners in each age group (standard 5-year age groups)
for the 5K run. The top overall male and female finalists will receive special awards and will also be given
dignitary status at the Burger Day festival which allows them access to where the big burger is cooked.
Fancy Pants Award
Run with decorated buns!! Glitter, glue, tassel, or tutu. Decorate the back of your running shorts in the 5k or fun
run and if you have the best decorated buns you can win the Fancy Pants award!! (All buns must be covered with
clothing-no exposed buns please!)
Other Items
 Great festival food is planned! The World Famous Fried Onion Hamburgers (El Reno Main Street),
Funnel Cakes (El Reno Band Parents); Turkey Legs (Bethel AME Church); Cotton Candy (El Reno
Community Theatre); Brisket/Ribs (God’s Place Church); French fries/cheese fries (Knights of Columbus);
Ice Cream (Mobile Meals), German Roasted Almonds & Pecans (Must Be Nuts); Kettle Corn (Classic
Kettle Corn); Nachos (Lord’s Harvest); Hot Dogs (Elks Lodge).
 Kid’s World and the Food Court Areas will be a “Tobacco and Vape Free Zone”.
 Main Street’s Official T-shirt booth will have a space at the festival along with many other vendors.
 Over 30 craft booths are scheduled this year, offering a variety of handmade crafts and various items.
 The official Burger Day T-shirts are on sale at Ross Seed Co./True Value.
 Last year there were over 2,500 volunteer hours tracked for this event.
 O.F., short for Onion Fried, the official Burger Day mascot will be attending.
==============================
Story of the First Burger Day
History/Background: The Burger Day Festival is a tribute to the fried onion hamburger, cooked daily in El Reno since the
early 1900’s. In Hamburgers & Fries: An American Story, author John T. Edge describes the history of El Reno’s fried
onion hamburger. Edge tells of Ross Davis who owned and operated the Hamburger Inn on Route 66 in Downtown El Reno.
Davis began making fried onion hamburgers in the twenties during the depression. Since onions were cheap and meat was
expensive, Davis would add a half shredded onion atop a five cent meat patty and smash the burger with the back of his
spatula. It made the burger look bigger, while adding a tremendous amount of flavor. John T. Edge explains how a local
businessman and his idea became what is El Reno’s local delicacy, “Like other iconic American dishes, the taste for burgers
laced with onions was wrought during days of privation. Eventually, acquired taste spurred localized tradition.”
In 1988, the El Reno Main Street program was established to promote downtown revitalization. Part of any revitalization
program is defining what your community is known for, what makes it special and unique. What your community offers that
no other community can offer. The first Main Street Director met with downtown business owners and citizens to ask them,
“What is El Reno known for”? The response was unanimous, “Fried Onion Hamburgers.”
It was decided that this Fried Onion Burger Day Festival would revolve around the cooking of the World’s largest fried onion
hamburger. Canadian Valley Technology Center was contacted to design and construct the equipment needed to cook this
giant hamburger. The technology center created two major apparatuses, a twelve foot convection oven and a ten foot circular
grill that could grill, rise, flip and lower a hamburger patty. The hard part was done. An invitation was given to all boys who
had ever worked for one of the fried onion burger diners. The invitation was to receive a free burger day t-shirt in exchange
for helping to cook the big hamburger. The event was developed and to be run by volunteer labor.
The local fried onion hamburger diners donated meat and onions and the other necessities for cooking the World’s largest
fried onion hamburger. When Burger Day began, there was Sid’s Diner, Johnnies Grill, and Robert’s Grill, all of which are
still in operation today serving up their specialty fried onion delicacies. Sid’s Diner agreed to set up a grill in downtown to
cook and serve hamburgers for the first Burger Day. A local car club arranged for a Car Show downtown, and the first
Burger Day was born, May 6, 1989.
Nobody was prepared for what was about to happen. It was organized chaos at best. Marty Hall, current owner of Sid’s
Diner, described his first burger day as, “taking a knife to a gun fight…we were no where near prepared.” Being the first
Burger Day, there was not a lot of organization or a lot rules, things that come with years of planning an annual festival. It
wasn’t long after the festival kicked off before there was a line two city blocks long, all wanting a fried onion hamburger
cooked in the middle of downtown El Reno. Sid Hall, then the owner of Sid’s Diner, had brought 200 hamburgers to cook,
and within an hour Sid had to go get more meat and supplies to keep up with the increasing burger line. Festival organizers
were amazed at what was happening. Sid ran errands all day getting hamburger meat, all the while wondering why people
just didn’t go to one of the diners to get burgers other than waiting in line. When Sid drove past Robert’s and Johnnie’s Grill,
he understood why…both places were packed with hungry customers. EVERYONE wanted the fried onion ecstasy that only
El Reno’s fried onion hamburgers could offer.
Around three in the afternoon, a local businessman, waiting in line for a hamburger, asked Marty if he was getting tired of
grilling. The businessman, David Eaton, began helping his childhood friend meet the needs of these hungry festival goers.
David was having fun conversing with locals who wanted to honor their heritage by celebrating Burger Day with their
favorite local treat, the one and only fried onion hamburger.
Five in the afternoon marked the close of the first Fried Onion Burger Day Festival. The weather had been wonderful and
1,300 hamburgers had been sold. Around 8,000 people had shown up for fried onion hamburgers and the festival festivities.
This year’s Burger Day marks the 27th year, and people travel from far and wide, through several states to attend. Last year’s
crowd was estimated at 25,000 people.
==============================
Sponsors
A big Thank You to all our sponsors who make the event possible…..
City of El Reno, Devon Energy Corporation, Lucky Star Casino,
Mary K. Ashbrook Foundation, Sugar Creek Casino
Alfadale Stock Farms, BancFirst, Bank of Commerce, Beachler’s Hometown Market, Carnott’s,
Cavin’s Wrecker Service, Crimson Creek Golf Course, Dexter Axle, Diffee Ford Lincoln,
Downtown Businesses, El Reno Chamber of Commerce, El Reno Convention & Visitors Bureau,
El Reno Cruisers, El Reno Family Dentistry, El Reno Firefighters, El Reno Public Schools,
El Reno Rotary Club, El Reno Sod Farm Inc., El Reno Tribune, Gemini Industries Inc. Foundation,
Gene Sears Supply, Heritage Integrated Solutions, Interbank, King Electric, Larry's Meats,
Marianne’s Rentals, Mercy Hospital El Reno, MidFirst Bank, OG&E Electric Services, OKC West,
Oklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma Environmental Management Authority, Oklahoma Gazette,
Oklahoma Natural Gas, Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Plaza 66 Mini Storage, Red River Credit,
Rock Island Credit Union, Russell-Murray Hospice, Saint Katharine Drexel, Tractor Supply Co.,
Turf Care & Beyond, Union Pacific Railroad Foundation, Viking Pipe & Supply, and Walmart Foundation.
WWW.ELRENOBURGERDAY.COM