There are many things I love about Claremore. We are home to a great parks system, world-class mountain bike trails, fantastic restaurants, popular community events, and much more! However, what truly differentiates Claremore are the people who call it home.

In 2021, Visit Claremore launched a photo contest series to highlight what residents love about our community. Over the past year, the organization has hosted five contests challenging people on social media to share their favorite Claremore landmark, event, restaurant, museum, or experience.

The Summer 2022 Photo Contest, which ran June 30 – July 31, received more than 50 submissions, making it the largest to date! Participants submitted photos using the hashtags #VisitClaremore and #2022PhotoContest. Having the opportunity to review the many places, people and things that people love about our community gave me an even deeper appreciation for our City.

Knowing that a trail on Claremore Lake, an evening at the rodeo or an afternoon spent on the new space playground served as the backdrop for an unforgettable memory inspires me. These snapshots encourage our staff to keep working hard to ensure we offer world-class facilities and amenities to the community.

I want to take a moment and personally thank all who participated and engaged in our photo contest. There were many amazing submissions that truly highlighted what makes our community so unique.

A special congratulations to the Summer Photo Contest winner, Kelsey Ketcher, who captured a breathtaking photo from the Claremore Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular. Her photo is featured on visitclaremore.org and the City’s social media channels.

Visit Claremore has future photo contest events in the pipeline, and I encourage you to stay engaged and get involved. Each of these contests offers participants the opportunity to win fantastic prizes that promote local business, highlight a unique Claremore amenity or provide a small blessing to the winner’s family. All contests are announced through the City’s social media platforms.

Get engaged, stay involved and enjoy the incredible place we call home.

Have a great weekend, Claremore!

John W. Feary