BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Bradford County’s Tourist Development Council voted to recommend to county commissioners that they approve a $5,500 grant for the Star-Spangled Splash Bash on July 4 and 5. The council also turned down a funding request from Splash Bash organizer Michael Heeder for a rodeo at the Bradford County Fairgrounds.
Heeder told the council that 2024 was the Splash Bash’s first year at the fairgrounds.
“We expected 6,000 people to turn out,” Heeder said of last year’s event. “Our numbers came out right at about 8,100 people. We’re expecting more this year and scaling it back to two days, just Friday and Saturday, July fourth and fifth.”
Heeder said that a sponsor is covering the cost of the water slides, and the City of Starke is contributing to fireworks costs. The tourist development grant will cover advertising.
Heeder said a rodeo is now produced in Nassau, Baker, and Clay counties, adding that the group organizing the Baker event would run the Bradford County rodeo.
Former Bradford County Fair Manager Dale Woodruff, a member of the tourist development council, told his colleagues that the area Heeder had pinpointed for the rodeo is in disrepair and could not sustain the event.
He added that the fair association had already obtained estimates totaling $280,000 to restore the area formally used by the Bradford Roping Club. He added that pavement removal, replacing a water well, and replacing bathrooms are among the needed upgrades.
