Unique Hay Bales Spread Holiday Cheer In Chickasha

More than 200 uniquely painted and decorated hay bales are helping spread holiday cheer in Chickasha, Oklahoma.

To kick off Chickasha’s annual Festival of the Lights event, local artist Carrie Chavers and longstanding family company Standley Systems teamed up to spread the holiday cheer with uniquely decorated hay bales.  

There are nearly 250 of them displayed at four locations around Chickasha. The project is a six-week process from start to finish. It requires a dozen volunteers to help pre-plan all locations, pick up, transport, and set up the hay bales.

The four locations are,

1. Junction US-81 & I-44 as you enter Chickasha
2. Grand Avenue and 4th Street on the south side
3. Grand Avenue Dental lot – 720 W. Grand Avenue, Chickasha
4. Shannon Springs Park – located on the west side near 13th Street and Montana

The idea originally came from Standley Systems co-owner, Tim Elliott, who believed in starting a holiday tradition all families can enjoy. 

“The holiday hay bales are Standley Systems’ gifts to the community.  If it brings a smile to someone’s face, it makes it all worthwhile. We want to spread the holiday cheer in our hometown and give back to a community that we consider an extended part of our family,” Elliott said.

Standley Systems pays for the materials, and Chavers, who is also a retired high school art teacher, paints the hay bales.